Weather here is still 2 thumbs up.

I like the Western Gateway trails as just 2 pieces I choose not to ride, the others are pedalable with some hard blue moves. I park at the Cultural Park which is the high point that has to be climbed back up to. I created a route that I figured was more enjoyable, today I rode that same route in the reverse learning that it was also enjoyable. Today I started down Axis, crossed dry Dry Creek climbing to Bolo intersection to Last Frontier piece to Outer Limits to its end at Cockscomb to Aerie climb up then drop down to a jeep road then social trails to Oak then AZ Cypress turning on to Snake to Girdner to Stirrup back. 15.1 miles climbing 1073′ pedaling for 2 hr 11 mins. Pieces that the tread is sand is becoming very loose.

Aerie is growing rocks. Today this trail was the most populated by bikers. A Sunday afternoon on a beautiful day with the parking lot crowded how few people I shared the trail with.

Thursday was laundry day. I rode Soldier Wash trails first so I could wash my knickers afterwards as the temp still favors protected knees. These trails are quite close to Posse Grounds park where the Sedona mtn bike festival is held. Prolly hundreds of tourons ride there during the festival, chewed up. Sandstone rock is soft that tends to not skittle away under tires. Riding key is let the bike sort a line. Physics says about an object in motion applies until the trail turns upwards when those objects are more powerful than my legs.

Az Cypress need water, Soldier Wash is a wash that the trees take up residence in

Zags played on Thursday, I watched the game at PJs. I walked in and was greeted almost at the door by Jay, a local pharmacist whom I met professionally and became visiting buddy, I told him about the film about me. He took getting something for yourself to heart as he now has a retirement quit date this June. His lady friend thanked me for the film.

Friday at a VOC coffee shop a Canadian reconnected with me. Dominique recalled sharing a ride with me years ago. My memory recall was deficient while his remembrance was what the ride was. He is living on the road like me while making money from his web site. He said he started out writing for himself then monetizing it. He created a master to serve even if it is himself and the sponsors requirements. Another person who has ridden same places as me. bonvelo web site.

Sat morning my guts threw a different malady. I was invited on a Prescott ride lead by Jimmy formerly of Bike and Bean and several other VOC riders. I went thru the getting ready to ride process all the while attempting to make my bad health go away. I really tried but I bailed. I missed socializing with old friends. Today i felt a little better enough to start on above ride then learning my body’s response. Once I got on it my malady seemed to disappear but I don’t think riding was the healer. I was too under the weather to ride at Prescott.

Sunday night at the outlet mall parking lot, city camping. Strong internet signal. I place  coverings over the inside of the windows blocking seeing out and others seeing in. The lot is lit all night, traffic diminishes as the night progresses. Not a bad spot and I don’t appear to be in risk of being rousted as the county has no regulation prohibiting camping, VOC is under county regs. Sedona, as a city, outlawed camping within its limits. I was helping myself to an outside spigot at a building undergoing renovation. People connected with the building observed me putting a jug of water inside my van. I went by several days later and saw a padlock on the handle. Lost another source of water here. I might ask if I can pay for water.

Towards the end of yesterday’s ride at VOC I modified my riding effort to lessen my blow ups from pushing. I started riding in my 2nd largest cog up from my favored 3rd which required more effort (duh), today I favored that 2nd gear allowing me to more continually pedal. My breathing was more controlled. Today’s 15.4 miles climbing 1437′ pedaling for 2 hrs 17 mins, average bpm was 120. Seems going up 1 gear and working at a jogging speed instead of running increased my enjoyment and anticipation of next ride. Average speed is just a tad slower. My cassette is an 11 speed 10T-46T, maybe 2nd is 40T and 3rd is 36T, I am a stranger to the 46T. My chain ring is 30 T oval.

So, rolling with the punches life connects to my life…. Current: this 6 AM the heater quit. I was laying snuggled under my covers listening to the heater blower and combustion. While running I heard the fuel sparker clicking meaning fuel problem. UUUoh, error code said fuel problem. I slipped into the chill and started the stove, nary a flame. Ran out of propane. Action: I drove into VOC arriving at 7 AM in belief the station would fill me. No way, guy said 1) it was dark, 2) he was alone, 3) waiting for replacement part. Next is ACE in Sedona that opens at 8. Time to spend somewhere warm, espresso shop lingering over a small americano. Arrived at ACE just before opening, parked at the gate for first in line. Filled tank, drove out to Cultural Park for bfast and heat.

Because I am up here and there are trails I have yet to ride this visit. I waited to almost 11 before heading out, still chilly enough for upper layer and knickers. I rode Girdner out, first part is legacy hiking trail mix of wide, loose rock, rock gardens, just would be no fun to climb. Down almost at Dry Creek the trail becomes newly purpose built. Newer built trails are very sustainable that require little maintenance and are easier to ride. Girdner to the end the first time on Anaconda climbing out of creek, Dawa for more climbing then Cockscomb for more climbing then short drop to junction of Outer Limits that I would ride all the way back. I GPSed new pieces. Saved map shows many squiggly tracks. Out here Cockscomb is the prominent land mark.

Enough of Cockscomb. Its shape is determined by your relationship to it.

