Sunday I did drive up to Navajo Rocks. But I had a discussion w/myself about the ride.Sunday would be a weekend riders’ day and possible help from other riders while riding the Mag 7 trails which I planned on riding sometime. I chose Mag 7.

There are new trails right from the Gemini Bridge intersection w/ highway. I learned later how I could have added a few more miles to my ride. I continued down to Bull canyon TH my past pedaling off spot. Chilly at about 11AM. There were 2 rocky difficult climbs that in the past I walked. Today using increased skill I aced the moves. I made others but they weren’t as memorable as these 2. Bull goes near Gemini Bridges arch, good for a pic.

In case you might have forgotten my looks

Great ride enjoying being outside for 18.45 miles climbing 1594′, pedaling time of  2 1/2 hrs. Technical riding is slower than like a Bend trail. Desert scenery, wide open sky. Pinyon pine and juniper trees, lots of slick rock. Follow the paint stripes.

I spent the night at Horsethief BLM XG just a few sites occupied. Furnace ran all night leaving 11.8 volts on batteries before the solar collector kicked in.

Made scratch pancakes for b-fast.

After cleanup and time to allow the sun to add warmth I drove down to the Ramblin TH for the Navajo rocks ride. Sunny, clear skies and no wind but chilly. Still longunderwear wool top and cold temp gloves. While on Rockytops sufficient warmth allowed me to change to light gloves and my regular sweat hat and take off my wind shell.

 

Another fine desert ride for 17.16 miles. If I ride it again I will ride this way again. It’s still a hump. Big patches of slick rock some w/ massive climbs. I missed seeing the decorated tree.

Scenery is mostly the same as in sand stone rock faces, sand, blue sky, some green mixed in.

I drove back to town for a shower and groceries. Added 4 gallons of water from Gearheads. Back out at crowded Willow Springs. I am the furthest back I have been so far and right off the road. Thanksgiving vaca week crowd.

I have ridden 4 hard days in a row. Forecast for Wed calls for strong winds, too windy blowing dust for me. Perhaps I’ll ride Klonzo from here and rest on Wed and Thursday. I’ll decide when I crawl out of bed.

I could install my Oneup drive train and have the bike shop adjust the derailleur and could ride Pipe Dream in town.

My Garmin profile tallies 2,015,305 ft climbed over 24,730.99 miles on 1709 rides. I have ridden just about 21,000 miles on this odyssey. Two million feet climbed.

Thursday I got under way early enough to stop in Fruita to do my wash. I hang wool and synthetic items on a clothes line strung across the back of my van. In the cooler temps more days are required to fully dry my stuff. The number of chamois drying tells me how many days I rode that week. I have enough undershorts to make from Thurs to Thurs wash days. I have enough chamois to ride 6 days.

Clean clothes hanging or put away I continued to the eye care place on time. Eye exam used a computer to analyze each eye and make a recommendation for correction which gives a starting point. My eyes are healthy. A new prescription for close up correction. The lens are ground in house. A tech processed my order. I went next door to Chipolte for lunch. A text buzzed before I was finished: glasses ready. I picked them up and put them on. I look several feet away to a person and the vision appeared satisfactory. I removed them as I left the store. I drove to a nearby store to buy cheater glasses. I put on my new glasses to read the info tags on the cheaters. Blurred vision. No way. Vision correction not right. I was a few blocks away from eye place making for a quick return. I explained my issue. The tech who processed me claimed she asked me 2X if I wanted correction for distance. Nah, didn’t happen. I asked for new lens. They complied and I am now wearing correct correction and seeing up close clearly.

I was in need of medicine. The nearest pharmacy was 40 miles from Fruita. Junction is on the way. I pulled into the parking lot in front of 2 guys open carry semi autos. First thought was the police are on hand. I chatted w/ one of them and learned that it is still a cash business and their presence is cash management. Not law enforcement. Beautiful interstate drive beside the Colorado River canyon. Water runs a bit clearer than near Fruita.

Dinner at Hot Tomato then a short beer at Copper Club. Spent night at Devils canyon TH.

