Yesterday was a wind addled drive from Kingman, AZ to Beatty, NV. Desert driving: straight long stretches of empty well paved highway. Creosote bushes and Joshua trees for vegetation but mostly bare rock exposed. 231 miles.

Route went thru Boulder City, home of Bootleg canyon trails and All Mountain cycles bike shop where Jimmy, a wrench, maybe working there and might be there. I met Jimmy when he was working at the Hub in Brevard years ago, He was present. We visited briefly. I shopped Albertson for preferred oatmeal and beer. No oatmeal and the beer choices were almost midwest in number of choices. Walked out empty handed. Grocery stores I have been in lately have traffic control aisle directions. Can’t say what percentage of shoppers practice spacing, what stands out are the ones going against traffic and not wearing face protection.

I passed an entry to Lake Mead which was packed bumper t bumper traffic backed up from the entrance booth to the highway and maybe 1/4 mile in the turn lane. How will people practice social distancing?

Stopped at Pahrump Smith’s grocery store seeing almost the same beer choices. Overwhelming shelf space occupied by macro beers.

Stopping spot was Beatty, NV and the Spicer ranch. Real official sign on the shoulder of the highway and more directed me way back thru deposits of broken down stuff to arrive at dead end. Parking lot. Drove some more following signs to restrooms and showers. Patch of large trees casting shade on a group of camper trailers and people. Guy separated himself from crowd appearing in charge. He filled that roll. Sure you can stay over in the lot for as long as you want. Cool. Ranch is private property abutting BLM land which has a myriad of trails. Still very hot, parked van to cast an afternoon shower. Mid afternoon I was able to sit outside in the shade cast by the van.

BLM land is home of protected wild burros.

Way beyond the front of the van there are several fingers of lush green cattle feed fed by springs. The cattle are fenced where the grass does not grow ( rocks, no organic) The fences keep out the local burro population. Not really amazing what interloper man can do once he/she steals the water.

House flies are nuances.

Temp dropped to pleasant 1 layer down blanket night.

Today was to get an early start. I made my scratch pancakes and cleaning up and getting ready to ride by 8:30. Last night I studied the TrailForks ride data and planned a route that would give me the big periphery of the trail system. Shortly after starting on first trail, Canteen, I encountered several grazing burros which ran a short distance away.

The trail intersections are signed and along the way there might be a direction arrow to keep you found as in places there are numerous braide burro trails. Tread is mostly hard packed loose what(?) not dirt?

For a distance Petticoat drop trail was routed up Beatty Wash which was loose gravel which was wheel sucking slow. My tires are 2.5 WT which sort of kept me upright. To stall was to be real hard to get started again as the tires would be sunk in the gravel.

Made top of Ridge finally then home run down Dominatrix which is pretty much straight line descending.

Ride dropped back down to ranch. 18.2 miles gaining 1371′ pedaling for 2 hrs 17 mins under full sun exposure.

Hung at van afterwards. I have an inside temperature measuring device which displayed 102 degrees inside the van.

Night time, 8:46 PM, outside temp is 78 and inside it is 87 and no wind. Will be pleasant sleeping.

Plan tomorrow is make Reno and ride there then move on further north. Going thru Tonopah.

Architect has asked for my house revisions to what she has. I am still searching for an open place to print off, markup plan, then scan and send to her. Libraries are closed where I usually go. Maybe package shipping store

So close, tomorrow I will leave Arizona after spending 159 days in state. Here, still in desert with prickly pear, and cholla cactus plus creosote bush. Of course yucca.

Yesterday I drove to Flag on I 40 correcting wind effects. Drive around 60 in 75 mph zone, just a bit faster than a water cooled Vanagon camper. Scored another face to face with my GP. Learned I have a belly button hernia also that he was able to reduce. Suggested stating my case to surgeon for repair, unfortunately I am making tracks for Oregon. Surgery is elective and not urgent. I have high blood pressure now. Hmm. Pressure had less than 130/ 75, now it is a bit higher. My body is changing. Low dose statins started tonight.

Plan was to sleep out at Fort Rock outside of Flag on was to Grand canyon. Arrived there after 5. Forest had been feller buncher logged. I drove out logging road passed place where I had stayed years before, I saw a camper at next 2 spots which didn’t bode well for open spots further along. I picked a former landing near where I had stayed as mentioned. It worked, I made it level and never stared at the ground. Years ago Freehub Mag asked me to write an article about camping spots which I did and they published. Last night a new axiom emerged: pick the shittiest spot and you will be by yourself.

Many rigs went by seeking spots further out which had to have become packed, sim to Willow Springs at Moab. Chilly night neeeding furnace for warmth.

