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.
I rode a Double H yesterday (Tues). I must have just missed you, finishing at 12:30. I parked at the lower Mystic TH and was going to head back to Flag via 89 but the traffic was backed up already. Headed toward I17 instead and the traffic was backed up all the way to VOC. Crazy.