My big event was finally climbing the Llama ramp problem. I played mental mind games in anticipation of my attempt. I told myself that I was at the top. I postponed my success several times. Finally the day arrived. Not much nerves, almost resignation. I pedaled away from outlet mall parking lot where I start all my VOC rides, 1 mile pavement to Bell Rock TH. My body is manifesting its aged condition as I run ot of breath on climbs. I arrived at slick rock patch at the ramp site. I caught my breath while studying the feature and working solution in my mind. Time to put up: I let gravity pull me downward until pitch turned up and my bigger gear caught up with the load. Attempt number 1 failed short of the top as did 2 and 3. On the 4th go effort clicked and I made it to the top and over like I had been doing it forever. SUCCESS!!. OK, I made it, am I able to do it consistently? I needed to find out. I went at it 2 more times w/o success. I made mistake of looking at my front wheel to steer between rocks. This can be fixed. I continued my ride.
During this ride I encountered 3 of the VVCC elder statesmen, each of us in our 70s. Dan is 78, he just had a valve replaced in his heart. Heart health became a conversation topic as I have my own issue with calcification of my coronary arteries. Dan’s replacement took 6 months from the time the GP wrote referral to walking out of operating room. I waited 3 weeks for heart institute to call and schedule my appointment. I hunted their phone number, called, no human just voice mail that was returned next day. Soonest appoijntment is July. WTF?. I questioned the person learning that if it becomes a medical emergency go to the hospital where a cardio is on call. SO, only fix it when it becomes broken versus maintenance. I won’t be here in July. My plan is to have the cardio referral sent to the Bend health care organization before I arrive to be scheduled when I am in Bend. I learned that the GPs’ expertise doesn’t include my heart condition.
Writing about another heart issue is van health. It makes like a secondary engine shifting sound. Warren allowed me to stop by for his exam. I drove up but the noise did not happen. Warren would not listen to me attempting to describe the sound. He focused on fan clutch. During our drive the sound never occurred and the temp gauge remained where it should validating fan solution. Fan was never the cause of this noise. I made a service appointment with a shop in Prescott earliest is next Tues. Van runs but this sound unsettles me. I need the cause detected and understood and fixed. I worry constantly about me and things breaking down. Nerves. I will drive over Sunday to ride Prescott trails and spend 2 nights at a FS campground.
Otherwise riding here either here or west Sedona. Starting Monday and lasting for 2 weeks highway 179 to Sedona will be under construction causing delays. I have avoided experiencing the delay until tomorrow, Thurs, laundry day up there.
I like the western gateway trails as there is less climbing. Amazing in spite of number of cars at parking spots I have the trails to myself.
I am parked at the outlet underneath the fully leafed out AZ sycamore trees. Amazing how quickly they leafed out and now producing flowers. Cottonwood trees elsewhere have been letting loose their namesake , many are on my carpet. Dry Beaver is now just a trickle, it is fed by snow melt up on the rim which must be almost melted out.
My forearms are peeling revealing a healthy tan. I have been hiking shirtless timing my exposure to 1 hour.
I replaced my rear tire after 27 rides over 317 miles because it was well worn. Knobs on left side show carving, less so on the right. I know I have more confidence angulating to the left as the left shoulder works. Right side I can’t seem to drive shoulder into turn. Ridden bike 381 rides covering 5191 miles over 454,000′ climbed, like 87’/mile.
Plan is after van health is addressed I will start north.