Yet I use this to recount what was. Living in the moment creating this.

SO, I just arrived Fruita, CO after days in Moab. Again, I’m back scheduling places and times to my June 11 dental appointment in Bend.

The Outlier Pendulum pedals arrived while in Moab. I took them and my bike to Chili Pepper bike shop in town for install to learn how much muscle 30nm torque is and to adjust saddle height. Pedals tightened per torque wrench with long leverage. I loosened them straining using a 6″ allen. Google the pedal to learn what I won’t write. I have since logged many hours pedaling them. Take away: I will continue to ride them. Like 3rd ride was the Raptor route I seemed to be better attached to my bike from the platform and the configuration.

The raptor route off Sand Flats road for me now is a shuttle ride. Consists of 4 trails linked for 11.5 miles descending 2923′, climbing 433′. Then 5 miles back to town.  Desert riding. First time to ride all linked 4 trails.

Full on sun exposure.

I spent most of my days and rides up at Horsethief about 1,700′ higher for slight chill. I anchor dispersed camping out past the paid XG. Down the 4X4 rd there are numerous sites that were not filled, an absence of population, in the previous years many more campers settled in. I seek space between me and others and this place even when more populated gave it to me. I like riding the trails from here as ther is less climbing and not as continually challenging as N Klondike. Also there it’s paid camping.

I like riding Chisholm trail both directions from Horsethief.  Yesterday I rode from camp joining a piece of Rodeo to join Chisholm at Horsethief then turn left coasting and pedaling to its end at Navajo rocks. The return finishing on the dirt road. I needed 41 mins out and 48 back. 15.3 miles climbing 942′. I pedaled the 48 mins non stop. I rode the same route last November with same time and minor heart rate differences. My breathing seems to work if I back off my output. Lots of sand pits.

2 days ago I torque checked the suspension bolts. 1 spun free, shit that’s not right. By mistake I rode the above ride believing that the bolt was tight. I checked it after the ride seeing that it was still spinning and the nut was broken off. Shit: Worse thoughts went thru my imagination as to the fixing the suspension. I thought that damage might have occurred to a frame part which would be double trouble. I looked at the web site for the pivot, lots of parts. I could choose either Moab revel or Fruita where I planned on to be today. I did not sleep well last night. I accepted I should get after it before the 90 degrees arrived. I drove away from Horsethief at 7 AM headed to Fruita OTE shop, a Revel dealer. About 9:15 I pushed my bike across the shop’s threshold where young Cove greeted me and I explained my issue. He put in a stand and got after it. He found that the axle head broke. H reached up to a shelf and pulled down a box labeled Revel parts. Inside was the  replacement part that he put in. Bike is happy again and so am I after undoing the devil’s vibes.

I watched the La Sals loose white.

So much for now.

Thursday I drove down to town to laundromat. Parking lot was plugged. Plan B, drive into downtown to other location. Street parking plugged as was the customers waiting for empty machine. Drove back to other location where I parked across the street and j walked to an empty laundromat. Machines rehabbed my items.

Drove out and up to past Horsethief XG then down jeep track to score an empty dispersed spot where I usually stay. Just 2 other rigs anchored. One looked familiar from last year.

I geared up then pedaled Rodeo trail which is directional which keeps the trail narrow. My breathing brought me up short on even slightest climbs. 3 other riders passed me which is the most I have ever shared the trail with. Horsethief XG had many open sites that would lessen possible riders. False indicator. Patches of sand abounded. Beach sand, wheel sucking. The 10 mile ride generated 40 hour recovery, I heeded that data and only hiked the next day.

Friday I hiked cross country from anchor. I linked pieces of slickrock between raw dirt which is loose sand. Dry desert. Mock orange bushes are coming on.

Sat I rode the gravel road out to a TH near the highway to Chisholm trail crossing. I pedaled past a shorter junction so I could ride a fun piece of trail. I like riding Chisholm as an out and back as the trail rides well each direction albeit the return needed more energy. returning ride pushed my heart rate to average 129 beats, 124 is anaerobic threshold. I rode within my breathing pedaling 58 mins nonstop climbing 522′ in 6.3 miles. Shared trail with 5 others in my 1 hr 59 minute pedal. This ride said 48hr recovery.

As the body ages it looses physical performance. Also, recovery becomes more important. I do not have to ride every day. I check my resting heart rate at wake up to see if heart recovered from previous ride. If beats are above low 50s I’m not recovered. Some days I use heart rate as reason to not ride. Other times, situation dependent. Damn the body I want to ride. My max beats are in low 140s.

Forecast wanted precip today. Presently sitting on dirt lane with rain falling creating puddles. I need about 15′ back out to pavement, may the dirt offer needed traction.

