Today I hung 4 pairs of liners on the drying line. I do my wash every Thurs, all clothes are washed. I rode 4 times last week. On my rides I carry a water bottle in the left handed release water bottle cage and cell phone as I am never far away and the walk  a bike mechanical is short. 3X I rode my same 55 min loop.

Today was my CT scan of my troubling abdomen. While there I doubled up for the blood work and EKG surgery requirement. I am known by several of the staff. Today the nurse performing the EKG had an IMBA calendar posted @ her desk. That sparked mtn bike conversation. She said her fiance’s picture is in there. I know him, Jesse, a biker introducing her to mountain biking. She said it scares her because she sees bike injuries professionally. Yes, riders will be hurt. Yes, it might happen to you. Yes, there are so many other riders she never sees broken.

Tuesday a surgery scheduler called to go over information from me and she shared my part. I am required to submit blood work no older than 30 days and take and EKG. These were a new thing for me that indicates care for the entire body, the body will tell if it can recover from surgery. There will be a bridge from oral blood thinner to injections to raise my INR number after not taking any. Blood clots are a risk.

My new vent fan arrived, tomorrow will be a mechanical day to R&R. I will be able to get at the wood garnish to either remove and Stephen make a new one or just coat it w/ sealer. Stephen will make a new frame around the opening.

Last night I slept sort of w/ the furnace cycling. I was cold. 47 degrees in morning but full on sun is warm.

Friend Steve gifted me a book, “Dirt Work” written by a woman who worked years on summer trail crews @ Glacier NP and somewhere in Alaska( I have gotten to that part). My nose has been in it. She tells of the years of experience. I’m processing reading of a memoir and comparing it to my life and in this case being envious of author’s, Byl, written experiences. My reflection on my life ran around in my head while I attempted to fall asleep; I slept very little.

Today I upped my ride game by riding longer and maybe cumulative more tech junk to negotiate. A little ways in on Chuck Wagon a loose rock was on the trail on a slight downhill left hand turn where I wanted to go. Unexpected that washed out my wheel leaving my body at the mercy of gravity as I was gently seated on my left side. I bailed out on Yucca to Canyon of Fools then climb back up Snake. My upper body is mostly stable w/ little weight on my hands. Load happens when I squeeze the brake levers slowing the bike and making my body independently slowing down likewise. I carried my Wing Nut pack w/ no water bladder but a pint size collapsible  bottle of water and barest of mechanical tools. I carry a full at start water bottle in the frame holder. I’m slow but steady. My shoulder really hurts as I type this.

I have a place to park my van out of the way behind the Red Agave which is next to Duff’s spare bedroom which is down the street and across a vacant lot to Bike and Bean. And i have a ride up and back to Flag by Matt who is a nurse at the hospital. I am required to have a responsible person pick me up. Score.

Today I learned that amount of blood in my urine is still the same minute amount.

I have 7 shirt sleeve shirts and maybe 10 under shorts. I wear my pants for several days; I have 4 pair of shorts. One set of sheets that are washed every week.

Steeping coffee grounds overnight to make Tod’s Toddy concentrate that I mix 1 part to 3 parts water. 12 ounces makes enough for about 14 cups of coffee, 1 per day. Slightly less acid and sweeter and smoother tasting.

April 22 is repair day. I am daily performing the PT exercises as prescribed. I have been riding a 7 mile loop that I am familiar w/ that lacks much chunk. I still ride step ups when I can find them by using my hips for lofting the front wheel: pedal wheelies. Ride lasts for 55 mins then I hang around the shop while still wearing my riding clothes so I can identify w/ riders. I do work up a sweat and earn the red dirt clinging to my body.

Today while parked in the parking lot a guy walked up to me and said you probably don’t remember me. We shared part of Angel’s Staircase ride in central WA. He said I asked him why he was still riding a hard tail. Today he said he bought a full suspension bike the next week. He retired from Boeing 3 years ago and has not missed it one bit.

Yesterday I watched both final 4 basketball games @ PJ’s. Duke and Wisconsin.

Last night after the game and parked at my spot off Beaverhead I ate a pot cookie. I was told to eat a little and wait a while to see if the buzz kicks in. I ate the entire cookie. What a ride. after 3 hours I was all but paralyzed. I had no balance. I walked the length of my van while hanging on to what ever my hands could reach. The van floor felt like I was on a surf board for all the motion the floor made. I sat in my chair in the dark just riding along. Bed time w/ the complicated task of lowering my bed. The bed is very heavy that takes two hands to lower. I was afraid that I couldn’t make my body complete the lowering. I made it. I laid under the covers as if I was paralyzed. This AM I felt I was still hung over. It was simply a manner of riding out the kick.

