Monday I rode more of the Klondike system starting about 9 to stay ahead of the forecasted high winds again.Nome trail heads straight up the slab right from the start: no warm up, just punches in the gut heaving against gravity. My breathing or rather lack of it causes very slow speeds and occasional stopping for O2 uptake. Nome connected to Alaska that intersects with Homer, Must be a story as to why the trails have these names. This system has numerous connectors to chose bails or make it hurt longer. I thought shorter at an intersection but chose to go further. I rode a piece of EKG which must be named after an ekg of a heart as the trail while tending in a direction it climbed and descended about 300′ of elevation going over slick rock. What a hump out here.
Follow the painted lines on the rock. At intersections posted trail names and a map with present location noted with a smiley face, you made the choice. Posts were attached to the rock by anchoring a collar to the rock then the 4X4 pressure treated post was bolted to the collar. Seems to work as the signs are still in place. Maybe that is because kmtn bikers who use the trails don’t vandalize navigation aids.
10.4 miles climbing 1348′. The painted lines reduce the possibility of a front wheel plant rolling down a blind drop. Nice day. Monday cut down the number of riders, almost all by myself.
BLM has rebuilt the road into an all weather packed gravel. Previously it was over dirt which softened up and turned into a mud bog after rain. Last spring the improvement wasn’t finished which prevented me from riding here again after the rains. Pleasant improvement.
I packed my stuff up then drove out to the highway. Strong winds again making for constant micro steering adjustments to remain fully in my lane. Speed limit is 65mph which is faster than I drive. Not much traffic. I was boogeying along about 60. I heard an engine noise behind me, surging then quite, I looked in my outside rearview mirror to see the grill of a tractor riding my tail, the surging noise was caused by his speeding up than backing off. I kept my speed. At the first permitted passing lane I steered over to the outside white line and backed off on my speed to allow the truck to pass. The guy passed me with an empty straight road ahead. As the tractor passed me he swung back into my lane, he was pulling a low boy trailer. He purposely cut me off. Fortunately there is a wide shoulder and no ditch. I controlled hit the brakes and steered to the shoulder escaping his rage. A very near miss caused my rage. I have been driving since 1966, this is the first time I had a driver actually attempt to take me out. That includes driving VW buses. He could not have read my fire the apprentice sticker to fuel his rage.
I made town. Silver and Fit covers the aquatic center for a shower. I bought groceries, filled up water at Gearheads that provides free water, and filled up diesel then drove back up out of canyon out towards Horsethief XG. The XG was full. I drove further out that road and found a camp spot. Windy.
Yesterday I rode from camp spot to the XG to pick up trail that would take me out to Horsethief trails. Wonderful trail system purpose built. I connected to Getaway going down till a short side trail connected with Bull Canyon.
Bull canyon has chunk that worked my suspension and my mind for picking lines. Lots of rock tread. Popular trail that shows its wear in widening and go arounds. I stopped forward progress at Arth’s corner heading back up Getaway.
Rain did not fall. The term for rain that falls from the clouds but evaporates before it hits the ground escapes me. I thought it was spelled Verga but that is a definition for penis.
The trail crosses a maybe 16″ oil pipeline over a stye. I hung at the crossing for a bit startled by occasional metal expansion contraction sounds.
Last internet reception weather forecast called for rain today and colder temps. Plan today was a rest day to drive into town. My front brake was not furnishing the accustomed stopping power, my thought was it needed to be bled. I stopped at Chili Pepper, my favorite shop, hoping for a one day turn around. Guy stepped up and bled the brake. Viola! Fully functioning front brake that I depend upon.
Moab is very crowded with tourist traffic. Lots of mountain bikers. I checked out 2 river XGs hoping for an empty spot which would save me from driving back up out of the canyon to Willow Springs which is about 9 miles out of town. No empty spots. I drove out to Willow Springs and scored my favorite spot on the rocks. Rain and wind and cold of 44 degrees. Furnace is running. Too nasty to hike on the rocks.
Forecasted temps are to ride during the week along with sunny skies.
Yesterday I cleaned the screen, fan blade, and the cover of the Fantasticfan removing crud. Nice view looking up.
Spoke with a Sprinter driver yesterday who did a home conversion. He was short of time or of me such that time was short to learn of his effort. he did tell me that he installed a hydraulic bed lifter which raised the double bed up to the van’s ceiling. he did loose head clearance. Steve sent me a link to the system. Ain’t saying I am looking into the system but I did think about doing the same but I never found a built system. These cargo vans are so cool as what you buy is volume then you figure how you want to displace that volume.
Looking into buying Formula’s new brake,Cura, but can’t find a US seller.