Sunday was a beautiful day under cloudless skies, exertion comfortable temp but a chilling wind. I picked Kevin up and drove up to Sheeps bridge road just off rt 59 which is below the JEM TH. We rode up Dead Ringer to the JEM TH then down the JEM to the Hurricane Rim trail continuing to Crypto for a gentle climb to Dead Ringer and back to the van. I lead Kevin on the climbs never pushing it. Kevin lead on the downhills, he was nice and waited at the trail junctions for me to catch up. I coast and pump the dips allowing gravity to do the work. Kevin drops a bunch of gears and gets after it.

I drove him back home then stopped for a clean up and groceries. My plan was to sleep at the JEM TH again in spite of the forecast for snow. Deal w/ snow is it makes the dirt road perhaps slippery mud or too deep snow for my all weather tires to push me out. The sunset last night was very colorful to the SW, not the west.  Before sleep time the winds picked up continuing after I laid my head on my pillow rocking me like a bird in a nest in a tree. The weak sun revealed about 2″ of snow on the ground. Enough snow covered the solar collector to block out the sun’s energy. Piece of news out of North Carolina that a city blocked a request to set up a solar farm because residents feared the collectors would suck out too much energy from the sun. That said, I successfully drove out to the hard road and down into the valley which was warmer and did not have snow. The above freezing temp melted the snow allowing the collector to go back to sucking energy from ol’ sol.

I drove to River Rock Roaster for coffee and a sticky bun. Only 1 car in the parking lot which is just a parking brake failure from a long ride down to the Virgin River. Goodie: I’ll get a sticky bun. Upon entering the place was dark and just a guy behind the counter. He said that a fire elsewhere burned a power pole killing electric. He could sell cold drinks for cash only. No light in the bathroom.

I drove to the library for a sit down and some reading in their warmth. I noticed that the magazines have been culled down to nothing outside the accepted religious conservative norms.

I will be buying IBIS 741 rims and I9 spokes and find a builder.

Turner does not want my Spot back meaning it is mine to sell. Money earned will be applied to my new RFX. So, for a piece of history you can own a Turner 5 Spot that has been ridden by JP Nuts for 3 years in too many states to count. I will sell the frame by itself but I would like to sell it as a “kit” which includes a King headset, a Shimano XT bottom bracket, a PUSHed Monarch shock, and a 150mm Pike fork. You pay the shipping and it will be yours for say $1,500. Wouldn’t part of the bike look good under your tree?

I spoke w/ the Interstate battery person to learn more about recharging. Previously I  bought a 1 AMP charger that did almost nothing. He said I needed a bigger kicker. I returned to NAPA and explained what I needed. They gave me credit for the returned charger towards a 10amp charger. I drove to Main Street cafe and plugged it in. Battery power is increasing. Seems to be my solution. A different odor is inside the van now. Does charging cause a gas to be released from a battery?

Earlier I visited a Dirty Bees Bakery near lunch at Subway. Guy raises bees and uses their honey in many of his baked goods that he sells as do several cafes in the area. He has a small hive right in the store. There is a clear plastic pipe that allows the bees to come and go. Today there was food gathering from a flowering plant that I forgot. He said that if they find chicken feed they roll in it to attach protein that they feed to the bee larva. Life expectancy for a worker bee is 3 to 4 weeks.

Temps are forecasted to return to the 50s this weekend. I haven’t thought of tomorrow’s activity.

Right to the good stuff: Today the Over the Edge shop ride was on Guacamole. The riders are regulars all 4 or 5 of them. Quentin drove us all in the Old Fart’s truck up Dalton Wash road. Road is in great shape per the locals, way better than the Smithsonian road out to Grafton Mesa. Chilly and very windy. Frost still covered the ground in the shade. We popped out on top of the mesa in full sun and full on wind. Mesa rides here are just patches of sandstone and a creative way to ride over, down, or around. Lots of step ups that exceed my ability to commit to attempt.

Ride is right on boundary of Zion NP.

So we zigged and zagged around the mesa.

Quentin worked with me encouraging my effort.

My fall: I rolled a steep side slope to a roll out maybe 4 feet of it. My front wheel hit the dirt at the bottom, I apparently turned my wheel to the left in preparation of a tight turn and the wheel stalled sending me not over the bars but I landed on both knees on bedrock, it appears that my hands never left the handlebar. I never loaded my upper body sparing my shoulder. I broke a second computer mount. My knees hurt. I continued the ride. At the van there still was no complaining from my shoulder. I escaped.

Beautiful day.

Winter is coming as snow is forecasted for Monday and night temps in the teens for the week. Will freeze thaw mud arise?

I’m staying behind the Main Street Cafe, Kevin and Pam’s place, plugged into their electric. I learned from the Interstate battery guy that my alternator is only giving a surface charge to my batteries. He suggested charging my batteries for a deep charge. Yesterday during my rest day I shopped for a charger at NAPA, get the good stuff. I bought a like 1 AMP charger that the guy said would be better for the deep charging. It has a bridle that I attached to the battery terminals and ran out from under the passenger seat. A quick connect joins the charger wiring that I plugged into my shore power outlet that is plugged into shore power. I switched the fridge over to electric. Sleeping in town with the front of the van plumb into the back of the building.

Yesterday morning I caught part of a very red sunrise. Forecast also called for rain. I saw a rainbow down wind. Conditions bode rain. I decided not to ride as getting caught in the rain could turn the dust into gloppy mud. Later in the morning rain  fell in town.