Sat I headed back towards Moab stopping at the north end of Klondike trails to where I have camped previously. Fruita is like 88 miles away. Scored the great camp spot. I parked closer to the road. I geared up and pedaled out choosing to warm up on the pedal trails on the west side of the center road. Fun. Ran into the 2 Canadians again at their camper drinking beer and eating. I saw them that way at Klonzo several days prior. I joked that they just pack their bikes but drink beer for sport. I rode back on Dino for tech sport. I’m getting remarkably better on the chunk. Dave, the PT, told me to point my toes down and pull up w/ hip muscles. My stroke is so much more powerful. Beautiful day but long underwear top and long sleeve jersey attire.

Back at the van winds picked up blowing dust and I was getting a good shot of it. I saw that if I would have parked where I have in the past I would be in the lee of bushes and not bare ground. I moved. I was parked crosswind. Wind chill. I hiked above on the rocks and would have gone higher but I was not dressed for the chill. I did get 2 bar 4X.

After dark I looked outside and saw a large group of campers. Too dark to learn details. In the AM in the light I saw several tents and people standing around already just after sunrise. One tent flapped horribly in the wind. Learned they were a group of boy scouts.

I dallied warm inside listening to Wait Wait letting the sun warm up and maybe the wind to die down. Show over, still windy. I wore long underwear wool top and long sleeved jersey, I changed to a warm helmet liner and wore cold temp gloves topped w/ a wind shell. I pedaled out Dino. Places in the lee the sun warmth was pleasant but the exposed places were chilly. In and out of comfort. From Dino I cut across to the west side and rode the pedal trails back till I decided I wanted tech again and rode back to Dino and back. Other riders were out.

A visit to town was in store for a shower, buy coffee from local small roaster, pick up my One up gears, and to watch the OSU Michigan game. Cleaned I chatted w/ the roaster about cowboying he did in Riggins, ID. He said he hates cows, he did it for his enjoyment of horse riding and carrying a 6 gun open carry. I picked up my bike parts and new trail maps. I walked down the building front to Moab Brewery to watch the game. Game was in 3rd quarter. The Bucks did not play well loosing by a late field goal. I left and headed up to Willow Springs in the fading light. I scored a spot. Quite a few rigs have driven out past me in the dark.

Tomorrow I plan on riding Navajo rocks in the other direction. A shop guy told me the benefit of riding it clockwise instead of the counter as stated in MTBproject. The elevation profile bears him out. I’ll prolly stay up there out of internet coverage.

My shoulder continues to hurt. More frequently than I would like it pops as in clearing a obstruction in the joint. I am learning how to use and not use. Riding works my upper body as well when on the chunk. I avoid the front wheel stops which would pitch me forward loading my shoulder that lacks 2 tendons connected to muscles that would hold the shoulder in place when pitched forward. So far I just have muscle pain when the ride is finished. I prolly should not beat myself every day riding tech stuff. But it’s so much fun and I have just a few more days to enjoy it.

I’m in no hurry to leave here. The weather will determine my leave date. Rain is forecast later this week. At this point Hurricane will be my next stop. Side trip to Cortez?

 

My life is but I wish my glasses frame would not have been so. Almost since new the left lens has fallen out. Until yesterday whenever the lens popped out I was able to find it. Several eye glass techs gave a go at making the lens stay home. The frame screw was turned in to the end  but it bottomed out before cinching the lens. I believe that the lens was over ground making it too small to safely fit. I need both lens to see close up clearly. I carry a pair of cheaters in my hydration pack for bike work and reading. I am wearing them now.

Yesterday I drove from Willow Springs rd up towards Dead Horse SP to ride trails in the Navajo Rocks area. The lens fell out during the drive landing on my chest. I put it back in. I pulled into an overlook spot to use the outhouse and discard trash in the provided can. I wear the glasses tethered by cord around my neck as I put them on and take them off frequently. Back in the van I continued the drive to the Ramblin TH. I put on my glasses but the vision was blurred. Darn, the lens fell out. I searched the van: no lens. I drove back to the overlook and retraced my steps some were in the brush. Came up nadda. Got to recover. Figured I could ride and make it back to town for internet and maybe find an optometrist in town.

Ramblin trail is the trail I helped build last year and is now open.  It’s a mix of slick rock, sand, and packed dirt. Not overly technical but still challenging. The trail used steep pitches of slick rock, if you have the legs and lungs you can climb it. I blew up on several and made several.

And the trail kept on going. Further along I came upon this happening

The print on the trail map is too small for these glasses to read to name the rest of the trails. I did follow it on MTBproject keeping me found. Rocky Tops was spectacular, several pieces  traversed steep slickrock required riding on the tire side knobs. Oooo, sort of hairy.

