Zing and yang. Take Gorilla Glue, a hybrid maybe 23% THC, vape it at 356 degrees for maybe 20 hits then finish the bowl off at 398 degrees to wring out every last bit of THC settling into the dreaded couch lock where time and energy seem to slow to molasses in March. My body is crushed into the driver’s seat, my legs are resting on a small stool, upon occasion when I can break free of the lock I step to the stove and reheat water to make hot wash cloth compress on my shin cut (?). Skin is reforming, I hope.
So, during yesterday’s conversation with Troy he spoke highly of big grins on a trail named Raceway. Today I took him up on his recommendation after making clean clothes. Trailhead is about 17 miles N of town. Trailforks linked to Maps and me asking for the software to navigate, then me skippering the van I arrived at the TH. Flatout bleak open dry desert. Manifest cattle grazing damage. Full exposure, temp in upper 70s, scattered clouds, little breeze. Racetrack is directional, climb to high point then mostly let gravity and trail braking assist me back to start. Several short climbs harshed to coast buzz. Downhill was like a ski slalom course having almost in line short bends with slight berm to. Carve and angulate. Drop the seat. Swoop. Cows. I did enjoy speed that I was not working for.
Finished at van where another trail, Corkscrew, took off. It was there and I had energy and desire to ride it. A short stem out and back piece lead to a Y, decision time, Robert frost Poem time location shifted to desert, which path to take. A rock arrow pointed left, clock wise. First time here, I rode the pointed direction which was single track
through open sage over grazed desert. Complete exposure. Five miles of climbing to high point then learn namesake. It dropped down a drainage shoulder twisting as needed to build a sustainable tread. G outs, fork compressions. Finished riding 15.8 miles climbing 1270′, pedaled for 1 hr 52 mins w/ average bpm of 122.
On Corkscrew all but a small distance is on BLM land that is grazed. The climb route up a ways was lined by sawed down and left to decay junipers. Cut and left. Learned it was BLM effort to improve rangeland for grazing.
All by myself. Finished ride then drove back to town. Stopped at bike shop, asked if still allowing writing on the restroom wall, yes, I asked for a marker which was found, and I added 2021 to my writing. One wrench grew up in Price where another shop owned by same owner is located. We shared local knowledge.
I drove back to corral. Before I got there I came upon a camper van and a pickup with the tailgate down, 2 guys were sitting on tailgate each consuming beer from a can. I was waved over. It was troy and a buddy. I stopped in the road while we conversed. I learned that all the bike trails were built and not cow trails. we talked about the lack of trail etiquette, he said it is the newbies, I asked if was by age and he said it is the new riders regardless of age, they expect to come and ride and let other people make the trails happen. Because they are new they have no connection to past.
Where I wanted to stay at the corral was populated with 3 vans, I drove past then took the first off shoot parking on grazed over land. Crowded.
Figure I will stay here tomorrow and ride another day, perhaps repeat Festicle then stay the night. Sat leave for red Fleet N of town for a ride. Soon I will be in trees and water.