Riding out at Kokopelli trails is full on sun bake: no trees, no shade.

Temp has been in 80s, sometimes windy. Concentrating on drinking water from my 100 oz bladder carried in my new Wingnut pack. I haven’t sucked it dry…. yet.

For me challenging moves or not. Climbing Hawkeye one ride, descending it on another. Mack Ridge down only has lots of embedded rocks. Constant exposure to remaining on top of my bike. Enjoying bike’s performance and my increasing level of confidence. Several rides I parked near Kokopelli main TH to pedal up Mary’s which at the start is an abandoned jeep road. yesterday rescue service drove an ATV out to meet helicopter flying out a damaged rider. ( No official confirmation of evacuation). I was up on Wrangler’s when I heard then saw a helicopter working its way to Horsethief bench. At the TH I saw the rescue truck and trailer and later an ambulance w/o flashing lights. The descent to Horsethief is red rated on Trailforks, miscalculations occur, some resulting in an unplanned ride out. I was up on Wrangler’s where I encountered a man and woman rider off the trail. The man was hunkered in the shade provided by a juniper. He said he was heat affected. I shared advice then pedaled away. I hoped that the heli wasn’t for him. Full on exposure to sun.

This is a 3 day weekend. Yesterday the main TH was plugged as was parking on the down side at bottom start of Mary’s. I suspected many riders, I don’t like crowds, I contemplated turning around. I kept pedaling out Mary’s all by myself until almost Pizza Point. This is where a drop in to Steve’s takes off. I saw many riders following me. I continued to Mary’s end with no one ahead or following. I saw an injured rider being attended to just down the steep fall line trail at trail start. I pedaled up Wrangler’s all alone. On the previous ride I made a move around a juniper that had a hidden 3″ branch that I clipped with my left little finger. D

arn, trail builder did not properly cut that branch. Next time I planned on riding the trail I would saw it off. Yesterday I corrected the safety issue. Nice folding packable saw. I rode the climb 2 times, 14 mins each time.

Today is rest day after having ridden 4 days straight.

Van brake problem has been fixed, part arrived on Wed and installed same day. I called the shop at 10:30 which was hopefully after UPS arrived. Guy said he was just going to call me to tell me part arrived. I was in town a short distance away. He said come on down which I did. In sat outside under the shade of a tree reading. Wrench finished remove and replace, took it for a short drive, and plugged in the sensor computer which sent no code. Van good to go.

I ride Catalyst Pedals, their business is Fruita. I was invited to stop by which I did, I met James Wilson the creator of the pedal. Office is a cubby hole 3 doors away from laundromat I use.

I run a SRAM 11 speed PC1170 chain which costs around $50. After yesterday’s ride I was able to force the .5″ stretch indicator between chain links. I believe the chain lasted for 689 miles. The higher priced chain outlasted the like PC1130 by 200+ miles. More expensive lasted longer.

Megan at OTE heard me tell of dead cow out where I sleep. She is from a ranching family and called me on that cow having been dumped. She said if the legs are up it’s more than likely the cow fell and could not regain its feet hence dying in place. The legs were up but I still suspect it was dumped and it landed that way. I just see carcass roadside that were dumped. None the less, it’s rotting away and I stay at an odor free spot.

Tomorrow I will be heading out north. Driving over Douglas Pass then over to Vernal, UT and McCoy flats for a one day ride and night. Next day driving to Heber City for a ride then a night in a state XG next day arriving at Indian Springs near Kimberly, ID. I receive the weekly Wood River trail report that I read today: way too much unmelted snow and muddy trails. I will visit Steve for a short visit because of trail conditions then on to Bend.

Cheat grass is going to seed:

Moving out, battery spent.

 

I have a question I want to ask full time living on the road travelers. It was asked of me this last weekend by a OTE staff member. “Which way are you running, to something or away from?” I stumbled thru my answer. Presently I am just living, direction determined by the weather. When I first started I was running to ride at least once in each of lower 48 states. I only experience attraction versus repulsion. Ying and yang. I am running away from settling down. I am attracted by this lifestyle because of many home living tasks I don’t have to perform like shoveling snow or mowing grass. I am running away from a potentially broken body. I am running to mountain biking year round, running away from seasonal activities. Question works as a starting conversation.

