Still here in Moab. One more dinner and then the big feed. I am helping at the Waba Sabi feed.

Monday night forecast materialized starting with rain sprinkles after dark which changed to snow until the bladder ran dry. Woke to snow on the windshield and covering the red sand and bare bushed outside. Riding is a past tense for a while until sun warmth melts remaining snow and evaporates moisture from trails and that is before the next system later this week. I spent the day inside Tuesday reading Every Breath which was a touching people story.

Just about dark a dirt bike pulled up beside me. It was Reid from town. On his ride they were in a wash as the wash run approached them. Just a foamy front, they escaped drenching. I made an appointment with him today to give another go at sealing the leak on the roof. Last spring we removed the solar panel and sealed the insert holes but left the body join untaped. Last week during the sprinkles my roof leaked again. Today we removed the panel again and layed Gorrila glue tape over that seam. 2 of the inserts spun free from the body that didn’t allow us to back the bolts out. Hmmm. Reid has lots of tools and they provided him the opportunity to find the correct ones and imigination on how to free the solar panel bracket to get at that untaped seam. We cut the bolts off then drove the other end into the van. The body holes were too loose to hold replacement rivnuts so we bolted from the inside. All the body join seams are taped with the longer lasting Gorrila tape and the solar panel mounting holes are sealed. worked outside in the chill. Next test is Thurs.

Weather is what it is. In previous Thanksgiving visits the snow held off till after the feast day. Oh, this year the feast is the last week of the month, perhaps other times it was the week before.

Recently I looked back on my blog history selecting 2009 Thanksgiving. I was around Hurricane, UT recovering from my lacerated left kidney. 6 weeks of recuperation to allow healing. This year my unrepairable right shoulder is sending not happy signals. I made a massage appointment for Fri to see if therapy will eliminate my pain.

Snow is forecast into the weekend which affects my travel plans to Hurricane which is also receiving precip. Dunno about visiting.

At Reid’s I put my visco elasatic mattress topper in his warm house while we worked on the roof. I checked on it and saw that it did not unfold by itself, it took both of us to stretch it out. I returned it to his warm house for further expansion. Later this after I will return and trim it to size. Taking Reid t dinner tonight.

I neglected to take desert pics of the snow and its melting.

Took a shower at Aquatic center in town. last one was 6 weeks prior. The shower was good because it rinsed off the small of my back that I can’t reach with my normal wipe down. The facility was warm.

Memories of past visits. back in 2006 on my maiden van voyage I spent Thanksgiving week here. The van had the bed installed and insulation on the walls. I cooked over a Coleman camp stove and kept food cold in an ice chest. Maybe the small Mr Buddy propane heater. I was a rookie on new wheels and in living quarters. I was riding a Turner Flux, a cross country race bike. The van build out has been completed and Turner bike models and attached equipment have changed since them.

All for now.

Presently settled down at spot off Willow Springs rd. Reasons: access to spot is on either slickrock or hard sand then the freshly graded road out to the hard road, and good signal strength, and closest primitive spots to town going north out of the river valley.

So, Sunday I needed water and the Seahawks were on TV at 11. I drove in from Klondike with the alternator and solar panel charging the batteries. I was making a rest day so drinking a beer at 11 AM was in my wheelhouse. I watched the first half at The Rio, the last dive bar in town soon to be converted to a fancier place in contrast to the locals. Drove back out to Willow scoring same spot. I walked slick rock and patches of sand in a loop around my spot. I ran out of rock at an unofficial road that lead both directions to and away from Willow Springs road. I walked away from the road. Just so many camp spots abounded albeit most had a slight slope to them requiring leveling blocks. Just a few camps occupied. Turned around and walked to the road passing many more spots unoccupied. There were several creep over rock pieces. Place could become packed more so than present spot. I will stay here. These spots are on Utah Sovereign land that could go away at the state’s desire. If this road was closed to camping where would all these campers go? Checked Seahawks progress on my phone as I hiked: they won.

Forecast for tonight was precip both rain and snow, tomorrow to clear a bit then Wed more precip, T day is wet with snow. Staying here at Willow will allow my access to hard road. And lower temps like low 20s. Weathering the weather and planning activities accordingly.

I sleep under a doubled over summer weight down blanket giving me about 3″ of loft. I turn the temp dial down lower than sitting up temp. I have awakened the last several nights almost sweating so I turn the knob down some more and slide the top layer off to cool off until I wake up again chilly then pull the top back on. This AM inside wake up temp was 53 which is becoming not objectionably cold.

Sat night the Zags won.

Today’s forecast had a morning window before 30% showers and 25 mph gusts arrived. The morning at first did not appear to be favorable for a ride, I mean like I don’t have to ride every day. As I sat in my seat the day should promise albeit no sunshine. OK, need to ride today before upcoming forecasted weather would make sense to stay inside and watch football. Knee warmers and knee socks covered my legs. I rode behind the road grader smoothing out the road. Great touch the operator used. Rode out to Klonzo for a short ride. All purpose built single track. Moab’s trail systems are very well marked and a map of location with a smiley face you are here icon keeps a rider found. Short ride.

I needed to go to town today to add propane to my tank. My log data indicates I burn about a gallon a day. My tank can hold 5.6 gals. Pay attention keeps me warm and my food cold.

