Climate change deniers? 83 degrees on March 15.

catching up.

Wed I gave Dry Creek another go riding down drano to first crossing of Dry Creek. I was able to ride across the now shallow run. Good news for up stream crossings. I continued on Last Frontier. A ways in I spotted a possible trail which I followed having a general idea where it might take me. Not ridden in but defined. opps, I was knocked off my bike and landed on my recovering right side. WTF? I surmise that my front wheel was deflected by an unnoticed cut off tree stob unseen from the ground cover. Bang! handlebar twisted from my grip then the splat on contact with the ground. Ouch. Fuck! Another fall on the sore side. Was just a  bell ringer, all parts functioned as was except my upper right chest returned to its hurting signals. I resisted the urge to wrestle with technical moves. The new path bypassed a bunch of the tech sections of last frontier. I rode western civ to cockscomb to rupp and found fuj down to girdner and the several crossings of Dry Creek. I was able to find dry feet crossings.

A shower at snap and a salad bar from whole foods set me up for a night of Banff film festival films. Wonderful experiences captured in quality film. Visited with Mike at the Worm, a bookstore and Uhaul rental place that used to be down here at VOC now located at base of airport way. I asked permission to sleep in his parking lot. I spent the night there after the festival. Worked out well. I buy books from Mike and fill my water tank. He is a metalurgist and informed person which makes for great conversations.

Thurs was laundry day done early morning. The Zags played at 11AM. Olde Sedona in west sedona would be open to watch the game. 11 AM is too early to start drinking beer. I chose to drive back down to PJs where I felt I could watch the game w/o beer consumption. I sat at the bar and the drug pusher enticed me to a brew then a second half one. The Zags won and I headed back out to beaverhead to score a camp spot and sit in the sun reading a book. No riding today which allowed body injury recovery and no exposure to further damage caused by a bike mishap. I sat in my Strongback chair and read. i timed my sun exposure, I turned a slight pink color. Comfortable evening, no heat required.

I am experiencing what must be allergies which plug my nose and make breathing more difficult. Never experienced this affect.

Parked here behind Sheriff’s office. Today I conversed with the in charge deputy about the parking situation. He said because the parking lot guy told me I was  trespassing  and if he saw me in the lot again he would have me arrested. It was a warning. Should I be in the lot again and an officer was present I could be sited for trespassing. i will stay out of the lot until PJ’s legal challenge is complete.

Debating with myself to ride or just hang out. temp is in lower 70s with cloud cover. Could ride.

Zags tomorrow against Northwest.

This morning I set up my table, chair, and traffic cones at my camp spot signalling it is occupied. May my spot be empty for me tonight and my stuff still be there.

Temperature is rising and snow is melting up high flowing downstream. 81 degrees yesterday. Sweaty ride around Hogs.

I’m trailhead parking .5 miles downhill from the Bell Rock Plaza where the parking lot guy has kicked me out. PJ filed suit against the parking lot management company to rein in the guy who is harassing me and other what appear to be mountain bikers. The pedal uphill warms me up.

My bike shifting was not happy in that it would not drop the chain down to the next smaller gear. I observed that the shift cable housing was not long enough to allow the handle bar to turn to its limit. I pushed my bike into the Bean before my ride yesterday. Scott replaced the cable etc making shifting happy again. Dunno which shop installed the housing.

Riding here is hard, there are no killer hills to pedal up, just continual short ups and downs with a lot of activity going on under my wheels. My breathing lessens the riding enjoyment. I push myself beyond what my body can support which leaves me short of breath. I haven’t figured out how to pedal within my respiratory system. I rode Llama, Little Horse to Chicken Point then Broken Arrow which in places is now armored preventing ruts, to Hogs to Twin Buttes down to Hog Wash to Peccary dumping on to Mystic, coasting pavement thru the neighborhood to Bell Rock working to Single Track Bypass finishing on Jump trail back to parking lot. 15.2 miles climbing 1555″ Jimmy says Sedona riding averages 100′ elevation for every horizontal mile.

My plan yesterday was to drive up to west Sedona in late afternoon, buy a piece of salmon for dinner at Whole Foods, and a shower then drive out to a place on 525 rd to spend today resting. Yesterday while at Tony’s Chevron I heard that traffic was back up to Back of Beyond which is the 1st rotary south of Sedona. Way tooooo long a back up. I filled my solar shower. I drove back to spot off Beaverhead parking in full sun. I laid the solar bag on the hood of the van. I waited just under 2 hours before the water temp warmed up enough. I emptied the bag into the pressure bag. 1 1/2 gallons of hot water sprayed on my sweaty body left me satisfied. Full moon lit up the night. i kept the side door open till almost bed time.