I visited the local Verizon store to understand my high byte consumption. Guy helped me work connections which might help. I bought a larger data plan. I asked about my phone up grade. He advised responding to my questions as I was trying to learn why I needed a new phone. I believe I had sufficient data to make a decision so I bought a Samsung Note 4, last year’s model. By the time the rebates come back they paid me to take the phone. I upgraded my Jetpack also. I spent last night learning the phone which has way more features than my old phone. This one is wider and longer giving a bigger screen. It sure fills my pocket.

Several days ago I emailed Turner asking about drilling a hole in the frame for stealth cable routing for a seat post. He responded w/ the methodology. Conversation continued as I asked about the Burner. He said that with the intro of the redesigned RFX on 27 1/2″ carbon frame is way better than the Burner and it it not over biking me. The Spot is a 26″ wheel w/ 5″ rear wheel travel. The RFX is 6″ travel on bigger wheels. I will buy a 160mm Pike. I am hoping that IBIS carbon rims will lace to my I9 Torch hubs. Quentin says carbon wide rims are super as the tire spreads out more and no rim bead to pinch flat the bead which allows even lower pressure. Quentin hammers on 22 and 21 psi. Lacing a wide stiff rim with I9 straight pull aluminum spokes to the 3 degree engagement hub makes for super responsive wheel. The bike is on order with delivery in late Dec or early Jan. I will bring all the parts together for buildup in Sedona.

OTE shop has attractive items. I bought a new Giro Montaro helmet. It is the first helmet in a long time that is actually comfortable, the shape matches my skull. Has nips function.

Thursday I helped build trail that will climb from the valley up to above the big H on the hill. Steep and rocky. I tested my shoulder more than I should have but no lasting damage.

Tomorrow Kevin and me are going down to Santa Clara to ride.

Battery charger is not keeping up w/ my usage drain.

New Freehub magazine is on the newstand. I wrote a short column on finding a camp spot. Article is titled: I stay where I choose.

I have been listening to the Zags UCLA basketball game. Zags are up by 2 at half. Attention distorted.

 

Bike parts that is. My shoulder continues to allow me to ride.

On Friday I rode from the upper JEM TH where I sleep. Down towards the bottom of the JEM the tread is broken sharp edge bedrock like steps. I attempt to loft the rear wheel over the edge. Several times I landed on on an edge as evidenced by a sharp sound from the rear wheel hitting that edge. On Thursday I miscalculated and apparently hit hard enough to cause air to escape from the tire. I detected the sound of a soft tire further down the trail. I stopped and checked out the rear wheel. Air was escaping. I spun the tire to slosh the Orange sealant to put it at the leak. No success. I attached my pump to the air stem and pumped. Air still leaked and I had not found the leak. I removed the valve core to allow all the air pressure the pump would generate to perhaps reseat the bead. No success. I pumped and hoped then pumped some more. No stopping the leak. Next operation was to convert to a tube tire. I carry a slimed tube as a backup. The tube worked. I pedaled a main gravel road back up to the junction w/ Dead Ringer, a climbing single track that would take me back to the van. Back at the van I tried a CO2 cartridge fill believing that the burst of pressure would pop the bead back. Not happening. I drove down to OTE where we tried w/ shop air to seal. No luck. Jordan, son of Troy, and I checked out the wheel. we discovered a slight ding on the rim at the leak. Turns out the small ding cut the bead of the tire which is where the air was escaping. New Continental Trail King 2.2 now on the rear. Actually the second tire I have destroyed down here in the SW. 700 miles on tire which showed well worn knobs.

Saturday I walked my bike quite a lot during a shop ride on Grafton Mesa while watching better skilled riders nail the tech chunk. I did ride a bit. I chose caution over adrenaline rush for longevity of career. Quinton has such skill.

Road back to where we started is the same one leading to Gooseberry road. Way beat up, no way will I drive my van on it. I ride these mesas at the grace of another driver.

My new Formula T1 brake arrived Sat. I installed it outside the shop. The hose is longer than I needed which needs to be shortened. I just made a long road to reach the brake lever displacing the extra length. I rode in the street bedding in the brake pads. Brake works like it should: 1 finger wheel lock up.

Sunday at the Upper JEM where I sleep I rode some more bedding the pads. The KS LEV dropper post is usually slow the first several cycles requiring pulling up the saddle. Today I pulled it up and the thing collapsed, ultimate failure. Ah, life favors the prepared. I pulled out the repaired Reverb post from my storage box and installed it. I was able to ride w/ a dropper post. The Reverb doesn’t raise as fast as the LEV but it works. On this ride I rode gently over the rocks that caused me previous damage successfully. Quite a few riders on the trails w/ no conflicts. Beautiful day

Cows are grazing leaving behind their presence: manure, fresh hoof depressions as well as legacy cast in depressions.

I started researching dropper posts. I will send the LEV back to Sunnyside in Bend who dealt w/ a repair shop. OTE likes the Thomson post.

I will send the Formula brake in for factory service.

Today Kevin and I will ride up here at JEM. Kevin was a Rider who Inspires per MBA. He and his wife Pam own Main street Cafe near the bike shop. I have Bfast there sometimes.

Abe, so much for your cat and dog fight. I won’t make it down for your christmas rides. I do plan on hanging at Sedona and make road trips from there. Keep me posted to rides say in Jan and Feb that I might make. On our last ride together a lone rider joined our group. He is a smoke jumper. We met again this summer in Oakridge.

Got to get ready to ride.

Weather here forecast is calling for 60 degrees but possible rain on Thursday. Wet activates the clay rendering some trails unrideable.