Friday at 4:55 PM outside temp was 60 degrees at 3,848′ elevation. Out at Beaverhead spot. It was 25 at 7 AM.

Previous Sunday’s weather was bodacious wonderful. Doug and I rode starting at 2 PM out off Dry Creek. So nice to be outside and riding provided the medium for our enjoyment. We rode Aerie for the first this year, it’s a system trail Sedona rugged. Bike suspension is so nice, more later. 10.1 miles climbing 774′ pedaling for 1 hr 32 mins.

Previous to this ride I sought suspension advice from Absolute in VOC. Slow day, Gunnar set me up starting with proper sag on the shock. He used a caliper and calculator to arrive at 30% sag. I left the shock tuning valves alone. The Fox 36 fork is set to open and the proper rebound setting. The other fork leg is the RUNT which is set at 120 and 60 psi, no sag adjustment. During the above ride I enjoyed the bike handling. I believe the sag was set too high which didn’t play well. The bike rides so sweetly. The suspension eats up the less than smooth tread. It climbs so ably that my engine can not take full advantage of what it is capable of climbing. frame design and coil shock.

Soft winter weather arrived Mon morn for my drive up to Flag for DR appointment. Forecast called for snow in afternoon. I drove up the canyon to Flag in the morning then waited for my appointment. I preferred to drive on bare pavement. Before my 3:30 appointment snow started falling off and on but not sticking. I returned to VOC on I-17 driving thru several snow showers that worked the windshield wipers. Flag is at 7,000′, VOC is at 4,000′. Many miles of little elevation drop highway had snow on the road, wheel tracks thru. Drove out of the snow before the elevation drop to exit. Weather turned cold and dreary and windy until today.

Today I drove out Verde Valley School rd to ride in Turkey Creek area. First ride here this year having missed last year. Plan today was to map my ride and to wander. All by myself. I mostly rode previously ridden trails. I rode up to what I call the ocotillo forest named so because of several of them.

So nice being outside in favorable weather. 8.68 miles climbing 827′ pealing for 1 hr 24 mins. Rides are becoming shorter distance and time. Riding is now about being physically active for between 1 and 2 hours. Making the body work. Average beats per minute was 118 just below going anaerobic. Riding a mountain bike is a mix of pedaling and coasting, the bike computer gathers the data and reports effort. Of that time I spent 53 mins at beats between 110 and 126. I work at it.

I’m learning to steer the bike, pick a line and let the bike deal with it. Of course within my risk threshold. Bike is an enjoyable and enabler ride.

Still here around Sedona doing same ol. Dead dry desert, periods of strong breeze which lifts loose dirt into the air. Otherwise the loose is ridden over. Some places the sand is almost bottomless loose, others not so deep.  Temps at night have dropped into low 20s, days might hit 60 under clear skies. I can be where I want to be when I want to be.  I’ve endured some of the nasties others are living in now.

Out off Beaverhead where the internet speed is slow.  I made this time, sandwiched between packing (5) 1 gallon containers of water into the sink water tank from sink faucet at gas station in VOC and groceries at Whole Foods in Sedona then driving back to Beaverhead. Clean clothes and sheets every Thurs. Today was windy and upper 40s chilly and I hiked instead of biking.

Friend Doug is dealing with a nerve problem in his arm which causes so much pain when riding. We have not ridden as much together this year as a result. My shoulders have their issues also so that our rides are chosen for lesser jarring. I am enjoying not being beaten up on trails that he would have lead me on. My hike today was down Scorpion then back up Herkinham that I have ridden previously. Somehow walking a trail that I had ridden appears difficult to point of why would I ride this? Scorpion is lots of basalt chunks and the climb up is sandstone with hike a bikes. We and I have been favoring the Dry Creek area trails that are less slick rock but more loose rock.

Monday was anther vein treatment up at Flag. Drove interstate up and back down being buffeted by strong winds. This treat consisted of 4 white knuckle injections of foam into discrepant veins. wearing compression socks on each lower leg.

Internet speed too slow to post pics.

The Bucks won the football championship. Hooray.

Same ‘ol finding activities to consume time from 6ish AM wake up and 10ish PM bedtime.  I read a bit in the evening. Just kind of letting time pass by.

Kitchen duty calls.

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.