Thurs drove into town for resupply and for service on bike. Laundry day. Drove to location in same building where Gear heads used to be. Empty shell. Hotel was moving ahead with their plan to remove the building. Same owner has another location just off Main st. Same kind of machines with an attendant on duty wiping down the machines. Clean place as were my clothes. Air dry clothes take more days to dry because of lower temps.

Bike service was to replace derailleur cable and housing as the chain hesitates dropping down the cluster, past experience said it was the cable and housing. Also the clutch on the derailleur makes clicking sounds when it takes up chain slack. Also the sound of breaking metal when the suspension was loaded but not all the time. Wrench pulled the pivot bearings out and discovered that the 2 upper bearings were seized. He replaced those 2 plus the odd size small bearing in the bottom linkage. He commented that the bottom bracket has wear play that should be replaced sometime. From time to time for the bike’s health it should be handled by a care giver to identify wear points.

Put the bike back on the van then scooted out of town up to Horse Thief rd, Scored the view spot again. Warm night allowing me to keep open the side door well past sundown. Most nights I get up 2 times to pee, when empty I look out the windows when on clear nights the star show is blazing.

This morning the sunrise lacked the colors from a previous show but from the same spot.

Up here at Horse Thief allows riding from park to several networks of trails. Go North to Navajo Rocks system, East to Horse Thief system plus Mag 7. Today my plan was to ride the Mag 7 stuff. 40 degrees and breezy. I wore 2 tops and knickers and knee socks plus wind shell. Ride starts out road riding with some downhills, horrible to start with a cold body making it colder coasting in the cold. Just this side of the group camp spots a new trail crosses the road, turn left down to junction with Chisholm, turn right and ride it to its end across the highway at Mustang, Turn left on Get Away descending to spur trail to start of Bull Canyon. Bounce down many rock drops sure enjoying 6 inches of travel, tuned to me and my bike.

Hydra hub enabled me to climb stuff that I have previously walked. Amazing. Cross Gemini bridges road to continue on Great Escape descending more chunk. At junction of Little Canyon turn left to begin the climb back out. At this point I have ridden 1 hr 42 mins for first break. My riding is so much improved this year. I kept my nose down for the climb up Get Away and retracing the start of the ride. Maybe 15 riders during my 3 hr 49 min pedal 28.8 mile, 2126′ climb, burned 1780 calories ride. I rode the perimeter of this system, that’s stupid as there is only 1 trail down and another back up. Confidence tempered with respect. Amazing bike that I am getting more out of it.

Living out of my van allows me to camp out in the toolies in the elements so to speak. It can be defined by what city living is not as an avoidance. Better to describe it for what it is for validation of life style. Quiet, lots of space separating others and some cases nobody else around. Exposed to the elements. Place to be as will the next night’s spot. If I don’t like the view the freedom to relocate is driving to the next spot.

Not tired, just worked. Both my shoulders are yipping. Off to bed. 44 degrees at 9:17 PM at 5747′.

Yesterday I drove down to town for resupply for several days of riding out at N Klondike trails. Groceries, propane, water, coffee beans ground, and package pick up for 2 new pants in time to replace 2 pair that I have worn out just this week. left knee on both pants wore through. I asked for and received dietary permission to be able to make my scratch pancakes that I haven’t made and eaten for over 2 months. Needed new bag of frozen blueberries. Tomorrow pancakes, today was Scottish oatmeal with blueberries. Still no gluten. Mid afternoon drive N out of town to N Klondike BLM all weather gravel  recently graded road. Almost 2 miles back to a spot I picked. Maybe 4 rigs out here, ghost town w/o the deserted buildings. Could have taken the spot back against the rocks which was open. Went for a rock scramble to be outside under blue skies and little wind.

Fixed dinner of skillet chicken thigh dredged in Quinoa flour, carrot, green pepper, thyme, marjoram, red wine deglaze, chicken broth to make gravy over Yukon gold mashed potatoes with butter, thyme, and vanilla. made a stacked dinner plate. In a short while the plate was scraped clean. Big flavorful dinner but a mess to clean up. Still below freezing during the night. The spinning  earth exposed my van to sunrise for solar gain. Still 57 degrees is chilly inside.

Today is ride day on east side trails where the difficult riding is. Geared up with same top layers bu just shorts and crew socks. Pedaled away just after 10. Rode Dino out to its end, turned on Miner’s loop, oh well and several more trails till I hit EKG back. EKG goes up and down this big slab of bedrock. Goes up, maybe traverses a bit then turns down, maybe traverses then climbs back up, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, Follow the faded orange paint stripes on the rock.

