desert raw land

sat afternoon when I rode thru the JEM TH the parking lot was packed. Sunday when I rode out just a few rigs made the nice riding day. I rode down JEM to the Hurricane Cliffs trail for the challenging tech stuff then returned on Cryptozoic finishing the climb on Dead Ringer. Trails are named for local features. Crypto refers to the soil that the cows break down which loosens the dirt which becomes wind blown dust. Ban the cows and I will no longer walk cross country. Dead Ringer’s name came from a dead cow with a bell around her neck discovered when the trail was built.

Climb up Dead Ringer is full bench cut on steep hillside, looks spectacular when seen from the nearby highway.

Vertigo when riding.

On Sat I figured enough propane was in my tank to make to Monday when the local bulk propane business was opened. On Sunday I looked at the tank gauge and learned the error of my plan: fumes. Went to plan B which was Tractor supply outside Hurricane. Pulled in then made my request known. Sorry, pump is broken. Hmm. Plan C. Drive a few more miles to a gas station that has propane and also sells locally grown Pistachios. Attendant told me they were empty. Hmmm, now I am down to plan I: research internet for a station. Found a station, near’s as I could tell was in Santa Clara about 30 mins away. I did what i needed to do and drove to the station. A surly attendant filled my tank, 5.2 gallons, max fill is 5.6. Drove back to Hurkin and the sleep spot at upper JEM where I enjoyed heat, refrigerated food and a hot meal.

Mon I treated myself to a rest day and hung around town.

Tues I drove back down to Santa Clara to ride Barrel Roll trail outside of town. Beautiful day, Solitary ride. Lots of blue square tech challenges. I made most of them, the ones I haven’t mastered are on an uphill when my engine lacks the performance to make the climbing move. Nice ride and satisfaction of more skillful riding. Back to Hurkin.

Weather forecast had been calling for rain starting last night with snow into the weekend. I wanted to ride Gander which is on the N side of Gooseberry mesa. The ride would prolly be fine if it rained but the road could be a mud bog. That meant to ride it meant riding yesterday. From the JEM TH I was only 16 mins away per Google maps. Day turned out to be sunny and dry. However, when I turned on to the Smithsonian road out to Gooseberry the smooth all weather road was wash board stutter bumps which just shake my teeth loose and the stuff inside. I needed maybe that 16 mins just to drive about 3 miles on the road. Turned onto Gooseberry road which has been reworked which was not beat up. parked just after the cattle guard at the base of the steep climb up onto the mesa.

Gander is a social trail sort of ridden in. In places it hugs the edge of the rim with great exposure. This is not a mesa trail per say like namesake mesa but a tech pedaling trail. I still walk a few places.

My body gets worked by the tech stuff. Today my body said just lets ride the trail out then return down the road back to the van. My brain allowed this decision.

Back at the van a car had parked nearby. Guy came over and struck up a conversation about riding here. He had a  mtn bike hung on a trunk rack. I gave him some info. The bike looked like the old Y bike. I asked him about his bike. He proudly said it was an electric bike. Conversation stopper. I told him the land manager, BLM considers them motorized and are not allowed on trails. He said he was from LA and did not know the reg. I continued my preparation to leave and did not see him ride away to learn his route. These people that buy E bikes and either don’t learn the access reg or break the rule and ride where they are not allowed is somewhat beyond me. i ride a pedal bike on mostly legal trails. I wonder if the fine of riding off system trail is more than that rider riding a motorized bike on a non motorized trail perhaps we are all scofflaws, it just depends upon where you stand on an issue. If you are not willing to do the time, don’t do the crime.

I drove back to town under clear skies. I stopped at the library and bought a non resident library card and checked out a Ken Burns video, The War, about WWll. I watched the first disc until way late last night while waiting for the forecasted rain. Rain never fell.

Today I drove back down to town to do laundry, another rest day because rain was still forecasted to fall. I don’t need to ride in the rain when the trails are affected. Rain of sorts started falling late this after. Snow is on the menu later this weekend. Grocery shopping then back up to JEM and experience the rain. JEM elevation is like 42XX feet, Hurkin is around 35XX’.