Horizontal training” Why stand when you can sit, why sit when you can lay down.

When is enough? Measured in effort and degree of scariness. What used to be is just that. Today is what is and what I got and want to spend. I rode the Hurricane cliff epic of 28 miles pedaling for 3 hrs 38 mins, it was mostly all about pedaling. Today I rode Lakeside trail here at the dammed Quail Creek impoundment which was way less about pedal distance but it was higher in difficulty. A tie to Twist and Shout trail takes off right from van. Hand built playing with the topography with twists and undulations. Trailforks reports length of 1.2 miles that driving distance is less than half. If I wanted easy I could have ridden the road to the cut in for Rhythm Blues. No settling. I rode out and back on Rhythm that linked to Lakeside, (TF names it Quail Creek) This trail is the baby of the Boy Scout trails of comparison. Up, down, and around, for 2.1 miles, turn around climbing what I descended and descending what I climbed. Again, about the pedaling efficiency, this bike climbs under power, way better than the RFX. Distance was 8.9 pedaling for 1 hr 30 mins, telling average speed was 5.99 the lowest since I have to research when.

I pedaled back to van. The Boy Scout Trails were right in front of me. I settled. I had the needed energy to ride a lesser technical ride, I decided I got what I wanted from what I finished. Enough.

Van was toasty from solar gain. Completed dinner process of creating a recipe from on board ingredients, preparing it, spooning the skillet contents onto a plate, taking the first taste followed by lost count number until the piled high plate, then cleaning up. Now writing this. I am moments away from completing horizontal training snuggling under the covers reading another Richard Russo novel, Everybody’s Fool, a follow up to Nobody’s Fool.

Tomorrow starts events of restoring the van’s health. I didn’t find info when the engine temp showed low. Maybe a sensor for easy fix. It will be what it will be. Be flexible and creative when responding to current derailments.

Just a few days short of actual first day of winter, only here the month of December so my reference is only this month. Winter means lower temps and here is no exception. As previously written freeze thaw is the norm because of it rides are chosen to be on not muddy trails. Last night temp just dropped below freezing so less likelihood of freezing eliminating resulting mud in the day. From where I anchor elevation is 2881, Hurkin is a bit higher, Sheep Bridge road is at 3900′. I drove to town and hung for a bit at OTE letting sun warmth. Drove away climbing up canyon with no sight line further up canyon. Highway broached the crest at 3900′ as marked by the state and there was Gooseberry ahead and on the skyline. Red rock splattered with white. Looked lower at Dead Ringer climb which prolly had patches of skiffs of snow. At the intersection there was mud. Condition will be mud. Turned around to ride Prospector and Church Rocks at 3,000′ on no clay dirt.

This time I drove to the developed TH for N end of Prospector. Fewer horse trailer slips. Several rigs parked. Still chilly to wear winter wool jersey and wind shell. Sunny. Horse trail marked by just a few horses since last rain however trail tread was pock marked cast in depressions. Small bump chatter. All of this part was burnt summer of 2020, down the way entered natural desert, see previous ride here to see natural and contrast of now. Rode the loop around the Rocks. Prospector runs parallel to interstate maybe 3/8 mile to the west Traffic noise. I wrote a thank you note to the PT in Moab, I wrote, setting seat height was almost as enabling as a dropper post. I continue to develop more powerful pedal strokes. The dropper is well known. Encountered fewer than 15 people, 3 were trail runners. There are several sand pits to ride over, stay on the track from previous riders, keep speed up, and look ahead. Made them all both ways. 15.8 miles climbing1148′, average bpm was 121 ( 128 threshold).

As I was finishing the drive to my anchor spot at Quail lake I saw the engine temp was way cold which indicated a cooling system issue. I checked level that needed maybe a pint of water since it was topped off earlier in the week. No indicator lights lit up. Will stay here tomorrow then Monday morn start calling for knowledge and maybe shop time. I will ride from the van. I have hiked the Boy Scout trails here this visit as the past, I even “rode” them, lot of hike a bike. Black Diamond tech difficulty. My skill level and strength of engine are not sufficient for the upper trail. It’s the death by 1000 cuts versus several big features.

The sunny days warm the van, so nice to be nicely warm. Sun goes down, air cools off, van temp starts to drop as sun drops. Still too warm for the heater to kick in. Van cools, heater kicks in, for a while the heater matches the outside lowering temp till a threshold then inside temp drops, 36 degrees out at 8:22 PM, inside at the ceiling is 68.7, my seat is lower and further away from the hot air vent. Just saying that dry heat is luxurious. This summer I recorded 98 degrees at the ceiling, that was excessive.

So, riding will be from here and lower to St George.

Today is Dec 17, sundown is 5:16. 4 more sundowns then it stays up longer each day. AT present temps have been below freezing at night creating frost and dreaded freeze thaw mud. Pick from a few locations then wait for sun warmth.

Monday I rode from the corral on Goulds rim trail piece to top of JEM down to Goosebumps then climbed Dead Ringer back to top of JEM then back to corral. Yesterday when I rode some of the same trails they were dry, on this ride many places on the previous dry trails were soft. Very little rain fell prior, seems sun dries the surface so deep, temps drop during the night and the next day day under sunshine more water is pulled up wetting a previously dry tread. That’s what I say. Not muddy enough to stick to my tires. Pedal trails until section of the Rim trail.

Tuesday the van had a DR appointment at a shop that advertised Sprinter service. Purpose was to determine what caused the one time squeal from drive belt. Guy spent time underneath the van searching. Report is water pump has slight leak but replacement is a ways out. Van health is sound. Again, another we didn’t find anything to fix so no charge. No the van pulls slightly against the crown, future alignment appointment on Mon.

Tues weather  forecast called for 100% precip and high winds, arrival kept sliding. Tues night it finally arrived. ST George airport recorded a 53 mph gust, the van rocked on its wheels. Precip recorded was .02″. Hardly anything but enough to resupply freeze thaw cycle. On Wed I hiked some of the Boy Scout trails out at Quail creek. Chilly enough to wear gloves.

Heater runs all night until late morning sun warmth heats the van.

Thurs, yes clean clothes day. Drove into Hurkin first thing while cold outside then down to Santa Clara to ride Barrel Roll plus. People with horse trailer loaded with just picked off the trees oranges, I bought a bag. Picked when ripe taste better than store bought.

I park at the bottom of an access trail to developed trailhead. Starts out climbing on a cold body. As I was climbing I saw a runner who appeared to be running into a headwind as his steps were very short and he was leaning forward. I saw he was aged. I asked him his age, he said too old then added 85. He is still at it. And like me our speed slows because that’s what our body can give up. Trails here are more technical. I rode the same route as last time. last time, first of the visit, I made all the tech moves. Today I botched several that required several attempts to overcome. Funny, first ride was challenge to make them which I did but 2nd time I was maybe a little reserved. Both rides were almost identical for effort. Recovery time was 20 hours.

Today visiting with Todd at OTE sharing mid west places. People from the west do go east. Yesterday at propane store I saw a car with TN plates which belonged to a woman working there. Learned she came from Chattanooga where I rode Raccoon Mtn and Ocoee white water center where white water events were held for the Atlanta Olympics. Tanasi trail system, a local guided me there one time for an 8 mile mostly downhill ride.

Rest day.

January 6, 2021: “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”