Wednesday I rode Big Park trails. Afterwards my shoulder hurt sort of big time which I attributed to riding and wearing my hipbelt suspension hydration pack. On Thurday I power walked Made in the Shade loop that caused shoulder pain. I rationalized that because I feel hiking is less harmful and I hurt afterwards just like a bike ride that I could ride. I tested that rationale out yesterday riding out Verde valley School road. I do lean forward and put weight on my hands which causes my shoulders to scrunch up. Riding the pavement still loaded my shoulder. pavement ended onto rough Sedona FS road. I picked up a piece of Baldwin single track for fun and testing. Fun on moderate tech challenges. I dropped out back on the road and yielded to further enjoyment and testing by riding out and back to Turkey Creek TH on a chunky FS road. Back @ the Bean I experienced the testing results: hurt. I should prolly quit riding and accept hiking as my outdoor activity.

Logan and Virginia are a hoot and blended in quickly and well w/ locals. Virginia and I talked about living in the van. She said she missed a chefs knife. I gave her a knife I shopped for at a kitchen supply house. She was pleased and Logan will receive the benefits of it’s output.

Last night’s shop ride party spilled into the parking lot after Jimmy turned out the lights @ 8:30. I sampled the rowdiness of the crowd which was parked on the motel side of the parking lot. I deemed their noise and exuberance to be a citizen complaint away so I drove out to the overlook. I spoke w/ Tim who owns Shenandoah Bike Shop back on the right coast and has a cool hang out shop. He said that the Bean is one of a kind. Mostly locals of the Bean crowd. Local riders are so shop branded which creates a community. So much history.

Forecast is for many days of rain and showers and chilly. Sleeping spot is the paved overlook. Yesterday a county sheriff car parked behind me for many minutes. I stared the engine and backed down from the leveling blocks and slid the side door open to exit and stow the blocks. He left w/ no interaction.

Today has been a hanging day. Potential for nasty wet weather existed. I decided to stay inside to eliminate the pull of a sucker hole and venture out. Tonight Gonzaga closes out the regular season hosting BYU. Televised @ 8:00 at PJ’s.

For years the roof vent has leaked dripping to the carpet below. Finally a tipping point must have been reached as the eau of pue is moldy carpet. I was given the number of a recommended carpet cleaner, I called him. he will call me before he comes to Sedona. A non local. Today I vacuumed the carpet and underneath. If wishes were fast trains then we would all ride. I held hope for a carpet cleaner machine that wasn’t here. I dislike the smell. I sealed the underside oif the roof vent w/ expectations that the leaks are plugged. If so, the cause of this smell will be gone. I have casually thought about replacement. The carpet is custom cut and edged. Brain spark: I give the carpet to use as a template which just eliminated an onerous task.

Yesterday afternoon I fed myself some already been vaporized herb and turned on the timer on my wrist computer. It don’t cost very much and it makes me smile and lasts for a very long time. I drifted among alcohol consumers during the Friday post ride socializing never connecting, different buzzes.

New episodes of Justified are on line. last night I watched 2 episodes till late.

Yesterday I planned to ride verde Valley rd until Duff invited me on a Big Park ride w/ Pat. I went. Duff took me on trails that I had never been on. How much fun. Enjoy the pleasure and buck up to the pain that followed.

Last night Sandy, a visitor from Calgary invited me to her house for dinner to fix dishes selected from a Cooking Light 20 minutes to eat time recipes. We found things we shared in common. Next step was to minimize the purchase of exotic ingredients. From the 2 recipes selected we gened up a shopping list. Sandy wrote the first recipe ingredients on a piece of scrap paper. At the grocery store when she shook out her cloth shopping bags that scrap was not there. She retraced her steps that lead her back home and she returned w/ the magazine. All ingredients were procured. back at the kitchen I tried to steer the project to eliminate 2 many chefs spoiling the broth. We pulled it together. Dolly joined and shared her hummus. I stayed till after 11:00 then drove out to 89B and stayed in the TH parking lot.

Today was van service to replace the transmission mount to eliminate vibration. This mount coupled w/ the replaced motor mounts was to quell my complaint. I still have same sound. Misdiagnosis.

PT today now working on my sore left forearm which was hurt in same fall back in Hurricane. She said it is tendonitis and to ice it several times a day.

I bought a large fanny pack to keep the weight off my shoulder. Big enough for longer hikes.

Drove back to VOC. My warranty replacement Terraduros arrived.

I hiked made in the Shade loop. My shoulder seemed to hurt the same as from yesterday’s ride. A shower then dinner @ Hilton golf club house. $14 for very good food.

Rain is forecast for many days starting tomorrow night. I will ride Verde valley road.

Parked out @ overlook again as the firm mud side roads are just simply mud. Sunday night the forecast called for showers that morphed into all night rain. Just mud.

Sunday I survived 90 mins of intense deep tissue massage from Lady Edna. I have a high threshold for pain she said as she made tears come to my eyes. She practices eastern massage which adds more dimensions to my care, She said she feels no tear. I got worked over.

Monday I needed to be in Flag for the ortho appointment. I followed the forecast that called for snow @ Flag and 30 mph gusts. Monday here it was raining. I did the bfast thing then  battened down loose items and headed out going S on 179 to I-17 interchange. 6 mile climb north to get up on the Mongollon Rim. Flag is at 7,000′. At 6500′ snow was falling heavily, the road was covered w/ wet slush. I saw maybe 8 spin offs, all heading N from the valley. Snow was building up on the windshield wiper arms, I had concern that the wipers would cease to swipe off the wet snow. I made Flag where it was just slushy streets to the DR clinic. I arrived on time. Dry Beaver creek’s source is up on the rim and the interstate crosses it. I noticed lots of standing and flowing water that will flow down Dry Beaver.

X-rays were taken, I was questioned and examined by a PA who shared her results w/ the DR, then the DR shared info. No external rotation strength. X-rays show the head of the humerus rising out of its socket when I raise my arm. They say take an MRI to see underneath. MRI will be 3/9 up in Flag.

I drove out of town right after exam. Still snowing heavily and highway in same condition. I followed a snow plow for many miles before he pulled off at an exit. More slide offs in the N lanes. Same windshield issue but no failure. Once below the snow the winds picked up. Dry Beaver was a raging torrent. Rain at VOC.

Spent the night again at the overlook.

Met Logan and his wife who are traveling in the biggest size Sprinter. On this break from home base in NC they pedaled their bikes across Africa. Dirt Rag published his article on beer trails while riding the Pisgah.

No rain overnight. Today i checked the side roads and observed mud. Another night on the pavement.

Steve treated me to dinner last night @ Picazzos.

Today I worked out @ PT. She says there is a tear because of no strength and movement of my shoulder. She added more strength exercises.

Back @ the parking lot @ Bike and Bean the 3 Sprinter rigs socialized standing in the sun: Steve, Logan and Virginia, and me. We broke for the overlook and broke out chairs and sat in the sunlight. The loss of sun warmth drove me into my heated van. Steve told us about Skylab will be visible @ 7:47 tonight. We all jockeyed for a front row seat looking toward the flight path. damn engineers got it right as it showed up as the fastest solid light where they said it would be. We watched until it disappeared and cold made a warm inside better that a 1/2 moon lit night.

Forecast calls for several days of wet starting Friday. Trails are not dried out and won’t before this forecasted wet. I will ride tomorrow on pavement.