I saw that prompt, works for a title.

The store where I have bought my propex heaters from also repairs them which is why I sent the failed one to for exam. Report back was cause of failure was it was filled with dirt size dust. Disturbing images of clogging seen in pics they sent. the intake opening is at floor level at the back of the van, far away from foot traffic. I whisk broom the carpet almost everyday staring at the back and working forward. Heater works like a floor vacuum. I now will have a working spare. I put i layer of cheesecloth over the intake as filter, too much filter restricts the fan.

Clean clothes on leap year day.

Thurs Doug and I left Sunset park riding Old Post to Skywalker, then social descent on under the radar. Today my body refused full effort, include the brain as caution level was high.

Afterwards drove back down to VOC in preparation for Zags game at PJs starting at 9. Late night game. Zags won. Slept at outlet mall parking lot.

Friday I made a rest day out off beaverhead. Winds picking up.

Sat I returned to VOC hoping to ride before forecasted high winds kicked up dust. Wind velocity was already increasing, A sucker hole around wind speeds. Today I would be riding by myself and I would exert at my pace. I rode my standard Llama route. At the problem I exerted a less than aggressive effort resulting in stalling short of top, I did keep my butt off the prickly pear. Ride was 10.8 pedaling for 1 hr 36 mins climbing 971′, average bpm was 110, most effort was at aerobic and below effort. Big take away was I exerted less for similar length of time from previous ride, although today was .13 mph average faster. So ride by myself lessens heart rate while increasing performance.

Sat night the Zags visit  Saint Marys, now the winner of the conference after beating the Zags at home. Zags need this win to enhance their selection to the big dance. Anticipation. I parked at mall then walked about 2 blocks to PJs scoring a bar seat right under a big screen TV. Odds were strongly for SMC. Zags started with their pedals on the go pedal to go on top quickly, odds decreased for SMC switching over to favor Zags in increasing probability to final win. Outstanding team effort. Next up for them is semifinal round of WCC tournament this weekend. Then selection Sunday.

Jimmy sent this:

Previous post title was Let’s See.

I find many ways or reasons to not create this blog. I visit with people, I park out of internet access, I ride my bike, hike with Doug, just plain do nothing.

I’m still here in Sedona finding things to do from the time I wake up (6:00AM) to time I slide onto bed (10:00PM). Many days I ride following Doug’s lead, on non ride days I hike with Doug, and some days I couch potato if I had one.

My new Propex heater only arrived at RV shop 2 Tues ago, on Wed it was installed. The wrenches at the shop have experience R&R that heater. Fired right away sending sound of running correctly. It’s thermostatically controlled, its output is all or nothing. Chilly nights provided heater runs for comfort. Starts every time. I sent the dead one to the seller for their examination. To me living in the van with the heater running, listening to maybe Outlaw Country on XM, maybe engaged in energy replenishment and subsequent clean up is like being in a house. Just like home comfort.

Doug and my riding preferences align for pedal trails with some chunder and preferred riding direction. I have ridden most of them with Doug and Doug has ridden some that I have yet to ride because of our preferences. Big attraction to ride Sedona are the 3 Hs: Highline, Hogs, and Hangover. And you tube videos are uploaded. Each of those 3 have their pucker moments. The falls might have greater consequences, However, many of the pedal trails have challenging features with minimal exposure. However, a body in motion not on a bike hits an immovable object (s), read: rock. Bodily damage. Yet the posted videos ignore the pedal chunder action.

Skywalker, Scorpion, and Sketch (SSS) ride Doug has not led me on. On Monday after shoulder PT I set out to add to my yearly trails ridden here. I parked at Sunset Park then rode pavement for 200 yards to trailhead for Old Post. Red dirt. I helped build a piece of a reroute. As I rode the corridor I helped clear I connected to trail and mountain bikers. Contribution. Skywalker starts at junction with Old Post. Skywalker is a reroute of old social Bike Path. One tech feature, a wash crossing, causes hike a bike. It climbs and descends to end out at the high school. Cross the road to start Scorpion which is a challenging test of balance, speed, and line over basalt babyheads less than 16” high. I still walk the same places. Trail descends down passing where I fell 2(?) years ago to connect with Ramshead  Cross the road for a short steep climb to start of Ridge. Secret Slick Rock is short pedal away.  Ridge recrosses the road and climbs over many rock outcroppings to junction of final S, Sketch. The original trail was social then FS adopted it into trail system. Plenty of exposure on sketchy tread. I walk the same features. Sketch connects to Ridge, ending on Carroll canyon back to TH. 10.3 miles, climbing 1178’, pedaling for 1 hr 41 mins, average beats per minute 118. This is a hard ride with many, many body damaging features.

