yes

Shorts: not yet.

3:30 PM Sat, 78 degrees at cultural park

Last night was warm enough to keep the side door open till well after dark. The furnace only ran towards morning. Sunshine, some bouts of high wind, no precip, and no crowds.

There is a social trail around the S side of Schurman that is way out there that I have wanted to do but didn’t want to do by myself. I had been thinking about it as a future ride. last night I played the ride out mentally and decided I was going to ride it today by myself. I slept till 6:30 halfways thru Wait Wait don’t tell me which I listened to the remaining. Breakfast fixed, eaten, and cleaned up. On the road at 8:30 to stay away from the tourist traffic backing up highway from VOC to Sedona. Beat the pluggers, parked at crowded Cultural park which reminded me of a ski resort on a weekend powder day, largest crowd I have observed. I rode down Outer Limits to Dry creek crossing then social trail out to Lower red rock rd. Pedaled that a ways till I climbed up onto red rock trail that became S trail.

Pedaled a ways on S trail looking for faint turn off onto Mo Betta which climbs up to join trail that climbs to top of Schurman. I was seeking the start of Cat Walk trail somewhere up. Found it. Now starts the scary and risky part of my ride.

Basalt babyheads, exposure, off camber slick rock patches, push a bike climbs.

Catwalk connects to Pyramid which is a nasty steep below grade, brake dragging drop path  that I slithered down. Then it becomes a traverse over patches of outsloped slick rock, exposure and consequences. I pedaled what I felt safe on and differentiated what I needed to be safe on 2 feet, size 7.5 which have a greater contact patch and better balance than the Maxxis Minnions. At bottom of Pyramid I pedaled short stretch of pavement to pick up cut over trail to start of Ramshead. Today I finished my ride by climbing Old Post with several sections that my engine could not propel me up. Connected with Skywalker all the way back to high school and short pavement to van. Accomplishment. 12.4 miles climbing 1155′ pedaling for 1 hr 53 mins. Ride data does not tell entire picture of effort put out on the ride. I did it all alone.

Thurs I drove up to cultural park maybe to ride. Rain fell earlier creating puddles by firming up the sand, would be hero dirt. I decided to hike instead of pedaling. I wandered down Bottom Out to see first hand why I would not want to ride it as there were numerous above my pay grade movves going down a wash. I wandered around following several social trails for knowledge and adding to future rides.

Fat Tire Dave and his wife, Jen, invited me to dinner Thurs night. They live down back of Beyond road, there are 2 small FS trailheads for Cathedral trail.off the road. Too many cars wanting to park in full lots, they plug the road while they wait for a car to leave the lot. Finally made their driveway. They put on a great feed. I drank 2 large margaritas. wonderful evening visiting and conversing. Brain stretching discussions. Spent night. In the morning when I looked out my windshield I saw maybe 15 javelinas foraging. Visited some more then finally left back for VOC. I parked at art show populated outlet mall lot.

I rode Old mans and Ians trail over to rabbit ridge. The FS has laid out a trail that will affect existing social trail. Climbed up rabbit better and stronger than I did previously, it’s still an effort. At intersection of waterfall trail a newly built FS trail stopped, on the other side just corridor flagging is present. Could be tamer riding.

Bought a new bed pillow retiring current one after maybe 30 years of supporting my head. The new one is a gel.

So this is all the time I will spend as I need to get back down to Beaverhead. No cows on my side of the road yet.

Forecast for today called for strong winds in the afternoon, like 25 mph wind with gust to 40. And showers this evening. I got my ride in before the wind velocity increased. Presently I am parked at the outlet mall hanging on to my seat as the van is buffeted by strong south winds. Somehow the keyboard moves also. No, wait, that’s THC. computer seems to agree. Wind gauge reported 15.6 mph gust.

My ride plan was to ride all of Slim Shady by picking the lesser nasty route. Started at the mall, pedaled 1 mile to Bell rock TH and dirt. Climbed Big Park loop up recently mini ex groomed by the FS. Single track bypass climb up to Bell Rock, Baby Bell circle to Llama, exit on Bail Trail to Bell rock then Phone trail, social trail over to almost high point of Slim, finished climb to said high point then down to end at Templeton. Templeton to top of Breezy wash descent, Breezy etc to same mid point on Slim for descent back to van.

Hardly any others to share trails with.

Back at van there are 2 Sprinters parked nearby. A shiny white one was parked beside me, it had 2 massive solar panels on top. Flag license caddy. Big solar panels, Flag connection, could it be? yes, later riders made the parking lot. One was Joe Murray who is an ebike proponent and facilitated his electrical system to charge to ebikes. His van, his in person stopped for a visit. I asked him how has his fame hung on as his rep was established in the way early days of mountain biking. Need to explore that more. I chatted with Jimmy yesterday, former owner of Bike and Bean about no new riders have been added to his group of friends. Newer riders are lacking timbre in how mountain biking started and gained acceptance over objections to trail access and building of some of those trails. we older riders have history that newer riders lack. Maybe they can be taught trail etiquette and trail construction but they have no scars. Perhaps us senior tenure riders are stuck up? We started when mountain biking was a life style that became commercialized to become a sport that is engaged in like having a set of golf clubs in the garage, played / ridden infrequently. Their needs tend to be more bike park oriented. Just different.

