Yesterday’s forecast was for a wind event, just sometimes forecasters nail their prediction with history of whiffing.

I left N Klondike really enjoying change of improved road with no bumps. Drove down to town ahead of rush that bottlenecks a backup. Treatment for my gastro condition is blood work to learn if my body overcame whatever it was. Blood draw at hospital walk in. Phlebotomist had been awarded an honor that the plaque on the wall stated. Complimented her on the recognition and the stick. Blood UPSed somewhere, Follow up DR appointment in a month. Anyway, requirement of body condition was no fat for 6 hours. My morning fat is a small amount of butter on 2 pieces of toast. This AM just honey.

This trip put me in between outings. This was Wed, Thurs is laundry day, drive back to town, resupply then drive up to Horsethief for several days. Chose to stay at Willow Springs as it is the closest to town. For me I am looking for a place to sleep that is “legal” and level. I stay at the first right off Willow Springs rd creeping up slick rock with buckets and bulges to harm a misplaced wheel or too low. I park at the outer edge facing away from in coming traffic. Scored my desirable spot, back end pointed into the wind. The wind had been steadily increasing during the day, after my arrival it picked up with a vengeance(?). Strong enough to carry grains of sand in clouds. Sand has no moisture content unable to resist the lure of traveling. I watched as past impressions in the sand were obliterated, surface was scallop in waves like sand on a beach. Several gusts were like dust devils that swarmed my van. The side door was open for comfort, I was slow to close it to the wind resulting in a fine layer of dust wherever it settled inside. I watched several rigs go out past me even past the past spot I used. High clearance and nobody to correct them. Then the place became crowded, 4 vans and several other rigs. I walked up on slick rock later after the wind died down. I looked out the road, mass of white manmade objects. 2 leg locusts, hordes of camping rigs.

Just too many people. Yes, I am in that group. Rationalization: Yeah, but I am grandfathered in as I have been doing this since before it blew up. Small head sense of entitlement? How dare all these people crowd me out of where it used to be just me and maybe other scattered others?

Yes, back to fool. Today’s forecast called for lessening wind, chilly, and precip in 30% shower range and more likely in PM. This will work. Plan was to drive down to Bar M trails and ride before going into town to do wash. I made the parking lot and changed. I kept a weather eye that went only to lip of plateau above. I saw the sky showing its cards of rain. I stepped out of the van into reality and really quickly decided that I needed another layer and a wind shell. I got back in the van to add. I looked at the sky again. More serious and no clearing afterwards. I chanced to look at a windward window to see what was maybe a rain drop. Hmm, maybe a shower, I can carry my rain coat in case. I waited and watched as more landed. Hmm. I resigned myself to being rained out. It poured. I changed back then drove down to town smooth sailing. Laundromat is in first block off Main st. I turned down the 1 block street, no place to street park. Crowded, please have just one open machine for me. The place had many open machines. I wash everything in 1 load on cold. I seperate wool and synthetics to line dry from the dyer clothes. I started for the door to walk to the van to hang them up but stopped: it was pouring and blowing. Hmm, I only need to go to the van when the dryer cycle is done and  I have folded the clothes. It worked. It was a shower that ended before my walk. Crowded town. Too many people.

Resupplied then headed out of town. Moab is on US191 a major N S highway. From either end it enters downtown on four lanes. Speed lowered closer to town down to 30 mph. To the North right at the end of town a lane is choked off and remains I lane till the bridge. Road construction has been going on to add a lane in each direction to make it all 4 lane. Construction closes down to 1 lane in each direction. Some days backups occur. My travel plan is to stay ahead of any bottleneck. Next trip into town will be Sunday morn.

Change: Age. Books to read. Authors that I grew up with were either my age or older. Think Mark Twain and Tom Robbins. I have read many of their works. The dead ones no longer added books to my list on my peers were adding to theirs. I have read all of Robbins. Time marched on and these writers quit writing joining the dead ones in not adding to my to reads. As happens people younger than myself are writers and winning recognition for their efforts. It’s just that I don’t see them. I have not established a connection to any. The several that  I have read write from perspectives shaped by less history than my age. What do any of them know about a hand cranked telephone answered by an operator who asks for the number you want. Oh, and it is a party line. OK, I am not living by my writing as I do not rural electrification. Anyway picking this new one The Night Watchman by Louise Erdich, who per the back jacket ” is from one of the most acclaimed writers of our time.” Maybe it was a senior citizen nap that I missed her. Oh, never mind, she was born in 1954, 5 years after me. She might know about party lines. Point: age affects perspective.

About fool. Outdoor activity favors minimal harsh conditions. Presently conditions are lets stay inside and hope that it will clear. Sometimes skies part to reveal the sun and all is good. Commit to the outdoor activity moving away from that shelter. Then bang, the backslap of the weather hits you in the face with more of what you were sheltering from. You got suckered into a sucker hole. Well, I was not born just yesterday. Tomorrow the trails up here at Horsethief will be primo.

