7:30 PM West Sedona, 50 degrees, darkthirty
Tain’t winter, tain’t spring. Sometime during Sunday night precip fell, starting as rain, then froze, then skiff of snow. Time came to drive away. i started the engine then without really thinking about it I turned on the wipers. Well, you been there also? The passenger wiper broke free of the ice, the important one, in front of me, refused to move after an initial grunt. Oh no. I broke free my side and cleared ice away from both sides. Nothing doing: the wiper arm resists the geared drive to move. Immediate emergency ( redundant?) Drove to fix it shop and plead my case. Warren said he could fix it. The attach nut was slightly loose which didn’t hold the wiper arm firm to the splines. He brushed sheared metal away and retightened the nut. Wiper arms swing in concert.
Later was PT session working now on my right shoulder. Strenthening.
Still freeze thaw with skiff of new snow.
Drove back to VOC. spot out on Beaverhead was occupied by converted school bus. Bummer, appears to be posted up. I drove out further.
Yesterday morning under bright cloudless ski it was 47 degrees. I wanted to ride. My figuring was with this temp the frost would have thawed to just wet dirt. I checked with the Bean to figure a less harmful route. Bell Rock Pathway over to Bail trail to north section of Llama to HT on up to Templeton, then down Breezy was switching to wash climb, on toTempleton to Yavapi trails finally finishing on Shades. Beautiful day.
Did not escape either kind of mud:
Look at the fork angle
Drove out to Beaverhead. The bus was pulling out onto the hard road meaning the spot was free. Good news.
I learned on Sunday that these west side trails were dry. Except said snow. Drove up to west Sedona parking at Sunset park TH. Chilly, with promise of warmth. I rode what I call SSS for Old Post, Skywalker, Scorpion, Ramshead, Ridge, Sketch, Ridge home. Trails were all dry. Forest angels had created many nice grade nicks to divert water from the tread. Nicely done and a trail saver. Scorpion has sections of basalt babyheads that keep a sharp point on my concentration. Capable handling bike helps.
Finished ride. Hung out at Cultural park till dark then drove to Uhaul for the night. I walk maybe 2 blocks to Whole Foods for dinner from their food pans.
Forecast is for more rain, even threatening snow on the weekend. Ride when conditions are good. Tomorrow will reveal the wiper performance.