Torturously slow uploading, no patience for included pics. Maybe add some time. Weather has been just gorgeous as pics will show. ( Thurs AM update: drove to Posse Grounds park for Soldiers wash ride waiting warming. Heater running with thermostat facing sun which will reach temp setting long before from front seat.)

So, inside my van I had been smelling perhaps mold because of wet warped ceiling paneling. Reason to replace that paneling but I need to find someone to make the changes. I did pull up the flooring at the water fill basin seeing wet, I positioned the mat in the sun and waited. Earlier I bought varnish etc to seal water damage area under the refill basin. I planned on applying varnish b4 riding to cure during my ride. Darn, I allowed the wet to dry linger as I headed out for a ride. Afterwards I slathered the chemical on the wood. Darn, many hours passed as the smell lessened.  Maybe that’s where the smell comes from which I hope. I learned of a van conversion company up in Flag I contacted yesterday about replacing ceiling pane, waiting answer.

Tuesday I rode down at VOC pedaling Big Park, Single track bypass, Llama, HT, Templeton, Breezy, Templeton, Coconino, Shades. I sessioned several spots with success;  however that climb from patch of slick rock still remains unclimbed by me. To me it appears some rock work was performed to lessen the initial step up. Hooray for that help. Another beautiful chilly day.

Seems that original map signs out at Western Gateway area that were donated by bike shops have been replaced with new signs donated by red rock trail fund. New signs lack the you are here indicator.

Again wonderful trail network and so few to share it with. Yesterday I shared with prolly fewer than 25 people. Just stay away from popular spots like Bell Rock and Devils Bridge. Haven’t ridden Chuck wagon and Mescal yet because they are very popular with hikers. Been there, ridden there, don’t need to compete with others.

Yesterday I rode my challenge, a bigger bite, for the first time this visit. 18.8 miles climbing 1398′ pedaling for 2 hr 40 mins, average beats per min was 129, my threshold is 126. Edge calculated 22 hour recovery.  I rode by myself which I needed for myself ride, I made the smiles more than the not so happy. I got something for myself. Just saying that I spend most of my time by myself, since arriving in Sedona I have been way more social. Riding by myself is obviously self serving, I only had to ask myself and I their opinion but as usual they were nowhere to heard.

I left the Cultural park at 11 under clear skies and cool enough to wear a short sleeve wool t shirt under my mid weight wool long underwear top. Functional clothing but not bike chique. Later I did doff the under layer. Stirrup to Girdner, to Snake, to shooting spot to Oak, then wander over to bottom of Canyon of Fools, wander more to jeep road right at mid point on Aerie, Aerie to end at Cockscomb turning on to start of Outer Limits to start of Last Frontier back to Outer Limits back home. I encountered  fewer than 25 people.

Last Frontier is mostly about hanging on a steep hillside creating exposure that is not straight up and down but a person would roll awhile before stopping should the out slope harken. That new part added more distance of challenge over the original social trail. There were several features that previously presented challenges, previously I wrote, catch the tense. Today I negotiated each successfully establishing memory.

My rides might be classified as rough trail riding, not quite cross country and hardly any enduro. My bike is over biked for my riding choices which gives me a plusher more stable ride.

The Cultural park is the high point with trails going out and down, the finish is a hump up Outer Limits. Stirrup has more drop than climb down to Girdner which undulates, etc, I did hit 18 mph somewhere. Pedal trails with earned credit for blue challenges.

This morning was eye exam and pupil dilation, its effect still seen 6 hours later, too blurred to ride. Eyes fine with a slight stronger correction but not enough to require lenses. Current lenses have been scoured by my cleaning method leaving them hazy. I shopped for replacement lenses, it was cheaper to buy new frames with stronger prescription than just new lenses. Plastic scratches easier than glass.

Dentist was after lunch. The hygienist  reported than I take excellent care of my teeth. Dentist observed replacing 2 old fillings.

Between those appointments I stopped at local Sprinter repair garage to continue our relationship by them replacing the water pump next week. The pump looses maybe a cup of coolant a day, leak occurs after then engine cools down as seen by the wet spot on the ground underneath where the pump would be.

Sedona is a repair station for me, as written above, get things taken care of by people we have established relationships with.

I watched Nomadland movie about a woman who is forced out of her housebound life. Pretty stark. No Sprinters in the lifestyle depicted. To say that these people had fallen  lower than me economically. I don’t encounter that lifestyle. My activity of mountain biking selects different locations. Quartzite was featured, not on my to visit list. She work camped for money, even at Amazon warehouse. Once she lived in her van she could not sleep  inside.  Our vans are our homes. I know van sounds, I know how my bed sleeps, I like my sheets. I sleep normally. I appreciate offers to stay inside or maybe just park in their driveway. I turn them down with thanks. It’s how we live, I have what I need and want. Back on my stints on the PCT I kept to lifestyle of the trail, I eschewed restaurant food and soft beds, as interrupting trail life would be uncomfortable and leaving artificial comfort hard. I am creating this inside my van parked at the outlet mall. Public living. She had her van which is more comfortable than people living in homeless camps on the street. I have settled with what I have.