I camp out rt180 to the first piece of FS land to town. I drive a short ways on rd 164B that is surfaced w/ cast in mud ruts. Lurching picking my way for the smoothest line. Amazing that cabinets haven’t fallen apart or allowed gravity to seek its lowest level. Someone told me that stutter bumps smooth out over 30mph. Not me to try.
Flag is at 7,000′, Sedona 4,500′ Today the temp forecast was for 96 in Sedona and just 80 here. Enough written. AT night I sleep under the down blanket and wish for the furnace to ward off the night chill.
Sat. I hiked from camp. Forest cove is mostly P-pine: open. Ground cover is volcanic ejects from Mt Elbert just above me, highest point in the state. The trail tread is loose cobble: there is no organic material to resist erosion. Dusty. I hiked trails to a turning point then bush bashed down thru the open forest. Dead reckoning nailed van. I sat in the sun reading barechested turning red. My left arm is tanned, my right is beet red from lack of exposure while in the sling. I drove back into town to an Anytime Fitness for a shower, a benefit of my medigap policy.
Today I made box pancakes w/ frozen organic blueberries, I ate them all. Cleaning up is more difficult because I have just part of a second hand. Cleaned up. Today I am driving over to Schultz creek TH where most of the riders leave from: I am seeking human interaction. I hiked Rocky Ridge trail which was the first trail I rode here back in ’09: nasty. 4 riders met me going against my flow: it was Darrell from Form cycles, and Tom a nurse attending to me post surgery, and 2 others I did not know. Hard tail riders.
As I approached the TH I saw the rear quarter of a VW Westy. It was danny from Sedona up for a ride. We chatted a bit before he left. We made get together plans post ride. We had dinner in the saw mill district where there is an REI and Whole Foods. Social interaction. I sat in my Strongback chair in the sun sans shirt reading soaking up more red. I saw myself in the bathroom mirror later before my shower. Lobster has nothing on my chest. Sun burnt.
Just about a full moon tonight.
My youngest sister, Lise, is quickly dieing from cancer. I am flying back to Ohio for a 2 day visit.
My last PT is June 11. I am taking a 2 week break from PT. I built a schedule which includes the Ohio trip. First stop is the Zunis east and above Gallup, NM. from there I drive to Albuquerque for airplane ride. You can’t get there from there: 1 stop each way going away from my destination. From Albuq I drive to Salida to visit Mark who does the heavy lifting for this web site and his wife Brenda. Then drive to Sun Valley to visit Steve. Next stop will be Bend PT.
55 degrees outside is cold.
Tomorrow I drive back down to sedona for a PT session and stay till after Thur’s session.
Oh, My lower back started really hindering my movement from the sit down fall on Monday. I needed a chiro adjustment. On Friday I drove I-17 down to VOC. I arrived just after he left for his 3 hour lunch break. I sat on his concrete porch in the shade reading Mtn Bike Action. Hot. He put bones back where they belong allowing me to smile. I drove back up to Flag via I-17. I wanted out of the heat.
Route 66 goes thru Flag. NAU is here. Hopping town, I stay in old town. Several brew pubs.