My mattress topper arrived. Now I need an open space larger than my van to air it out and to cut it to size.

I use Garmin Connect and an EDGE that I load into Connect. I also write to a spread sheet my ride data. Excel reports 33, 311 miles and 2298 rides since July of 2008. Garmin has previous data plus this trip. It reports I have climbed 3,266,344 feet in elevation. Focus on the facts which will stand by themselves. I have almost no body fat.

5:22 PM, dark thirty, 45 degrees, sprinkles on the windshield.

Out here at Willow spot off and on a pop top pickup camper parked like right nearby. Truck was heavily logoed for sponsors. I saw a woman with the rig. We never spoke which is mostly how it’s done. Today her rig was parked at Gearheads as I was. I looked for her in Gearheads where they pour unlimited filtered water, a place where us people fill up with water, and the laundromat. Not there. I walked across the street to shop at City Market and I spied whom I identified as the woman ckecking out her purchases. And that it was. We enjoyed a pleasant conversation in the grocery store. She is studying for her masters via on line classes while traveling. She left today.

I have started to pay attention to Hurricane ( Hurkin) weather as it will be my next stop. They are forecast for same stuff here in Moab which presents riding issues as the Hurricane Cliffs trails are clay which becomes gumbo when wet. Day time temps above freezing with night time freeze which won’t evaporate water and creates freeze thaw mud, bottom line: no riding them. There are other trails which don’t freeze thaw. Dunno. Checked Sedona’s forecast which is also the same.

Thursday I help again, my 4th year in a row, at the Waba Sabi community feast.

Snow is falling in La Pine, OR where my property is located. I’m way further south (warmer) but soon to receive some snow. Difference is the snow here will melt shortly afterwards, La Pine is the start of winter. Why I am not living in my to be built house there.

My shoulder has been bothering me. The tech nature of these trails brings on discomfort. Whatcha gonna do?

Dinner time: mashed potato pancakes made with smoked salmon and green peas. Ymmm.

Focuses on the ideal of being happy and complete as a solo individual. A person as such would feel whole and fulfilled within the self and does not feel compelled to seek fulfillment through having another person as a partner. This def is more reflective of me as an unattached person. Been working that way all but 4 years of my adult life. And certainly during these 11 + years of traveling the country.

Rain fell again on Wed, just hanging at spot off Willow road.

Rain water pooled in the potholes around sleep spot.

Thurs was a wait out the dirt to dry and an excuse to make the 4th day in a row of rest. Drove into town to do wash and top off resources then returned to Willow spot. Plan is to drive out to N Klondike on Friday and stay and ride for several days.

Friday AM after Bfast drove north to N Klondike rd. The rain that fell wetted the gravel road eliminating dust which was wonderful for the lungs. Fewer than 5 rigs at spots along the road. Place where I have stayed previously was open and the dust was firm with several puddles.

Geared up for a ride. Wore chilly temp weather: knee socks and knee warmers. At the start of the ride I worked out kinks and reestablished reflexes and motor skills riding Dino trail which has quite a few blue square tech challenges. I sessioned several to reacquaint memory for being able to ride that feature. There is 1 feature that I have a mental block for which prevents me from even attempting. The plushness of my suspension was pleasurable. I turned around at the end of the trail, another satisfying out and back ride. I shared my 11.1 ride pedaling for 1 hr 35 with maybe 5 other riders. Mid afternoon sun and light. Hero dirt, sand is firm. Just slightly chilly, close to perfect.

Chilly night last night, in low 20s when I finally looked at the van temperature recording instrument. Mus puddles were iced over. Forecast was calling for low 50s. Just hunker down in warm van until ice became water.

Today I chose to ride a past loop backwards. Meaning climbing Alaska. I again pedaled a short piece of Dino till I hit Nome which would climb and descend over lots of slick rock patches. Connect with Alaska for more fun and exertion of up and down till the ridge overlooking Salt Valley. Mix of smiles and heavy breathing as I rode up what the other direction was down and vice vice versus. Letting gravity be the engine is better than pedaling against it. Water was puddled in places that I mostly rode thru instead of around.

The trails here have been well designed with a mix of uphill tempered with a traverse or decent which creates breather pieces. On a climb to a high point and descent means that lost elevation will have to be climbed again. That’s what riding here on Klondike is about. So for you readers who have ridden here and are following my route at home, it went like this: Dino to Homer, to Alaska connecting to 4X4 road to drop down Little Salty connecting to Dino back home. Only 12 miles pedaling for 1 hr 53 mins climbing only 1158′. Weren’t any pedaling pieces, all about work up and capitalize on downward pull of gravity. Beautiful day again about the same temps still with leg insulation. Stopped several times to check Buckeyes score against Penn State, Bucks prevailed. Just such wonderful to be outside.

I ordered a new memory foam mattress topper which should arrive before T day. New Patagonia flannel shirt is waiting for me at mail center. Patagonia makes such good stuff, expensive but it lasts and wears forever. My preferred riding baggies and liners are theirs.

Sundown here is like 4:53 PM, however a bluff is between me and said sun which shortens daylight. 42 degrees at 5:40 PM, waiting for furnace to fire up.

Zags play tonight broadcast on XM.

Life is enjoyable.