You are only as famous as what your audience gives you. What causes fame? Admiration of what a person has done or is doing? For what they stand for? Envy? People have given me fame. I am just doing what I am doing. May I create positive karma.

Yesterday at the former cultural park in my van a rider greeted me saying he had seen my van at Bend where he is from. He said his name is Kent. OK. He is visiting and was asking about trails. I shared a  bit. He then connected me to Bend that he is the namesake of a trail there named Kents which I ride frequently as I enjoy it. For me he is famous for his trail and he is in my company. WOW. He is responsible for other trails and work at the collective Phils system. He pedaled away maybe on Girdner. As I geared up for my ride I did not offer to ride with him as me, a local, and he a first time rider here. Shit. Maybe caught up in adulation. I pedaled away with a quest of catching him and offering the local courtesy. I pedaled  Saddle up and I met up with him at Girdner junction. I offered him to join me on my planned route. He accepted. At Rupp intersection I watched a ball cap head protected mountain bike rider climbing towards me at an admirable speed. I complimented him. He said it was only because of his friend. I suspected so much, he was on an ebike which was his friend. At points during our ride I would regale him with local lore. He expressed enjoyment of the newly built trails. We rode entire Outer Limits heading back to TH which gave us the descent down to dry Dry Creek crossing. This build descent is a work of labor as it traverses down the steep mountain side. Maybe not a mountain because the pitch is way too short, I just chose that word to capture the effort. The below pic is typical of trail routing and construction, not the face I just described. Volunteers (me too) built this piece 2 or 3 years ago.

Time slipped by during our ride. Shit, I was running short of enough time to score a desert sleep spot. I bid adieu to Kent who is traveling in a mid size RV that would be beat up driving to where I stay. I did make my spot as sun had left this:

Thursday evening I made PJs in time to score a barside seat to watch the Zags. very nervous about being inside w/ no mask. I was socially distanced because very few people were inside. Zags showed on ESPN their performance which resulted in squashing BYU which is rated 2nd best in conference.

I ride 3 days in a row, I am not riding today. yesterday was my first PT session, the first of 4 scheduled sessions. Eric, the PT, is a mountain biker etc and is an adult leader on local NICA team. We have a connection with our interest and his knowledge applied to my body.

I made cornbread this morning that didn’t turn out right as the batter seemed too wet. I reviewed the recipe and my execution of it that had all the ingredients, I must have put in too much melted butter and or honey. The taste is there so it is still nourishment.

History records what happened. Some events that we lived thru make a significant emotional print. An event can be like a tree ring to a person: they can be aged by an event. Among others I remember hearing of JFK’s assassination, who told me, where I was. I remember watching on live TV the 2nd highjacked airplane crashing into the 2nd tower. I will add another event to memory recall about the Jan 6, 2021 invasion of our US capitol egged on by dump. I listened to it live broadcast by NPR. History will be written about how each of us and our country move on from this rejection of democracy by those lead to believe the falsehoods about the election. If you are white and carry a gun you are cool. If you are colored differently and peacefully walk in protest carrying a sign, you’re down on the ground.

records what happened. Yesterday I rode down at VOC riding trails that I have ridden over the years here. There are many features to overcome on the trails. History: I mastered many challenges over the years including today. However, there are several on Llama that I have history of non accomplishment. When faced with these I accept the fact that I am unskilled to make. That little armored climb on Llama for example. I bounce my front wheel up the first plate and stall. It’s about my inability to make the pedals go round. It’s deeply imbeded this lack of driving my legs up the climb. Although success in making one climb on the first go, I went back and did it a second time. Both times I stood on the pedals and muscled my way up. That’s what it needs: hard driving muscles pushing on the cranks.

Drought here. The manzanita last spring blossomed and developed berries. Lack of water seemed to have killed the berries before they were ripe but they did not develop the abscission layer to allow them to drop. Now berries are like ornaments, I touch them and they drop off.

