Conditions had not been friendly for me to ride in, after all its not like I’m on vacation and have to ride every day. Temperature stayed low and just above freezing in the heat which kept freeze thaw mud reality and snow. Wed and Thurs were goof off days.
Friday I returned to Barrel Roll in a better frame of mind. Chilly day but clear. I start out climbing up a single track to get to the actual trailhead. This trail is challenging steepness right off w/ no warm up. I could park somewhere distant and warm up. Could but don’t. I identified the sharp rock that destroyed my tire last year. I subtly stepped up it this year. Today I added Sidewinder which is a climbing out and back from Barrelroll.
Imagine miles of square miles and not a tree to hide under. I like the view.
The trails here require upper body effort enhancing lower body work. Takes a toll on my shoulder. All technical riding does this.
Drove back to Hurricane and slept out at the JEM TH.
Sat AM a nearby slamming car door woke me at 8AM. I looked out to see maybe 20 people in running attire and some kind of like elfy hat on. I watched them trot off. The lead runner appeared to be carry like a tray. They left, I got up and did my morning thing of changing the bed room into a kitchen, fixing and eating breakfast cleaning up the kitchen then making the van into a driving rig. I listened to Wait Wait. I learned from 2 women who stayed behind after the others drove away that it was a birthday celebration for some long distance runner.
Sat was another OTE shop ride. Gooseberry Mesa. Oh boy. The usual riders loaded their bikes and gear into the Old Fart Ford pickup truck and headed out. The dirt roads up to Gooseberry would stress my van and me. Our ride up was on firm perhaps partially frozen dirt. Just nasty. The temp at the TH was above freezing but the dirt was still firm. Riding the mesas is mostly exposed sandstone. Today added in was snow in sheltered spots. Nasty. I didn’t trust traction even on my hike a bike stretches. I don’t enjoy the constant tech stuff.
We headed back to the TH from here. Snow about 4″ deep greeted us in shaded spots on the jeep road. Slither and slide. I watched Sensible Steve do a slow tank slapper till his bike lost stability and slid out from underneath him dropping him into the snow. The trail left the road returning the way we came. I decided that I wanted to ride the road as I would not hold up others while I walked stuff that they rode. The trial again was mostly on bed rock while the jeep road was softened freeze thaw mud.
The ride back was a slippery thing as what had been firm was now nasty slippery. Pickup is 2 wheel. Quentin kept his foot in it and steered where he wanted the truck to go but the mud had other ideas. Successful battle as we returned to the hard road and home.
Back in town. I use my Silver Sneakers membership to Anytime Fitness at a location right on State street in town. Dinner at Durango american mexican cuisine fast food restaurant. Simple beans and rice w/ some chicken added. Nutritious and filling. I allow the engine to warm a few minutes before driving the long climb out of town to the JEM sleep spot. I listened to the Zags game on XM. They are no longer in the top 25. Sabonis was on fire. Zags beat Tennessee in Battle in Seattle.
This morning when I checked the temp it was 37 degrees meaning just mud, maybe. I walked out to the trail studying the dirt. None stuck to my shoes. Good to ride. I drove down to Sheep Bridge road to start. My route would be ride the road a short ways to pick up Dead Ringer to climb up to the JEM TH. Ride it down to the Rim trail over to Crypto climbing to Dead Ringer back. I have ridden this route several times. It works. This ride is about pedaling w/ some tech stuff mixed in. Dead Ringer had bike tracked snow in shading spots up higher. There was freeze thaw mud. Foot prints when the mud was soft showed that it was soft. I skipped the upper part of the JEM which is flat by riding the road till the JEM crossed then jumping on. From here the trail drops. The switchbacks were slippery hike a biking packed snow. From here for a short ways the dirt was freeze thaw. I rode the center of the trail which was less affected. Once I dropped below the heat line the dirt was mostly firm. I did pick up mud but not enough to even partially load up the tires. I should wash it off the bike. Grazing cows, lots of them, had chosen the bike trail for their travels leaving deep hoof prints and the after wards of dinner or breakfast, hard to tell, on the trail.
I drove down into town for a shower and exercise my shoulder on an exercise ball. The Seahawks play the Browns at 2PM. I drove up to Springdale just outside Zion to watch which is the nearest “sports bar”. Tourist season is on winter mode meaning the locals come out. Seattle won. I left after the game in the past sunset fading light to Sheep Bridge road which cuts across to hwy 59 which drops into Hurricane.
Quentin ordered the Ibis carbon rims. I followed up w/ I9 on the spokes. Working to get the parts together at one time for build. Friend Joe is building up his RFX. Reader Chris just received his call from Tuner for his RFX. Mine is coming, I just need to wait a bit longer.
Forecast is calling for precip off and on this week.