Last night the forecast called for rain for today. I woke about 5 to the sounds of gentle rain falling on the roof. Sleep effected decision was the rain was gentle which will take some unknown time to make the road snotty. Besides it was dead dark. I drifted on and off asleep finally leaving comfort of the bed a little after 7. This morning I made ready to be underway before fueling. I turned around on the gravel then steered the snout onto the dirt. Inertia was was friend as I slithered up the back side of the wash out to the climb at the hard road. I swung parallel to traffic to angle attack the steep pavement step. I made the pavement. The catalytic was on medium making me overly warm. The CO detector was mute.

Today is a rest day because of the rain. I did my wash. I hung my clean wet socks with care at the back of my van in hopes that ST Nick will visit.

OK, if I would have included the image in the mirror I would have seem a facsimile of the old guy as I am the one who fills my stockings all year long.

The Boy Scout trails were designed to be ridden in the wet. However, I don’t need to ride in the rain to learn. Forecast is for a sunny tomorrow then the wet returns for several days. So far it appears that I have ridden the Hurricane Cliffs loop the last for this visit. Maybe even the mesas. Muddy roads going in and clay in the tread.

Click on the  link below links  then click the Google link my map with ride locations noted. Collapse the left side of the link to make it disappear and you can click on the “+” to make it bigger. 25 states, 277 rides for 3278 miles as of 12/21.  Actually it appears that if you click on the link it takes you right to the map. manipulate as your fingers will touch. In Oregon just N of La Pine is a house icon which is where I will build my house some day. The green is the Deschutes National Forest. Only 85 miles. I checked a road cam for La Pine which showed snow banks along US 97.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1x3eurwa0MANFgUI-vRUutSbhyzE&ll=41.268590663642605%2C-82.8761174&z=4

Nasty out, dreary too. days are getting longer.

Yesterday Dolly met me here at the JEM for her drive out to Wire Mesa. She arrived on the meeting minute like I do. I loaded my stuff into her rig. She got in and turned the key: click clicka clickaa. Dead battery. Our batteries were located on opposite sides however my left was further away than the length of my jumper cables. I drove to within jumper length. Connected the cables and waited a minute maybe and her rig started. I park in the parking spaces that are spread w/ like red volcanic gravel, the road is mostly denuded of same leaving just the desert dirt that is thawing in its freeze thaw cycle. Just the travel into the slippery was cautious. We slithered out the road to the hard road on the way to Wire Mesa which is out the Gooseberry road. We drove maybe a mile before we came to teh big mud puddle. Discretion won and we turned around, the road was just going to be sloppy and the ride would prolly be the same.

We drove abck to my van, the road in is slipperier. Plan now is to drive out to Quail Creek area if my van makes it out. Inertia is my friend. We stopped at the shop where I picked up my replacement shoes and helmet. I switched back to flats. Quail creek is   outside of Hurricane out near the interstate. It’s a man made impoundment. New trails are being built here on each side of the lake. Plan is for a lake loop. We started on the new piece on the west side of the highway. Incredible amount of work to bench cut this trail into the eroded convoluted hill side. Twisty windy short steep climbs tight turning switchbacks. It is like 3 miles and it took us 30 mins. It starts out hard and stays that way: no warm up.

Presently the trail ends at the highway which we coasted back past Dolly’s rig to ride the other side of the lake. This piece of trail was also just finished. It faces west and lacked the rocks the other side has. We pedaled the new piece to a junction with the Boy Scout Trails. We rode the first trail of the system we came to Cub Scout to ride back. I followed Dolly, I pedaled better because I watched her make the moves. Here the tread uses rock blobs requiring lots of little tech moves. Pretty enjoyable trail.

She drove us back to town. I took a shower, bought groceries then drove back to the shop. I scored shop time today to work on my front brake. I spent the night again out at the JEM. The road dried out some. I ran the catalytic heater on medium and put the sleeping bag over. This AM it was just under freezing and I was toasty.

Last night I linked Kevin and Dolly thru me to plan for a ride today. Dolly wants to ride Zen down at ST George. Kevin lives down there and does not have a car. Dolly woke up feeling that a rest day was needed to let her body deal w/ issues. I drove down and picked Kevin up on a corner right on my stated arrival time of 10:30. Loaded him and his bike and drove to Santa Clara to ride the Barrelroll trails.

