Yesterday morning just after daylight I left Hurkin corral for Village of Oak Creek which is S of Sedona in a different county. Almost 6 hour drive at my speed. Drove over Jacob Lake at 7,9xx’ elevation on bare roads and no snow on the forest floor. Shorter than  driving thru Kanab. Van performed albeit not without my normal anxiety of needing roadside assistance. Arrived in time to see start and entire Zags game at PJs. Zags continue to put up great effort but the other team has a better final kick. Short drive to local grocery store for provisions. Just out of the PJs Jimmy, another mountain biker living in his Westie had the red thumb to stop for me. We met at grocery store. He would be spending the night same place as I intended to. Brief visit before dinner. Sunset was spectacular last night just sprawling reddish colors etc that lit up entire horizon that lasted for minutes. I would stop stove top activity and prop myself in the open slider door and soak up psychodelic colors. Jimmy and his buddy  lack inside heat so they retired inside inside their sleeping bags while I just turned the heater on and let the thermostat control my comfort. Seems temp dropped to 50. So pleasant able to leave door open.

Back in Arizona, swapping 1 red state for another but here liquor laws are most favorable to those requiring it and pot is legal. I can watch Zags in a bar, drink a glass of wine and not have to buy food. And establishments are plentiful.

At PJs I entered as a long time local patron. New owners, felt same atmosphere, same bartenders who control the TVs for me to watch the Zags. I’m a known patron but they do not follow the Zags to know when they will be serving me a glass of keg Chardonnay.

Just dust, lack of precip. This is my 17th winter here, over time I have watch plants die such as the prickly pear.   Humans are progressing to the next great dieoff.

So this is where I am now and will prolly remain from here for winter.

Go Bucks!

Happy New Year!

Two Sunday’s ago I was parked at Sheep Bridge road parking spot among several other rigs. I was inside my closed van as I was preparing to ride. A rider finished his ride and put his bike on his pickup which was parked next to me. He did not make contact before he drove away. Later I exited my house and went to back of van to get my bike down. I saw a tallboy PBR on the box that he must have left for me. Thank you for thinking of me. However, I have a gluten intolerance preventing me from consuming beer. I paid it forward by placing the unopened can onto  a post at the parking spot and went for my ride. Upon return other rigs were in lot and the can remained where I placed it. Yesterday 9 days later I saw the can was still there. Make up a reason why it remained.

My right shoulder is the one needing repair, the left one was repaired like 26 years ago. I started putting in hard effort to strengthen the right one using an exercise band doing upright rows. I went for gusto letting the right drive effort. The right one was improving, however, I strained the left one which is now producing its own issue. Dang. I need PT for this one. Insurance coverage requires a DR order for PT coverage. I scored a return visit to clinic here this Friday for referral. Plus my left thumb, which was damaged from ski falls, is hurting from pushing my seat dropper lever. Will ask for PT coverage on it. I have a PT appointment with Eric is Sedona in 2 weeks. I will have coverage for 4 body parts and he can only treat one at a time.

Been riding here on the Hurricane Cliffs trail system by mixing up routes. I have been learning about suspension tuning and making adjustments to both shock and fork which have improved quality of ride. But I have written about this several times. Improvements.

Last several days the temp has risen into the 60s and just dropping to 30 in the dark. Heater still runs all night, last night I was warm enough to cover myself with lighter summer down blanket. My sheets are so comfortable to remain in bed after 6 AM wake up. With no time commitment I linger in comfort. Plus it delays listening to my body getting started. Point of reference: at stand up my heart beats just 53 beats per minute.  During my ride my max heart pumps at 140 beats per minute.

Data from my travel spread sheet reveals I have visited here, Hurkin, for every year except for 2013 which was recovery from 1st shoulder repair. Over those years weather events, or lack of, have been lived thru. This year is dead dry and warm. Out here cows have grazed down edible vegetation leaving plants they won’t eat. One year was flooding wet overflowing the Virgin River. Rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow, too warm to make it white.

Heater really sucks juice even with new batteries and the one solar panel can’t replenish charge completely. The shop that replaced the alternator said it was 200 amp which is greater than original 150 amp. I felt the new one was not charging as strongly as I felt it should by looking at battery data. I asked the repair shop in ST George, who previously worked on my van, to find the part info and research its capacity. Internet search on part number revealed that yes, it is 200 amp but made in China. Current battery charge is 76% at 10:30 AM under slight cloud cover. Prolly won’t drive away from here today so I might run the engine later for charging.

Blood pressure cuff recorded 45 beats per min. Soon I will ride which will accelerate the rate. Last ride for 1 hr 28 mins my average beats per minute was 119, the bulk of the time I was in 110 to 126 beats for 55 mins.

It’s 60 degrees at 10:38 AM at 3,969′. December 24. Climate change.

Enough, time to get after it.

9:39 AM at 3969′ outside temp is 37 degrees with partial clouds blocking solar gain. Looking out at Gould’s Rim trail 30′ off front bumper of van. Heater still burning propane to elevate inside temp to 60 degrees at slide out from under warmth of covers. I am chilly however sitting on the driver’s seat office chair, sun just now breaking thru clouds, soon finger shakes will subside. Temps have been moderating both at night and daytime. Yesterday I saw 65 degrees on van thermometer. I wore a light weight wool jersey for my ride out at Church Rocks. Chilly temps thin out the campers. I ride during day when most people are employed, the few I encounter have some other gig going on like men with silver on their face. For most part I am by myself except for being on pavement. Later this morning I will ride from here afterwards back to town for replenishing propane for sure.

Yesterday I rode popular Church Rocks loop because I could rather than had to because other choices were weather affected. Sunshine, calm wind. Red rock sand stone, several tank slapping patches of red sand. Tank slapping is a dirt bike condition occurring when bike and rider roll onto sand which grabs the front wheel one way and the rider twists the handlebar the other way then sand grabs wheel back so hard the handlebar is smacked into the gas tank and both rider and bike are flung onto sand. Pedal mountain bikes lack speed to affect the slap, perhaps faster M-bikes will experience phenomenon. I did encounter more of those bikes yesterday.

I bought my first mtn bike back in 1985, it was a 1 year old Cannondale that I paid $400 for, half price off. I was making maybe $13 / hour. I could afford just the used price. Today, well, I can not imagine paying full price for a new bike that cost in multi thousand dollars. Ones wiht motors are more expensive than pedal power mostly. I asked  2 local shops if they finance purchase, one said no, they work to put the rider on a bike they can afford, the other said they had several lending institutions to do the lifting. I insure my bike for $6,000 which would not cover the price of its replacement. I built this one from components on previous bikes. Price has to prevent expansion of rider population. Frames and components have improved  incurring costs that are born on the purchase price.

I have been turning control knobs on my fork and shock to learn that adjustments can really affect ride quality.

Yes, aging is a common subject in my writing. I am 75 years old, during those years trauma has taken a toll. Body parts hurt and / or don’t work. Just sitting and punching keys sends discomfort. While riding I cope or ignore discomfort. My left thumb that pushes my seat dropper lever hurts every time I adjust height. Tis is the most noticeable pain. Fox makes an motorized dropper that works with the push of a button but my check writing right hand can’t write the $700 check. Shoulder repair is covered by medicare  but I can’t live with the 6 month recovery time of no riding.

Sunlight is glaring the screen. Heater is still running, outside it’s 47. I’m still cold inside. 10:18 AM. No precip in forecast, temps are warm mid day.