Friend Steve from Sun Valley area visited and I got to be the local guide. Steve has visited me here b4, I just know trails better that allowed me to make routes that were favorable to me that he received the benefit of. Steve is almost my age and has the same facial hair color that I do. He knocked on my door early Wed morn with snow on his jacket. Hello cold and wet. Forecast wanted showers not rain. Another layer and rain coat carried in hydration pack. First ride was Rabbit Ears going now favored clockwise direction new direction for Steve.

Thurs was drive up to W Sedona for laundry. We met up later at gravel pit for ride out here that does not have the climb out of Dry Creek, Ride was 7.02 miles climbing 525′ pedaling for exercising 1 hr 11 mins. This distance and time suited us.

Friday we rode what I call Llama route. Our infamous Llama problem is a short pedalable rock armored pitch that requires more of our bodies than we can squeeze out. I made it 2X, 1 time in front of Steve. I had been telling Steve about my new coil shock opened up the bike’s performance. He said he would buy a shock after I made the problem. I attacked the problem 3 times but failed. Steve said he will trust my word when I tell him I made it which would set him free to buy one. He rides a Revel Rascal that was a data point for Revel suspension for me and an Evil something. His rear brake loosened an air bubble that caused the brake to fail requiring bleed that he learned as he wheeled it out of his lodging. 10.5 miles climbing 856′ pedaling 1 hr 28 mins.

Sat back to Sedona to ride from Cultural park where all rides go down then finish on uphill climb. A better ride is the reverse. Roundabout start then Girdner to Dry Creek crossing on Axis that has 2 hike a bike pushes for both of us, me every time, continue climb on Bolo to Last Frontier then traversing social trails. Down Rover to continue down on Rupp the start of climb out on Girdner to final trail Stirrup. 9.2 miles climbing 846′ pedaling for 1 hr 28 mins.

Sunday, Steve’s last day, we rode Rabbit Ears again as he said he liked the ride. This time I would make sure he rides the Big Rock system trail instead of he chose a better defined social trail. Today after he rode the system piece he said he didn’t know how much he missed. We start from outlet mall pedaling 1 mile to start of dirt at crowded Bell Rock. Big Park loop to start of Rabbit Ears that climbs straight away to high point  and start of downhill. Several breath blows stops during the climb. Our bodies have aged, spring chickens left us years ago. 8.77 miles climbing 833′ pedaling for 1 hr 17 mins.

Steve and I have a coast off seeing which bike is faster. He rides a 29 and I ride  27.5 wheels. His wheels are faster because of wheel size. The 1 mile road climb gong out is all coastable after pedaling hard stopping at road intersection. He is slightly faster when I am out of his draft zone, however, drafting I’m right with him. We had a coast off back in his backyard on a dirt rode which I won because I made a faster turn. Both of our rear hubs are l9 but mine is the improved Hydra. Previously I rode the Torch same as Steve, they were noticeably louder.

Yesterday I chose to sleep out in desert where I could leave my windows uncovered. I invited Steve for dinner that he accepted. I made Captain Craig chicken dish over smashed Yukon Gold potatoes. Skillet dinner. Lip smacking god review. He brought desert of gelato. Place was crowded, most I have experienced.

Steve left this morning. I am making today a rest day. Forecast wants 80s starting Wed. Hot, full sunshine, no shade, low humidity. Dead dry. I have changed back to summer clothes after last week’s cold.

I put the new Suunto Peak instrument in the drawer replacing it with Core which is more basic and doesn’t tell me of my short comings in fitness. The Peak tells what my sleep was, it tells me if I have been sitting for 2 hours, and much more. I choose what I want to see. It records data that loads onto an app on my phone. It’s a fitness watch.

Ocotillo is leaving out after flowers at tip of trunk start to flower. Sites that are more exposed to full sunshine show the growth. Out at Dry creek area I saw flowers on manzanita bushes. Cat claw is still barren as environment signal has not started their leafing out. While bare they are easy to avoid, when leafed they blend in.

Starting on tomorrow’s ride it will be choosing how much to hurt myself.

 

During yesterday’s ride out on Western gateway trails I broke my chain. First time for everything, first time ever for me. I was muscle power up a rock when it broke. However I did what I did kept my nuts off the top tube as I stalled after chain broke. Hey, I’ve got this I told myself. I propped my bike under the shade of a juniper then got after it. I was prepared with a chain break tool, a SRSM magic link plier, and a spare link. Chain broke 1 link away from magic link. I broke out the broken link and installed tge magic link. All ended well as chain finished the ride. I put 573 miles on it, I failed to measure the stretch after I removed old chain. SRAM web site chain care reads to just clean the chain with dawn, no chemicals which weaken the plating.

Hot yesterday, low 80s, sunshine exposure, and little wind. Riding with Doug, I let him plan the route and he waits for me at intersections. Started from Cultural Park, down Roundabout to Girdner down to crossing of dry Dry Creek, climb a bit of Axis to Bolo still climbing up to Last Frontier then s social that sort of parallels Axis to Rover up to Cockscomb to Outer Limits which I rode for first time this year, coast down Bolo then 20 plus mins of my life I will never get back on the climb up Axis back. Both of us were worked from the heat and sun.

