Today Jan, the artist w/ the shower connected to her studio, and I took off for a social ride. Pedaling away I pull the brakes, run the shifter, and bounce a bit to check system functions. Again the rear brake was not stopping the rear wheel. I worked it thru several full lever pulls which seemed to bring it to the party. However, after a short while it wouldn’t perform. I abandoned the ride. back at my house i have a reconditioned T1 brake to put on. Upon examination after removal I discovered the caliper seals were leaking: no fluid no hydraulic power and contaminated pads. I started installing the replacement brake which was the rear brake on the Spot and discovered that the brake hose was too short. Fortunately I had a piece of hose end end parts. I gave all to the shop for repair. They trash the Formula brakes because they do not like to work on them. OK, I pay professional bike mechanics to service what I am unable or unwilling to do. For me the brakes stop me when i want to which meets my needs.
So it was a shorter ride. Casual chatty ride.
Chopper said that if you aren’t willing to take a wet steamer to the chops you are not a mountain biker. He did not say what the steamer is. Today this is what happened on a popular multi use trail. Previous riders avoided the droppings. I stayed to the left but still in the tread.
Jan planned the day. Short ride, visit w/ her friends Dave and Xandy for a gathering at the Hilton Spa for which Jan provided me w/ a guess pass. We went to the pool and scored 4 lounge chairs on the pool deck to lay / sit in full sunshine. The pool spoke to me. I grabbed a kick board ans slipped into the water. I flutter kicked my way down the lane at a very slow pace. At the far end I rolled over on my back and backstroke kicked which was faster. Must be because of bicycle specific muscles. I tried some crawl strokes which were sloppy as I wasn’t able to consistently recover my right arm. I tried some breast stroke which worked. 4 lengths and I was ready to be sun baked on the deck. I measured my sun exposure hopefully I am not too burned to sleep tonight.
Yesterday’s Old Mans Ride didn’t happen as the catalyst heeded another calling. I made it a rest day back out at Beaverhead where I am now. I sat in the sun introducing my uncovered skin to exposure. Few minutes are necessary to turn my baldness bright red.
Saturday Steve and I rode Old Post piece that we helped build, Skywalker, Scorpion, then Pyramid that I hadn’t been on for years because of its tech difficulty. We climbed up Old Post. Steve was my rabbit on the climb leaving me to view his back wheel in the distance. He dropped me. I give what I can. He let me shower at his rental house.
Friday Steve and I rode from Dry Creek rd up and down Anaconda then hooking up w/ the creek trails till I found the entrance to a horse trail that wandered its way to Rupp. We continued to Cockscomb to Aerie rejoining Cockscomb to Dawa to OK and figured out a confusing intersection to find Snake for the climb out. I drove down to uncrowded Beaverhead.
Thursday was Steve’s first Sedona ride of this visit. I took him on the longest continuous downhill here. New trail for Steve and my second ride on it. Social trail. I have taken Steve on several were are you going trails that he started questioning my navigation.
Thursday night I slept at the crowded 89B spot. Too popular.
Another plant bloomed
I have a bite wound on my right forearm that I have strong suspicion it is from an early juniper gnat. If so, more than time to move on.
Plan is to do my laundry in W Sedona on Thurs then head to the Zunis. No gnats there.