I drove up here to a spot past Horsethief campground, the big flat open spot where that large group of young people hung out last weekend. During the drive it was raining hard enough for full on wipers and heat as the temp dropped as I climbed. Above Horsethief road turn off I could see fresh snow on the ground, prolly just the plants. Chilly. No fresh rig tracks heading to spot. I scored the empty spot. I stepped outside down on the ground. When dry I treated the surface as just sand. Today with just a bit of water the sand became sticky clogging my sandals with about 1/4″ of sand. Barefoot now, sandals in a time out. Good news is rain quit and the dry air is sucking moisture back up which should make for brown pow tomorrow, first tracks.

At sleep spot I turned on the furnace. When the thermostat said go it started its lighting sequence. It turned on but would not light. It cycled itself to no success. It shuts off then lights up a pulsing 1 flash light just like earlier this year before it was serviced. I went thru several recycles again no ignite. I called the service shop and left a message. Maybe an hour has passed. I switched on the furnace hoping it would work when every previous attempt failed. Definition of insanity: Repeating the same thing hoping for a different outcome. Me questioning my sanity? Well, it responded small ignites then stall, then ignite and burn for a few more seconds, then finally catch and run. Presently the thermostat has shut it down. Will it ignite before I finish this which is almost at its end.

I have now ordered all the parts needed for the Rail. The Absolute Black oval chain ring is at Steve’s, the Oneup dropper post is on its way to Steve’s. This one was available and rated highly. Praxis cranks and bottom bracket are on order. Steve UPSd my rebuilt I9 wheel to me, when I pick it up I will put it on my bike in place of current I9 wheel then send it back to I9 who will make it boost. Now, devil’s in the details.

?So, today the weatherman was light on the probability.

Sucker? While sitting here I have been watching the sky and thinking I could ride soon. I just looked at the windshield to see rain drops in spite of sunshine to the west. Writing this has kept me from being a sucker.

I made scratch skillet cornbread before dinner.

Tomorrow big ride.

?

Today I rode from the van which is the high rating for a trail, if I can ride it from home. Trails out here at Klondike are always entertaining, challenging and rewarding. I get what biking is to me. Weather was overcast and chilly, and windy. It was cool to the plus but holding a line in places was dicey. I set out with a ride idea that I sort of did. Trails on N side are like a ladder laid on its side with rungs between the rails. Dino at the low end and like Alaska and Mega Steps up top wandering the topography. Opportunities to adjust my pleasure. I lacked gusto which resulted in a smaller bite. Today I rode same trails I rode here during last November visit and in years past. Today on several climbs the trail was eroded with a brake drag rut. Trails show much wear since my Nov visit. The slick rock shows no sign of rutting. I did run into the same couple 2 places as we rode opposite direction.

Last post I ranted about the damage cows are doing to our lands. Today I continue. They are 4 leg locust. There is no browse:

They are eating the leaves off the sage down to the nubs:

They are so hungry people presence doesn’t keep them away as they grazed on the plants 8′ away from my open van door. They hardly run when yelled at.

This afternoon a cowboy did a cowboy thing chasing down a young calf, lassoed it, threw it to the ground while the horse kept tension on the lariat, then I believe he poked a hole in its ear and inserted an id tag. The last part is what I think happened. He drove the cows away from all of the parked campers.

It is what it is but it ain’t right.

Change: 2 springs ago the desert was in bloom and sweet smelling. This spring just brown. yesterday on Dino rolling down and out of a wash I caught a splash of red. I braked to a sudden stop then walked back to check it out. I was hoping that it was a blossoming plant. Shit, it was trail marking red paint line on a rock that had been shifted by a wash. Today up high I spotted  a small splotch of red ahead. I stopped and walked up. well, I’ll be, it was a real live Indian paintbrush showing red.

Still pedaled 10.8 miles in 1 hr 43 mins. Then hung inside the van with the side door opened but wearing a sweater.

Forecast for tonight and tomorrow is for a wind event. Opening gusts just hit at 8:16 PM filling my van with a layer of dust. Van is rocking. bare desert ground, high winds blow it away. A taste of a past dust bowl. inside smells of dirt. Keyboard is gritty.

I seem to consume 2 gals of drinking water a day. I can plan accordingly.

Should wind event continue per forecast tomorrow will be a hunkering down day.

Shopping for a PNW Loam dropper post, the size I need will be available in August. Plan B is to find the next choice if it is available, otherwise move down the line. I need a dropper for new bike.

Change can only occur after you have experienced it the first time. Changes are years of reexperiencing. I suppose you need to really remember what it was like before to say it changed. Data, facts, hard numbers. Otherwise, I am noticing change thru my recall. If you are experiencing something for the first time you have no history of before. Riding a trail for the first time is just that. Ride it again then you have history.

