fuckin house flies have moved inside and won’t take the hint to evacuate. Not like the mouse that took 3 nights of “stalking” with baited spring smash traps. First night I heard it I baited the trap with almond butter, it seemed to have consumed the butter but didn’t trip the trigger. The next night I forced a piece of aged gouda into the trigger plus almond butter. Next morning the butter was removed but the cheese was left. On the 3rd night I used P-butter and set 3 traps, 2 of the newer trigger and 1 old one I call killer. That night  a powerful 50mph gust wind event wracked my van sideways, the excitement of hoping to remain planted on the earth where I was and not wind moved off the ridge prevented me from sleeping deeply. My shallow sleep was interrupted by the sound of spring release and dull slap when the spring connected with the mouse. Mouse was still twitching when I dumped it outside. Did go for the p-butter on the new trap. Last night only the sound of the heater as background white noise.

Rain fell overnight 2 nights ago which turns hard packed dirt into soft gumbo that my 2 wheel drive van can’t get out of. I waited until the rain quit (fortunately) which starts the firming process allowing me to slither out for a supply run to Fruita about 12 pavement miles away. Rain fell again while I was in town and I suspected my desert anchor spot would be slippery so I waited until almost dinner time then made the dash out. Rain had ceased before I left. Localized rain as the dirt under where I parked was still dry.

So my van health concern. I did make an appointment at a suspension shop, where I should have gone initially ( lesson learned). Today I returned to a Discount Tire store in Junction to let them balance the wheels. Guy told me some heavier weights were required on 2 of the wheels. Bingo. I test drove to Palisade on I 70 and back: almost all gone. Seems tires are never truly round and will produce a vibration and my van and me are super sensitive to performance. I canceled the suspension check.

The rags condition refers to my body after having ridden hard (Riches) on Sunday. Monday I started from the Mack exchange to climb Hawkeye then do a loop around Mack ridge. I really struggled on the climb, I just couldn’t command my body to bear up so I shortened the ride by riding the frontage road back to van after descending Mack.

Now waiting for oil change at shop in Junction. Shop is having issues with no wrenches other than the owner. I expect my van to be serviced b4 he goes home tonight. Tomorrow is laundry day in the AM then I plan on driving to Moab.

 

While visiting Fruita I ride the Kokopelli trails as they are not 18 road. Trail system is above the Colorado River but never makes the river. Cottonwoods have been putting on a growing golden fall foliage.

Out here you pretty much ride out one trail then return on another making a loop. A route I like is from Mack interchange off I 70 pedal hump up Hawkeye then slither down start of Mack ridge continuing descending over many rock garden pieces, at the bottom turn right onto Lyons working downriver to jeep rd climb up to Mack Ridge at the S end, then descend Hawkeye as my climbing reward. Gravity works better this direction.

On Thursday’s ride I reversed direction on 2 of the trails to descend Hawkeye w/o climbing it. I climbed Mack, but hike a biked several sections, going down is more enjoyable to coast the rocks. However, I did it and learned what it was like: acceptable.

What continues to put a smile on my face is the almost empty trails I ride. Is even lonelier at the non Kokopeli main TH.

Clean clothes on Thurs.

Peter at OTE suggested a route that I chose to ride on Friday. From the Kokopeli TH pedal the frontage road a bit to find a closed jeep rd climb to avoid the road climb and descent out of main TH. Drop down then pick up Mary’s out to Steve’s Connector, aka pizza point, pick up Steve’s to ride CCW, pick up Marys for a short distance then climb descend on wranglers, to Marys then road climb out back. I did that. The Edge freaked out dropping ride data. On Marys I located the cause of my flat, the culprit was a narrow sharp ridge on a rock such that when the rear wheel hit it all my weight was concentrated on that point.

I figured my hike out distance walking the bike with the flat tire to be 4.5 miles. Today I rode up the point.

Riding here requires more upper body effort which is affecting my right shoulder. I took Sat of to rest it.

Early on I had an issue with my dropper post which finally manifested an issue was during Friday’s ride when I notice my legs having a greater bend to them. Cause post not fully extending. I put off having it serviced knowing full well that it was sick. Rolled into OTE about 3,bike was entered into service from my hand to George, the owner, was wrenching, in short time the dropper was nut smacking speed fast. Great turn around. The post had  lost several internal parts, that for repair, the missing parts were canabalized off a shop post.

I called the local bookstore asking for Grisham’s new novel: The Judge’s List, not in. Drove into Junction to major book seller and bought the book. I spent a chunk of Sat reading it, finished it.

Last night I heard tell tale sounds of mouse activity. Shit. Earlier at the anchor spot the weather was leave the side door open weather and the mouse took me up on my open door policy. I slid out of bed searching for a trap from the junk drawer then open the fridge for almond butter for bait. I set the trap inside the galley cabinet then waited for snap. I heard just more scratching, either the butter was not desirable or the catch on the trap is not sensitive. Tonight I jammed a small piece of cheese into the trigger.

