Still in sunny Sedona, getting to almost 70 under cloudless skies.

Made yesterday a rest day as ride leader Jeff had his kid home from school for holiday.Visited Rama then down to B & B finally to Dave & Rebecca’s for dinner. Visited w/ them into the evening.

Back just hurts.

Today was a last ride w/ Rebecca. I planned getting up onto H…. E trail which is pretty technical. I thought it went off the top of like Made in the Shade, up a wash. Couldn’t find it as we completed the loop. As it was the upper loop had it in for us as I was just flat and Rebecca smacked a rock w/ her knee. Beautiful last day for she and Dave as they head back to Green Bay tomorrow and I will be Where?

One last shower & D & R’s and said our farewells. I valued their company giving me a sense of belonging.

And then back out to desert and my vacant favorite spot.

Stopped @ B & B on way back from our ride. My bike felt squirrely newly haon the pavement. I thought about new wheel. I saw the newly haircutted Gonzo, who built the wheel, outside in the parking lot. I wheeled in, said Hi and spun the rear wheel. It ran free and true. Finally squeezed the tire and it had lost pressure. It was a formerly flatted slime tube. Slime tubes don’t last long if they are not reinflated after flatting. Crazy: Gonzo told me that Mike Conley, owner of North Division Bike back in Spokane visited the shop. Gonzo said during the course of their conversation Mike said he was from Spokane. Gonzo told him about me. So far no sighting of Mike. Different circles.

Drove to Up canyon seeking a single scoop of Butter pecan ice cream in a sugar cone from  the shop that makes their own ice cream. repeat visit. Enjoyable ice cream, to ride hard for. A store displayed the head of a javalina w/ it’s mouth open, 4 sharp like 3 sided incisors threatened damage. Looked @ hats again. Need to return to take pictures.

Javelinas that is. Today after a 4 person splinter of group of 17 finished out MBH shop ride at the shop we saw 2 javelinas foraging around the pump track. Normally they are active dusk & dawn and all night but we can’t see them. I followed them a little ways to notice that one was unsteady on it’s rear legs. Disease they can have.

Yesterday the balloons landed almost on top of me. Amazing how that bag of hot air can be commanded. Into to MBH for a solo ride. I will attempt of loop  Janet lead me on. Too late for the shop cats. George, oh George.

Headed out. Ride makes a big loop going to the N of rt 89A continues west to Cultural center, crosses the hwy and drops down Herkenham ( the one I fell on going up), wind way to a large wash, exit onto pavement for short ride into Red Rock Crossing ( a park), pedal along flowing Oak Creek to Buddha Beach, climb out of bottom joining Ridge, ride Sketch which flows into Lemonade that joins Ridge again for road ride back to shop. First part was city streets. Found TH. Made some better riding choices as i made more tech moves. Fortunately only jan’s & my tracks were on the ground at crucial points. i did miss a junction and rode between a house and an out bldg. I rode thru but I was confused to trail because of  rocky ground that would not hold tracks. Rode back between house again. This time a young guy greeted me from the porch railing. HI I said, He is a mtn biker and was renting house for bike vaca. Cool. I missed a left @ bottom of hill before house. rest of ride was pretty much spot on. Sketch is airy on shallow bench cut hillside. Its all rideable but not quite all by me. All by myself. Bluebird day. Arms getting sunburned.

Fixing Jambalaya Sat night @ Dave & Rebeca’s, bought groceries and drove down canyon. Visited @ B & B. Heather stopped in on her road ride home.

Dinner turned out real well, D & R licked the wok clean.

Zags were only on computer. Caught 2nd half.  Did my wash.

Today Rebeca fixed pancakes. She decided to not do the MBH ride.

I made MBH up canyon and geared up. I heard a count of 17 riders. I have ridden w/ almost all of them. Heather’s birthday is this week and to whom the route choice fell. We did the Hogs which is down canyon, ST @ start skirted the airport then dropped down to only road going down canyon and is under construction: no shoulders and 20 mph speed. Dropped onto Broken Arrow and climbed to Chicken Point. Somehow we rode onto Hog something which hugs the vertical surface, another handful trail. Rode Chapel trail to Little Horse, down Broken Arrow to road for pavement pedal back.