Turned left on Little Horse rolled all the descents first time. Turned left on Breezy to encounter another spot of past history. Again, accept that it is better than me. Finished on Slim Shady back to finish. Trail all to myself. 10.9 miles pedaling for 1 hr 30 mins climbing 827′. While distance and time appear short, they do not capture the effort to go that distance.

Drove back out to Beaverhead which is still open. I have only shared my spots with you readers to increase the chance  of me getting that spot. Self protecting. Furnace still runs all night long, morning temp today was 33 degrees.

Today was wash day so I drove back up to West Sedona. I visited with Mike at the Uhaul till customers meant business for him. Clean clothes with line drying ones almost dry form this low humidity and 60s temp.

drove down to the recycling center to a small parking spot. I planed on riding a long standing loop of SSS. First was Old Post to Skywalker, to Scorpion, Ramshead, Ridge then Sketch back to ridge working system trails back. My skills have improved as has my confidence. A trail that grips my grips is Scorpion because of all the basalt babyheads or rock gardens. Slow speed causes tottering and possible tip over falls. My pedaling effort was better today. I sessioned several features to make up for first go failure.

Need to cut short to fix dinner up here at Culture park then drive down to PJs to watch the Zags game.

Yesterday was another beautiful high desert day. Chilly at night, below freezing, and warming up into 50s. Today it is 60 degrees.

I left Beaverhead for VOC for a ride. I chose Turkey Creek because I expected it to not be crowded as like Bell Rock and Hogs would be. Only know about mostly deserted Turkey. I parked at the former site of SNAP then pedaled Verde Valley School rd for a bunch of miles till picking up a social trail to the system trails, systems as much as I can figure as there are several social trails.  I had looked forward to riding the  features that I have not been able to ride. I expected my improved skills would overcome. At several features, after first failure, I sessioned several I made, others were either because my engine lacks power or the feature still escaped my prowess. At the junction to the ocotillo forest social trail I encountered 2 riders riding it backwards to how locals have lead me. They preferred their way and told me I would like their way better. I chose their way which required pushing my bike up the nasty, steep, loose, descent from the other direction. This way I was able to let gravity pull me down pieces that I would have walked. The locals are able to ride those ups and slither down that descent. Either way i would walk something. I now prefer their way. 15.9 miles pedaling for 1 hr 49 mins climbing 1145′ One cat claw scratched leg. Dried flowing blood added color to my pale skin.

Little precip fell last year which stressed vegetation.

My body is feeling wear from all my riding. My damaged shoulder is sending different pain signals of concern. My right  piriformis hurts to pedal and sit. Today I set out to obtain a DR referral for PT. In Sedona there is 1 emergency clinic for this need. The wait line was hours long. I parked in the lot and went in to register. I saw Amie’s car in the lot, she is a mtn biker and works there. I settled in for my wait. Before my report call she visited me and offered an appointment for tomorrow morning, accepting a more certain time or hanging for several hours. I accepted tomorrow then drove back down to VOC and later Beaverhead. I am not riding every day now because I hurt. PT has worked in the past so unless there is structural damage to my shoulder I should respond.

This COVID issue has cut me off from social interaction. I miss not interacting in person. Here in Sedona over the years I have established contacts. Today driving in W Sedona a car pulls abreast me and the male passenger calls my name and a greeting. It was Billy Idol, one of those contacts, he is a legacy rider here. Later a horn honk and it was Dave from Fat Tire. Brief but significant.

I am still figuring the cannabutter fudge dosage. Several variables: the extraction process or the amount of butter required per recipe. The fudge has a pot taste that does not deter from the enjoyment of the chocolate fudge. I’m not down for really pigging out in case I finally reach the tipping point. I was successful with previous cookies I made as Billy will attest to.

Internet speed is faster here in VOC vs Beaverhead. Task completed here, soon to return to desert. So far permitted grazing cows are on the other side of the road. When the ranch hands start water hauling to the nearby tank I am free of this year’s manure.