The desert at Sedona have received short snow dumps and the temp goes up then back down. Sunshine showing sometimes blocked out by clouds. Trails are too muddy to ride and some days too soft to hike. Been hanging up in Sedona at Doug and Leia’s some nights. Freeze thaw mud.

I occupy myself such that I can put off writing here. Travails have arisen and ebbed, to capture them means remembering them. I will recount as amuses me with recall.

Van: Anderson replaced the fan clutch assembly that eliminated the sound of a blower and suspicion of transmission ailment. Such a relief. I had bid the Devil good day many days before meeting him and spitting in his eye. Metaphorically written. Anderson researched the engine cutting out seems to be cam shaft sensor and is taking steps to order then replace. The other shop still hasn’t received the air control module that controls inside comfort. Mileage dropped to 18mpg at last refill is of concern. I hope the fan contributed to decline. Anderson test drove the van and reported strong health.

Heater continues to be contentious to consistently light. Listening to long winded propex person telling me that problem is too lean fuel mix that doesn’t allow ignition. Solution is making the intake duct 12″ longer and adjusting regulator pressure at 15″ water. I cobbled 12″ of hose to intake duct. I called an RV shop in Cottonwood for them to check regulator pressure. I scored an almost on demand appointment. Said regulator won’t hold pressure indicating a leak. Said it was the regulator diaphragm is not holding. I ordered a regulator from Propex shop that will be calibrated for proper pressure to be shipped to me then installed by RV shop. However, the heater has been running properly.

D & L and I hiked 2 days on the south facing slopes on S side of 89A. During Thurs hike riders went by showing a wishful little amount of mud. Doug and I convinced ourselves that we could ride the next day. We did ride. We stayed on the S aspects. Our pedal went for 68 mins for 6.84 miles climbing 860′, that’s 126’/mile a good hump. Monumental ride as previous ride was 5 days prior, we are both affected by long lay off.

Sat the FS catered to volunteer work effort out from Baldwin TH. My contribution was cutting out sight lines on Baldwin, more walking with tool. Many others headed up Highline to do dirt work. Us lopers did build a ramp on Baldwin that will make the climb a roll up that should eliminate the user created go arounds. Blue skies above.

Word on the street was Bike and Bean has a new owner. I walked into check the restorage. Guy working the coffee used to work at coffee shop in town. New owner is building shop to functioning bike shop. For locals the shop has to establish relationships. I have been hanging at Absolute across the street.

I have 2 new crowns as of last Tues. Crowns made in house as trade work, not craftsmanship. No longer making an impression then lost wax casting. Today it’s digital creation then sent to a mill that shapes from a blank.

Sat night I checked out desert at MP4 road seeing that the tread was hard packed, suitable for driving out to favored spot. Iam was there sighting in his bow which seems to be a machine with its leverage wheels and sighting. Sheesh, next thing motors will be propel mountain bikes.

Sun Doug and I gave a go out at Western Gateway trails. We started on Roundabout where shaded segments held ice and old snow. Girdner also had exciting patches, no movement to leave XZY locus. Nice day. Our familiarity of trails avoided the likes of Girdner above the creek.We did cross Dry creek on rocks above the low flow of the creek. We encountered very few others during out 2 hr 4 min pedal covering 12.85 miles climbing 1273′. Punched thru 2 hour barrier. Doug is 55, I am 73. Just the facts of age.

This morning I drove up to Flagstaff for DR visits. Flag is at 7,000′ elevation, Sedona is 4,500′. Flag gets snow that stays. White dirt. Snow showers are forecasted here that freak me out to drive on snow. May I get out of here before pavement turns white.

Why I stay in Sedona.

Over.

Desert needed moisture continues to fall with day time temp above freezing to melt what fell then below freezing at night to lock in place what did not return to air. Just nasty dirt. Yesterday I rode out Verde Valley school road that is paved to school entrance then goes rugged dirt. I crossed several small washes which were running, not a heavy flow, cars were crossing them. Turn around was at Red Rock crossing on Oak Creek, flow way too high and swift to cross which was not my intention. Cathedral rock dominates the skyline when looked in its direction.

On the return I rode the “road” that goes back to Turkey Creek TH on mix of dry and patches of mud. At the end I walked several feet on a trail checking firmness, I needed just a few steps to learn soft freeze thaw mud. Still many days more for moisture to leave but below freezing at night and another snow fall mid week keeps trails too soft.

Hi Line traverses up there.

Both my van and my body are sick and needing treatment.

