Today is the 11th, previous post was on the 5th, 6 days. I will recount the time spent determined by what I can retrieve from memory and is fit to be interesting. Most of those missing days were effected by my digestive system issues. I didn’t ride with buds on Sunday because of my condition. Sat night my guts put on a concert of random noises and gurgling, Sunday the effect lingered. I needed to be seen by a medical professional. My primary DR is up at Flag and his wait time stretches into weeks. There is an Urgent Care facility down in Cottonwood that is right across the highway from the hospital. This location was convenient in case the hospital would be the next stop. I spent 7 hours in van parked outside waiting my turn. Mixed in with the guts was my heart pounding causing greater concern. The attending PA focused on my heart. He listened with his steth… and reported what he heard was the organ was functioning. He said they could perform an EKG and I asked for it as more data would be discovered than his ear. The EKG reported abnormal heart function. His discharge instructions was to go to the ER for evaluation. Now I’m nervous about my heart, I planned on going down there this AM. Instead as the evening progressed I became more stressed which accentuated the hammering. I decided at 10PM to drive down to the ER and find out what’s what. Admitted to ER, no crowd in the waiting room. I presented the attending DR the print of the EKG. He said they would perform their EKG and send several vials of my extracted blood to the lab for learning a fuller understanding of my body. Their EKG was sim to the UC. DR said a more informative method was to test the blood for a chemical indicator that the heart puts out when it is hurting. The process was plumb my vein, draw blood, then send it to the lab then wait for 2 or so hours then draw and test again to see if there is any changed. I spent this time on a hospital bed not comfortable to fall asleep in. Blood work came back in scope indicating particularly my heart was heathy. Whew my blood pressure dropped. I was released about 5 AM. I drove back to VOC to the outlet mall which is non USFS land to sleep late. I city slept.
Today I woke chipper and looking forward to a ride down here on Llama etc. I rode right from my parked van a mile something on pavement heading uphill to Red Rock TH. Big Park, Single Track byPass, Baby Bell, Llama, HT, Breezey, Templeton, Coconino, Slim Shady. I really struggled with my breathing that I exhausted my go before I needed max output. I sessioned several pieces on Llama, several I was able to make after several tries while another bunch I couldn’t solve. The Llama rock climb still escapes me. I realize that I have conditioned responses with built in failure. I did succeed in replacing the old with today’s success.
On Llama I encountered 2 solo riders and a group of 3. The first guy is from Fayetteville, AR, home of Kessler mtn land. I met the property owner on a previous visit, he gave me his sticker that I put on the right side on the van. We talked about Arkansas trails. He spoke with local accent. Next up was a guy who recognized me while at Bend. More sharing. Next up was the group. Last guy addressed me by name. Huh? He said he found this blog 8 years ago, Hi Jake. They are from Vermont, hey I rode in their state. More sharing.
Thursday was laundry day but the laundromat was closed. WTF? I had already pulled off my bed sheets and I wanted to wash and dry them then make up my bed just once. Next up was a ride out at Western gateway that Dave and Doug joined on. They are faster than me and more skilled which kept them way ahead of me. It was a late afternoon ride evening coming on and I had laundry to do, grocery shop, drive out to an open camp spot, and fix, eat dinner, and cleanup. It was a long night.
Small patches of freeze thaw mud exist in the shaded aspects. My bike picked up just a little mud and I caused little damage to trails. Friction is compromised by sand adhered to tire knobs. As viewed above it was a beautiful day.
I plan on spending the night here in the parking lot behind the outlet mall. VOC lacks an ordinance prohibiting camping. I am searching for private land down here to anchor on. I don’t want to abuse the outlet mall. I do put up the window curtains, the front window looks straight on to an apartment complex. City camping calls for protecting peepers from me being an exhibitionist.
FS is patrolling campers and documenting days camped. Reg here is 14 days out of 28. I need to figure ways to stay ahead of the checkers. My time in Sedona will be fewer unless I find out of forest camping. That’s what the mall is about.