More precip forecast to fall starting with rain showers then turning to snow then back to rain back to snow as temp fluctuates calling for near a foot of snow per the snow lovers or haters enjoyment or hatred. So far at 10 AM temp is 33 degrees at 3960′ elevation, precip is liquid. Hanging here at the overlook in anticipation of being snowed in. So far action is just rain and I have healthy windshield wipers that I did park off the windshield last night. No need or want to drive anywhere, I am prepared. Internet is slow here is only drawback. Burning the cat infra heater does not need battery power which makes the faint solar gain sufficient to maintain sufficient juice. Drawback is heavy condensation on inside of windows and clammy 51 % humidity. Tomorrow is mechanical detachment of Propex, my hope is that roads I will travel are plowed. I do not like to drive this van on snow. Yesterday I saw water flowing in Dry Beaver creek along side rt 179. Dirt is wetted but so far temps have not been low enough to freeze the ground.

I now own a Mighty portable vaporizer. It allows a larger charge that I fill to resulting in inhalation of more good stuff meaning a bigger buzz. Getting buzzed where the previous units just teased me. I count 6 hits per session. I burn thru my stash faster now, it’s just money.

Pot. Except for the several seasons that I was very focused on getting as much effort as my body would give for mtn bike racing I have been a daily consumer since 1969. Speaking of just my odyssey time copping was and is interesting. CO legalized rec pot in 2014. That year I bought legally for the first time in CO while my bike was being serviced at a bike shop near by. And while in the state I had no apprehension of being searched for pot. OR and WA legalized years later as have other states. Being able to buy inspected pot in a dispensary and legally possess it is satisfying as it lessens paranoia which comes from the high level of THC. The stories of street cops in no rec sales and punishment states were numerous and creative. Street cops are as good as the seller and from the grower, you accepted their word that it was mold and chemical free and the weight was just. Somehow over time the price for a quarter has remained $80. Dispensary prices fluctuate from street price sometimes dependent upon THC content.

I ventured outside for a short walk in a sucker hole. I made shelter before next squall so I will call it just a weather window versus a true sucker hole where one is adversely weathered on. Otherwise creating this and watching intermittent snow squalls.

And life continues in my 66 square foot box.

1:47 MST Jan 23 Sedona, AZ, 46 degrees, intermittent rain showers. At Present.

Precip has moved in, forecast prior was light on rain probability. It is what is at present.

Reading the forecast and taking appropriate action is incorporating experiences to improve the likelihood that my genes will remain in the  pool. These desert dirt roads become very slippery when wet. This rain has refilled dry low spots, my van would not make it out. When deciding on a sleep spot I plan to the forecast depending upon where I will be. Here in the desert driving a dry rd in and rain falls overnight creating said slippery mud means being stranded. Here I have option so far of parking at the paved overlook. I was there last night and will be staying there for most of next week. Internet speed is spottier than mp4 and traffic. Yesterday was slightly wet I could have driven out to spot but this morning after several overnight showers would have me writing this marooned on dry land.

Today was a no ride day. I asked Fat Tire Dave to service my fork, he said yes, lets make an appointment. I suggested Mon but he said how about today  Saturday. We made it happen. Drove to uptown to shop. Dave only allows general public in if they made an appointment which meant that for 3 hours of service we were one and one conversation. We enjoyed a Craig conversation. We respect each other which makes our conversations be they in person or over the phone. Fork has been serviced to Dave’s exacting standards and we both valued the together time. It will be days before I will enjoy the result.

Yesterday forecast called for scattered showers high enough to warrant credibility. I had a PT session at 1:30 in west Sedona. My plan was to drive to Posse Grounds park to park for a Soldier Pass ride when rain was not falling. To be completed in time to make PT. I parked where drizzle fell off and on postponing riding. A hard shower fell for several minutes then a patch of blue opened upwind. I’m in for riding. Sucker hole. Geared up and included my rain jacket. Light drizzle, if this is what it is I was good to continue. Dropped in on greenlevel bike park trail encountered Jordan working with a shovel on trail. Wet dirt is great because it can be packed. Crazy, as I approached he looked up and I was watching, neither recognized each other till we got close enough. I figured it was he because he is deeply involved in the bike park. He remembered me. Dropped in behind the Catholic church on social trails to Adobe Jack and other straight forward trail names to Devil’s Kitchen. There were 2 bike tracks ahead of me on soft dirt. Ruts were not made and dirt did not ball up on my tires. Turned on Jordan. Working on overcoming aversion to riding wet rocks because they might be slippery. This soft sandstone still offers my need for traction. Learning that I can ride at angles well past straight on. My quest today was descending Javalina which I did. All by myself. Dirt of sufficient firmness and no dust. Then came the climb out up Grand Central taking short cut on Coyote where sprinkles had changed to rain, I stopped and put on that rain jacket. Short piece of repeat Adobe and social trail, and pavement and I returned to van. Changed clothes while not lingering and made my PT session.