Ride was 17.16 climbing 1995′ taking 2 hrs 19 mins of pedaling. Worth doing again as are most of the trails here in Moab.

My rear brake was performing poorly again that really got under my chamois, it would not instantaneously lock up the wheel that I count on for some moves. I was not enjoying myself to the fullest. I still suspect it needs a bleed and I’m taking it to Chile Pepper to be fixed and to check on local eye services.

Chile says the bleed is solid, perhaps the pads are contaminated. After I calmed down I said that I will replace the pads with a set I just bought on special order from the shop. I put my bike back on the van and drove down to an optometrist beside the laundromat. I walked in and was greeted by a receptionist. I explained my situation. She said they would be glad to help at the next available appointment Dec 15. That won’t work. They are the only show in town.

By now it is after 5PM. I bought dinner groceries, and drove out to Willow Springs about 11 miles N of town, the first free camping spot. I made a tunafish casserole. Enough of that. I researched  on line optometrist in Grand Junction, the nearest big city. I selected several to contact today once they are open.

The last 2 nights I ran the infrared catalytic heater in the early evening. I wanted to learn if it turned on. It doesn’t use battery power which is becoming important w/ the early evenings and loosing solar gain. Heater worked well and prolly produces more heat than the furnace. I don’t like it because it lacks a thermostat.

At 9:07 I started calling Junction offices. Third call resulted in an 11:30 appointment tomorrow, Thursday. And the lens will be ground same day.

Today I rode out the road from where I am camped to ride the Klonzo system. Willow Springs road used to be access to Arches NP. Edward Abbey lived on the road inside the park. New purpose built trails for mountain bikes. Different tread of small pieces of broken rock and the slick rock had dikes of harder rock causing ribs.

The trails are signed, at major intersections a map is posted with a smiley face indicating you are here. I pedaled on a full bench cut trail on an exposed slope. Coming towards me are 3 dirt bikes. They shut their engines off. I walk my bike up to them. Politely I tell them that they are excluded from these trails and they are damaging our trails. One said that they didn’t see a sign when then got on the trail. Strike 2 for them: 1) riding closed trails to motorized travel, and 2) riding off trails. I told then to turn around and ride back to get off the trail. One guy said phooey, turn around and reride and damage it more. Fuck it they said and rooster tailed me when the sped away down the trail. I could not stop them and there were 3 of them. I continued my ride. I was up high when I saw them down below me still on bike trails. I stopped and stared down at them. We were maybe 200 yards as the raven flies. The trail they were on crosses a pipeline shortly. I checked my phone to learn I had cell coverage. I thought about calling 911 and reporting them and what was about to happen as I would confront them again. I picked up my bike and turned around pedaling in their direction. They started their bikes and rode away. If only an LEO were to see them. I continued my ride working my way to the other side of the road system. I exited the single track back onto Willow Springs rd and started the pedal back to the van. A shiny pickup was approaching me. The road is dusty. I rode down the center of the one lane to slow the driver down so I wouldn’t be dusted. I yielded. I noticed several antennas on the roof then read Sheriff on the drivers door. I flagged him down then told him of my issue. He said they would ticket them if they were caught. Almost made it.

I checked the fuel gauge on the propane tank which showed almost bone dry.

My flexible plan became driving back to Moab, take a shower, get water, get propane, and get dinner groceries and drive to be camped above Rabbit Valley in CO west of Fruita before dark. I made it. Max propane tank capacity is 5.8 gallons, refill was 5.3. Fumes but the frige never shut down.

But on Monday my wet rest day I drove into town. I passed an IMBA decked out Subaru parked. Whoa, someone I can meet. I parked then walked down the street towards the car. I saw the Love Muffin shop and parked out front was Tyson’s VW Golf. I walked in and there he was sitting at a table w/ the usual looking suspects. Tyson and I greeted each other warmly. The other people were an IMBA regional director and his wife and a couple from S Africa, he works for Specialized. We spent the morning at the table discussing mountain bike issues.

I drove out to Willow Springs for the night which brings you back to the top.

The Southwest desert is just eye candy for all the views of the expanse. The trails lack slimey slippery roots and shade.

Gonzaga plays right now, they are on XM. I missed the first half. I’ll do dinner dishes while listening to the game. Home town announcers.

Back to Moab prolly Friday.