Zags got spanked in the Elite 8 round. All over until this coming season. Letting something affect me that I have no control over. Movin on.

Sat I gave the Rabbit Ears loop a go figuring that these trails would be less muddy. Little mud but washes were still sending water.

Garmin sent me a warranty chest strap heart rate pick up. Today I watched my heart rate working to keep my pulse not so high. Some success, ride was 9.18 miles climbing 1004 pealing for 1 hr 26 mins. Still average hr was 123. I stopped for blows along the way esp on the Rabbit Ears ridge climb.

I rode against runners competing. I called Climbing when I was and runners yielded. Most runners were not running very fast.

Watched game at PJs sitting at the bar right under a big screen TV. Loud band playing prevented conversing. I left mid way thru 2nd half as I did not want to watch the beat down.

Sat. back at my van I found a business card stuck on the driver’s window, I retrieved it, it was from Mick and Beth formerly of Rivers Eatery in Cable, WI. Nice people with whom we connected. They are here for a few days. We texted but made no meeting. Today on my ride out western Gateway trails at the intersection of Girdner and Axis low and behold they were hiking towards me. Mick recognized me he said because of my different color gloves. We visited until finally agreeing to meet back at TH. I pedaled away finishing before them: I pedaled uphill faster than hikers. Although earlier on Girdner a runner caught me on uphill, I never heard him. He ran by but in short while trail turned down and I caught him, he stepped aside, I covered some distance that I thought would keep me well ahead. Nope, he caught me again, this time I rested allowing him to disappear.

So today I headed to Sedona ahead of tourons from the Valley. Spring break, nice day, lots of visitors, traffic backs up well before the Y, need to beat the crowd. Parked at Cultural Park. Thought about riding Girdner out then looping Anaconda, Snake back but Doug said Dry Creek was still running

so I rode Snake to shooting bank then out to bridge over Dry Creek to check water flow. Turned around retracing Snake then Girdner to intersection with Stirrup that I intended to ride. However, a local rider was at the intersection, he had ridden Girdner from the start and reported it was fine.

We had no knowledge of Axis to climb out. I talked myself into Axis being dry. Girdner to Axis was firm. Then I met Mick and Beth. Ran into the old Mountain Bike Heaven gang, greeted old buddies, some ride ebikes. Ride was 11.2 miles climbing 1079′ pedaling for 1 hr 42 mins, average HR was 126 which is at threshold.

Back down to VOC at outlet mall parking, wash is still running.

I don’t need anything I can’t get on my own. My life is basic.

I read an Indian cholesterol reducing recipe using fresh cilantro and mint etc that needs to be blended, chopped whatever. I googled portable blenders then picked one that charges via USB. It arrived recently then I put it to blending this concoction that is real green then dipping blue corn chips into the blob. Herbal knowledge, may it be better than old wives’ tales.

A break in wetness occurred on ed for me to perform a parking lot service on my bike parked in front of Absolute Bikes in VOC. Location chosen for shop support to break free my crank arm and in case I needed knowledge above my base level. I switched back to 30T chain ring and its chain. Why I am not working in a shop: I swapped out the rings then put the crank back in and started to tighten the bolt. I looked on the pavement: oopps, needed washer on the ground, back off the crank bolt then put on the washer then put crank arm back on and tightened the bolt. Checked my work, oopps, both cranks are in same orientation. Back out the bolt, correct crank orientation then tighten down. Practice makes perfect, all parts correctly installed and functioning.

Then to reacquaint my body to larger ring I pedaled Verde Valley School rd out to Oak Creek and Red Rock crossing. Several washes crossed the pavement with several more out on the dirt surface. Was able to ride through the flows as were internal combustion engine rigs. Arrived at turn around to see raging creek covering entire dry feet crossing rocks. No way today to cross.

Body did not care for the effort as my breathing was really labored, ring was not the issue.

Yesterday was laundry day. Clean clothes. Doug invited me on their dog walk out Carroll canyon area. We found trails to be dry and bikes that went by us were not muddy. Carroll canyon area faces S receiving impact of SW winds both wet and dry, sun breaks thru clouds that takes back what clouds dumped. A short sprinkle hit us at our low point turn around to hike back uphill. Drove back to VOC.

Last night I watched the Zags beat UCLA on a last second 3 pointer like 2 years ago. Nail biter. Zags move on to Elite 8 on Sat.

Sitting at laundromat parking faced into sun sucking up cloudy solar gain and waiting for predicted sunny afternoon for a ride. Oops, sprinkles on windshield.