I hung many wet garments on the clothesline inside. High humidity and humidity creating burning the cat infrared heater. Product of combustion is CO2 and water vapor. The Propex is dead which doesn’t create moisture inside. But it is no longer a choice.

The propex finally failed to light. Web search for solution. Found shop in Prescott with Propex connection. Cool, Local. Called, no longer involved with them. Eyes pointed to vancafe in Fort Collins as service and retail. 12 hour drive to there or I could buy a new one for about same price as driving there and back except back ordered with no ecd. Contact with shop suggested shipping it to them for service. That made sense, next solution was to find service shop. I called shop I used in past. Made appointment for Tues for them to remove and plug holes and cut off propane line then I will UPS to shop. Appointment is for this Tues. However, forecast is calling for maybe 3 inches of snow on Tues which tightens my scrotum driving on snow covered roads. So, back on the other furnace. Overnight combustion moisture condensed on the inside of the windshield. I let the engine run this morning before I left for desteaming the windshield. This will be life until Propex back and running. This heater only has settings for hi, mid, and low with no thermostat. And I have to manually start it. The Propex is thermostat which meant once switched on the themostat took over. The Propex has so far let me down enough times to merit keeping the back up. I should not do my nails when the heater is on.

Solutions and change. For last 2 years I have parked at an empty office building as it meant my needs for location. Added benefit was an open outside spigot to great city water, good enough to drink from the tap. When I found the spot it was a solution to a previous spot. Two days ago I was parked there when a car horn beeped. I looked out, hmm something up. Older woman switched her window down and told me very quickly I was trespassing and she reported me to the police so I could drive away now or she would have me towed. Shit, booted. Change. Solution: park behind the outlet mall and maybe get water from Absolute bike. Change, interruption from pattern. I have a solution till next change.

Waiting for the arrival of my new I 9 front wheel.

Arizona legalized recreational pot at first of year. Present choice of supporting new legal or gray area.

I revised my email closing.

The desert has been so dry. What? It’s named a desert for a reason. Yes, but rain does fall albeit negligible for months. Also desert dirt becomes sticky and slippery when water is added to it, my van does not play well when that happens hence I pay attention to precip forecast as was the case yesterday. For several days the forecast was teasing with precip probability, not overly likely but pay attention. Yesterday’s sunrise looked like this:

Foreshadowing events. Forecast did not call for precip yesterday but for today and for the next several days. Better get a ride in today and pay attention to where I would park last night.

I drove up to cultural park for ride start. parking area held noticeable number of vans. Chilly with slight breeze. Back on went knickers and heavier wool jersey. I had visions of a bigger ride that shortened as I was not riding sharply, attention to balance was not there. I started down Outer Limits. I encountered 2 young women pedaling up packing bike packing gear. I chatted with the second one for some time, they had been out 3 days. Admirable. I planed on a Focus loop which meant following a social trail from the creek crossing out to the highway. Before the building of these new trails here social trails met riders needs. The new trails gained some distance but cut off other riders’ needs which can result in newly ridden in social trails for that need. This was the case on this piece. It’s like whack a mole: close one trail and another will appear.

I rode Focus sort of as I was not sharp. Where I planed to ride would have required more focus, I chose riding up Red Rock  back to van. This trail parallels 89A back to town.

Short ride.

I checked the forecast before heading out to Beaverhead which moved rain to after 11 this morning. I did park on the desert. However, around 7 AM I heard spitting on the van roof. Perhaps it portended rain. I attended to breakfast while the sprinkles quit. The dirt color darkened but remained firm. I scooted before more wet. Drove into VOC and parked at usual spot. A short time after arrival actual rain fell, enough to  create puddles on the pavement which are still there. Hanging inside warm dry van between scattered showers. Forecast calls for scattered showers thru the rest of week and high winds. Hero dirt is in the making. 41 degrees at noon.

Free tax payer stimulus money created my want for stimulating Asheville, NC economy with purchase of new Industry Nine front wheel with We Are One carbon rim. $ also bought a Mighty vaporizer. This time I spent the $ instead of saving it.

Tomorrow is the day I have been waiting for for over 4 years now. May America slide back to our past character to help and protect each other. Tomorrow I will delete the second line of my email closing:

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities

WAIT: Is that true or did the president say it?”

Robins, the bird. I grew up in Ohio where robins visited in the spring then left in the fall. Springtime was heralded by their songs. Here in AZ desert I hear their song, it’s January, not April. They are where they belong, my head is stuck on Ohio springtime.