Sunday per the forecast the winds were less. My ride started with the wind at my back that I did not appreciate. My loop finally turned back to home and into that wind which while not blowing dust was still an impediment to easier uphill effort. MTBProject was the source for a defined loop named Cosino. I attached the phone holder to the handle bar then followed the icon. Open P pine forest mostly flat, 15.2 miles climbing 882′. Rocks appear to be limestone. Trail went under I-40 2X and once under the railroad with a train above. Ran into a solo woman backpacker, we exchanged greetings. Good pedal effort. encountered fewer than 10 people.
Literal or figurative? To say I “ran in to” someone means say “encountered”. Figuratively speaking that is, not the literal I actually came in contact. I prefer to describe encounters as run ins, context will determine the emotion index.
yesterday was graduation day at NAU in addition to Mothers’ day. My ride was east of town, I sleep N of town which means driving busy streets. Shower at anytime out by NAU. Flag implemented an electronic parking meter system for downtown parking. Many terminals abound. Credit card based. You enter your license plate which is what you pay for, this allows the car to be moved and parked at other locations paid for how much you prepaid. I plunked down 3 hours then did a walking short tour of downtown. Dinner at Lumberyard which is a brew pub. Back out to same spot on Schultz creek. Pick 1st spot in legal camping zone.
Chilly furnace night again, 37 degrees at wake up at 7536′.
Today I drove down to park at start of Schultz creek where I would finish on a downhill. I could have ridden from camp but that would have meant finishing on a grunt and not a smile. Schultz creek is very popular. I rerode a MTBP loop climbing up Lower Moto connecting to AZ Trail to Schultz Pass then downhill on creek trail. Riding at 7,000′. Little effort results in panting. I worked my gears attempting to use easier gears while climbing. I rode better than I did when I rode here earlier this spring. Again, hardly a person. My phone was on the handlebar for navigation reference. I saw the same woman backpacker approaching from uphill. I stopped and tread in the tread for her to pass. We just started a conversation about water from caches when the phone rang. It was the gastro office inquiring my health post procedure. This conversation was more important than the hiker who left. Learned that possible sources of pain were not viewed, meaning colon is not my problem. The conversation gave me a rest break.
Light: Tree cover is open P Pine which creates shade patches mixing in sun lit places. My eyes are frustrated by sunlight shade mix, eyes perceive the sunlight. The shade makes it difficult for me to pick out the tread which here is pretty basalt rocky. I back off my speed when approaching shade while reading tread.
Trees are regrowth as old growth was clear cut long ago, prolly by first settlers. Slow regrowth.
Sitting at bottom of Schultz creek in the now shade with 4 bar signal. Sat in the sun while putting off climbing inside and “working”
Injecting 2X day anticoagulant med. tiny needle gently slid into what belly roll fat I can find. 3 days worth required to raise my INR value as oral doesn’t spool up as fast. In the evening I wait until I have finished liquid courage of corn liquor, my aim does not shake.
Tomorrow I have a DR appointment with for me a new DR to further analyze my discomfort. Plan then is to head to Cortex, CO afterwards.
Making black beans and rice for dinner, need to drive short distance to bashas grocery.
Breezy day.
I love these trails!