Peter works at OTE, he is just a few years younger than me. We have visited over the years, in our discussions there was always we got to ride together. Opportunities pass every visit. This year we got down to it and planned a ride with him being the local out at Western Rim. Spectacular slick rock scenery above the Colorado River, He has the local route knowledge. Trail location is right on the border with Co and UT at Rabbit Valley interchange. 10 AM start this morning. I arrived at 9:30 and he was already there. We pedaled away at 10. I like that. The area is a motorize off road vehicles paradise. We rode those shared trails out to start of Western Rim trail which had a turkey chute to allow only 2 wheel vehicles: us and dirt bikes.

I suppose the tech parts were on the motorized trails. Temp in 70s, full on exposure.  Spectacular display of earth’s history. 19.4 miles pedaling for 2 hrs 31 mins, climbed 1339′.

I am tired just because and have been hitting wrong keys. I will continue next log on.

Thursday afternoon dateline still Fruita.

Laundry done at local laundromat that I have used each visit at least once. Many machines are out of service, maybe some same machines that were down in November. I understand that the owner needs sufficient income to turn a profit, dunno what his break even point is. To me as a visitor with clothes that need a laundromat having a well maintained laundromat is part of the community experience. And to the community on the whole that needs that laundromat. But then I’m not doing the books.

Today is Thurs. Stick with me here.

On Tuesday I rode again out at Kokopelli. I parked at Mary’s off Loma rd. Pedal uphill on gravel road then scream down the back side on same tread enhanced by stutter bumps from uphill traffic. Plan was to ride short piece of Mary’s until first cut over to Wranglers then riding that to its end at Mary’s also end then ride Mary’s back till first cut over to Wranglers then Wranglers back till it rejoined Marys for final descent to that same gravel road returning on same. Climb up stutter bumps then finish on downhill. Sheesh, the climb up Wranglers is a hump. The trail is creatively laid out to work with geography using many climbing turns to work its way up the face. That’s what I rode. During that ride I encountered a rider approaching. In plenty of time I stopped keeping my treads in the tread and welcomed him to come on. I don’t remember who was pedaling uphill. He passed and we said Hi to each other friendly. Later on in my ride the same rider was coming towards me. Again, I stopped and beckoned him on. He stopped when he got to me and said he was so happy to encounter a rider who practiced trail etiquette. He had just been passed by 2 riders who instead of sharing they rode off trail. We talked about how to coach riders in trail etiquette. Recently I came across an article on Singletracks website with a writing about trail etiquette. A new sticker is being posted, its message is simple: “Be Nice, Say Hi” and changing term from etiquette which connotes rules to COURTEOUSY.

Change: I am a long time mountain biker when there were very few of us, today there are way more riders with many of them not participating in our culture which got us to where we are today. Non praticers will only reverse our progress in land advocacy. How to stop this decline is perplexing to me. No, It’s not me that needs to change. When mountain bike trails are built on public land they are open to designated user groups. Mountain bike advocacy is largest volunteer sport to build trails. We will not own the finished trail unless it was designated for mountain biking only. Any conflict between user groups will be dealt with by the local land manager. It would seem not fair if mountain bikers were banned from a trail they helped build because of misbehavior of enough riders to make that land manager ban bikes.   Maybe stopping and greeting other riders and say Hi, maybe a friendly coaching session could occur.  I believe it is our experienced people to help non practitioners hop on the happy wagon.

Change: I learned that Jen and Ann, former owners of their creation, Hot Tomato sold this last winter. I no longer have the pull, as a customer, of knowing the owners.

Not changed: for the most part the staff at OTE.

Last night I planned on staying above Rabbit Valley but as I exited I 70 I had a view of many campers at the camp spots up on the bluff. Too many people. Stayed N of deserted Loma again.

I made today a rest day to do that as permanently damaged body parts have been barking. I really shouldn’t ride as many days in a row as I do.

My boost I9 wheel is in the mail to Steve’s as are the cranks and bottom bracket. I believe I now have necessary parts to build up the Rail.

Yesterday when I returned to my van at ride’s end I saw a note under a windshield wiper blade. It was from Don from Galena Summit lodge. I am easy to remember and spot. Mountain bike community.

Health food stores in Junction do not carry Happy Camper bread which is gluten and rice free. I looked ahead to Vernal, UT, which is even less healthful diet choices, doesn’t have it either. Been making more corn bread.

Well, I could have fixed the noise in my bottom bracket area myself once I learned the fix. But the fix left me not happy with myself.

So, Sat morn at Horsethief anchor spot I set out for a make up the route ride up here. I geared up and pedaled out onto the dirt road. In a short while I started hearing noises when I pedaled. That ain’t right and esp after last post I extolled the quietness of my bike. I could not ride with that sound not quieted. I stopped and loaded and unload bike, no suspension or frame noise which is foremost impt. I wiggled the cranks and discovered play again that was made to disappear earlier at Moab bike shop. Shit. Won’t say that it is always something as my road life has been mostly something free. I pedaled back to van. First action was to call Chili Pepper to seek service. Not today or Sunday. My plan is to drive to Fruita on Mon after riding Klondike once more. I called OTE in Fruita stating my need. Bring your problem in and we will take care of you. Words I wanted to hear. I made the van road ready then drove to Fruita about 1 1/2 hours away. Windy driving on I 70. Rolled into busy Fruita. I wheeled the bike inside and waited for my turn. Dan took my bike and put it in a stand and started trouble shooting. He discovered 1 of the pivot bolts was loose, the same one I found once before. The others were fine. He said that Turner’s torque values were less than he would use. I persisted that they be torqued to Turner. Then he put his stronger hands on the chain ring bolts tightening them further. What chaps me is that I checked the suspension bolts to torque values and checked the chain ring bolts earlier in my Moab visit. I will check the suspension bolts to torque more frequently but the chain ring should remain tight as he just put more umph to the wrench.

