Steve left Friday morning, it’s back to the subject company.
As previously written I am settling but sometimes I open a bit wider for a bigger bite. Comfort is not over rated, avoidance is accepted. A more challenging ride I have wanted to do I have put off and put off. Finally yesterday without my moderator I set out to ride around the Hogs. Pieces of this ride are more tech challenging for my enjoyment, I pushed out my boundaries. Over the years I have ridden this route, every year I must get myself up for it. Llama has 1 hike a bike spot, Little Horse up to Chicken point has several more, Broken Arrow is a beat up hiking trail that grows rocks, the piece of Hogs I travel has 1 nasty slide down, Hog Wash has several difficult haul me and my bike up, Twin Buttes is tamer, Peccary descends to Mystic, Mystic is an old pipeline wide trail terminating at Chapel rd then a neighborhood paved road coast to FS land wander to system trail, today I rode Bell Rock and Phone trail back to Bell Rock descent finishing up on Big Park jump trail.
Chicken Point and the famous White Line above
Hog Wash works its way around the far side of the massive
Today the 70’s temp dehydrated me, the hottest ride this winter. Here around Sedona this is winter. I wore summer clothing and sweated heat caused perspiration. 15.6 miles climbing 1165′, pedaling for 2 hrs 16 mins. Very warm. Sun not strong enough to burn my exposed skin.
Thursday Steve and I rode Chuck Wagon and Mescal which get many many hikers going out to Devil’s Bridge. Cars park packed head to tail along Dry Creek road, the quantity of vehicles did not indicate the number of hikers I feared we would encounter. We parked at a borrow pit that is used as a shooting range. We pedaled Snake to Chuck Wagon and the hikers. Then to Mescal and more hikers.
We descended Canyon of Fools then a short piece of AZ Cypress to firearm blasts at the pit.
Wed I sort of lead Steve, Doug, and Andrew on a Western gateway ramble mixing in pieces of social trails. Our goal was to ride Axis’ entire length. Axis is the most direct route to get from way out there back to Cultural Park. Pedaling from the north the trail works its way down to crossing of dry Dry Creek then climbs out. I prefer to climb Axis over either beat up Girdner or new Outer Limits. 14.3 miles climbing 1096′ pedaling for 2 hrs 3 mins. Social ride pace.
Steve and I made Tues a rest day. I did hike up to the pass above VOC.
My new prescription glasses required several adjustments to see clearly. My eyes had difficulty reading in spite of adjustments. Yesterday I was examined by optometrist who discovered that the oil glands were not secreting oil which keeps the eye moist. She likened my vision to like looking thru scratched glass. She used equipment to press on the blocked glands purging them of denser blocking oil. She prescribed fish oil for 4 weeks to restore the proper secretion. The human body and evolution.
Yesterday’s ride caused several serious legs cramps that happen last night while in bed. The cramps are excruciatingly painful that for me are only ameliorated by eating mustard which has vinegar in it. I beat myself yesterday, I am making a non riding day today.
Zags host Saint Marys tonight, belly to bar at PJs to watch. No audio.
The above map pic has me as the rider. I stopped our group ride on Wed to redux the pic:
Will likes his pic. I no longer have anything from that map pic. Among others was my Turner DW 5 Spot 26″ wheel bike.