Cold wet conditions hit wood River Valley Sunday night into Monday as was forecasted. Same conditions covered places I could have ridden on my way to Fruita where I arrived yesterday.
First stop was Twin Falls to visit Epic shop that bled my brake last spring. I just wanted to visit, no service. The store is in the process of putting away the bikes and bringing on skis. I drove out to Indian Springs main TH for the night. Dirt was too wet to ride. Windy and heater running cold.
Tuesday I continued south stopping at Ogden, UT at a Suunto service shop to drop off my dead Core. Whatever the mapping location function is on my phone gave me directions to a nondescript warehouse building, not even a name over a door. I saw a guy outside and I asked him directions, he said I had arrived then he went inside to contact the person I needed to speak with who emerged later. Josh, I explained what I was after and he went me even better. I was hoping the Core could be repaired and for how much as I wanted to keep the red bezel. I hedged my situation by ordering a replacement (non red) from REI to be shipped to their store in Grand Junction. Josh checked my Core then reported on condition. He offered me a returned Core with a red bezel without a mother board. He checked the health of mine which was solid. He transferred the mother board from mine to the new externals Core at no charge. I now have a new cover over an aged heart. He was sympathetic to my lifestyle as he dabbles in same. I contacted Suunto for operating instructions for the Vector model I switched to as back up. Operating is different between the models that I would have to learn while I was waiting for plan B. I escaped learning new steps. Oh, but first I needed to find a watch repair store to install a new battery in the Vector, another watch and the heart rate monitor in Twin. New batteries in, Vector on my wrist. Oh, I looked at a pic of me in the 2013 Freehub article and saw that red bezel Core making it at least 8 years old.
I drove down I15 thru SLC etc being buffeted by high winds, van is a big sail. I traveled mid afternoon staying ahead of rush hour which would have bee hideous with insane drivers using me as a pylon. It’s a distance from SLC to Fruita, too long to make if before dark. I spent the night at a spot I found prolly on my first Sprinter trip to Moab. Chilly night. Drove over Soldier Summit in falling but not sticking snow. Cold night.
Wed I finished my drive to Fruita, more interstate driving at 65 mph which is below the posted 80 mph. Nice day. Rolled into Over the Edge for greetings. Sedona salad at Hot Tomato then out to BLM spot. rain fell during the night into wake up time. Anchor spot is on a patch of driven down dirt, native earth is clay based that becomes slippery mud which made for a straight scoot back out onto the hard gravel road.
Two days ago my sink water pump quit meaning I could not get at the water in the tank. Work around was poured water from my reserve 1 gallon jug. Darn, I am facilitated for pumped sink water and this pump failure I was not used to working with. I called an RV parts store in Junction that I used prior, they had the pump. Yesterday I drove to Junction and purchased the replacement, $152, ouch. I figured I might need hardware parts so I parked at a hardware store here in Fruita then tore into the R & R. Wires had to be cut then reconnected to new pump. That went OK as the pump got power. I connected the hoses then switched the pump on. It pulled water from the tank and pressurized the system then blew off off the outgoing hose as I had not tightened the hose clamp. I wore my wetted pants to dry. Hose clamp tightened, good to go. The prior pump lost its syphon, I checked over my plumbing and discovered air entrainment hence water loss coming from the intake. Ah, a short walk to the hardware store and $2.40 for a small hose clamp I attached to the uptake hose and viola, new pump holds the syphon, had I checked out the old pump I would have seen the condition and the hose clamp install would have saved me that $150.
Today, being Thurs, was laundry day at only laundromat in Fruita. I have used this one over the years. This AM I put on my Core to discover that the band was broken from the get go, Josh missed that. I went on line to shop for a replacement. I picked one to be shipped here, not original. I kept the previous broken Core for why?. I checked the bands between the 2 and they matched. I just had to remove the tiny pin holding the band on, I had the screw driver bits but needed a second hand to hold one of them. I enlisted Rachael at OTE. I met her in Sedona several years ago. Successful replacement now waiting for ordered replacement and will repeat the process.
Last night I researched my next oil change. I found the shop order then did the math for mileage. The shop order listed a bunch of items that needed replaced on the van that the Bend shop did not cover with me. front end stuff: tie rods, bearings, ball joints. I made an appointment for next Wed to start the replacement of worn parts.
Trails were too muddy to ride today, another rest day. Forecast is for no precip and warming. Tomorrow should be good to go. I hung only 2 liners to dry which meant I only rode 2 items since last laundry. resting.
Freehub says our film will be released Nov 9 thru their site. Dunno how that works. Tomorrow it will be shown in Bend at 10 Barrel.
I will remain in Fruita area for a while. Next Sat I have a shuttle to ride the Palisade Plunge, Van repair will determine when I leave.