Sunny warm and bright tomorrow. Trails are sandy loose. My issues. How to spend my day?
Today none of the other Sunday social ride regulars made it. I showed up a bit after 11:00, normal ride time, at the Bean. Quiet day even in the parking lot. I suspected that there would be no ride. OK. I rode my Llama loop. I encountered a man about my age, same age I learned as this summer is also his 50 year high school reunion, and 2 of his sons. Us old guys visited while his sons sort of chomped on the bit to keep riding. I ride more stuff than he did and I was stronger. I encounter so few men my age to compare my body’s performance.
At the big piece of slick rock on Llama I saw like 4 guys on hard tails wearing full coverage helmets making and taking jump lines off rocks. I rode on.
Few hikers today and just a few riders.
Turned on the hot tap at Tony’s Chevron filling my solar shower. I regulated the temp to warm not hot like yesterday’s 120 degree shower. Out at Beaverhead I chose the site across the road for strong internet signal. The van created a wind break for my shower. Any breeze evaporates water on my body chilling me. Just because the temp is warm enough to stand in while wet becomes chilly when the wind blows. I learned this shower method from a guy who showered after every ride, this one was above Hurricane in Dec: Wet and wash the head and rinse then dry. Next work the way down to the trunk, same steps, then the legs and I’m done, clean and warm. I hang the solar shower on the engine hood in the sun, sun rays heat the water. when desired temp is reached I drain it into my Helio pressure washer which has a hose maybe 6′ long and a nozzle. I pump the bag until pressure escapes from the fill port, I found if I put the thing however high that gravity assists the pressure. Liz has a similar unit that she filled from another hot water faucet.
Yesterday I rode my Hogs loop, again not much of a crowd. Talked to a guy who was raised in Morrow County Ohio which is adjacent to Richland my home county. I wear a heart rate monitor to learn how my heart performs. I do not do wind sprints kind of stuff. I have modified my riding effort to keep my heart rate down which means I do not stop for recovery breaths. The ankling pedal stroke works my quads to the point of impending cramps.
I availed myself of Chevron hot water again then headed out to Beaverhead. Liz is down from Flag and she joined me for the evening and pancake bfast this morning. Scored the big favorite spot with poor reception. She is a big story as in racer, and adventure rides. She is also a van liver. Between us we shared stories and lessons till bedtime. This AM we combined our talents to make pancakes with red raspberries.
Friday I drove up to west Sedona to entire care for wound treatment of the pesky sore on my leg. Eric worked on me. He pulled the scab from the wound on my left shin that did not appear to be healing. He found junk that wasn’t allowing healing to move forward. I fell 4 weeks prior. No action taken for the other sore. Foot still swells.
I am planning on leaving here a week from this Monday. I might hang in Flag for a few days then head east the Zunis.
Tonight while slicing a sweet potato for dinner I made a slice to the tip of my left little finger. Still attached. Ooops.
I looked at the downloaded heart rate data, today’s ride of 12.74 miles climbing 1332′ was 124X, 8 beats below my threshold. So much for working a slower heart rate.
Abe, answering your Flux question. I would like to have it also. The Flux is a pound and change lighter and a steeper head angle. .Prolly climbs easier. If faced with a decision to pick one or the other, I would still pick the RFX, My first Tuner was an aluminum Flux that I rode for a bunch of years. I decided that I needed the Spot and traded in the Flux using Turners frame for a frame. Right away I noticed the Spot was more capable and better suited for what I prefer to ride. That was then and this is new material and geometry. I have not ridden the Flux. I like my Turners.