Above freezing morning but still chilly. Going to ride Luke’s right from van, just a matter of waiting for sufficient solar gain to start. Van was parked with the thermostat aimed directly into sun, as result rear of van warms up telling thermostat to turn off heat, but I’m chilly up front. Made 10 AM start.

I rode here this spring and once years ago. Last spring I missed a move, consequence was falling backwards onto a cactus, several spines transfered from plant to my posterior. I pulled out what I could, others remained embedded. Several days later  Steve tweezed those out. Today I missed seeing where that fall occurred. I was focused on tread which all over is rocky. Technique is to keep power on the pedals for propulsion over those rocks. I rode the same ride as this spring. More attuned to suspension performance.

Short distance ride that worked my body twisting snaking the bends.

Back at the van I stretched and warm water wiped down my body. Made ready to travel.

Controlled speed descent. Grocery shopped  in town for 2 day stay at N Klondike. Headed south towards Moab. I arrived at side road to primitive camping where I stayed this spring. I decided to stay here then finish the drive to Moab tomorrow to paid camping. By staying here I avoided paying camping at N Klondike, I just needed a spot to anchor and Moab is about an hour away, short drive.

5600′, another warm afternoon enjoying the fall sunshine.

Now above Price, UT at start of Luke’s trail. A steep somewhat loose, stutter bumped, wheel spun out piece of road climbs up to the mesa where the trails are. The van pulled it w/o spinning out and loosing traction. Only option was climb. 1 lane to boot with steep out slope.

I visited here this spring as I was heading north. Going to ride here tomorrow then finish drive to Moab.

45 degrees at 9 PM, 5899′. Was sunny and in 60s earlier. Side door was opened.

Friday I finished the drive to Steve’s house in Bellevue, ID. More fun driving rt 20 then I 84 thru Boise, take off on 20 again with more winding and climbing, then coasting. Was an attention holding drive.

Pulled into Steve’s driveway. Sunny day but chilly. Short visit as belly alarm was going off. I drove up to Hailey to eat a known salad at KBs. I drove by Sun Summit South, Chip’s bike store, his OPEN sign was on. I drove around the block back to his shop door. He let me in as he was closed. We visited for many minutes. Chip and I met back in maybe ’99. Nutritious and filling salad. Returned to Steve’s. He visited me later inside my warm van. His Jack Russel terrier Luxie(?) has allowed me to be her pal. She hopped into the van and my shedding producing fingers went to work on her coat leaving the cast off on my carpet. Plans were made for a 1:30 ride on Hidden Valley trail, it would be an up then down ride. Locally the time is popular. Kirk and Tony joined. Kirk rode his ebike which are allowed, he stayed behind me. Shit I was working and he was smiling. His brother Tony killed the climbs.

He is a speck towards the right edge of pic.

All mountain bikes today on trail open to dirt bikes.

Tony, Steve, and I had a coast off on road descent. The start signal line was stated, somehow others got in several hard pedal strokes before the coast that I did not match. Tony led with Steve several bike lengths ahead. All was screaming until a car headed uphill to us. Grapped both brakes skidding to a stop. No harm no foul. No prize for the fastest. Aspen leaves are off the trees.

Beautiful fall weather. I stopped at Croy TH to savor fall.

Spent night at Steve’s. Chilly, 23 degrees. Scratch pancakes for Sunday breakfast. Cleaned up, bid Steve adieu, then continued my way east. Interstate driving thru Salt Lake City mess. 4 lanes, 65mph.  Then climb over Soldier Summit followed by steep descent to Price area. Van covered 25 miles for each gallon of expensive diesel it burned.

Tomorrow is a ride here then tricky descent to town then on to N Klondike N of Moab. Be there for several days before needing resupply in Moab. Rain is forecast Thurs. Could be cold and wet there. Freeze thaw mud need not arise.

Whew. Bright and cold 8 AM session with long time body healer, Dave, eval established my issue is with an unhappy bursa in my knee. Not a concern of a possible tear. Free to resume beating myself.

I rode 2 days ago, same Ticket to Ride loop as a test and to work back into shape. Ride was fine. I waited till afternoon heat melted the skiff of snow leaving slight dampness on tread. Just a minute faster for 1 hr ride, under 8 mile distance. Yesterday I sought to up the effort by riding Catch and Release continuing on Afternoon Delight, plan was to ride 45 min out then return figuring on 90 min of pedaling. The trail goes upstream, I turned around at 45 mins. The out was climbing, the return reaped that potential energy taking me 20 mins, finished at 1 hr 18 mins for 10.5 miles climbing 876′. Cold and during the work day minimizes shared users. Dirt had some tack to it allowing firm berm turns. Lots of fun. Knee pain decreases daily. Still concern of diagnosed meniscus tear. Heart rate is high because of lay off.

Spent night at RD 41 enjoying Propex warmth. The heat duct is underneath my bed which keeps my bedroom toasty. However, the living room is nippy. 2 nights ago I attached the windshield cover to act as a cold barrier, however, at look outside time the windshield was dripping wet from condensation. Last night I kept the windshield unprotected waking to a clear look out. Dunno about excessive condensation unless it is from my being alive.

Sitting in laundromat parking lot. Today there are 3 liners hanging to dry, 3 days of riding is better than last week when the drying line was empty.

My mail in ballot finally arrived at mail forward receiver, I’m having it mailed to me at Moab where I need to be at latest of Nov to mark it up then give it back to USPS. It needs to be post marked on the 8th to count. Mine is 1 vote but it is my vote in participating in this democracy.

Leaving Bend today heading east. Will visit Steve in snowy Wood River valley. Where I ride afterwards along the way is freeze thaw dependent. Maybe all the way to Moab.  Short drive today to Chichahominey drained reservoir for night at BLM pay XG.

Mountains received noticeable snow fall, will check view on way out of town.

So, the ortho knowledgeable evaluator said slight meniscus tear, I heard future surgery. Today, PT did quick eval, he said it was soft tissue which I wanted to hear. 2 health care license holding, each knowledgeable in their body part specialty, exam me. Each speaks their knowledge and I receive each’s input. I assimilate their evaluation and mix in what I have learned. Who to believe? Resting my knee was common. Ortho was PT of no help. PT eval is soft tissue and I have home treatment and more knowledge. I make PT the happy path. Maybe a tear exists waiting for the future.

Shopped Whole Foods. Seafood case had unfrozen Dungeness crab, 3 days from cooker, about $12 / pound. How much is the belly up cold crab in the window? $17, cleaned.  I drove a ways out of Bend before stopping roadside to eat 1/2. Rest will be hor d oeuvre to the washed people, to us it’s delicacy.

Plan was to just drive to Chickahominy CG which I did finding it only me here. At some point in the past it was a reservoir anglers fished. Campground was built. At another point in time someone pulled the plug in the drain. Web site still reads fishing. $ 4 for legal place to stay with clean CXT outhouses. Even plumbed water at the fish cleaning station. Look, no more trees:

And there won’t be for months to come, desert living and riding. Views are panoramas, no more tree trunks. And little to no water.

Amazing, 3 bar 4G.

Tomorrow will be driving east into the rising low angle sun.