Desert humpin

Shit, just discovered I lost the camera again riding at Santa Clara Barrel Roll trail. My phone number is etched on it, may the finder call me. Might have been right at van after ride. I never felt it leave the pocket on my pack. The trail went over lots of chunder where the bounce that jettisoned it came back to earth.

Tuesday drove down to town for a PT session on my left knee. Appears to be caused by swollen bursa sack under the knee cap. Given exercises. Suggested that I ease off. Measured the circumference of my legs just above the knee cap. The left one is much larger. Correction is to make the right leg contribute more to effort. Worked on that change on the Quail Lake Lakeside trail out and back.

I learned that BLM has a small cluster of primitive camp sites on the way to the Boy Scout camp at Quail Lake. Just off the highway. Stayed here last year also. Full on sun which is great this time of year. Ridge to the east and west shorten the day light and warmth. But I am legal and dispersed. Sundown shortened daylight change is smaller each night, turn around is less than 2 weeks away.

Yesterday I drove to that camp spot, parked, geared up, then pedaled away from the van. First rate. A trail system ran from where I parked up to Lakeside trail, which runs parallel with another highway, the trail negotiates the ribs and washes, lots of little moves. And short climbs. 9.58 miles, climbing 794′, pedaling for 1 hr 27 mins. Today I rode so much better than last year. The I9 Hydra hub and softer carbon rim make a big improvement as I climbed stuff for the first time. Track stand and heavy power on pedals.

Spent pleasant night, temp just hit 30 degrees making that the warmest so far. Lost some elevation from the corral.

This morning I drove down to ST George and home of Harmon’s a killer grocery store. Similar to Whole Foods. More selections than local Lin’s grocery. Continued onward to Santa Clara and Barrel Roll. Parked, geared up, prepped the bike. then pedaled away. Start is up Cove Wash access climbing right at the start. Big hump effort on cold body.  Concentrated on making the right leg work. Made the TH then climbed up Sidewinder which is an out and back, maybe up and back down. What I didn’t make the first time I sessioned until I made it except there are a few that I totally lack commitment to make. So pleased with my tech effort.  Again, rode the tech. What a bike. Back down Sidewinder then joined the Barrel Roll loop for more nasty. 11 miles climbing 1154′ pedaling for 1hr 32 mins. Average BPM was 128 which is above my anaerobic threshold, algorithm determined 37 hr recovery. Trails here are slab rocky, broken pieces of sea bed. Dry desert.

Stopped typing to bake skillet corn bread. I bake the batter in a thicker nonstick 8″ skillet. Pour the batter into preheated skillet then cover with a metal dinner plate. Medium gas setting, bake 7 mins which blackens the bottom, loosen one side baked batter / bread then flip back to skillet, put back on stove and bake for maybe 6 mins then turn out on plate. Batter is now bread. I added wild blueberries to batter. Makes a bit of a mess. Scarf it down as it is gluten free.

Tomorrow is routine Thursday laundry day. I went 8 days since last laundry as Freehub filmed me entering the laundromat then putting my clothes in selected machine, he filmed me inserting $4,50 in quarters. Norm broken, i lost a guard rail in my life.

Again, touting the l 9 Hydra hub. I still have for your bike a newly built l 9 wheel. See “equipment” page for more.

Time to replace wore down tires with same. Wear here on rocks is faster than soft pumice of Bend or woods dirt of Wood River Valley.

 

Moab tally: there for 30 days, I rode 20 times covering 274 miles

YTD is 202 rides covering 3053 miles.