Heater is performing as advertised. Chilly nights.

Today OTE comped me a bike wash to make it look like their rentals. Clean and shiny and now the wear is visible. Just checked, 83 rides covering 1289 miles after today’s ride.

Today I rerode Friday’s ride after I factory reset the Edge. I needed to learn if the computer worked and to record the ride data. 16.3 miles climbing1240′, pedal time 2 hrs 3 mins.

On my rides there is amble time for me to rattle around in my head. Memory retrieval from the past. Back in the 60s I belonged to a Boy Scout troop. At that time several local grocery stores gave trading stamps based on money spent to be traded in for savings. They had some small value. We scouts collected them and turned them in for cash going to troop treasury. They quietly retired. Back then gas station attendants pumped your gas and washed the windshield. Several brands gave away things, one such were plastic coffee cups which filled my need for cups. Back when windshield squirters were an option. The stingray had not been invented.

Wow, look at the time! Past bed time

 

 

2 nights ago broadside to the wind rocking me sideways. Battened down the hatches, no windows even cracked open. Laying in bed torso leaned into the headboard reading. OK, I say the book moved in front of my eyes. Heater was running. Bed time and lights out. Recall says the hour was 2 AM I woke up as usually I do not sleep thru the entire night of 8 hrs under the covers. One flashing red LED from the heater control box. No fuel signal. Would not restart after enough repetitions to not be considered insane. Backup infra red heater was out from under the covers close but I was still warm in bed, my thoughts were on the future of wake up to cold van. I chose to fire up the other heater which will be season first use. Lesson learned from past method of starting it if it was balking. Sure enough, the pilot light lit but the main fuel valve did not open, past conclusion was percussive maintenance frequently and vigorously applied would cause the valve to open hence light. Can’t say whether this time more whacks were needed, the end result was the heater burning. Went back under cover later to brave the now warm interior in my pajama bottoms.

After the heater would not ignite I started imaging how I would solve this Propex heater issue. Ft Collins is where I would go to buy a new one if available then waiting for a shop to install. Long flow time.

Took care of morning things to do then drove into town. Taking a rest day as my legs were really played out from yesterday’s hike a biking. I was looking for a paved parking spot to lay on as I slithered under the van checking what I saw. For postponement of work I gave the control knob 2 clicks to the right starting  the heater ignition sequence, first the blower for maybe 30 secs then the click of a Piezo sparker, then sound of flame when ignition happens. If not, error 1 blinking red LED. Heater ignited and ran as it should. WTF ( not Welcome To Fruita)? I did my town things then drove back to Loma. I switched on the heater, sequence started but stopped before ignition and flashed the 1 LED. Big WTF? I cycled the control knob then waited for ignition. Heard the sparker the the whoosh of ignition. I did set the heat higher to keep the heater running all night instead of cycling as temp changed.

There, that’s the other half of it.

So who do you trust and why? Last summer the shop my van is attended to noted front end items that I did not attend to while in Bend. I selected a repair shop in Junction with Sprinter knowledge and scored an appointment for today. Once at his shop I remembered I stopped here with Vanagon problem. Kept going. It was on a laundry day, I learned a laundromat was bike pedaling carrying a large sleeping bag storage bag nearby. I did not take my cable and lock with me. At the laundromat I slipped my bike inside until the yelling attendant that it did not belong inside. Nothing found not working on the Vanagon. Today this Sprinter van emerged with only new brake fluid as was asked for. Front end was determined to be not needing any work. To me the van is not sending fix me signals except the transmission makes noises. The mechanic had seen my van around and he became really tickled when he got to see it and me up close.

I read Eric Ryback’s account of hiking the AT and later the PCT. He said on the AT he noticed what he thought was instrument failure. He wrote for the PCT he took 3 compasses for validation. I could seek a third shop’s evaluation.

So, I arrived at the shop just after 8,  I left about 2. Don’t expect smooth running operation to be in and out. Nice day, I went for a walk around this mass of commercial buildings. I approached a company sign in front of a building, MRP, name of mtb component manufacture. A guy was picking up locust seed pods. I asked him about if it was mtb stuff? Yes, He invited me in and be given a tour. Yes, I went in and was given a guide to walk me thru their plant. Like 180 parts go into a fork and they make 170 of them.

I found a pin hole in my slimed the I carry which was cause of not holding air. Slime did not seal the hole. Bought a new tube that shop pumped slime into. Flat back up complete stored in box at the bottom of my pack.. All spokes seem tensioned correctly.

Next Wed the van will have oil changed then I am free to leave.

Weather has adversely affected the Palisade Plunge for this Sat. I backed out as did my companion Conor. Seasonal window to ride the trail.