Hot / Cold? Sweet / Sour? Ebike / no motor, ying / yang, you get the pictures. Newness versus what is known? Maybe this side of the hill is still desirable. When something has been done several times it works its way to becoming a habit. Habits are comfortable, warm and fuzzy. Comfort and familiarity. A conversation I had with a guy who had been on the road for 33 years and I was just a vaca time VW Westy tripper. He said that a 50 mile driven day was a big day for him, he had to find reasons to move. Settling.
Sedona is comfort, a habit, known. I hang here because it is like a temporary home for me. Funny, I may be more locale than the local riders in that they leave to ride somewhere else where as I stay here and ride the same trails.
When I started this lifestyle almost 13 years ago I was an oddity and doing what people I met wanted to do. Well, maybe many of those dreamers made it happen as the population of van conversions has skyrocketed. I am now part of a large population and judged by that worst apple. Just reflecting that I have not been to a new to me bike shop or ,location in years. I have yet to be a newbie to a shop so I do not know the vibe.
I have a lot of “I been there done it and that was good enough”. Habit: I have winnowed down from all the places I have ridden in the country to select favorites. I’ve been here 7 weeks. No pulling urge to go somewhere else to ride. Maybe Tucson. Elsewhere it is winter. Here in Sedona we were to the west of the cold that hit Texas, Prescott under snow. Too wintery to the north.
When I started back in 2008 only flip phones existed. Finding a ride meant a hard copy guide book and or local knowledge. I visited many LBS in the early days for that ride info. Smart phones and various apps are ride source data lessening the connection to the local community. The dance the touron and the local knowledge person perform is classic: what do you like to ride? What can I ride? Oh, that trail is nt on a map? The touron brings their knowledge to a new place where a recalibration of past and present occurs. These rocks are not slippery. The local knows locale but prolly lacks experiences where the touron has ridden. It was fun to watch when those 2 found that they had ridden same trails forming a foundation for understanding local. I blame it on covid, I know how I have adjusted to it in not socializing. A grocery checker might be the extent of the day’s conversation.
I see a noticeable number of van conversions with bikes on back thus noticeable. There are van owners who carry their bikes inside so there is no indication of a fellow rider, a kindred spirit maybe. Just many vans, no longer an oddity except that I am nuts.
2 weeks ago I was hit by a cold per my evaluation of symptoms. I lost my sense of smell as my sinuses were gunked up. Starting 2 days ago I started that I was smelling faintly. Dunno if I am fully recovered or if I am only able to smell strong smells as at present the smell of I believe burned butter that prolly has been smelling for while my sniffer was screening my calls so to speak. I do not like what I smell inside. Copious amounts of fresh air will at least dilute the smell. Dilution is the solution to pollution.
I have now lowered my seat height the width of electrical tape: 5/8″. I have a knee bend with the pedal axel under my arch, however, when I place my heel on the pedal my leg is straight. I am still figuring if I am rocking my hips at this lower height. I know my legs are being used differently: mostly strong pushing down on the pedals. I notice new muscle soreness. My center of gravity is lower and it is easier to use my legs as part of suspension. The trick is propulsion: power on the pedal creates balance. Trick is matching gearing with what’s on the ground. Scorpion trail has many babyhead basalt gardens that challenge me that I anticipate improvement negotiating those features. My seat dropper goes down from this new height as a dropper is supposed to do, why it is called a “dropper.” Ride data indicates slightly faster average mph. My legs seem happier, fatigued but not cramped.
Yesterday was laundry day. That done drove up to cultural park for a ride. Still chilly enough for knee warmers and a second top. There were social trails that I had not mapped that I planned to correct today. Where that social trail crossed a system trail I stopped to check my phone data. 3 riders pedaled by then stopped a bit past. I heard them talking then they came up to me and asked if they could follow. Yes. They got a taste of old Sedona.
Climbed out Axis again. So few others sharing the trails.
Last night sat bar front at PJs and watched the Zags smoat St Mary’s.
2 nights ago I checked out spots along another FS road on the N side of the road. Dried up cattle tanks, dead desert compliments of grazing cows. No crowds out off Beaverhead.
Tonight I baked another corn bread disc. I warmed up a left over dinner in addition. Created many items that needed washed, rinsed, dried, and put away. In my small space.
Doing dishes in a small single basin sink, water heated on the stove, low output electric pump pulls water from the tank mounted between the van floor and a cabinet shelf. 7 gallon tank filled 1 gallon at a time.
Made today a rest day. Last week I rode 5 out of 7 days as displayed by the dried 5 liners hung on the drying line.
Bedtime usually lights out at 10 and feet on the floor at 6 the next morning.