The last urinalysis showed I am peeing blood. The CT scan office did not call on Friday to schedule an appointment. Learning of what is causing my guts to gurgle keeps me here instead of road tripping.

The carbon left foot shaped footbed is a success.

Logan wrote a story about me that he posted in Pedaling nowhere, here is the link: http://www.pedalingnowhere.com/plog/craig-bierly-are-you-nuts

My forearms are well tanned, roll my sleeves up and I am white as snow.

Out @ favorite beaverhead spot, arrived burning headlights, nobody home. Dinner @ golf course again, $14 for great food.

Drove up to West Sedona today to do wash and ride out Dry Creek. Clean clothes till next Thursday. The count of clean short sleeve shirts in the drawer is my count down to Thurs. Living in a tourist town means being opened 7 days a week therefore there are no real regular shifts of work. There is no break in my life to signify a day that why Thursday’s laundry is my day counter.

Drove out to Cockscomb TH for ride. Winds blew around mini twisters of sand. I corrected my breathing to avoid inhaling sand. Places wind blew the trail clear, where wind was less of an influence tire tracks showed. This time my rear tire held air. I pedaled w/ gusto. Short loop of 5.73 miles in 44 mins. I startled a hiking couple, the man standing in the trail and me speeding towards him. Both shared the responsibility of collision avoidance, He stepped off and me stopping under control well in front of them. A shared greeting as I passed. Later I rode thru a ground of older men riders. Prolly not older than me but still labeled as “older”. I thought the loop might have lasted an hour.

2 days ago at the Bean I struck up a conversation w/ 2 guys perhaps in their later 20s from Bend. They planned long rides. I saw them on the trail and Matt was showing the effects. I saw them later sitting on the porch rehydrating. I joked with them. Later I drove out to Beaverhead. They drove up a while later and camped at the lower spot. I joined them for after dinner conversation.

Last Friday a tech performed an ultra sound of my abdomen. Finally today I was told of the results which were uneventful. Shelia will order a CT scan. No kidney stone.

I am working to replace the roof vent fan to eliminate the dripping water. Monday I drove up to Steven’s shop to start the wood work, I cut away the ceiling paneling to clear the edge of the inserted wooden frame that I do not remember how it is attached. I put an extension ladder against the uphill side of the van and crawled up onto the roof. Effort is to be directed to cutting away the many layers of rubbery sealant applied over time. No arm strength, so much effort required to cut a strip away w/ an exacto knife. The sealant needs to be removed to expose the attach screws and cut it free from the roof for removal. I cut out  a little less than 50% and gave up. I couldn’t find anyone to Tom Sawyer with me but I had an idea I could hire someone to finish. I hired ken, the left legged mountain biker who said he could scamper up the ladder. That he did. I discovered numerous cracks on the base c/t the screw holes which creates a water path. Base needs replacing. Today I called Fan-Tastic  enduring about a 10 min on hold time. Said the R&R was 2 hours. I opted to order a new fan. I’ll pull the old fan then study the wood frame and what action required. Perhaps I can just polyurethane sealer in place. I only created order when leaking rain wetted it. Next week.

Three nights ago I was at my spot, around 12:30, I’m laying in bed reading w/ my head facing out to Beaverhead. I couldn’t fall asleep. I see headlights turning off the highway and towards me. They drove briskly over the frozen rutted road then I heard the engine coming up to my spot. No… radar alerts threat response. I hear a woman’s vocal sounds sounding kind of surprised. Shit: a rape going on? I never heard another sound that would have decided my course of action. Almost 1/2 hour later I heard to car doors slam shut then the engine started and they drove away as fast as they entered. Almost a full moon, I wonder if they ever saw me as I was maybe 30 feet to their right. The next day I worked the land around for untoward signs finding none.  I was freaked by somebody driving near me when I primitive camp.

Short season has arrived. My arms are nicely tanned.

I stated thinking of doing a road trip to Prineville to look for land. GPS reports 814 miles. My surgery is 4/22, almost 3 weeks of time. I was going to leave tomorrow. Today when Shelia said next step is a CT scan my action was put in park. I’ll watch the time. I would like to have my gurgling guts diagnosed and treatment started before I would head out. I looked at a land for sale web site to get a feel for land. Encouraging.

Two days ago I hiked a loop by hiking up to the pass above the shop then traverse on the other side of the bowl to connect w/ Made in the Shade going the long way to join Shady for the finish. I saw 1 biker and later another one. The second one came at me from behind on a downhill. I heard him then jumped well off the trail It was Dennis. My jump was at the same time when he saw me. He could not have stopped before hitting me. That’s the way it goes. As a rider I see startled hikers from mtn bikers, I know their dislike of bikers.