Legend has it an early settler so named the city because  a high wind blew off the top to his buggy. Legends such as Mormon Crickets were never based in fact. Fact: Hurricanes are tropical with min wind speed of 74 mph.

OK, the 37 mph gust is below hurricane speed, let’s accept the fact that today was very windy, clear, dry and chilly with temp in 40s. I parked my van out here at Quail Lake with the rear facing the south with the wind from the north. The thermostat for the furnace is mounted on the bed head board which is at the south end of my palace. Today the sun warmed that end of the van making it hotter than the front where I sit. That warm temp told the furnace that all was toasty while up front life was chilly. I kept turning up the dial for more heat till almost maxed out, the thermostat said all was warm. Finally just after 4 when the sun moved on the thermostat sent signal for heat. Furnace turned on , ran for about 10 seconds then went into its denial to work. I will go thru several reset cycles to get it to turn on. Can’t depend on it.

Last night I planned a long ride from here. weather forecast called for wind watch till 11 AM. That time came and went as winds with gusts continued. Way too windy and cold to pedal. I stayed inside all day. Van is still being rocked by the gusts.

Cycled furnace control causing it to fire up and remained on. I chose the furnace that could be mounted underneath the van to not take up space inside. The furnace is a heat exchanger pulling in inside air into the exchanger then blowing that heated air back into the interior. I suspect heat loss occurs when air is moving thru the ducts outside the van. I prolly would be warmer if I installed it inside. Oh well, it’s only cold. My body temperature runs in mid 97s.

Quail Lake is a reservoir, a treatment plant treats water for consumption.

Days are now getting longer, albeit seconds each end for awhile.

No good for snow sports. But to be outside enjoying great wide open social distancing, it gets a body outside to be immersed in nature’s bounty. Well, what man has not disrupted. OK, I mountain bike on man made trails. I recreate responsibly by keeping my tread on the tread and yielding to uphill travelers. The rest nature provides. Every pedal stroke is exposed to effects of nature like physics and law of gravity. Force vectors pitting gravity to friction while balanced over 2 small contact patches. Is the mark of a successful ride all parts attached and functioning and no red fluids leaking? We can perhaps increase the likelihood of success by choosing a ride that frightens us but not scared to death. Riding green and blue trails can be brain candy relaxation from black diamonds.

Take today out here  at Quail Lake, which is man made damming up of Quail Creek, and human built  Boy Scout trails so named because of  a boy scout camp. Damn, there are lots of frightening features and exposure. I made today a non riding day but I did hike a loop on said trails. I learned that I rode these years ago as there is a gps track from at least one ride. Today hiking the Cub Scout Upper trail I amazed myself that I used 2 wheels to travel the trail. I must have walked an awful lot. And it was prolly on my 26″ 5 Spot. The rating is black. I would not attempt it today even with a better bike and improved skills. The difficulty is over my head. No pics  to share. I sucked up the just long sleeve shirt temperature per the subject line. My life style and choices put me at places for success. I can be where I want to be when I want to be. What attracts me to a location, what holds me there, what drives me away? Conditions here have a hold on me. No precip in the forecast and the 20 degree nights fade when the sun warms air temp into the 50s and sometimes calm wind.

I started mountain biking back in 1985. Helmets were in their infancy. I rode months that year without a helmet. It was like riding in a car without retractable seat belts: scary. My first helmet was some hard shell thing that was supposed to provide protection. I remember the first ride wearing it that I pedaled faster because my head was protected. Later I bought Oakley shield glasses and pedaled faster. Today the helmets are so much improved as are the bikes and I pedal faster and over more difficult features. Protection equals faster speed and more risky moves. Years ago when I lived in the Puget Sound I backcountry skied, quite a lot. Spring time on corn snow was special. I would strip down to shorts. I wanted the sun. More importantly it put an edge on my skiing because if I fell on the corn my skin would be abraded like thru a cheese grater. I picked my lines while never falling. I never knew if I would have skied faster had I been wearing clothes. Today I have eschewed elbow and knee pads because I fear if I wore them I would increase my challenging choices. Wearing pads would not put me and my bike back on the trail I hiked today. My rationalization.

The Hurricane rim / cliffs trails are mostly pedaling with patches of slab rock. Sharp edged new tires inspire confidence. Yesterday conditions were per subject line but later in the day with the sun low on the horizon. on my loop the climbs were always into the sun which blinded me: I could not read the trail or even see an approaching rider. Pedaling up Dead Ringer a mountain biker descending walking his bike towards me. I said Bummer. He said you have a pump? He wore a scanty hip pack. I said he used 5 CO2s and could not get the tire to hold air. I stopped to help, I turned him on to my Lyzene pump which can function like a floor pump. He attached the pump to his presta valve and pumped. Air went in and pressure built up to his liking. He detached the pump and the air rushed out of the valve. Valve core unscrewed. No problem, I pulled a wrench out of my pack and he tightened the core, reattached the pump, pumped till hard, unscrewed, and the air remained where he put it. I told him is about paying it forward for him. Today I rode this loop sort of backwards to usual except JEM is downhill only. I finished near 4 PM after 14.6 miles climbing 974′ pedaling for 1 hr 44 mins. I drove out to the corral area for the night. I drove to a spot away from the brodie patch. At 6:45 AM this morning it was 27 degrees out and 47 inside. My body temperature was 97.5 and I was chilled. Last night I added my down sleeping bag for warmth.

