trump continues to repeat absurdities, aka alternate facts to which his base accepts as truth. he has proposed sending 100,000 national guardsmen to round up people without legal standing for deportation. Atrocities: kicking in doors for unwarranted searches? Detaining anyone who is not a white male who speaks English as a first language?

Another rain system is approaching for this weekend with Monday forecast back to spring desert weather. Joke: What is a sunny day in the Puget Sound called? Monday.

Yesterday I gave another go at crossing Dry Creek on Chuck wagon. Runoff flow has slackened such that an unbroken string of dry rocks allowed for a dry feet crossing. Dry is still very much wet. I rode Yucca down to Canyon of Fools down to Dawa then to another crossing of Dry Creek. This crossing again had a path of dry rocks. I pedaled up Anaconda which is a grunt.

The big tree on the right edge of the pic is an Arizona Cypress. Water needing. Pretty large size.

Drank a Moose Drool sitting on a rock in the sun after the ride. Shower at snap then drove back down to VOC and PJs for the Zags game. They won again.

Afterwards I drove out to Beaverhead turning into my favorite spot road. Darn, a big RV had the backup spot and I suspected the popup trailer party was still holding down the preferred spot. Plan B: cattle tank across the road on the cow destroyed ground. Very tired, crawled into bed between freshly laundered defuzzed flannel sheets. Still doing laundry on Thursdays. The forecast called for rain on Friday. I was awakened around dark 5:00AM to rain hitting my roof. All I needed to hear. Between me and pavement was about 200 yards. Add water to the desert dirt and it turns into gumbo. I prefer to be mobile vs stranded. I jumped out of bed and put the van into driving mode then drove out onto the pavement to the paved overlook parking lot. I converted from driving to sleeping and crawled between the still warm sheets. However, I was too rested to fall back to sleep. I accepted that breakfast was needed and pushed thoughts of sleep away until tonight.

I started the engine noticing that the check engine control unit light remained on which should have gone out. A problem. I made an appointment at another Sprinter repair garage that Steve used on Tuesday. However, after several stop and go episodes the light went out. Will it remain on when I start it up to drive away from where I am parked?

I performed shade tree mechanics in the parking lot installing a pair of Maxxis Minnion DHF 2.5 WT tires. These toires were designed to work with the wide 41mm rims. They seated with ease. 2 shots of Stans poured down the valve stem. I pedaled around the parking lot after I installed new brake pads front and back. Tires hold air and the brakes stop me. I am looking forward to learning tire performance. My bike weighs 30 pounds. My lower back acts like it had been backpacking as it is not used to my bending over.

Today is Tuesday and was pleasant. A nice day for a solo ride. I rode wearing a Holter device to track the functions of my heart. I drove in from Deer Pass sleep spot to ride Skywalker / Sketch loop for enjoyment plus to abuse my body for the recorder to capture. The dirt was mostly tacky. A rider just had to ride when it was too wet maybe yesterday leaving hardened tracks. Pretty much just on the legacy trails. 10 miles climbing the almost average of 1000′ per mile. The trails are in an elevation band from 4000′ to in low 4600′. Not much for climbing but the trails use that elevation band over and over.

The Holter shut off just after I finished, 24 hrs of data.

For several days I have had a swollen lymph node in my left neck common to the oral surgery wound. I wondered if it was infected. I drove to the clinic for exam. Graft is sound. Next cause is sinus infection. I returned to Cottonwood to drop off the Holter. Took a shower at snap, only 1 restroom and that has the shower. Drove to Beaverhead, my preferred spot is occupied.

Yesterday was a rest day. I drove to Cottonwood to the heart clinic to be fitted with a Holter gig. I drove back to Deer Pass and the pile of rocks waiting to be placed. Rain fell late afternoon.

Sunday was social ride. Rode the east side of VOC up to Rabbit Ridge.

Trails here and over to the highway are loose rock, lots of basalt chunks with patches of slick rock red sandstone. I walked when the loose became too big and frequent. Our exit from dirt to pavement was at the top of a long steep paved downhill. We had a coast off. I was right in the mix of riders. My bike is fast. We crossed the highway and worked our way thru a neighborhood to pick up the Kel Fox trail which ends at a pictograph rock. The ride was extended south downhill on scant tread. A route decision was made to take a wash instead of the jeep road and a fence gate. Nasty. Lift the bike over the fence and crawl between the barb strands. Pedal maybe 2 miles to Historic Brewery. During the ride rain threatened then finally sprinkled hard. I stopped and put on my rain coat as I was carrying it. rain was a tease. We were under cover drinking beer when a thunderstorm struck. Lightning struck almost on top of us. Only 7 riders today. I drove in the rain to west Sedona for a shower then out to Deer Pass.

Sat was a no ride day. I did hike Transcept to Hiline loop. Took 1 hr 51 mins to get to the pedestal from the Bean. Big hike. I visited with several riders on Hiline so I never knew how long that piece is.

Went to PJs to watch the Zags win #26 then out to Beaverhead.

Friday I rode by myself out on the Hogs. Bell Rock, Big Park, Llama, Little Horse, Broken Arrow, High on the Hogs, Twin Buttes, Hog Wash, Peccary, Mystic, neighborhood, Bell Rock, Phone, Bell Rock, single track by pass, Big Park, home. 14.46 miles climbing 1565′. More carrying on later outside the Bean.

Just lots of riding. Sunday I attended a skills session taught by Simon, focus was weight transfer.

This issue of DirtRag features an article written and photographed by Brian Leddy whom I met up in the Zunis.

Today, Valentines day, I shopped at Fry’s in Cottonwood. Fry’s is a large store. Quite the large number of men buying flowers. Didn’t see any women doing the same. what does a woman give her man on the day of love? Ads on TV show the guy laying an expensive showy bauble to his woman who melts into his arms. Maybe she gives him a love pill later? Never seen a woman gift a cordless drill motor to her man. Just saying.

That’s how today started out. Forecast for tonight and tomorrow is for some rain. Skies have been working up a shower since noon. Still the temp today was warm enough to produce the first sweaty ride of the year.

Yesterday was laundry day. I spent Wed night at deer pass near the still not placed boulders. Drove into town. Latte at Java Love. Cleaned clothes stored away. I drove out Dry Creek road parking at the Chuck Wagon crossing. Beautiful day and ride. Dry Creek flowed over a dry stepping stone crossing. Just not happening, OI have never seen it flowing this high and hard. I shouldered my bike because the buoyancy of the wheel and the cross section makes for a bike that wants to flow down stream. Wet shoes and I had one more crossing before the climb out. Joy of riding during the weekday is a solitary ride. Today is the first ride on the 5.10 Freeriderpro shoes. Big improvement over the freerider: a bit of toe protection, a little stiffer, most noticeable is the different sole material that just holds my feet on the pedals. The 2nd creek crossing was so high not even a rock broke the surface, almost knee deep and moving with a purpose. I am riding better.

Clean up at snap then down to VOC and PJs to watch the Zags win their 24th straight game. Out off beaverhead for the night.

2 nights ago it was warm enough for an open slider door till almost bedtime.

Steve of Sun Valley said he will buy a snow blower after many years of living there. Lots of snow. Sniff sniff, I rinsed off red sand from my bike. Short sleeves, no heater running at night.

Off to Friday night shenanigans.