Heat wave, temps into 90s at Moab, short stay. Moving north because my teeth need their 6 month cleaning in Bend, OR and to drive away from the heat. Because I can be where I want to be I put the key in the ignition and  I kept heading north. Fruita was hot, just 1 ride there. Next was Price where the temp in the van read 100. I drove thru Salt Lake mess on Sat being cooked in the 90s. Traffic flowed all the way. The vents and driver’s  window down was my cooling method. Because I live and play outside that’s what the temp is, I am tempered to the heat before I open the slider exit door. One night stay and an early morning ride at Indian Springs near Kimberly, ID. That night the temps dropped to sleeping comfort. I checked Hailey, ID forecasts seeing that comfortable upper 60s, that’s why I am here  at present.

Oh, after the last Moab ride I discovered a broken suspension bolt. OTE in Fruita is a Revel dealer and I was going there anyway. At Fruita I rolled my bike into the OTE service area. A young, 19 yo, wrench greeted me and asked what’s what. I showed him the bolt. He pulled down  a box labeled Revel parts. Score. He backed the broken bolt out and installed the replacement. Good to go. I had mentally planned not having my bike to ride. Change. Next day I rode a short loop out at Kokopeli: Mary’s to Wrangler connector then Wrangler. Riding here is full on exposure sun and wind. Plus climbing. Not really.

Thurs was laundry in ill maintained local laundromat. No info on wash temp, I selected hot subjecting my cold wash only items.

Friday morn I drove to Price, UT up to Luke’s trails. Again, way to hot to ride. I did walk on trails. Juniper tree cover. Spent night at TH. Sat I listened to Wait Wait… while doing bfast and getting ready for my ride. A woman hiker and I met going in opposite directions. Both enjoyed talking, her more so. She is active in local trail building effort.

Before noon I was on the road heading to Kimberly, ID and Indian Springs trails. First was umpteen miles of more than 3 lanes of interstate entering and exiting Salt Lake mass. Hot again. Same cooling system. Long concentrated effort drive. Arrived Indian Springs, I saw 100 degrees late afternnon where I spent the night.

Sunday morning breakfast was scratch pancakes and a second cup of coffee in preparation of my ride. Area is on a mountain side so trails climb then another takes you down. I like riding here… except for the cows. My route was up Dry Gulch with running water up the ways. Trail climbs. A gulch is a narrow defile with steep sides. Cows were grazing and dropping results most objectionable what I has to ride over. I followed maybe 10 cows and calves that couldn’t climb out and only went as fast as the lead cow. I rode the tail end of the last one but dropped back as I saw manure heading my way. Wild roses were scenting the air mixing with fresh manure.

Next up was drive up to Hailey in the Wood River Valley.  Pleasant temps. Made Mon a rest day and task accomplishments.

Today I rode from van parked at entrance to Lambs Gulch just outside Hailey. This gulch is wide. Yesterday I walked a piece of what I would ride. Yellow lupine scenting the air and past bloom arrowleaf balsam root. I saw a salsify plant which is a nonedible plant. Once it gets started it takes over. I pulled the patch thinking that was all. Unfortunately the landscape was thick with it. This morning when I rode thru another plant of yellow  bloom colored the land. At some sun position the blossom closes sheathed in green. Yesterday they were closed today just yellow.

I continue to wrestle with ability versus desire. I believe my body has conditioning for 2 hour pedals. I know that gasping breathing will happen, effort, discomfort. What went up has to come back down, reward for humping up. Today I learned performance. At some time point I will say uncle. Anyway babbling. When I wake up at 6 AM alarm I remain under the covers while listening to my body, mostly internal functions. This lasts about 30 mins. I don’t feel well enough to sleep and I don’t want to get vertical. I do and my systems seem to settle in.  My ride does not seem to make me feel worse.

So, the green living plants is such a change from desert environs.  Water.

There are no thorns.

I rode this same loop back in Sept, today’s ride time was identical 1 hr 24 mins covering 9.86 miles climbing 1224′. My heart rate was lower for same time.

Much of the above was burned. I rode here before the burn. I rode Lamb’s just after it was opened after the burn, blue sky but black on the ground. Over the years i watched the regrowth. Sage has emerged and not from the burnt stump.

Bed time.

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.