Bought dinner groceries and drove out to Deer pass camp. Car was parked blocking approach to my normal spot. Then a small RV pulled in almost beside them. The car left and the RV finally nabbed my spot. I am parked more in the open. Enjoyed a clear sunset till the lights of Cottonwood took over. Mingis mtn is to the west and has snow on it.

Back still hurts about the same. No adult beverage until a week from tomorrow.

Today was 67 degrees under cloudless skies. My arms are getting sunburned. Leg armor protection keeps my legs white. Forecast this week is sunny & 60.

And sober also.

Yesterday I finally decided to start the Giardia med I bought back @ Christmas, flagyl only which means no alcohol for 10 more days.

I drove down canyon to meet Dave & Rebeca for a ride, me fixing dinner, a shower, bfast today, and greatest of all, watch the Zags on a real TV in a house.

We rode from their rental on a mellow social ride. Our return route was one of neat ST trails ending up near B & B. I have ridden this piece maybe 10 times both ways. I have 2 nemesis on a wash section. I overcame my butterflies and have been riding them down but walking them up. Rama offers encouragement of putting the front wheel further into the problem and 1 day I will ride thru it. I sought to put into play his advice. I knew the first was coming up and was thinking positively about putting my front wheel up & over the step up. Rebeca following me asked me if I was nearing my nemesis. Yes I said. I slightly speeded up my pedaling and hit the rock ramp. My front wheel hit the concave surface on the step up which stalled me and then the rear wheel hit the first step, my chain ring scratched on the step, and blue plastic from my Candy smeared the rock. This time I chose to fall uphill instead of wash bottom 3 feet below on the sharp sided rocks. I couldn’t clip out. I fell hard flat on my lower back on the rock. Perfect match of rock slope and back bend. Instantly I recalled the OSU B-ball player who landed on his back during a game and broke several vertebrae. Did I get his injury? Pain but no numbness and all muscle functions seemed in accord. Rebeca righted my bike and slowly i pedaled off.Pedal action uses the small of the back. Could ride but gingerly. Slow to move and not very flexible. Iced it w/ ibu and slept OK.

My dinner turned out very good as evidenced by clean plates.

The Zags destroyed ST Mary’s. Game over @ 11:00. Late bed.

This AM Rebeca fixed b-fast burritos. We had a trail work date w/ Dean. Dave did swaeetheart shopping so it was just Rebeca & I that joined Dean. We built some new trail on Schzwan Chicken trail which will be a high speed downhill bike trail. It is legal trail and well built. Will be great to ride as there are G-outs, uphill turn berms, and kickers that will launch you to at least next Tuesday. Use a McCloud to work the earth which is primo w/ just the right amount of h2o to pack down but not so much that it is hard to move. Shape the earth and then tamp it down w/ face of tool. Dean did most of work and worked up a sweat. In shirt sleeves. Got in a few licks. Need conditioning to do this work. I just remember the hours spent digging fireline w/ a hazel hoe back in 1970 when I was on a fire crew back in the Umpqua in Oregon. Lot of nights sleeping since them. We worked from 9:30 to 2:30 under blue skies & sleeves.

Forecast for next bunch of days is low 60s & sunny.

Specialized is warranting my shoes (again). My Kendal Excavator tire arrived today to warranty replace my Nevegal. Garmin is replacing my Edge. I am searching for a younger replacement body. Must be looking in all the wrong places.

Hung @ B & B waiting for my new rear wheel. Georgeous Heather dropped in & gave me her undivided attention. Whew. She said that I am not threatening.

Back out @ deer pass. Tomorrow the hot air ballons should be landing around me and I’m sticking to that story.

Will try a gentle ride tomorrow. Fix dinner @ D & R, laundry, & watch the Zags.