Sunday was Jimmy’s invitation old mans ride. 9 local riders. We pedaled up Old mans wash a ways then picked up a trail that kept us below Rabbit ridge climb. Lots of basalt chunder. The ride became Hot Loop which is even nastier loose rock. I again was so far back I did not see riders making the moves. Hot Loop brought us close to Dry beaver creek for a rest break.

Full on roaring maelstrom. In time the creek will be dry as its name. we did not have to cross.

Sat I chose the full on Old mans wash ride but passed on the waterfall descent sticking to an established trail which was just loose chunder and below grade. I finally rode a corner and climbed one nasty loose uphill. I will tell again that the Minnion DHF 2.5WT tires really hook up.

I bought a ticket for Wed night Banff film. Thursday at 11:00 the Zags play their first game in the big dance. They did get a number 1 seed for the West division.

High temps here. Flag is cooler but under snow. The Valley is too warm to go south.

Today is a rest day after riding 5 days in a row. I have 459 miles on my chain which I should have changed out about 200 miles ago. May the cluster accept its new mate.

I switched from  my cold weather hat to summer weight palm sun hat. shorts are still in the  drawer. Not ready to blind the world with my chalky white legs. I am getting a biker tan.

That was yesterday afternoon, same conditions today. Dry Creek is flowing covering any linked stepping stones. Crossing is wet feet whether in shoes or bare feet. My feet would not like the rocky creek bed. Yesterday I rode Anaconda down to Dry Creek. The crossing covered any stepping stones. I scouted up and down stream seeing nothing but high water. I kept my shoes on and sought another way. I looked up to see a rider off trail. I studied the posted map at a trail sign post which showed AZ Cypress crossing and crossing Dry Creek. The rider followed a scant social trail heading up stream on my side of the  creek. I followed his and others track rejoining the trail after a crossing that Id id not have to make. I pedaled back up Snake to my van. Short ride.

Plumber Phil pulled up. I engaged him in trail construction. Many riders dis IMBA for dumbing down trails. IMBA wrote a book on trail construction that captured sustainable build methods. Woody Keene was instrumental in the writing but not credited for the work as he lacked initials behind his name. Point is for trails to last they need to be built for the long haul. Water is a force to be dealt with which means designing trail grade to shed water. This usually eliminates fall line trails which make for excitement, aka. less dumb. Trail tread on hard surface can be made steeper, however; soil will erode and trail will drop below grade. Local knowledge of the environment is an asset for sustainable construction. I chose sustainably built trails over ones that adversely affect the environment.

I showered at snap. There are 2 shower rooms. Today both were occupied. A guy was waiting his turn. I waited several minutes then started my stop watch to keep track of wait. a woman was in each shower. Timer showed 15 mins for 1 door to open. The guy let me go ahead of him. I was in for 13 mins. The other room was still occupied by the same woman after I exited. Never saw her exit to learn her looks after more than 30 mins.

Traffic in west Sedona is bumper to stopped bumper. WTF? Living in a tourist town.

Back down at VOC I parked on the street near the Bean. I looked up the regulation sited on the parking sign posted in the lot. Criminal trespass 3rd degree. Parking lot nazi is harassing plaza customers. Not sure of legal tact PJ will follow.

Favorite spot on Beaverhead is an RV park now with multiple rigs.

Wed I attempted the same ride as yesterday. My breathing just sucked on the first little climb like i couldn’t catch my breath. I made the top of the climb. The trail started downhill. I moved my left thumb to the Turbine dropper post. My thumb found only air. I  stopped and sussed the problem: The lever was no longer attached to the bar. Examination revealed the attachment bolt had sheared. I rode back to the van as I have no interest in riding without joy of dropping my saddle. I drove thru traffic up to uptown to Fat Tire. The bike spent the night at his shop. He was able to remove the sheared bolt then disconnected the cable and connected it his way. What was working is no longer working. He called Raceface and learned the present lever throws too much cable. A new lever is being shipped. He put the LEV back on.

Wed night I drove 4.4 miles of bumpy rd 525 to a sleep spot. Thurs. AM i drove back to town to do laundry. I picked up my 2 freshly hemmed new pants. I discarded the Patagonia skinny jeans as the crotch area was falling apart.

Once back at the van on Wed I inhaled 2 hits of albutrol which opened my lungs up improving my breathing. Happiness. Alergies perhaps.

Today, Friday, is another beautiful day. temp forecast of 75 degrees.

I stopped at The Collective at the S end of VOC. The parking lots were plugged. I found a  spot then walked to the Eatery to a long line. I bailed on a coffee. I learned that the crowd is for a yoga festival. Amazing vendor count.

Gonzaga won the WCC tournament. Selection Sunday for NCAA March madness. Will they be given a #1 seed?

Parked behind sheriff’s office. Going to gear up and ride down here then join the social at the Bean late afternoon.

Sticker is being designed.

House builder has not replied to my request for input after a month.