Weather forecast called for a big drop on temp starting yesterday morning. Last night at bed time I was warm enough to start with the side door open and just the top sheet covering. Before sunup I was chilled so I pulled over a single layer of down blanket but leaving door open, still chilled so I closed the door. Later about sunrise the inside was serious chilly, I switched on the heater that in time took the chill off. Out of bed and checked the temp: like 35. Forecast wanted low probability of precip that the skies said it could rain. Some rain did fall that brought down suspended dirt that made splatter marks on windshield etc. I started to make the day a rest day to stay out of rain. The past 3 days here were very warm to the determent of my enjoyment. I thought to myself that riding here in like Oct I would wear warmed clothes. Give me that temp and beat wheels out of here at this time. I drove to town for supplies then turned back driving to Kokopelli TH for a ride. I wore a heavier wool top and knickers, I was comfortable. I reversed direction from previous ride, Peter is right in that Steve’s rides better CCW. I pedaled out on Marys then dropped in on Steve’s Connector out to an entrance to Steve’s going CCW, then mostly old 2 track climb on Wranglers up its traversing line.
Marys is both directions which causes trail widening.
Open terrain. Wranglers is more fun to ride this direction. It ends on Marys for a short downhill to road for a 6 min uphill pedal.
Back out N of Loma. I looked at the propane tank gauge, dang, down there. Will there be sufficient for running the furnace etc thru the night and enough for bfast. The furnace did run all night and I ate a cooked bowl of oatmeal. Checked level after bfast: serious empty per gauge. reordered day’s events by driving into town for propane: 4.9 gal, 5.6 empty. My rear tire is wore down such that the cross sipes on knobs were gone. I bought a new tire at other bike shop who broke the tire beads and shop air seated the tire.
I headed back out to Mack exit at the bottom of Hawkeye. Plan is to ride what I was going to ride on Wed. This ride would be brutal, Much hump for little easy downhill. Hawkeye goes uphill right away, brutal on cold body. I stopped for blows along the way. Trail has downhill sections interspersed. I needed 28 mins riding to cover same distance it took me 60 mins to hike. Returning it took 21 mins. As I climbed Hawkeye descending riders pulled off to let me uphill right of way pedal. Outstanding number of riders practicing proper trail etiquette. I thanked them all, reinforcing their behavior. Slithered down entrance to Mack Ridge then allowed bike to roll over just nasty sharp edged rock. I walked places previously ridden, I lack confidence. I don’t wear body armor, on this trail I could embrace leg armor because a fall here would land on sharp rock. Bottom of Mack connected with a short piece of Marys till turning onto Lion’s for start of pay back of Mack descent.
Then Lion’s became a jeep road for rest of climb to Mack Ridge. On top[ trail became single track over to intersection of Hawkeye for descent. Nobody to yield to.
Got this ride off my ride list. Brutal: 11.8 miles climbing1473′, that’s 125’/mile, pedaled for 2 hours, average speed was 5.93 mph. Did some walking over nasty tech on Lion’s.
An OTE person, new to me, today asked me if she had just seen a film about me. Where I asked? She said there was a mountain bike film festival in Junction 2 days prior where the Freehub film was shown. Proceeds went for trail work.
Drove back to town for attempted social evening. Gave it a whirl but could not pull it off. Back out above Loma. Tomorrow another ride out at Kokopelli. EDGE calculates my body needs 71 hours before next hard effort.
58 degrees at 4977′, at 8:56 PM. Ah Rocky Road.