In 1964 I started an 11 day backpack trip on Philmont Boy Scout ranch in New Mexico. Mountains and clear streams were so different than my home of Ohio. Introduced me to mountains, backpacking, and clear water.
Today was the first whole day of my odyssey 8 years ago.
Today I continue to live the same lifestyle learned on the job. 8 years of living on the road out of my mid sized home conversion Dodge Sprinter van. Still getting 25+ mpg.
Yesterday was a rest day. A good rain dump fell while on property. I envisioned riding hero dirt at Phils because the rain would have settled the dust. No so I observed once I drove out to camp spot: nada dusty. OK to take day off.
Back out at spot trailside of Catch and Release. This trail gives a return route back to trails on N side of Bachelor highway keeping riders away from the river trail.
Today was the urologist appointment. Urine revealed healthy person. BP of 125/64 and pulse of 46. Fondling of the jewels displayed the same results. Just takes time for injury to heal and pain go away. Good to go. Pain is not an issue and will in time go away. Someday I will be pain free.
I ordered a RaceFace dropper post last week. It came in yesterday. Today I asked that the store hold it for me until I learn the health of my shoulder.
Tomorrow is PT. I scored an appointment w/ shoulder surgeon for next week. Shoulder hurts.
After the DR visit I drove out to Phils planning on a short ride. Forecast was liking rain and the skies agreed. While climbing Pine Drop rain was serious enough to put on my rain jacket. At the top of Phils the clouds had parted to blue skies. I returned the jacket to my pack. I am still wearing my holey Pisgah Works jersey as the material is a thread composed of silk and merrino wool making it comfortable and good for the wet. Someday I will let it go. The fabric is not very durable as the wear holes are common to where my pack rests and abrades.
Riding flats requires attention I am learning. Whereas clipless allowed sloppy pedaling that was tolerated because my feet were mechanically attached to the pedals hence bike. Shoes stick to the pedals by applying weight and less or no resting on the saddle. I got caught today literally flat footed and got airborne just a few inches off the saddle. Seems the lesson about flats is always keeping weight on the pedals enhanced by toes either up or heels down which sort of wedges the foot on the pedal. I rode behind 2 guys on a piece of Phils going coasting fast. Stayed on pedals even over drops and grade dips.
Hungout at Phils TH in the pleasant temp and sun. I looked around the big gravel parking lot and observed no litter: place is like spotless. And no on site trash cans. Drove into town for a shower, and beers at 10 Barrel, dinner at Longboard Louies then back out to camp spot. Tonight another rig has taken my usual spot.
I taped 2 pics of mtn bikers cornering right over my sliding side door which I use for in and out. The pics are often viewed and treated as a mental image of what I want to look like. In essence the upper body angulates over the lower part to remain vertical kind of like a bobblehead. Weight shift occurs that allows carvings. The guy mentioned above going in front of me was just leaning. I am looking more like the pics.