Deserts are dry, Right?

Just observing, not voicing opinion as to weather shift. This spring has been very wet here in Sedona, high desert. My rides happen between wet trails drying out then another rain event several days later. Frost has left the ground which allows water to perc downward and when humidity is sufficiently low evaporation. Doug and I rode Fri and Sat on dry trails, I rested on Sun, Mon forecast and what was outside said wet, windy, and chilly. Another rest day. Forecast for Mon night was rain with intensity increasing Tues to heavy rain flood warning. Sitting in environmentally protected dry and warm van crossing my fingers every time the heater starts lighting process. Of late it has performed per the book. Please turn on the green LED. Yes, forthcoming warm air. (An aside.)

Sat Doug and I rode out other side of Dry Creek starting from firearms shooting and parking place. This spot is chosen for dry feet crossing of now not Dry Creek.

Above is what crossing would be like downstream. The creek divides ride choices. Very few riders sharing trails over here plus cross country choices to incorporate with system trails. However, the ride has to repeat part of the start to return to bridge. Creek boating play opportunity.

Which gets us to this and more, note the sky.

Doug proposes a route that I comment for understanding and feedback. He has entire route figured. I break it down into chunks, a piece at a time to finish the whole. Our ride covered 16.6 miles climbing 1339′ pedaling for 2 hrs 3 mins of Sedona singletrack. I spent 1 hr 11 mins in my 80 to 90% heart rate effort range. Yes, my body’s blood plumbing system has issues not fully understood for possible treatment. Doug envisioned a longer loop, we hit determined turn around point, Doug said heading back was OK.

I spent the night in town. Sunday evening was Zags 2nd game in the big dance to watch at PJs. St Mary’s played earlier which I gave up being outside to watch others be active. After that game I walked back to my van at the mall to feed myself and clean up. I misjudged time required to clean up to sitting at the bar at PJs for the game. I left dirty dishes in the kitchen, the first time in the van and prolly for my life. I lived as I cleaned up after watching the Zags win. PJs was dead, at game’s end I was the only patron. Justin, the bartender, told me earlier that if the place was dead he would turn down the jukebox music and turn up the announcers for the game. Which he did.

Yesterday I returned to my existing dentist’s chair for determining what was still causing my head pain. Dentist took full head X ray and tapped and probed the upper left teeth. Furthest molar became the tooth of interest. Reading Xray revealed that that molar was dying(?) & dumping bad stuff into rest of my body. Root canal ruled out, extraction cures my head ache and possibly other issues. Next week that tooth is down the road.

Rain still falling.

Later

This wash dumps into Dry Beaver which is now raging dumping into Wet Beaver which is per its namesake. Verde Valley School road to go out to Turkey creek crosses several washes on pavement that are posted do not enter if flooded. Several more crossings are on dirt surface. People live on the other side of respective washes. They are either staying or can’t get back. More wet forecast. More sitting inside. Color of water is red as that is the color of the eroded sandstone being carried downstream until flow can no longer carry it. The 2 big man made impoundments on the Colorado River are settlement basins raising the riverbed lessening amount of water standing. 30 feet ain’t 30 feet no more so to speak.

Sitting inside: I am comfortable, I have what I need or make do. I believe I have sufficient water and propane to make it to tomorrow and eatables for same.

Yesterday I failed to put the cover over my bike when rain was not falling and in spite of forecast. My bike remains uncovered, when does it becoming too wet to cover? That time passed. Nature is pouring water on the upward facing surfaces then dripping to the underside carrying caked dirt then dripping onto jobox. Just not forcefully hitting the under surfaces. The 2 cables are completely shielded, be the shits if rain enters at bar end. Leaving a bike uncovered in this intensity of rain is a first. Add this to dirty dish first. First tooth extraction.

I switched to a 28T chain ring for easier pedaling that I hoped would ease my pedaling effort which it did. I started with a 30T count that I have ridden for years when I switched to a 1by drivetrain. The revel website read a 32T was max size ring. I asked them what effect the 28T would have. Answer: bike designed for a 32T and smaller size detracts from suspension performance. I suppose that going back to 30T gets suspension working better. I’m having a problem wrapping my head around the larger more demanding effort 32T to get the optimum suspension. Have to go thru 5 stages of acceptance. I run an 11 speed 11x46T cassette.