Still hanging around Sedona, riding some days, doing volunteer trail work, grocery shopping etc.

Dead fox had been bitten into and becoming putrid. Today Dry Creek was down enough to keep feet dry on random stepping stones. Zags are in the Sweet Sixteen. I watched their first 2 games at barside at PJs. Trails are dried out some becoming dusty. Bill and Susan and boys returned to Sedona. Bill, 10yo Bing, and I got in a ride.

For several days into today the higher output burner produced a lazy flame that looked like a campfire. I decided it was caused by the oil in the propane. Dealing with the contaminated tank became more urgent. Today I drove to CV and the RV shop. Guy said he could fix it right now. Fantastic. He removed the burner and found lots of rust chips. He blew it out and reinstalled. Flame is normal. tank priority slides. Guy looked at my tank, said tank has rust spots and will fail someday. He is working up the replace cost.

Noticing rigs with mtn bikes attached. Trails are almost empty except for the popular hiking trails. First part of Chuck Wagon on a weekend is a heavy hiker crowd.

Sunday I rode around Hogs.

Today I planned on riding from where Chuck Wagon crosses Dry Creek road. However, the road shoulders were parked full. Drove down to bottom of Canyon of Fools. Steve likes to ride from here which starts with an uphill but finishes on COF downhill. But today I lengthened the ride adding in mescal Aerie, Cockscomb plus wandering to return to van.

Ran into a rider climbing up Cockscomb near where this pic was taken. Bushy white beard. He asked if we met on Shades awhile back. Yes we did. He’s from Columbus. In conversation he said his parents have a place on Pleasant hill Lake back near where I grew up. And right near the Mohican trail which he will ride on his next trip back. Bushy white beards are happening you youngsters.

Mid 70s on the ride today. Shorts and short sleeve jersey. Working on the tan with lines. Making a successful consumption of water during my rides. 100 OZ is not out of the realm of possibility. Today it was 17.4 miles pedaling for 2 hrs 35 mins.

Tonight sleeping in W Sedona. 2 PT sessions tomorrow. 2 therapists working on different parts of my body.

9:21 PM 60 degrees.

Three years ago today I swung my leg over my just newly built out Turner RFX. I know these things because I record the ride data in a spreadsheet. I am a savant that doesn’t know what to do with the info recorded.

But today was special to celebrate a milestone and with simpatico friends. Yesterday I received a text from Bill of Tomichi Cycles in Gunnison reading they were here in my neck of the woods. We put together a ride today meeting out at Cultural Park. Joining him was the rest of his family Susan and 10 and 12 year old boys Bing and Bert. We poured over rode ideas suitable for skilled riders youngsters. We started at end of Canyon of Fools heading downstream of flowing Dry Creek. We ended up crossing the creek 3 times. Like 72 degrees and the water was way above freezing.

Bill and Susan have guided me on their home trails around Gunnison. Today they were all in my backyard and I was the local guiding them. I repay their courtesy.

The boys set the pace which kept me moving, my heart rate did stay down low. Bill and the boys split off early while Susan and I continued on for an adult ride. Susan and Tim from Harrisonberg, VA were college school mates.

More rain days starting tomorrow. Clouds this evening appeared to be building up to dump before the predicted 11AM, I bailed for the paved overlook.

Ah, the pleasures of physical therapy. Body parts are connected, sometimes pain or some other indicator is a distance from what is being treated. Treating the distant can affected the problem area. Today the PT very easily discovered tender spot on my back. She worked that which benefited my lower back. I would never be able to discover and treat what she did. Finish a ride then hit a PT session. My back is much better.

9 PM 3868′, 57 degrees with the side door open. Going to shut it. I set the thermostat down low such that it fires up early morning.

Forecast lacks below freezing temps at night which is good enough for me to change from hard shoes to Bedrock sandals. Last night temps was comfortable enough while under my down blanket to not run the furnace till get up time. The furnace uses a fan to move the heated air which creates a base line sound. Last night no fan noise, almost too quiet to sleep. localized thunder storm produced sky colors:

Sunday I joined Johnny’s garage group. Rider population is Fox news viewers. I am the outlier, I don’t join in conversation. Sunny warm day. I seem to not sweat much yet I worked my way thru maybe 60ozs of water from my pack. I made contact with 2 prickly pears each of which let go spines into my body. I was worked. I rode Skywalker and Old Post in the other direction from my normal route, seemed to have more downhill this way. I left blue skies in Sedona as I drove down to VOC. Localized storm event. Brief shower fell at sleep spot.

Sat I helped again building a new trail, volunteers built .5 miles of hand built trail.

Normally I consider that work to be my physical effort for the day then chill. I heard a guy mention the Cottonwood bike shop group ride at 2PM. Hmm, group rides can be hammer fests. I chose to join. There is a small trail system just above the state park, names like Rust Bucket, Thumper, and Bones. Very warm under full sun with no shade. As the ride wore on several riders chose to bail. I stuck it out. 18.9 miles pedaling 2hrs 16 mins climbing 1473′. My HR data was average bpm of 135 which is 3 beats above theoretical anaerobic threshold and max rate of 154. I do stress myself.

Friday after PT I parked at the Cultural Park to ride Outer Limits as completed returning on Girdner. Outer Limits crosses Dry Creek up stream of former Draino. Creek was still wet feet crossing, mine did get wet including mid shin depth. I watched 4 riders pedal across immersing their bottom brackets. I joked about a shop offering free bottom bracket overhaul. They laughed and said they work for a bike shop, I carried my bike across because I do not work in a shop.

The FS rerouted apiece of last Frontier from up on top to below on a steep slope building bench cut tread. It was completed 2 days prior. Several big rock work solutions, fresh dirt, and exposure. Didn’t stop to take pics. Trail rejoins original Last Frontier. New piece of trail, Outer Limits swings west of Cockscomb.

I rode Aerie around to connect with Cockscomb down to Rupp and crossed flowing Dry creek again. Aerie maybe started as a blue is working its way to a black as dirt has been eroding which raises the rocks “out of the ground”.

Today is a rest day after 4 days of hard riding. Sunshine, warm, low humidity is returning water back to the sky.

Gonzaga was awarded a number 1 seed for the Big Dance.

I was shown a pic of a dead mountain lion hung up in a tree about 12′ off the water taken by a guy who floated Oak Creek down by the wineries.

This AM I stopped at the FS ranger station to inquire what the dead animal is in the previous post. Biologist identified it as a fox.