Many distractions are present here around Sedona from biking, hiking, socializing, and just plain being. Today I am parked in sunshine (warmth) at outlet mall with decent signal strength and most importantly putting my fingers on the keyboard. I have been mixing riding with hiking and few non elevating heart rate days. Heart rate will only increase if I recount an event or get up to plug in charge cord which I just did. Rest is not over rated, younger people seem to think it is.
Yesterday I hiked with Doug and Leia out Chuckwagon area. We hiked backwards to how I ride the trail, this was my first ever hike on these trails other than hike a bike up something. First time this year, didn’t ride here last year, hiking up what I would roll down. This day the downs appeared nasty as I looked up. Also, lack of rain has allowed the rocks to grow and high hiker feet count erode the dirt between those rocks. Seeing the trail features from foot perspective raised concern of riding down. Beat up tread. 2 1/2 hour hike left me exerted as no coasting and sitting. Chilly day, amazing we encountered fewer than 10 others (dogs included). One of these days I will ride here.
Doug is recovering from his frozen shoulder which limits his riding and following his route lead. I am able to figure a ride or hike myself but I like the company and he invites me. He lives in West Sedona, city camping in his driveway and I live down at VOC. About a 6 mile drive separates us, drive time is affected by tourist traffic.
Sunday Doug and I rode from gravel pit used as parking and firing firearms. Noise. We linked system and socail trails interspersed with soaking up time outside.
(pretty static pic)
Drought desert, last precip was somewhere back in Sept.
I am a Buckeye fan because I grew up in Ohio. Last Fri they played in college football semifinal national championship. I started watching game up at Colt grill then at halftime I drove down to PJs. Well played by both teams with the Bucks a touchdown lead over Texas who was about to score tying touchdown in waning minutes of the game. I allowed myself to get emotionally involved in something I had no influence over, I checked out of bar and rest of game. I went to bed not learning the score, at breakfast I learned the Bucks had won. Final game is next week. Elevated heart rate stress.
This is my 17th winter of residing in Sedona and riding. I have years of riding same trails, however tread conditions might have changed such as a rock growing or new ones exposed. I ride with unreckless abandon. The system trails are continually ridden, hence change, while the social trails are ridden in with little change to tread plus they are slower lacking vertical.
This morning out Beaverhead way at wake up time outside temp was 21, inside I was chilly at 52 degrees. I talk myself out from warmth to getting on with my day in the chill. I pull on my wool hoodie, make my bed and hoist it to Murphy position, whisk broom objects that don’t belong underfoot, then roll out an ensolite pad on the floor in preparation of a series of exercises, then do them. 25 pushups makes for man boobs, not sure if I would make an A cup. I parked the windshield of the van facing the rising sun which breaks the horizon after calculated sunrise of 7:32.
53 degrees at 2:03 PM under cloudless skies. Tomorrow more of the same, I plan on riding here.