Been staying out off beaverhead flats, nice sunset over Mingus, sunrise working its way over peaks to the east about 7:45AM. Puddles and water softened dirt firming up. Red dirt.

Sunday I wanted to do a longer harder ride which meant Cultural Park and the western gateway trails. Ran into johnny’s garage group at the parking lot. Leg armor required for their rides. Dave and Mikelle were my riding partners, Dave is a good rider and faster than me. It is what it is. Dry Creek at Draino crossing was dry albeit ran during last week’s rain fall.

Short steep hill climbs take the oomph out of my engine. Rain moved around rocks. My ride was Daino, last Frontier, Western Civ, Cockscomb, Arie, cockscomb, Rupp, wander, Girdner climb out of Dry Creek. 15.9 miles climbing 1627′ pedaling 2 hrs 17 mins. Lots of tech moves lengthen the ride time which suck energy. Beautiful day.

OK, sometimes the weather is less than beautiful, sometimes. Most part this is what the weather is like. Temps at present are moving short sleeve but a sweater at night. Just a shortage of rain. Dry Beaver Creek is dry. Flag received 4 to 6″ of snow from last week’s storm.

No resolution of my parking at the Bean. I have heard that there is an abatement of harassing mtn bikers parking in the lot, some are trail head parking and not doing business with any of the businesses paying for the parking lot. I don’t know if that policy affects me. I chose to park there infrequently. Both sides loose: the shop doesn’t get me as an attraction and for me I am cut off from connections.

Traffic during the meat of the day on weekends builds which causes backups to west sedona or back. Travel early and later after visitors have left. Lots of visitors.  I add my van to the flow.

PT is fixing my left leg pain. Overuse of muscles, not phantom muscle firing.

My professional time consumer lifestyle needs help filling those vacant minutes. Dunno. Not tapping into the excitement. Shallow connections with the locals and the visitors are transient. My body is relishing stasis and my command center is listening. Sitting and spacing.

The Lonely, the Lonesome, the Gone.

Blue skies, short sleeves and shorts, calm wind, no dust on trails red rock. This is what I put up with. No, you can’t take my place from  your wintry climes.

Moving right along.

Yesterday I rode off by myself without a strong drive to ride hard, sometimes mostly. I ran into Wally who is 25 short of a century. Very few of older riders. We chatted for awhile before he went his way and I mossied off. I sessioned several problems, a few I solved. It’s all about balance, picking the correct gear and keeping power on the pedals.

Bike and Bean is not what it used to be. Not a place to hang out, no Friday rides. Time goes on different owner, different model.

Drove out to Beaverhead. I parked with the side door facing the setting sun streaming thru the open side door. Dave and Mikelle arrived later with firewood for a camp fire around which Dave and I sat telling stories till bed time. Wind was just right to blow the smoke elsewhere.

Today was a Friends of the Forest trail work day to build a trail in the wilderness in memory of a local who has been an advocate of trail care for lots of years. Trail is one we bikes are not allowed to ride as it goes into wilderness. Maybe 50 volunteers showed up to build. Several mtn bikers participated. Blue paint marks are trail center.

Sunny afternoon parked behind sheriffs’ office listening to Wait Wait….. Zags games are on off the end of the tuning dial stations, no TV coverage at PJs.

1.76″ of rain fell Tuesday night as recorded at the Sedona airport. Finally the weatherman delivered copious rainfall. I slept at the paved overlook. While I was still up the storm rolled in with lightning and thunder with pelting rain blown by gusts strong enough to rock the van. Snug as a bug. However, after the rain quit a drip fell from the ceiling right on my pillow, just a bit away from where I needed to lay my head. I put my washcloth under the landing and went back to sleep. Nothing I could do about it, tomorrow in the sunshine will be a different matter. Amazing, sunshine and no leak.

My PT session was rescheduled for Wed AM early up in west Sedona. Commute up and back is now a breeze with haedly any traffic. Overcast but no rain falling. I drove back to VOC.I stopped at Yavapai TH to check out firmness of dirt on trail. Hard and dry and a bit of snow.  From my small sample size I decided that the dirt would withstand my tires. I geared up down by the sheriff’s office. Much of my ride I was making first tracks. Dropping down Breezy wash is sand stone with places of black coloration. I was told the black is from algae and when water is added the algae becomes slippery. Years ago I was sure I learned that if it’s black and wet it’s slippery. Hence I was very cautious on the off camber slabs. I did stop to perform a slippery test with my shoes: no slide. The ride up Breezy is mostly in a wash, places trail thread between AZ cypress

Absolutely all by myself.

Places on Breezy the rain had washed gulleys in the below grade climbs free of sand creating a wheel trap climb rut. Dunno if some of the gulleys were there just covered by sand, just know there are quite a few unsustainable pieces.

Spent night out at mp 4. Two large mud bogs appeared after the rain. i walked the road to our sleep spot determining that I could slither around the puddles to the spot.

Today was get up and drive back up to W Sedona for me to do my wash. Dave and Mikelle joined for a 11:00 ride out from Sunset park. We rode Old Post, Skywalker, Scorpion, Ramshead then finishing up on Ridge back home. At the top of a climb 2 riders were waiting, guy and girl. Didn’t see the woman’s face. She spoke and I pegged her right away, Tenisha. Visited for awhile.

Beautiful clear skies. High humidity hindering the drying of my clothes hung on the clothes line inside my van. Sheets are dry.

Shower, clean clothes and clean sheets for tonight.

Zag game didn’t make XM and PJs doesn’t get espnu3.

Another day of riding. Sat is a trail help day.

The rain wetted the dirt to make it hard pack. Changed the ride. Affects a carving turn to almost a rail.