Wind seems to be picking up. Going to spend the night at the paved overlook as showers are highly forecasted. Maybe hero dirt for tomorrow’s ride?

Reading Two Truths and a Lie, a true crime book. Things are not always the way they are told. Stories and lies. Really holding my attention. I broke away from it to type this while I was in strong internet coverage.

Clouds are moving in. Precip is certainly needed.

Today’s ride was 14.1 miles pedaling almost nonstop for 1 hr 55 mins. I finally stopped for a safety meeting at 1 hr 30 mins. Climbed 1227′.

So far the Red Rock district of the Coconino NF has not invited volunteers to perform trail work, COVID protocol.

My new I 9 front wheel is expected to be shipped on the 20th this month.

COTA has Zoom chapter meetings and trail care sessions on line. Members are kept informed and get to participate.

March 2 now. Sunny, weather changing clouds above, 69 degrees at 3 PM and no white stuff around or failed public utilities. Desert is dry allowing access to preferred sleep spots. However, temps fluctuate between shorts and knickers and respective weight of tops as visible hanging from hang up spots inside my van. Wool is great among other benefits it does not stink, I hang up a ride sweated jersey to dry out without eau of pue. The temp of the next ride determines which top. Of course alls washed clean every Thurs. Still temp is chilly at 11 AM ride start for a heavier top but as ride progresses so does the mercury meaning I am over dressed. You remember mercury filled thermometers?

Yesterday was just gorgeous for being outside. I drove up to Cultural park for a ramble. I gps every trail I ride on and I observed I had several unrecorded trails that I picked up on today’s ride. Girdner in its entirety. I climbed Anaconda nonstop which is big for my age affected body. My cardio system does not keep up with my muscular system or commands from the brain, I become short of breath quickly but as uninterrupted pedaling goes on the systems sort of balance out. Riding with the lower saddle changes the muscle effort such that as the ride yesterday neared its end my legs were worked and I was looking forward to completing my ride. I do ride much better is a trade off. Those several high bpm events seemed to have worked whatever the cause was as HR data was in line. I still push myself.

Social trails exist that are ridden at best and at best maybe a plant was removed. You have to know where to look and how to follow them. Yesterday was a paying attention to choices. The trail alignment is sustainable and climbing sustainable. Nice stuff.

Sunday’s forecast called for 30+ mph gusts that I had no desire to be exposed to. I spent the day parked at the outlet mall being rocked by gusts.

The guy who parked his trailer at my preferred spot off Beaverhead was sited by the FS finally after 3 weeks there. I drove in as he was attempting to retract his stuck slider and saw the orange tag stuck to a door. I did not see a fine notice, perhaps he had it. I noticed that he had no license plate on the trailer which denies traceability. He was playing living on the forest. Trump sticker on his truck. I am back to sleeping at that spot. So far cows have not been moved onto the land. No precip since the snow event in Feb.

My interaction with ebikes on closed trails is now just making a comment that they are illegal on these trails and continue on.

Tomorrow’s forecast is for another high wind event in the afternoon. need to ride in the chill morning.

March 19 is the Turner RFX’s 5th year ride day, 15,xxx miles, 2,0xx rides.

Finished Maltese Falcon, published in 1929. Sam rolled his own cigarettes. I googled telephones of the time period. Cars were just changing window glass from laminated to tempered. We are where we are today because of where we came from. That’s a thing about growing older is having experienced that past. Back when flying was a big deal and you dressed up to be a passenger. You could smoke on the plane. Bikes were rigid and non indexed shifting. My bike is 5 years old and my van is almost 15 years old. I’m working on 72 years of age, I still have my selective service card. gas was 29 cents a gallon. Bread was sliced however.

The Mighty vaporizer has a larger pot appetite than previous manufactures, the resulting buzz is comfortable. However, the concentrate has a much higher THC content and 1 hit puts me on my heels, it is stronger than I want to be.

On March 1 I intended to switch to warm weather apparel, just sandals at first. However, temp in upper 20s at wake up is below comfort range. Still leather shoes with no socks. And long pants and sleeves and heavy wool sweater.

Off to grocery shop for another chicken dinner then peace in the desert.

So, out here in dry dry desert fruit flies appear around my glass of wine. Huh? Adults not secreted in the paper bottles of wine? I checked the spider’s web for eaten fruit flies, so far fruit flies are flying free.

I have read every fiction work by Grisham. The last was a reread of Sycamore Row, set in Mississippi. I looked at a road atlas of the state. I rode within its borders 2 times, 3 different trails. Reflecting on the atlas my travels take to mountain bike locations,  never really a slow cruise down blue highways. I interact with riders and bike shops . My choice. But what struck me was not immersing myself in a local culture. (burnt my 1 skillet dinner, 1st ever). Like hanging around the local coffee shop or the feed store. Being a tourist is being a voyeur. Today I choose blue states, dunno about a Yankee progressive in Jim Crow south.