Yesterday, Tuesday, was a rest day after 7 straight days of riding. Hung around out @ crowded Deer pass camp. My preferred spot has been occupied by same campers for days. Drove into town mid afternoon for groceries & a video, The Soloist. Back @ Deer pass another camper moved in almost blocking access to next best spot. I seek a level camp spot for comfort & for the gas absorption refrigerator to work properly. Sunny day slight breeze, as afternoon waned warmth from sun chilled. Sat outside in sun for awhile wearing my wool poncho reading Under the Banner of Heaven. Mormons.

Slept w/ no heat under doubled up down blanket wearing a bicycle head warmer. Sunup is 6:29. This AM in the daylight I saw my breath when i stuck my head out from under the covers. Put off getting up to face the chill scantily clothed. Once out it I turned on Bob Edwards on XM and lay on floor to start the heater that takes about 2 mins to get going then crawled back under the covers & listened to Bob’s show. As the sun warms the van, it expresses its response by metal moving pops & pings.

Up & moving into town for MBH shop ride around 10:00 ish, more later. Rama, Doug, his friend Kevin, 2 Israelis, a touron, & a returnee. Techish of Sketch & New Ramshead separated the skills. Rama took his planned route home where Doug, Kevin, & I split off for a possible big day… if we could cross Oak Creek on the bridge we made on our crossing several weeks earlier. We located our former bridge location, our bridge was adios. No crossing the creek today. Plan became Pyramid loop w/ much before & after. Rode some new trail. Again, my praise for amount of trail in Sedona. As of 3/22 I have 46 rides 572 miles ridden.

Enjoyable ride.

This AM Ryan from Competitive Cyclist in Little Rock called me… long distance in my response to my request for ride ideas. Got some names. Up north are the Ozarks, near Little Rock it is the Ouchitas. Going to do some woods riding. The Womble is in the latter. Interesting data: Last spring on my Womble ride I split it into two parts & rode out & backs over 2 days.  Day 1) 28.39 miles, 4 hours ride time, 4690′ climbed, 2804 cals burned. Day 2) 39.21 miles, 5 hours, 4690′, & 3607 cals. Sedona rides average 12.44 miles for, say,  2.5 hours, climb 1800′ but burn around 1200 cals. Speed is lower here.

Back out @ deer pass, same crowd again.

Left Jimmy’s for B & B, bid Kevin safe flight back to Long Island.

Jeff called to say ride w/ Doug around 12:00. Called Nick. We met @ Doug’s. 3 other riders joined us. Ride was Clor Cove, Plumbers Crack, Ledge n’ Airy, Girdner, annaconda, Girdner, & back on road.Rode a few more moves on Ledge and in general riding w/ more confidence. Speared myself again by same branch on ledge making a step up on a boulder. Needed inside line which is guarded by a pine branch with it’s tip cut off,new sprouts hide the stub end. Last time I almost made the move but the branch lightly gouged my left bicep. Today I moved to the inside about an inch. Bam! Speared by branch this time full on on my arm ripping my jersey sleeve leaving a couple small scrapes. Missed move again also.

Trail dumped out onto Girdner that crosses & recrosses flowing Dry Creek which is fed by snow melt from Flag. Crossed it 12 times, I rode 1 or 2 crossings with the h2o over bottom bracket & soaked the hubs. Too deep for bearings so i carried my bike. At the first crossing pedaling across my feet spun under the h20, shoes wet what the heck, save the bearings and wash my shoes.

Jeff commented that I am riding much stronger.

Beautiful day, so gorgeous here.

Hot Springs, AR is 1200 miles straight in I-40 if I need to push straight thru.

As of today i have been in AZ  for 90  days, ridden 46 rides in Sedona for 572 miles.

Heater valve failing rendering heater inoperable, tonight will be chilly. Slept last night w/o heater, turned it on when i woke up. 46 degrees inside seems tolerable.

Slept in Jimmy’s drive way, fixed breakfast, and washed dishes in his sink w/ running hot water. Liked it so that i washed his dishes.

Off to B & B. Jimmy & his friend Kevin were up to a ride. Jim is being such a considerate host to Kevin who flew from Long Island for 3 days of Sedona riding. Jim started short & gentle and then got him bloody today.

I rode off by myself to ride Hogs now that I mostly know a loop. Jimmy has been coaching me w/ some moves and I practiced & applied when i was able to, able to ride stpe ups better. Almost 3 hour ride by myself mostly riding, stopped for a shot of  gel, pushed when I had to and rode the chute again w/o jason at the bottom. Made route blunder & rode slim shady from bottom. Big day. Getting very warm & dry. Quad cramp right lein evening.

Drove out to deer pass for Sat night. A camper scored my spot.

Sunday Gonzaga played @ 9:10 AM. I was up early and ready to bike all b4 tip off. Watched first half. Zags played proudly but not well enough and were beaten by #1 Seed, Syracuse.

MBH ride started from shop and out & backed Chuck Wagon out off Dry Creek road. Climbing up a step up i ran my left foot into a prickly pear. Maybe 10 spears entered my foot thru the leather material. Needling pain during my grunting pedal strokes to make the step up. Spun over to our break spot. I put on my reading glasses and used the pliers on the Buck knife from my pack to pull out the spears. I took off my shoe to see foot damage. No blood. I ran my hand inside checking for piercings. Found 1 about 3/8 long, it skimmed the top of a toe instead of spearing it. Got it out for ride home.

Did wash @ laundromat. drove down to B & B at end of day.  Jimmy gave Kevin a last Sedona treat before he flies out tomorrow. Off to Jimmy’s house for a shower & company.