I counted: 45 days in Sedona on this current visit. I have ridden 29 rides. Missed a bunch of ride days because of rain & wet.

Today the MPH ride went out Dry Creek to a turn around on Mescal Mtn. Bit of exposed slick rock. 11 riders including 2 women from Albuquerque escaping snow. Fast & pretty skillful. One had a fall like I did: stalling, teetering, then falling clipped in downhill. She got a rollover that i did not get. Nothing I could do. Slow motion topple. Younger bodies with stand the stop. It still hurt I am sure. She finished the ride. I followed Doug down 2 rollover drops, he lead and I stayed on his wheel. Previously I might have walked down.

Dave & Rebecca left this AM. Happy Birthday Rebecca.

Back out to desert camp. rented a $1.00 movie from Safeway’s RedBox.

Lining up a ride for tomorrow, hopefully HangOver led by Zul.

I forgot my camera today. Mescal mtn was a kidney bean shaped sandstone massive. The trail was on its lower shoulder on outsloping slick rock. We were above the junipers and pinyon pines, exposed. Amazing traction on rock, however I have been angling into steeper diagonal cautiously. Takes courage and finesse to hold a line on the tire side  knobs.

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.