EKG is less of a ride than an endure, just a slow hump finding and following the paint stripes because that’s how the trail is marked across the slick rock. Pay attention as the line marks the solution to roll over wheel traps.

My riding prowess has improved noticeably with the l9 rear wheel. That no lag pedal stroke gets me up and over so much easier, I am riding stuff that I walked riding the 3 degrees of engagement Torch hub. Remarkable difference between the hubs. With any hub there are degrees or rotation of the crank (read pedal) before the freehub paws engage for pedal force going forward. That means a rider has to time the peal stroke relative to where the rear wheel is allowing for that crank rotation. The .52 degrees of engagement of the Hydra means that there is no lag, it’s like riding a tricycle with a freewheel. I do not want to go back to even the 3 degrees. The wheel really enlivens my bike.

14.7 miles pedaling for 2 hrs 17 mins climbing 1345′. As the ride progresses the sun warmed me up to remove first layer on top. Then too warm for heavy wool jersey, could have ridden in summer clothes. Encountered maybe 10 riders. Private play ground.

All trails here are still no ebikes allowed, land manager is BLM. Wonder how effort is to keep the trails heart propelled only.

65 degrees forecast tomorrow.

Match clothing layers to the temperature for comfort and a pack with capacity to hold removed layer.

Wind died down during the night. Sunrise was way out on the horizon. Clear of clouds when light turned on. Temp was below freezing at wake up. Fix b-fast and linger for warmth of sun before riding. 10 AM start.

My clothing choices were light weight wool long underwear top under heavier wool jersey, wind shell, helmet cap, regular gloves, knee socks, knee warmers, and shell shorts. My hydration pack will swallow removed layers.

My route choice was  mix of little travel to higher density riders. I sort of rode yesterday’s ride backwards but rode the east trails down to 7 Up connecting with Coney Island for a short piece to Middle Earth which is a cut over to middle of Navajo Rocks loop. Parking lot was about 3/4 full with a large number of CO plated rigs.  Then Big Mesa connecting with Big Lonely to Chisholm to Lasso which put me back on dirt road.

Started with 1 mile road ride to Lasso which cut overs to Chisholm, I would repeat this part going home. This piece of Chisholm needed slab rock work to create trail. Still small amounts of snow in deep shade as was frozen dirt.

I rode a loop that started downhill on the Horse Thief system seeing 2 riders and finished on almost continuous climb and way more riders. 7Up connects with Coney Island where the climb starts. Middle Earth is a traverse. Big Mesa

Out on sun warmed Big Mesa I stopped to remove my long underwear top and stuffed it into my pack. Great warmth in full sunshine and no wind. Day light look at my upper body: suntan faded away.

I am working on enlarging my comfort zone regarding friction traction. My tires have side lugs on them as well as lugs down the center. Rolling the bike on slanted slick rock contacts just the side lugs which provide not as much friction as when tire is flat on rock. Side knobs grip. Coupled with the Hydra hub for power makes for less sketchy risk while increasing the difficulty of the line.

Big Mesa had the crowd. I seemed to be riding against the grain as riders approached me. I was never over taken. Chisholm starts at junction of Big Lonely at the high point for the Navajo Rocks loop and climbs. One rider crowd. Chisholm is enjoyable to ride as an out and back as the climbs are never lung busters.

22.7 miles climbing 1650′ pedaling for 3 hrs 2 mins.

Arrived back at van. Looked up to see a rider approaching me. He stopped to visit. Gray full beard riding a serious mountain bike. He told me he travels the same places I do but we never connected. He’s been at it for 4 years. He’s camped near me. I cut the conversation off to get into my solar warmed van and fix recovery food as I burned 1351 calories. I cleaned the kitchen then heated water for a wash cloth wipe off. I changed into street clothes and hiking shoes. I wanted to go for a walk in the beautiful fall day. I walked down the road heading to where the guy told me where he was. Found his spot. He’s living in a pop top camper. Four years living out of it is spartan as there is way less room than my van. His truck enabled him to get back there which sets him apart from me. I decided that livable space was more important than having a rig to get way back.

I like Moab trails.

I feel tired. 9 PM 5747′ 37 degrees.

Forecast this week calls for warming temps, maybe short sleeves.