Friday I drove down to Santa Clara to ride the Barrel Roll stuff, where I previously lost my camera. Again, conditions like subject line. Trails here have way more challenging features for technical skills and less about distance. Short distance but with more exertion. 10.9 miles gaining 1194′ pedaling for 1 hr 34 mins.

Sidewinder trail has many climbing turns up to far distant point. Once up there,  over the other side:

I carried my camera in a zippered pocket.

Tomorrow morning will, per forecast, look like previous mornings:

Desert riding: No trees and lots of uninterrupted sky.

Watched first half of Zags game at laundromat yesterday morning. First time I have seen them play. Very impressive. The are ranked #1 and played #3 ranked Iowa. Beat ’em. I listened the second half on XM.

Time to fix dinner. Sun dropped below the horizon minutes ago and the van is already chilling. 42 degrees at 5:40 PM, 69 inside, turned furnace on waiting for it to fire. The propex furnace is perplexing in that most times it runs as programmed. Exciting times are when it ignites for maybe 10 seconds then shuts off then won’t restart for multiple resets. Then catches. Can’t count on it igniting every time. SO far other than the snow issue at Fruita it hasn’t not worked. Evening update: didn’t start happily, used deceit to send messages to the controller to make it stay running. Seems like the fuel valve won’t stay open at initial start up. Tonight it will run all night long because that’s how cold it will be.

Evening feeding and clean up completed,

This morning on my way out of town I stopped at tractor supply for propane. It was before noon. I called ahead and was told yes they are filling. I pulled up to the pump. Attendant attached hose to my intake and turned on the gas. Shit, gas escaping. She tried again as I thought she might have cross threaded the nozzle, same result. She called for backup. She had same problem. Cause per the backup was the washer between me and them needs to warm up. Perhaps so. This explains why when I stopped by earlier in the week before noon I was told they don’t fill till noon. I thought it was because the person who is certified to fill doesn’t start till noon. Drove down the road on way to Quail creek and stopped at Quail Creek gas station where they have a different hookup and she nailed it right away. Bought another bag of local pistachios.

Yesterday I drove back to town and resupplied and took on propane refill. I stopped by the shop to visit and hopefully raz Sanchez except he was attending to the birth of his child. Rats, when we catch up it will be old news.

Drove out to corral spot on Goulds, actually the corral is a reference point as the sleep spot is a bare and dusty patch smaller than a regular grocery store. Popular place for drivers roosting. I have been parking at the edge of the loose dirt. Early afternoon and the temp was only knicker chilly but 2 tops, sunny cloudless skies, light is winter slant. My memory can sort of call up the sights while digital gives an idea. I pedaled up the last part of Goulds and crossed the highway, pedaled to the start of the JEM then rode it its distance to junction of Hurricane Rim trail to a remote trailhead. Climbed Crypto to Dead Ringer to TH then descend Goulds back to the van. Leaves have dropped off the trees, bare trees. Down the way I spotted 2 ravens sitting close together on branches in a tree. They stared cawing as I approached keeping at it as I went by, They did not fly away. A group of ravens is an “unkindness”.

Cheat grass is an invasive species and has no natural enemies, nothing eats it. When dried it is very flammable.

Climbing Dead Ringer

New meat (tires) really grip  both cornering and changing direction.

19.2 miles climbing 1240′ pedaling for 2 hrs 16 mins, burned 1127 calories. Substantive effort.

Back at the van I settled in for the night. Fixed dinner using many pieces of culinary items. Baked skillet cornbread which I still burn albeit less each time I bake. After eating I sat back in my chair and wished the mess could be left till another time to clean up. Nah, place is too small besides to me it’s disgusting to leave dirty dishes. I did clean up before bed.

While I was still sitting at my table I heard objects striking my van. I heard an engine. Some driver had performed a burn out which thru dirt some of which sprayed the van. That was all.

Today was laundry day and a day off. I spoke with the attendant at the laundromat about turning on the TV for the Zags game on Sat. She said she thought the attendant on duty that day would agree with turning on the TV. If so it will eliminate driving to Jacks in Springdale where I would have to buy food and beverage to watch it. Covid is spread when wearers remove their mask to sip or chew, in the laundromat there is a vending machine with no requirement to feed it.

Local printing shop printed my house plan. I need a larger table to view entire page.

Back out at Quail lake. Sprinkles off and on after dark. Perhaps hero dirt tomorrow.

At present conditions I will leave here on the 30th for Sedona. Despairing news: viewed a web article listing the 10 best boon docking winter spots. Sedona rd 535 was top of list. I stay out off Beaverhead which I wonder if it gets spill over. It’s likely that this winter more campers will be crowding me out. And the eviction moratorium is to end just after the 25th. Some of the newly displaced will end up homeless out on public land.