Tuesday I rode another go at N Klondike on the slick rock pitched on slight slope, or maybe faulted, what is is a massive exposed slab of slick rock with several gulleys cut down into. I mix up my challenges. This ride I chose vertical hump by climbing up Little Salty then riding the trails up high till what went up gets assisted down. 14.2 miles climbing 1260′ pedaling for 2 hrs 17 mins. Average speed was 6.21. Dropper post actuation numbered into the sore thumb bracket numbers. Slick rock with rigosities and depressions some of which retained rain water from last week. Painted stripes on slick rock show the way. Beat the wind event. Cows hung around retrimming previously grazed sage bushes. Spent the night. Some nights the van population increases but the big camper rig population seems stable. Nobody has crowded me. Same with my time on the trails.
Wed I drove into to town for resupply and to start rear wheel alteration for the boost Rail frame. Steve sent me from his attic my I9 wheel warranty repaired laced to crash replacement IBIS carbon rim wheel. I pay a shipping store $5 to receive packages. I parked on the side street beside the office then did the wheel swap out. Remove cassette and disc rotor then attach to new hub. I slipped the wheel in to the frame and immediately noticed a gap between the hub and frame. WTF? What happened to the hub size? Me or them? I took both wheels to bike shop on other side of shipping office. I asked for wtf. He slid a scale thru the axel hole, both measured the same , wasn’t them. He showed me the end cap was still on the old wheel. Oh, I popped it on and presto new wheel on the bike and the former wheel shipped back to its creator, Industry Nine in Asheville, NC to be made into boost spacing. Then shipped back to Steve for me to pick up, along with other parts shipped to him, on my way to Bend for bike build. IBIS off center locates its spokes. I9 lubed the hub with stealth grease that quiets the paws, there is no freehub clicking sound.
Next was to ride. I drove back up out of town to Willow Springs mid afternoon which should mean overnighters gone from spots and too early for evening campers to arrive. Scored favorite spot with others further out. I rode Klonzo system from camp 2.73 miles each way. Klonzo is squished between state trust land and Arches NP.
Wiggle and waggle to ride a loop. Gravatron and Topspin trails I included, the former is downhill and the latter is up and around.
No tree cover
Willow Springs road starts on state trust land then becomes BLM land right at first trailhead. It is just packed with various camping solutions. Just packed. This is the closest place N of town for primitive camping. Spots that were small have creeped larger driving down vegetation. At my spot I watched several rigs crowd in, one van parked right on the smoothest line down from the slick rock. Duh, lack of awareness of his location. Park at the edges.
Thurs I left early driving back towards town to ride Moab Trails before driving into town for laundry. I chose to ride before wash as I could wash my pack and gloves. Deadmans trail has lots of challenges that I met. Amazing what power to the pedals means for balance and forward motion. The I 9 Hydra hub with .52 degrees of engagement is a deal maker knowing and doing ratchet pedal.
There is still 1 feature that I can not direct my resources to climb up which is on Back 40. System has mix of easy and tech challenging trails, again choices for a ride.
Wet wash cloth wipe down inside my converted bathroom. I heat a small sauce pan of water on the stove till too hot. I spread a heavy cloth on the floor beside my sink. I cool down the water then wet a wash cloth that I rub on all body surfaces I can reach adding water between appendages. Pits and crotch treated with DR Bronners then rinsed, a rub of mineral salts for deodorant and I am good to be around people. Clean.
Clean clothes and sheets, drive out and up to Horsethief area. Big open spot taken, took the next spot one I previously used when that spot was taken.
Friday forecast called for a wind event, guts to 45 mph starting at noon. Get my ride in. Again, I ride from camp to first trail. Today’s route was down the road to where Lasso crosses it, its short piece is now loose sand. It joins Chisholm to its end at Big Lonely which becomes Coney Island taking the cut over of Middle Earth to Navajo main trail head. Check out license plates of rigs in the parking lot. Pick up Big Mesa that becomes Big Lonely then return on Chisholm etc back to van. I like Chisholm as it rides well both ways. The wind was at my back going out, coming back speeds had increased and it was in my face or against me on climbs. Once i hit the Navajo Rocks loop I am riding against the suggested direction of travel but I do not want to pedal up sandy Coney Island. As a result I encounter many riders coming my way. Lots of riders. For the most part riders including me were courteous and many knew trail love of yielding to uphill and tread in the tread. I did have 2 encounters with riders who had not grasped etiquette. One was on a sloping slab of slick rock with a for me a gentle climb. trail was bordered with rocks, maybe 4′ wide. I staked my climb line and expected the coasting rider to yield. Shit, no slowing down as he claimed his line. I yielded swerving out of his way.
Big ride of 23 miles climbing 1535′ pedaling for 3 hrs 11 mins. Average speed was 7.21 mph and bpm of 119. Today’s time was 11 mins longer and slightly lower effort than last ride back in November. Today I stopped at start of Chisholm before the climb up. 4 riders, 2 couples, pedaled by heading in my direction. I waited a bit before I started as I believed I would catch them then ask to pass somewhere. In a short while I did catch the last rider, they were riding at same speed which was slower than I would be. However, I rode behind them for a while. I noticed my heart rate was in healthy range by riding at their speed. They were my speed governor that I can’t do by myself. I rode right on the wheel of the rider in front of me who pedaled in a low spinning gear which does not match my use of bigger gears. Her body blocked what I would be riding over. Something to follow a rider slower than me. They finally broke for a break before the more difficult part started.
Head wind blowing road dust onto and into me on the short orad pedal back.
Forecast for today is for another wind event which suits me as it helps make me take a rest day after 5 straight days of riding. The Blog title of “Four” is for the 4 different trail systems I rode in 4 days.