Did laundry in the morning chill instead of riding.

Been staying out off beaverhead where it is full on exposure. I park the van at an angle to sun’s path to create some shade outside the van. Night time temp dies not require the heater with its blower noise, Just quiet. Last night coyotes yelped  and chattered right outside my door. Towards morning I fire the heater up to cozy up my house.

I rode 4 times between laundries as seen from that number of liners hanging to dry on the inside clothes line.

Doug and Leia head back to Canada on Tues. I have enjoyed the 3 months we have shared. I spent a few nights in their driveway in West Sedona. I prefer to stay down here at VOC or in desert off beaverhead. VOC lacks the tourist attractions of Sedona.

VOC, like Sedona, but up against USFS public land. Turkey Creek is name of  trail location out Verde Valley School road. The forest was chosen as the next place for new trails. I viewed the trails plan on line, it’s massive, like 20 miles new and 10 more adopted. Major trail system down here. Today Doug, Leia, and I hiked out there this afternoon. We hiked a mix of existing and newly built trails. New trails will be enjoyable to ride as the nasty climbs have been routed for sustainability. Doug took me on a new to me trail which contours around Napoleon. This weekend marks the end of seasonal FS trail crew.

Sedona riding, happens only here. Variations of trails exist within a region like the basalt on Schurman compared to the rest of Sedona on sandstone. For me it is unique from the other 48 states I have ridden in. Where a performing suspension makes for smiles.

I have been wearing the Suunto Peak “watch” for several days. I reports body function data like beats per minute, O2 saturation, analysis of each night’s sleep. I was prompted to get up and move as I had been sitting for 2 hours. After today’s  hike it reported congratulations I exceeded 10,000 steps. The display is brighter but data is smaller. The Core is simpler without body data.

Internet speed out here is as slow as molasses poured in say Maine in February.

I scored an appointment on the 14th next month for a remake of my night guard. Believing that I walk out the door with it which will weigh anchor to my Sedona time. I will head north following snow melt out and drying trails.

Tomorrow back up to West Sedona to pick up med and to ride.

Zags out of the Dance has created a void in my awareness of calendar dates.

My kitchen is awaiting clean up after dinner. I sequenced writing this while I was more awake before clean up. The longer I write this the more put off that manual work. 8:17 PM. 56 degrees outside. Today was like 67 from yesterday’s 80s.

Clean up needs attention.

Rabbit Ridge area

 

My typing skill is better than hunt and peck, I know where the keys are but my eyes still need to see them. My speed is better than glacial. My mind works faster than my fingers can find the keys. I have watched typists hitting the keys right along with my words. Maybe their comments. So, I use slowness as creation avoidance. I am sitting at the former outlet mall consuming time to arrival of Zags ist round game.

Last weekend was Sedona Mountain Bike festival attended by umpteen thousand best friends. Open day was Friday after snow had been cleared from walkways. And weather was shitting cold, blowing, and wet, I was warm and dry down here. I did go up Sat arriving at gate 30 mins prior to 10 AM opening. I learned that Turner would be exhibiting his titanium hard tail bikes and I wanted to visit. As I approached his booth we eye locked and called each other by name then started connecting. Found l-9 booth chatted with David and the owner, Clint. Then I just walked around observing and chatting. Brandon and Forest from Freehub mag. Spent the night in town at Doug’s.

Sunday Doug, Leia, and me hiked over to trail named Skidmark so named as a steep slickrock descent ended abruptly onto a wheel suck. Years ago Danny lead me on this hike while I was recovering from broken collar bone. Trail over to it is like a climbers way trail. Skilled scrambling ability. mid afternoon hike, just great weather and conditions to spend outside.

Monday Doug said lets ride as his shoulder was happy. Dry Creek area. Again we encountered less than 10 people. Another ride was on Mescal where many more than 10 to share the trail. Riding out here is at bottom of climbs, trails we ride are mostly contour. Just 2 liners are hung to dry meaning same number of rides from last Thurs laundry.

Yesterday I rode down here on system  trails with elevation. FS built full Single Track  Bypass which parallels heavily used Bell Rock Pathway. Nice rideable trail that attracts foot traffic. This trail is mountain bike rider focused as it plays with contour of land versus a point to point trail like Bell Rock. Still pass on Llama problem, I’m saving myself for Steve to spot me when he arrives first of month.

Last 3 weekends were wet, last 2 snow. Enough precip filled shallow pits on dirt track out to preferred spot off beaverhead. I knew enough to stay away to allow sloppy puddles dried up. I still drove over slime spots. So nice to be out in desert where I don’t cover windows, full sun to recharge batteries, sunset view, no traffic noise. Just how I like to live. Albeit web signal is weak 2 bar.

Oh, I did rebuy the Suunto Peak 9 time piece. I printed the 66 page PDF manual. Device pairs with phone via Bluetooth. I am acquiring skill to understand its workings which for me is good mental effort.

Time piece indicates time to be moving in direction of short walk over to PJs to watch the Zags.