Because of housing construction destroying the parking places right at the start of the uphill we parked on the main highway then rode the short distance to another right off the bat steep long climb. The short road ride at least introduced the body to physical load. Kevin let me lead while he “loafed” behind me. Today we rode non stop all the way to the upper trail junction. Massive work effort. I pedaled up everything. I really impressed myself. Back on flats. Lots of little step ups. This bike and me are very nimble. A pedal stroke almost rockets forward. After the junction Kevin went first and left me way off his back. I am almost 20 years older than he.

from the junction the first part was an out and back. At the junction  we picked up the big Barrelroll loop. Nasty rock problems. some of the same old ones stymied me still. Big loop. I worked pretty hard. this ride was 11.99 miles climbing 1503′ pedaling 1 hr 35 mins. The trail uses ridges and gulleys, I would ride around a ridge snout and look into a gulley with the trail on the others side. GO around the next ridge snout to see the same. Just when I thought the end was nigh it was just another cycle. Kept after it. This bike is much more agile than the 5 Spot.

I dropped Kevin off and drove back to hurricane. I bought oranges fresh picked from AZ. While grocery shopping my phone rang. it was the Verizon store across the street telling me the screen saver was in. I drove across the street to the store where the guy replaced the scratched and chipped protector. The screen underneath was unharmed. What do I owe? nothing as my contract has free replacement of 2 years.

Back at OTE I picked up my delivered Catalyst pedals and Jordan bled my brake. Stopping power is restored. He put the pedals on.They are longer than the Spikes.

Back out and up to the JEM. Rain is 50% tonight, 80% tomorrow. I figure that the dirt can withstand the rain and not be slippery when i leave tomorrow. Friday is nice again but wet for the weekend.

The Zags won again tonight, 12-0.

Another cold night. I ran the catalytic on medium and it stayed on. I slept under the sleeping bag again. In the morning I could see my breath. During the night the CO detector went off. I keep the passenger window cracked about 3 inches and the roof vent cracked open. The detector has gone off in the past reporting questionable reading so I am suspicious of the alarm. I opened the side door a good ways and turned the roof fan on high for, OK, almost a minute but the detector was not satisfied. I disconnected a wire shuting it off and crawled back under the covers. I didn’t sleep all that deeply as I wondered if I really had a CO atmosphere. Dunno. Today I am venting more hoping to have good air all night.

Today at 8:10 AM it was 13 degrees outside and 41 inside. This is what the windshield does to water vapor

Sunlight intensified to melt the ice before I drove away.

I have been having an espresso drink at River Rock coffee roasters in LaVerkin. Also inside flush toilet. I buy coffee from the store.

Dolly was wrestling with state agencies which delayed her arrival time. She arrived. We headed out on Prospector connecting to Church Rocks loop returning back the way we came. I rode across the sand wash where I fell 2 years ago, Dolly moves along. Just a beautiful winter day under cloudless skies, no wind and in the 50s. It was OK to stop

Cell phone and connection and problems are resolved.

Incredible open views

I showed Dolly a trail in her local back yard. She is a short time local. Enjoyable ride.

Back at the van I replaced the chain on my bike. I retired it at 330 miles. New chain did not skip pedaling the flat parking lot.

I drove out to the state liquor store away from town, nearest store, and bought a 6er of Moose Drool in cans, my preference. $1.88 a piece for $11.28 plus .72 tax. $12 for a 6 pack. It’s in the fridge chilling. Which brings up the fridge and its erratic temp swings. Per the thermometer inside it will swing from like 20 to 40 degrees and repeats. Haven’t pinned the data to analyze. The blueberries thaw and refreeze.

Cleaned up.

My phone dislodge from my unlatched holder on my handlebar. Landed on screen protector cracking it in 2 places. I stopped at the Verizon store in Hurricane which is where I bought it last year and worked with the salesman that sold it to me. No screen protectors in any local stores. He is ordering.

Back out at JEM TH. Burning the catalytic. Dolly is picking me up and driving us out to ride Wire Mesa.

Freehub mag contacted me to write an article about van camping which I did and it was printed. I think about camping or more appropriately sleeping spots. I seek a spot that meets my needs for safety, able to level out, easy driving access, out of traffic, and those kind of things. I just need a spot to fix dinner, sleep, do breakfast, then move on. I have slept over cow shit, the van don’t care. For me find a spot is like a task, find spot check off chore list. My life is like a chore list. I ride because I can when conditions are endurable; the ride occupies time while I get exercise and stimulation. My life is way better than drinking a spoonful of cod liver oil. Here in Hurricane I stay at the upper JEM TH parking lot. Excellent views and no traffic as it is a dead end. It works.

Friend Steve gift certificated me again at Over the Edge here. Thanks Steve. I bought Smith riding glasses which have better eye protection than my Rudis. My eyes tear in chilly temps. Today I tested and passed the glasses.

Riding clipless is foreign and uncomfortable after riding flats. On Wed I will be back on flats.

Van turned 200,000 miles.