Moab… I first visited and rode here  back in the fall of 1992. I’m digging in memory recall that the next time was 2003 maybe in my VW Westy. Plus several other road trips then maybe 2009 on this odyssey and prolly at least once each year after. Change: better bikes and components, aging body, improved skills, friends are fleeting, friends are around the country. Last year I was here in November, a cool… cold time of year. Willow Springs was crowded, maybe I called it slammed. I camped at a spot first right up slick rock, there were no vehicle tracks or car camp sites further out. Yesterday I arrived out there mid afternoon figuring weekend people would be heading home and too early for evening people meaning several choices. WTF? Every spot was occupied, yes my fav spot. I saw wheel driven down sand continuing out, I checked it out, it was a newly created spot since Nov. I sort of looked out Willow Springs over a sea of RVs, vans, tents, and whatever shelter. Never seen so many occupiers. Change,

This AM I left for town after 8 to beat anticipated backup heading into town. Breezed thru. Plan was to take on full load of water and groceries to last till Thurs morning laundry day out at N Klondike 25 miles away. Several days of riding here reexperiencing trails and telling myself to relax my jaw muscles as the van bounced over stutter bumps gravel road. Once out there I stay for several days to spread out the road chatter. Change: Today when I turned onto the road I noticed immediately that the surface had been rolled smooth and treated with a dust palliative. WOW. 35 mph one hand on the wheel road. Other than the distance from town it is a breeze to drive. Still plan on being here till Thurs morn.

Change: the campers out here are more RV, less vans and tents. And I don’t get a sense of many mtn bikers. Different crowd. The BLM has put some effort in shrinking primitive sites. So far this evening rigs are spread out, where I am is large enough for an interloper should they choose.

Full on exposure. Desert is dead but cows are grazing. Short term gain at best but long term loss of forage. It’s our land paid for by us for the benefit of a few. The trails in places wend their way among juniper and pinyon pine, neither are much good for shade. To the plus side is the temps are 56 right now at 8:09 PM. The side door is still open as the interior is cooling off. Daytime was not much higher.

Another too early to be here location as crowds are here perhaps because desert hasn’t become desert hot.

Somewhere around 11 I pedaled away from van to start of Dino Flo which is a blue that runs a length of the valley. Fun problems.

Bike sure is a lot of fun to ride even climbing. Along the way i stopped numerous time to roll off kicked in rocks off the tread as riders sometimes take evasive action to avoid causing widening of the trail.

I caught up with 2 riders, Observation was they might be older than me. I rode behind them which kept my effort in check. We were all riding the same loop but opposite direction. The younger of the 2 is 74, the other appeared to have several years on him. They are local. We recounted how 2 years ago the desert was in bloom. I remember the hedgehogs, etc. The mock orange fragrance. Now its brown, dead, grazed down desert.

Trails seem to be the same, wearing well.

Sand is loose and deep.

Change: internet reception is better allowing me to send this missive into the sky.

While driving on Main st this morn a VW Westy pulled abreast. I looked at the driver, he was waving at me: Jimi. I met him back in Pisgah years ago and we shared several nights last summer in Bend. He is on a road trip. We texted connection.

So change happens much of it beyond our influence. It might be the first time for that person who has no memory of what it was.

During Sat’s ride the bike started making squeaking sounds. As I pedaled and coasted, smooth and suspension activating bumps I trouble shot the source, Seemed to be pedaling. Back at the van first thing I checked were the pedals which were tight and spinning freely. Still getting the derailleur clutch clunk. The linkage bearings were just replaced and I verified proper torque. Hmm… could any of the bolts loosened? So few miles since checked. Just for grins and giggles I checked the torque: shit one of them was very loose. I torqued it tight then pedaled: silence. I wiggled the cranks and discovered play which wasn’t good. Sunday I stopped at Chili Pepper seeking service. awrench said bring it in and give us a few hours and we will call you when fixed. Pretty good service.They called a few hours later: Installing shop installed an extra washer which kept the crank arms gapped. He complimented me on my bike. New people at shop i have done business for years. Change.

CHANGE: OUR PUBLIC LANDS ARE BEING ABUSED BY A FEW YET THE DAMAGE DONE IS PAID FOR BY ALL OF US. GRAZING RIGHTS ALLOW GRAZING ON STRESSED DESERT, COWS ARE EATING LEAVES FROM BUSHES AS THAT IS WHAT IS FOOD. IT WILL NOT BE LONG TERM EFFECT. IT WILL BE SHORTLY SEEN AS DESERTIFICATION, PLANTS ARE PERMANETLY DAMAGED. HOW ARE THOSE FEW RANCHERS ,WHO ARE EARNING INCOME FROM OUR PUBLIC LANDS . ALLOWED TO DESTROY OUR LAND? IT’S NOT RIGHT. THESE RANCHERS ARE NOT STEWARDS OF PUBLIC LAND.