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.