Back on March 19, 2016 I rode my first ride on my new Turner RFX. Yesterday’s ride marked the 1000th ride on that bike, all of 13.395 miles. The frame set has held up better than my body. I built the bike with some new parts and parts taken from the retiring 5Spot. Today all that remains of the original build are the I 9 wheel set and the Praxxis cranks. The I 9 hubs are from my original purchase back in 2014, bomber hubs.
I 9 created the Hydra hub which is improved over the original Hydra hub. I am stepping up to the window to buy a new rear wheel set because I want one.
Still here in the Wood River valley enjoying the tail end of fall colors, of which the aspens have mostly lost their yellow leaves. Some cottonwoods are still holding on as their abscission takes longer.
Sunday after our Warm Springs ride I camped out on Trail Creek outside Ketchum. Pet peeve are people who drop off a camping trailer in a spot and use it as a weekend / vacation get away but leave it vacant for other days. By empty use occupying that spot it denies others such as me for 1 night stays. No enforcement of overstaying posted max days. I did find an open spot which has full on view of ski hill and has internet.
Monday was the 999th ride on the RFX and I was getting antsy to log the milestone. I drove up to Adams Gulch to ride Eve’s Gulch which is an up and back down ride. Big grunt. Steve and I rode this several years ago when I was here in the spring. Several avalanches that winter crashed down slope across the creek from the trail. We saw the debris while snow was still in the debris. Today just pick up sticks interlocked fire killed trees remain.
Location was burned back in 2013 that fire killed trees that have become bare snags yet not all trees were burned.
Three snags had fallen across the trail requiring lifting, crawling underneath, or going around. A final punchy climb separated me from the high point. In previous years I watched Steve pedal up it while I had collapsed with an exhausted breather. Today he was not with me to witness my herculean (my ability) effort to pedal it. I rested a short while then let gravity pull me back to the trailhead. Short ride 11.5 miles taking 1 hr 43 mins. 5.6 miles uphill took 1 hr 12 mins, the descent took 31 mins to drop 1591′, that’s almost 300′ / mile climb.
Spent night out on Trail Creek again, same empty rigs still there.
Yesterday was to be the milestone ride. many choices, just depended upon how badly i wanted to beat myself. I chose Greenhorn Gulch to ride a Cow creek loop. Mid week and day put fewer rigs at the TH. I geared up adding a lightweight wool top under my lightweight wool jersey as the temps were brisk and windy. By the time I reached the turn up Cow I was sweating. I took off the underlayer and stuffed it in my pack. Day started with cloudless sky but as the ride progressed high clouds moved in perhaps portending weather change, maybe precip that forecast did not call for. No precip, just another drought day.
No sheep or droppings today. Climb up on to top for viewsheds.
My solo descent was not as much fun as when riding with Steve as he is either setting an example for more speed or me leading causing me to go faster. Old legacy hiking trails. 8.15 miles climbing 1234′ taking 1 hr 9 mins. Completed the 1000th ride successfully. This was the 3rd time to ride this loop this fall, the first by myself. Today’s ride was 3 mins faster than previous rides but required several more minutes of extra effort.
Drove back down to Hailey for night out in Bullion gulch.
Take away from riding here is that the trail either goes up or back down, there is very little spinning trails short of valley bike trail.
My fridge has failed and needs to be replaced. Monday I googled new fridge and RV shops. RV shops quoted the same purchase price of $1,200, install was another issue. I picked a shop in Grand Junction to go to but the earliest install was end of Nov. I checked a shop in Jerome where I stated my case. Parts could have the fridge on Wed, next was pleading with service for install. Service was able to squeeze me in this Friday. Yesterday the parts guy called telling me the fridge was in his possession. Fantastic. Once installed on Fri I can commence my travels.
But wait: My ballot won’t arrive till Friday. I paid for 2 day ship which slid an extra 2 days. I will return back to Hailey Friday afternoon to pick up my mail and vote. Forecast later this week calls for snow that I would have been able to avoid if the mail were on time.
Two days ago the wrist band of my roadid broke and needs to be replaced. It will be delivered by mail also but where do I send it to? I could wait here for those days or have it sent to a place I would arrive to down the road.
Oh, other 1000ths. First was 1000 days on the road completed while in Sedona where Bike and Bean threw me a party. Several years later, again in Sedona, I completed my 1000th ride to small fan fare of my supplied corn liquor. My ride total is somewhere around 2,500 and I haven’t figured the days in 12 years and 2 months.
Guts are acting up more. Scored a DR appointment for this afternoon.