Rain falling on rocky land flows off down washes until source of water flow ends be it rain or snow melt. Then washes become dry. This is the wash at the mall running mostly clear of carried sand.

 

 

Just observing, not voicing opinion as to weather shift. This spring has been very wet here in Sedona, high desert. My rides happen between wet trails drying out then another rain event several days later. Frost has left the ground which allows water to perc downward and when humidity is sufficiently low evaporation. Doug and I rode Fri and Sat on dry trails, I rested on Sun, Mon forecast and what was outside said wet, windy, and chilly. Another rest day. Forecast for Mon night was rain with intensity increasing Tues to heavy rain flood warning. Sitting in environmentally protected dry and warm van crossing my fingers every time the heater starts lighting process. Of late it has performed per the book. Please turn on the green LED. Yes, forthcoming warm air. (An aside.)

Sat Doug and I rode out other side of Dry Creek starting from firearms shooting and parking place. This spot is chosen for dry feet crossing of now not Dry Creek.

Above is what crossing would be like downstream. The creek divides ride choices. Very few riders sharing trails over here plus cross country choices to incorporate with system trails. However, the ride has to repeat part of the start to return to bridge. Creek boating play opportunity.

Which gets us to this and more, note the sky.

Doug proposes a route that I comment for understanding and feedback. He has entire route figured. I break it down into chunks, a piece at a time to finish the whole. Our ride covered 16.6 miles climbing 1339′ pedaling for 2 hrs 3 mins of Sedona singletrack. I spent 1 hr 11 mins in my 80 to 90% heart rate effort range. Yes, my body’s blood plumbing system has issues not fully understood for possible treatment. Doug envisioned a longer loop, we hit determined turn around point, Doug said heading back was OK.

I spent the night in town. Sunday evening was Zags 2nd game in the big dance to watch at PJs. St Mary’s played earlier which I gave up being outside to watch others be active. After that game I walked back to my van at the mall to feed myself and clean up. I misjudged time required to clean up to sitting at the bar at PJs for the game. I left dirty dishes in the kitchen, the first time in the van and prolly for my life. I lived as I cleaned up after watching the Zags win. PJs was dead, at game’s end I was the only patron. Justin, the bartender, told me earlier that if the place was dead he would turn down the jukebox music and turn up the announcers for the game. Which he did.

Yesterday I returned to my existing dentist’s chair for determining what was still causing my head pain. Dentist took full head X ray and tapped and probed the upper left teeth. Furthest molar became the tooth of interest. Reading Xray revealed that that molar was dying(?) & dumping bad stuff into rest of my body. Root canal ruled out, extraction cures my head ache and possibly other issues. Next week that tooth is down the road.

Rain still falling.

Later

This wash dumps into Dry Beaver which is now raging dumping into Wet Beaver which is per its namesake. Verde Valley School road to go out to Turkey creek crosses several washes on pavement that are posted do not enter if flooded. Several more crossings are on dirt surface. People live on the other side of respective washes. They are either staying or can’t get back. More wet forecast. More sitting inside. Color of water is red as that is the color of the eroded sandstone being carried downstream until flow can no longer carry it. The 2 big man made impoundments on the Colorado River are settlement basins raising the riverbed lessening amount of water standing. 30 feet ain’t 30 feet no more so to speak.

Sitting inside: I am comfortable, I have what I need or make do. I believe I have sufficient water and propane to make it to tomorrow and eatables for same.

Yesterday I failed to put the cover over my bike when rain was not falling and in spite of forecast. My bike remains uncovered, when does it becoming too wet to cover? That time passed. Nature is pouring water on the upward facing surfaces then dripping to the underside carrying caked dirt then dripping onto jobox. Just not forcefully hitting the under surfaces. The 2 cables are completely shielded, be the shits if rain enters at bar end. Leaving a bike uncovered in this intensity of rain is a first. Add this to dirty dish first. First tooth extraction.

I switched to a 28T chain ring for easier pedaling that I hoped would ease my pedaling effort which it did. I started with a 30T count that I have ridden for years when I switched to a 1by drivetrain. The revel website read a 32T was max size ring. I asked them what effect the 28T would have. Answer: bike designed for a 32T and smaller size detracts from suspension performance. I suppose that going back to 30T gets suspension working better. I’m having a problem wrapping my head around the larger more demanding effort 32T to get the optimum suspension. Have to go thru 5 stages of acceptance. I run an 11 speed 11x46T cassette.