Van has 2 repair dates this week, the first on Wed to replace the fan clutch that hopefully is the source of the blower sounding noise. This repair will be at the shop I have used for years. I stopped in on Thurs to seek old timer Warren’s diagnosis. He wiggled the fan blade that he said was not properly engaged by the fan clutch prolly spinning out of sync with engine need. He said it is tied to transmission shifting and if so the transmission will be OK. Please be so. Thurs at the neighboring shop they will replace the air control module that they did not order for last week’s install. Googling repair shops in Sedona this shop comes up with 4 stars satisfaction. Warren’s never shows. However Warren keeps his shop running meets my immediate needs. The other shop is more professional but their expertise has not been established other than not ordering the part when she said she would do for previously schedule install date. I don’t like driving the van with its problems.

Further research found a shop in Prescott that is the Sprinter masters however it means impounding the van and not allowing me into it. If the transmission is the issue I will go there then prolly motel camp for days until fixed.

Wed evening my heart felt pounding. I checked my pulse which read 87 bpm that was way too high at the time. I didn’t sleep well worrying about it. At wake up I checked it again and it was still high and felt pounding. Body not happy. Concern of heart issue. I drove to Cottonwood ER with my fingers crossed that the van would make the parking lot which it did. I reported high heart rate and was attended to within several minutes of clearing paper work. Way high blood pressure but my heart rate was back down to 60, about what I am happy with. EKG revealed heart is healthy and compared results of last year’s panic visit showed no chemical indicator of heart damage. Blood pressure dropped. Released then drove 89A back to Sedona. Fingers crossed van could handle higher speed. I still am not feeling chipper needing a DR visit back at Cottonwood sandwiched between van repair.

Van repair is just money to restore health. Body health solution tbd.

Tues morning is dentist visit to replace 2 crowns, 3 hrs of laid back in chair. Afternoon is PT treatment for tennis elbow. I wondered if brake lever position put my wrist not in a straight line when braking. That it was as my wrists were slightly bent backwards. I rotated both levers so that when I am in attack position and index finger hooked to end of brake lever my wrists are straight. Noticeable lessening of pain.

Then the mercury climbed melting away the white exposing the puddles and wet red dirt. No riding for several more drying days.

Mon drove up to Sedona staging for Tues 8AM van service appointment. Visited with Doug and Leia till bed time. Short drive, only blocks long to garage. I parked nose in a spot facing the service advisor’s desk window, blinds closed. I waited to be summoned till 9 then I walked in. She said I was to announce myself, I assumed my presence and an appointment would have served notice. Not so. Short story: the part had not been ordered but I was not contacted to reschedule. I did score a wrench to test drive in falling snow not sticking to pavement. He was not familiar with releasing the parking brake, strike 1. He drove it with a heavy foot, strike 2. Strike 3 he said it runs alright. Which is does not. Driving back down to VOC the temp gauge indicated below normal. Dunno. Sound seems like a blower motor. No check engine control light lit. Learned that turbo runs all the time, if failing performance would be worse than driving an air cooled VW bus that I know about having owned one that I drove round trip from Ohio to WA back in ’78 to start my PCT thru hike. A code would be registered. I wonder if fan belt is spinning  something unhappy. I expanded my search for repair shops. Found 1 in Prescott that works on, guy said, 95% of Sprinters in area. First appointment is 2/5. Tomorrow I visit Anderson who has worked on my van successfully previously, shop is an experience.

Full time on the road has its challenges. Finding solutions.

Yesterday while at Thunder Mtn for a visit I visited with Bob, an older mtn biker, whom we have visited with prior. I asked him his age, 80 he said. I asked about his health. He said he had artery blocking clots that were repaired which eliminated his shortness of breath. I am interested in age affected activity comparing my effort to like aged men.

I drove out to cultural park to pass time before afternoon PT session on my tennis elbow. I put on my hiking shoes in anticipation of a hike on Roundabout trail. Right from the beginning the dirt was too soft for foot steps, stuck to short paved loop.

Back out to Beaverhead overlook pavement for night. Scored preferred spot. Changed back to walking shoes and walked the highway to check out the 2 side roads. Each was a muddy mess. The wash coursing thru the first rd spot was running underneath the highway. Suspect its flow affected a crossing further in but the mud was sticking to my shoes deciding me to turn out. The other spot on the left was just as muddy. Mud stuck to my shoes. No way even walking on desert was firm. Froze overnight, I thought ahead and lifted my wipers off the windshield. Heater kept me comfortable. After sunrise I saw the white Nissan parked, we are competing for spot. Who gets there first scores. I will be there again tonight.

Hanging at outlet mall paved parking lot where my jetpack receives a strong internet signal.

I set aside Irving’s book for Pulitzer prize winning “A confederacy of Dunces” which reads easier yet very absurd.

I have learned for 2 sources that Bike and Bean is under new ownership.

The air control module’s price is $1,100.