Shopped Back of Beyond bookstore searching for Backman’ new book, My Friends. It was displayed up front. Bought it and am now reading it.

Forecast is also calling for 90 degree temps this week. I checked Fruita’s which is a next stop and a bit north but similar temps are forecast. I can be where I want to be when I want to be there. I could leave seeking cooler temps. There are more days of riding to be had before leaving desert land. Cope with the heat. Horsethief is 1,000′ above town.

The Whole Enchilada is a monster ride. I rode it back in 2017 per my records. 34 miles includes road pedal back to town. Dirt is 26.8 miles climbing 1266′ and dropping 7746′. I have aged out on ever repeating it. Burro pass is at 11,xxx’. Ride what I am able to. Which will shuttle Raptor route.

 

Just arrived Moab via Dolores and Norwood. CO now Moab are on mountain daylight time. AZ is mountain time also but keeps clocks to srandard. My electronics needed help comprehending after my gray matter synchronized. Internet was dead dog slow at those places. Now above Moab at Snad Flats XG with 3  bar and sort of catch up.

Last Thurs I drove away from sleep spot off Beaver head rd  heading N. Fist stop was last laundry in Sedona then drove to Dolores, CO and the  Boggy Draw trails, 300 some miles, many hours behind the wheel. Sedona elevation is low 4,000s, Boggy sits at 7538′, felt the higher elevation as I stopped for numerous air blows on the rides. Location is under mixed P-pine and juniper canopy. Cover over my head .

Friday I rode a previous loop from anchor of   16.3 miles climbing 1184′. Today I was 7 mins slower than last spring. Again elevation effect. Popular trails as evidenced by plugged parking lot, however, I shared trails with no one. Bare aspens, Gambel oaks hardly sprouting buds. Chilly nighttime for heater. This year I filled propane in Sedona as a learned experience from last year that filling last year on weekend locally didn’t happen. I drove over to Durango.

Sat I drove over to Phil’s North trails again same loop previously ridden. Lower elevation by maybe 1,000′ Tree cover was mostly juniper. More rocks. I was taking a blow break when I heard a rider’s voice behind me. It was Gary from Bend, we have run into each other at other road places. Way stronger than me. The 6.4 miles exhausted me. Climbing is becoming more difficult to pedal what I can and I walk more. Later I learned that a big mtn bike race was on the southern trails which my choice spared me. Back at Dolores I visited at Kokopeli bike and Board with owner Scott.

Next stop was Thunder Loop above Norwood, CO. Bill and Susan told me about location. Trailforks showed long loop with crossovers. i was heading North. I drove hwy 141 N from Cortez

, there are really desolate places this drive being one of them.

Back up. The weather forecast high winds  at Dolores and Norwood. I might not be able to ride for 2 days because of forecast. I need to do laundry in Moab on Thurs. Camping and riding is other side of Moab. I sought to arrive Moab on Wed for Turs laundry then head out to trails.

So, I followed the brown FS signs to the Thunder Loop way above settlement, this time another high 7,000′ location. I parked at TH, geared up then crossed the road onto the trail going CCW. The trails are on a plateau above canyons. Tree cover and topography  did not provide a vista point. Trail kept close to the edge. Again, struggling, I walked a lot.  I rode the 4 mile Thunder loop taking the first cut over.

 

Tues’ forecast called for 20 to 30 mph wind with 50 gusts. I chose to not mouth breathe the blowing dust nor fight balance. Dam, did it blow. I hiked around noon. Mid afternoon the wind really picked up, gusts rocked my cradle. Fine dust filled the air. When I live in the hard sided security of my van I chose shelter.  Speed abated after dark. Wed morn winds picked up again albeit less strong. I chose to not ride instead I drove to Moab. Yesterday’s wind would have been a challenge to keep my van on my side of the road. Today’s wind still wiggled me.

So, now in state of Utah under their social rules. This is the hardest state for living for me. I like riding Moab trails but would not want to live in the state.

I hiked up Jack’s canyon trail to Rabbit Ears. I saw a well defined trail crossing the system trail. It was created by ants going away fromthe colony empty jawed then returning with food. Trail was maybe 1 3/4″ wide and all but smooth. Ants coming and going just avoided one an other with no defined direction. Never seen such a well defined run.

Tracking info says my Outlier Pendulum pedals arrive this Mon.

So, hanging around Moab for undetermined number of days. I’m back scheduling from June 11 dentist appointment in Bend.

Van still gets 25.6 miles per gal highway driving. 318,000 miles.

La Sal mountains above town seemed to have less snow cover.