I am now near Fruita, N of Loma on BLM land foothill just above valley. Currently air bouquet is rotting cow down in a gulley that S wind wafts its odor and temp is warm enough to have side door open. I arrived Sunday afternoon from out past Horsethief XG a ways from  Moab. Mon 8 AM I have a van exam appointment in Grand Junction. I made this day a rest day instead of a ride there. I made Fruita and OTE shop where I connected with old timer staff. Peter greeted me. I dropped off my bike for fork service hopefully to be done on Mon while I was captured at repair shop. Peter washed my bike, shop courtesy. Suffered intense anxiety making the 8 AM appointment. Arrived 7 mins early. They took my van shortly. Tech plugged in code reader: right wheel speed sensor. Shop ordered part, expected delivery was today, Tues, and install later in day. I was to call in morn to learn if part arrived. I called, no part yet, shop called later, part did not make it. Shop will call me tomorrow when part arrives in morn then install later afternoon. Good. OI drove out to Kokopelli trailhead for a ride.

I drove out and past the TH to park in small turnout to be away from others of which there were few. I rode Mary’s out to return trail Wranglers. Desert spring of Cheat grass living color.

Pleasant ride, getting warm.

Post ride I was sitting on the side step looking around. I spied a prairie dog plucking seeds from a desert plant. In years past I have parked in same spot, I noticed burrow entrances. I was curious what population existed after several years of drought. I walked around and noticed many active entrances. Where I stay I had noticed burrow entrances that showed no sign of activity. Tomorrow i will wander around here to check population.

Back at Moab I drove up past Horsethief XG to dispersed camp spot. Many possible sleep spots unoccupied. I scored my preferred spot. Friday I rode out Chisholm etc to descent Bull Canyon then climbed back on Get Away. 22.9 miles climbing 1729′ pedaling for 3 hrs 18 mins. I pedaled the last 2 hours non stop. I use my body. Sat I rode Chisholm to its end joining Big Lonely to Coney Island then climbed back out on 7UP. 17.8 miles climbing 1368′. Another almost all non stop. I like riding under influence of THC.

Upcoming 3 day weekend.

Colorado river is snow melt swollen. The paved heart propelled trail from town out to weigh station is flood closed where it goes underneath I70 which is not very far above the river. Possible river will flood interstate.

 

Previous post I wrote about reason for riding Moab is the slick rock, not dirt tread. That was after what i rode that day. The next day, Tuesday, I rode EKG out which parallels Dino below. EKG was almost all slick rock.

Route is marked by fading reddish paint stripes. Route finding figuring out line. Profile is like a heart ekg. Down then back up, repeat.

I appreciate full suspension and .52 degrees of engagement hub. Oh, yes, dropper post. Disc brakes were helpful. At my ride end my van was alone. Not crowded.

I encountered paid trail care crew and spent part of their lunch time visiting.

I called local BLM office, voce mail. Next day a BLM person retuned my call. Ebikes are not permitted on non motorized trails. I saw many of the official no ebike stickers that were on the carsonite posts had been covered with black paint. Trail crew said they figure it is a snow bird. Then the trail crew has to go out and stick on new stickers.

2 nights at N Klondike XG. Drove back to town to stay in Reid’s yard out of town.

Wed I made a town rest day. My new Wingnut pack waited for me at the local pack and ship store, cost $10 for receiving. Stopped at Chili where the new chain I ordered just arrived. Bought propane at feed store where I am known. I finished reading Gone Girl while sitting under neath trees at the city park. Lots of vans around. Took Reid out to dinner. Slept in his yard again. He even has a porta potty on site. Found Tyson of trail building fame, connect Captain Ahab to him. He laid out the Hawk’s Glide.

There are 3 recently constructed mountain bike trails, collectively it is known as Raptor Route. Individually, from top to bottom are: Eagle Eye, 2nd season Hawk’s Glide, last is Falcon Flow. I learned of a shuttle ride from town to top of Eagle. $30 was justified which spared my van on beat road and the brutal pedal up. Picked up in town, dropped off at LPS right where Freehub shot the first part of film. Today riding in the shuttle van I winced seeing what I had driven my van over when I drove up for the shoot. It’s all about the downhill. Raptor was 9.46 miles dropping 2280′.

Special feat recognition for building final descent to road.

7.8 miles back to town, dropping 1119′. Ride climbs 394 feet and dropped total 3399′.

Did laundry. It’s 9:20 PM, Ahead of me, before sleeping, is wash off body and make the bed.

Oh, I google searched Sprinter repair in Junction. Called, told of 3 warning lights, said yes, said Sprinter tech will be leaving this Thurs, the shop made an appointment for Monday and possibly Wed. The van needs care, next shop might be Salt Lake. So this shortened my Moab stay. I plan on driving to Fruita this Sunday.