Today I continued west on I40 correcting for cross and head wind to Kingman to ride their local trails. Chose the N side of rt 93 trails, Fort Beale. Elevation is 4,000′ give or take a few hundred feet either way depending upon where I was. Desert riding full on sun, nary any plant high enough to give shade. Creosote bush, prickly pear, cholla, yucca, invasive thistles and cows. Head winds at places increased the work required to climb. Velocity was in teens with gusts at 24 per NOAA web site. Hot, just made 90 degrees with humidity less than 20%. How much water can I drink to stay ahead of desiccation. After 2 beers earlier I still have not peed.

Tread was small sharp edge rocks and trail was narrow bench cut. Not much use this side. Climbing was hard as those plentiful small rocks kept the speed down and the effort quotient red lined. I picked my route by studying Trailforks picking a loop. On paper it was doable. On the ground when i made the top of Rattler and could see what I would have to climb back out I took the other turn.

I backed into a cholla with my left calf scoring 2 spines in my flesh. I finished the ride with them sticking out. At the van I pulled each out. The first one was topical, the second 1 required some elbow grease. I did what you are not supposed to do with cholla because the thorns have small barbs that prevent easy removal. Treatment is to leave the spine in and allow the body to abscess it out. I will watch the spot to see its recovery.

I learned that the trail head on the S side of divided highway rt 93 is an acceptable spot. Access is only from the S bound lane which requires going past to first exit then doubling back. Right against the down grade to town. Oh well, see comment above about selecting a site. This spot is away from the level paved main spot which is populated with rigs of varying use decay, I have a few more years to join their league. Traffic noise for background.

The advent of smart phones and Trailforks solve the where am I dilemma. Today I rode an almost grown over trail holding not tracks or crushed vegetation. When seeking clarification stop and ask Trailforks to locate me.

Prolly won’t need furnace tonight.

Tomorrow is thru Las Vegas to Beatty. Oregon Deschutes NF has opened trails and snow parks for Bend riding. I still have a bunch of days to go before reaching Bend.

I am not sleeping well, this AM I woke up about 4 and drifted into being awake almost till get up at 6. Nervous about things that could happen to me and freaking myself out that I can’t deal with unplanned change. My van health worries me inspite of my taking preventive and corrective maintenance. So I lay in bed worrying. Once I arrive at the TH and it is just my worn body and ridden in bike I relax. I could get hurt which is real versus van breakdown. Enough.

Busy day today got to get after it. Breakfast then making the van ready for driving short distance on well maintained FS dirt road to parking spot for Los Burros trail access. Picked this spot as it was the shortest distance from where I spent the night. Chilly, wore light weight long sleeve wool jersey and enjoyed it the entire ride which finished just before noon. Spring up here at 8,000′. Trail is marked like LOP of yesterday. Kept me on trail and away from Trailforks for navigation. Again, same terrain and former use of the land. No viewsheds, nothing exciting other than dealing with lack of breath caused by elevation higher than I am conditioned for. I dropped down to the 42T gear, never giving up and pedaling the lowest 46T. Trail traveled to a spring that was captured for a cow trough.

Water attracted a hummingbird that really checked out my helmet and my face. I stood still for its maybe 15 second exam. I finally blinked as I was concerned what it might do with its bill. Helmet has attracted other hummingbirds.

Aspen like water also.

You ride what you have, it is what it is. Doesn’t mean that I can dis the trail, I just don’t ride it a second time. I drove away to never return.

Next up was laundry. I googled laundromat in Show Low only 1 was retrieved. Pics showed acceptable equipment, This location was being renovated with at least new dryers and maybe folding tables and carts. I have clean dried clothes is what I will say.

Next was drive to Winslow. There were stretches of the road that were straight and very long. Exposed to wind.

Take it Easy by Jackson Browne made famous by The Eagles. ” Now I’m a standin on the corner in Winslow Arizona when such a fine sight to see it’s a girl, my Lord, in a flat bed Ford slowin down to have a look at me.”

Drove out to Homolovi SP for the night. Not crowded. Restrooms are open.

Next stop is Kingman to ride and find a sleep spot.

Another cause of worry is uncertainty of picking places and rides. Living in Sedona and other places I had the place figured out like where to ride, stay, get water, groceries, whatever. It becomes a routine. Getting back on the road calls for applying lessons learned at new places. I am picking places and rides to at least Klamath Falls, OR. I am back to a touron.

Was 33 degrees this AM at 7,400′ Tonight I am at 4,900′ with the door still open but to be closed shortly, it’s 66 degrees at 9PM.