Other rides have been on Western Gateway trails following Doug. One ride we rode just system trails. One was Aerie. We rode it from the north which uses gravity to negotiate the many sandstone features. No basalt. First is a climb reaching a high point then the happiness of a full suspension 165 and 170 cm suspension travel.

What catclaw looks like, each of above plants are branches with hooks:

Last Wed afternoon was filled with classic sucker holes. Forecast called for strong probability of showers in afternoon. Threatening clouds at wake up bode precip. I was near Cottonwood and Dead Horse ride for heater install. Skies cleared while there. My plan was to drive into Cottonwood and possible ride. Start of sucker holes. From time in sunshine at RV shop to stepping outside from health food store skies lived up to forecast for short intense dump. Shortly blues skies arrived. Sucker hole or start of fair weather? I did not take the bait as I drove out to Beaverhead spot. Before dark another sucker hole opened and closed. Would have been drenched.

OK edible is kicking in. Another reason to not create. Thought process seems to fire. My spelling is affected. I’m creating this in WORD because very slow internet. I’m leaving this in. Internet speed picked up, I am now on line. Condition remains the same.

Bike data: 2 3/4 years of me riding it for 525 rides covering 6,942 miles.

Many days have run their course since last posting. Starting on the 6th a rain event moved in soaking trails and whoever ventured out of shelter. On the 8th snow fell sticking around melting for several days. On the 11th I joined Doug, Leia, and dog Swift on a hike around, up and down Scheurman mtn on the other side of 89A from Cultural Park. Nice day and dry trails. That was Sunday. Friend Steve from Wood River, ID arrived later that night.

Monday was next day of riding. Doug lead Steve and I out from bottom of Canyon of Fools. Our route crossed running Dry Creek 2 times, one crossing was stepping stones dry, the other was stepping stones until a deep pool too wide to step across necessitating a bush bash around. Steve visits me where I have beaucoup local knowledge and I visit him back in Wood River drainage and he returns the favor. Albeit here many more trail choices confront the unfamiliar rider.

Tues we rode Rabbit Ears loop down at VOC.

On Wed the 3 of us started riding a route that Steve says I gave to him and he wanted to repeat it, all system trails. I convinced Steve for a modification to eliminate an out and back part section. Another crossing of running Dry Creek on stepping stones.We rode a good chunk of Last Frontier over to Out Limits. Once on Outer with its climbs and  rock problems Steve searched his memory as to why he wanted to repeat.

Thurs was a rest day for both of us. We watched the Zags game at PJs. Of course cleaned clothes in the morning.

Friday was the Llama problem. Steve, Doug, and I gave it a go. Today on my 3rd attempt I made it to the top. Steve and Doug not so.

Friday was Steve’s last ride here, he drove away Sat morn back to horse camp in CA.

Sat I rode with Matt and Ian down to ride a new to me piece of Black Canyon Trail. We met Jimmy and Christine at TH. The BCT is a point to point trail with 2 side loops. Tough riding an out and back because what went down must be climbed back up.

Just a pedal ride in open desert. Jimmy and Christine live in Prescott which still is under snow so this trail is what they can ride and it’s about half way between here and their there. Rode it, been done with it.

Sunday I rode by myself out at WG. packed parking lot but ran into so few number of others to count. Prefer riding under trees with short sight lines and rocks on tread.

Propex heater really shit the bed to failure. I decided to buy a new one to be installed this Wed and return the dead one for repair consideration.  Switched back to cat / infrared heater for warmth. Both heaters produce heat from burning propane. The Propex is thermostatically controlled and consumes battery to run the blower, however it is a dry heat. The cat uses no electric but is controlled by valve opening. I am still warm.

I have been sleeping on pavement since the 31st, either Doug’s driveway or outlet mall in VOC.

Presently at 4:33 temp is 64 and the side door is open. Sundown is 6:18. I am at Cultural Park now exposed to sky and scenery. Cockscomb is visible a short air miles away.

My right shoulder is being treated by PT Eric, another active mountain biker. His efforts have decreased the constant pain, I have great range of motion for damage. His advice is to avoid surgery until pain becomes intolerable. Good news for me to continue my life. A surgeon sees a repair, the PT sees making it work in as is condition.

Chocolate seems to cause intense heart burn. Darn.

Today Doug, Swift and I went for a shorter hike out Old Post and Carrol canyon under above conditions. No snow, dry trails.

Sort of caught up.