Last week’s rain swelled Dry Beaver into the proverbial raging torrent just after previous run off quit feeding the stream. I have no reference point to this flow as to the Dry Creek area where I headed off to ride. Soon I would be riding in wet shoes. The highway is routed to a view of the creek.
Last night I pulled off the hard road to check out MP 4 spot. Ground was firm except for known bogs but very rutted from people living out at the end of the road. Preferred spot was empty. Score. Fixed dinner and cleaned up. Been reading Lonesome Dove, excellent capturing male interactions.
So, last night my Sonicare flashed icon indicating time to replace the brush. Walgreens in West Sedona was on the way to cultural park and a reason to drive up to buy new brushes. The brush lasts their programmed time of number of brushes. Checked that time span out.
Drove up to Cultural park after 10. Temp forecast of low 60s. Wore light weight wool jersey to keep me warm early and not a heavy enough to over heat. Quality about wool. I made up another scramble route picking 6 trail segments then identifying them on the map in pink highlighter then figured a route to hit each one in yellow. Because there are so many trail segments that can be linked for a ride how to figure out a ride but by blind picking of segments then planning the ride. Never know how the ride will go. I have added the further N trails out to Mescal which will greatly increase potential for longer rides.
So this is my ride: started at Girdner got to descend Girdner to Dry Creek then turn onto Axis to climb back out. Picked up Stirrup over to rejoin Girdner. Turn left onto Rupp, descent to Dry Creek. Well well:
Not even dry feet stones. I want to cross, My feet are going to get wet. Barefoot was out of the question that left either removing my socks and putting my shoes back on or just wearing all. I chose the later then sat on a rock on the other side to empty my shoes and wring my socks out. Warm day meaning wet feet would be cool feet. No party foul. Climbed up Rupp onto Cockscomb over to end of Axis. The next trail segment was section of Axis to the creek from Bolo. Down then climb back up. During the climb my chain started making dry chain sounds. Mud from yesterday then squirting the chain off after the ride rinsed away the lube. I found the right tree to hang my saddle from then free wheel the rear wheel. Drop of Squirt lube on each link. Chain was happy again. Rode fun downhill part of Outer Limits down from NOD’s knob. Outer Limits home. Dry creek crossing at bottom of tight twisty exposed chopped in trail.
Again no dry feet rocks.Walked across then repeated wet feet protocol. Climb out this way is an easier climb out going this way. Part way up the hill a small black beetle like insect flew up hitting my face just below my glasses then ricocheted into my left eye. Yeaow. Foreign object in the eye sending vicious stinging pain. My eye won’t open. i set my bike down of the trail then try to pull y eyelid down and over to free the bug. Still stinging and can;t tell if it is out. Tried fingers, no relief. OK, flush my eye. Located a dead branch on a juniper and hung my pack which would be above my head when I sat down. I let gravity pull water to wash my eye. Can’t tell if still there and my eye is still painful. I pulled a bandanna out of my pack and twisted a corner to a fine point then swabbed my eye. Still hurts. Will I be able to ride out if my left eye began working or walk out one eyed? Shit. Nobody else came along which was expected because this trail crosses the creek. No help. My eye gradually started working so I pedaled away. I suspect I flushed the bug out early on but its presence in my eye released some chemicals that irritated my eye. My eye is still unhappy at 8:30 PM. Climb out is 2.68 miles climbing 344′ took 26 mins of pedaling. I helped build this piece of trail last year.
Drove back down to MP 4 for the night. Tomorrow a ride around Hogs. Rain is forecast starting on Wed. Ride between wet dirt intervals. Makes for hero dirt but slippery slick rock