So now I am in Fruita, CO another pot safe state. Sat dinner was prepared by Hot Tomato, a Sedona salad, that I ate in their enclosed outdoor seating patio. First salad greens since the Zags last game. Drove out to BLM land N of Loma, found same spot open. Another no heat night.

Sunday I watched the weather forecast the called for precip. I wanted to ride but wanted to stay dry and not damage the trails. I kept looking at forecast and upwind sky. Decided to give it a go and drove to Mack exit on I 70 as trail head is almost in the interchange. Th windward long view of the sky was blocked by butte, however what I could see looked wet. I checked the weather radar. I saw clear up wind. I was parked at the Hawkeye TH where namesake trail takes off. Crowded parking lot but nobody around and I only saw several riders enter the lot. Dunno what crowd was about but the trail was clear. Geared up. There were 2 women also starting, they were looking at trail map. I opened a conversation during which they asked for trail info that I was able to provide. Subject changed to where you from: Steamboat, Oh I have ridden there. Where are you going next? Sedona they said. Oh, I had Sedona info that I shared. They thanked me. I pedaled away up Hawkeye. No warm up just in your face climbing on a cold body. My body did not gain additional power since last visit, in reality I was shrinking, I still lack the power to make the same climbs.

On Hawkeye. The overhanging rock on the left stopped my handlebar resulting is a crash right up against the rock where my bike is. That happened maybe last year. I learned my lesson and remained upright.

Hawkeye is definitely a climb to get on top of Mack ridge but the trail has some slight tilted down pieces, still a hump. I walked same features as I lack the engine to climb them. Not dissatisfied with my effort, just accepting declining body performance. Then the nasty descent of Mack ridge. The entrance is how am I able to down climb the notch? Once out of those it is sharp edge embedded rock trail enjoying bike. At end of Mack I pedaled ove to Wrangler.

Clouds are threatening above Mack. Previous blog pics were taken from up there to down here. Pedaled Wrangler and coasted as pulled.

Above was down wind, the previous was upwind same ride. Conditions warrant shortening my ride. Trail choice was Mary’s to its end at a TH then bail on a frontage road back to van. Travel was into the teeth of 20 mph winds. With some uphill. I choked up on my handlebar bringing my hands to almost the stem to shrink my frontage. Shit, pedaling was hard. Upon occasion I retuned my hands to the grips and experienced the feeling that my bar sure is wide. Women were still at TH. We chatted some more about Sedona. I was offered macaroons for reward.

I drove into Fruita for water at the rest stop at Fruita. Rigs were lined up to empty tanks. Nobody was hooked up to potable water spigot allowing me to take on water, not give it back.  My sink faucet went on the blink causing me to believe I had finally pumped all the water out. My tank was not empty. faucet failure. I had a work around using reserve gallon. Pump works, it’s the faucet. I researched RV part stores to buy a new faucet. This morn I called the only open RV store to learn if they had faucet. Woman called back stating yes they do. I added driving to Junction store to buy one on my to do list.

break for dinner fixings.

Dinner was chicken thigh based with broccoli stretched with quinoa. Finely diced sun dried smoked tomatoes, basil, Marsala wine reduction. Put lid on skillet, cook skillet dish some 15 mins, pull off heat and stir in shredded Parmesan. Lick the skillet clean. Done. No idea how many calories. Fed, cleaned up, and back at it.

Moab: I was there for 23 days, I rode 15 rides totaling 222 miles. I buy coffee beans at local roaster in their 1 pound bag. I need only 3/4 pound so I ask them to weigh out 3/4 and find someone to give the 1/4 to. A staff member remembers me. Two purchases ago I did the split thing that the staff member split for me. A young woman was in the store unknown to me. While my coffee was being ground she came over to me and thanked me for the coffee that was given to her.  She had asked if she could buy less than a pound which can’t be done.  Cool swift change of hands. Last visit to buy beans the same staff member was working. I gave him the bag of beans and he slipped me a small envelop addressed to the man who gave me coffee. The woman wrote a thank you note and the same staff member was there to complete the chain.

Faucet update: the original one is working as it should. Nonhuman vibe if I don’t work I will be sent to the scrap pile. I am keeping the new one as a continuing threat.

Change: you get what your parents gave to you, some you know right away, others are hidden until they express the trait. That bad heart valve? genetics. Blood clotting? Genetics. Hairless scalp…. .

Recently I checked my ride spreadsheet to learn back in 2010 OTE installed my first dropper post, a Reverb, it was also the first for Landon who still works there. My first l 9 wheels was 2014.

This morning a small amount of sprinkles fell propelled by strong wind. I drove into Junction under hard rainfall. Back out at anchor spot dirt was as dry as when I left it in the morning.

My body has a gluten and rice intolerance. I found Happy Camper bread made with ancient grains that are gluten and rice free. Some Natural Grocers stores carry it. Today was quest to buy. I parked my van in like a mall parking lot in front of the store. I was inside with my nose against a glass refrigerator door when a guy calls me by name. He introduced himself saying that we met at the Fruita mtn bike festival back in 2009. He saw my van then tracked me down. And I have forgotten his name.

A thing about Fruita is it is not touristy.The Monument is outside and above town. Heart propelled activity with lots of mountain bikes.

I scored a J & J vaccine this Sat here in Fruita at a mobile location.