This morning as I lay under my covers I heard the sound of sprinkles hitting the van’s roof. Forecast wanted some wet, a chance of. I planned on creating this entry and not exercising. Been putting off sharing. Days and events have transpired.

Here goes, random ramblings as recall flares.

Yesterday a trip to health food store in Cottonwood was in order to resupply gluten free Happy Camper bread. Oh, while I was there Doug spooled me up on a ride at newer trail system on the shoulder of Mingus Mtn collectively called Blowout Wash. This would be my first ride here. Trail is in Prescott NF. Doug previously rode here, today he wanted to ride Copper Chief out and back, really up then down. Per TF trails is 4.7 miles climbing 951′ while loosing 200′ that had to be reclimbed.

Trails we rode were machine built sustainably carved. Started climbing from fisrt pedal and kept after it with short coast pieces for recovery that had to be regained. I struggled pushing on my pedals.

I was so far behind Doug. Ride was 11.5 miles climbing 1339′ pedaling for 1 hr 44 mins. Longest sustained climb here in Sedona. I met Doug at his turn around spot, enough for me. Turn around and mostly coast back. We started and finished on Blowout Canyon trail which had many tight blind turns in places that provided spots for off the edge out slope leaving the trail. It was a hump.

Last weekend was the Sedona Mountain bike festival at Posse grounds. I attended on Sat. So many many people, mountain bikers. Big event, I heard the festival brings in the most visitors to town. Packed. Freehub Mag had their booth right at entrance. I visited with several staff members and Brandon, the publisher. Freehub made a film about me in addition to an article. I am part of the community the magazine creates. I moved on to REVEL’s booth for a visit. I told one REVEL staff that my bike had been ridden 533 times. I even spoke with one of the founders about my bike’s use. They missed an opportunity for testimonial. Lastly was the I9 booth for a visit with David whom we have known each other for years, we met at previous festival. I am riding I9 built wheels. Then I walked around sharing spaces with way many people. That night Freehub hosted a party that cost $10 to attend that I chose not to attend. I might have attended to visit with Brandon in crowded noisy fleeting conversation venue but that visit occurred at their booth. Didn’t ride to not put another rider on crowded trails. Mass number of riders. Way over my head.

Sunday Doug and I rode in the morning out at Western Gateway expecting crowded trails. Beautiful riding day on fewer than 20 riders during our 11.7 miles climbing 1115′ pedaling for 1 hr 42 mins. See the elevation gain and compare to Blowout Wash, today’s ride had the climb but it occurs in short bursts.

Sunday after my ride I returned to festival with intent to roll my bike to REVEL booth to show them my  533 ridden bike. Again, non plussed. I learned at Freehub booth that they showed the film they made about me.

Current forecast calls for snow but no accumulation. March weather. I will be sleeping on pavement for several days till primitive desert firms up. Stay off the dirt when wet as it can be very slippery dependent upon the amount of precip fell.

Mid March, almost equinox. Time winding down for this visit. No burning desire to leave except before temps are too high for exertion comfort. Pulling will be snow free and warmed climes to head north. I have no quest to find unridden trails.

Freehub published a photo book about Arkansas. Familiar trails and people I have ridden and met during my visits. I did like my time in Arkansas.

Sucker hole closing. Hunkered down in my van.

Last night SMC beat the Zags to win both the regular season title and tournament champ. Zags attending the Big Dance hinge on at large invite. I have allowed that loss to affect me. Time will pass to recover.

Replaced my worn front tire as the side knobs have been torn loose, 12xx miles. Rear tire will be replaced when it arrives at bikes shop. Rear is mostly worn on traction knobs. $8X per tire.

This amount of typing has produced hurt in my right shoulder. Time to hang up. Rain is now falling.

Today in my personal history was the first day of my full time employment starting as a laborer in a sand foundry back in 1972. Manheim, PA.

 

I saw that prompt, works for a title.

The store where I have bought my propex heaters from also repairs them which is why I sent the failed one to for exam. Report back was cause of failure was it was filled with dirt size dust. Disturbing images of clogging seen in pics they sent. the intake opening is at floor level at the back of the van, far away from foot traffic. I whisk broom the carpet almost everyday staring at the back and working forward. Heater works like a floor vacuum. I now will have a working spare. I put i layer of cheesecloth over the intake as filter, too much filter restricts the fan.

Clean clothes on leap year day.

Thurs Doug and I left Sunset park riding Old Post to Skywalker, then social descent on under the radar. Today my body refused full effort, include the brain as caution level was high.

Afterwards drove back down to VOC in preparation for Zags game at PJs starting at 9. Late night game. Zags won. Slept at outlet mall parking lot.

Friday I made a rest day out off beaverhead. Winds picking up.

Sat I returned to VOC hoping to ride before forecasted high winds kicked up dust. Wind velocity was already increasing, A sucker hole around wind speeds. Today I would be riding by myself and I would exert at my pace. I rode my standard Llama route. At the problem I exerted a less than aggressive effort resulting in stalling short of top, I did keep my butt off the prickly pear. Ride was 10.8 pedaling for 1 hr 36 mins climbing 971′, average bpm was 110, most effort was at aerobic and below effort. Big take away was I exerted less for similar length of time from previous ride, although today was .13 mph average faster. So ride by myself lessens heart rate while increasing performance.

Sat night the Zags visit  Saint Marys, now the winner of the conference after beating the Zags at home. Zags need this win to enhance their selection to the big dance. Anticipation. I parked at mall then walked about 2 blocks to PJs scoring a bar seat right under a big screen TV. Odds were strongly for SMC. Zags started with their pedals on the go pedal to go on top quickly, odds decreased for SMC switching over to favor Zags in increasing probability to final win. Outstanding team effort. Next up for them is semifinal round of WCC tournament this weekend. Then selection Sunday.

Jimmy sent this:

Previous post title was Let’s See.

I find many ways or reasons to not create this blog. I visit with people, I park out of internet access, I ride my bike, hike with Doug, just plain do nothing.

I’m still here in Sedona finding things to do from the time I wake up (6:00AM) to time I slide onto bed (10:00PM). Many days I ride following Doug’s lead, on non ride days I hike with Doug, and some days I couch potato if I had one.

My new Propex heater only arrived at RV shop 2 Tues ago, on Wed it was installed. The wrenches at the shop have experience R&R that heater. Fired right away sending sound of running correctly. It’s thermostatically controlled, its output is all or nothing. Chilly nights provided heater runs for comfort. Starts every time. I sent the dead one to the seller for their examination. To me living in the van with the heater running, listening to maybe Outlaw Country on XM, maybe engaged in energy replenishment and subsequent clean up is like being in a house. Just like home comfort.

Doug and my riding preferences align for pedal trails with some chunder and preferred riding direction. I have ridden most of them with Doug and Doug has ridden some that I have yet to ride because of our preferences. Big attraction to ride Sedona are the 3 Hs: Highline, Hogs, and Hangover. And you tube videos are uploaded. Each of those 3 have their pucker moments. The falls might have greater consequences, However, many of the pedal trails have challenging features with minimal exposure. However, a body in motion not on a bike hits an immovable object (s), read: rock. Bodily damage. Yet the posted videos ignore the pedal chunder action.

Skywalker, Scorpion, and Sketch (SSS) ride Doug has not led me on. On Monday after shoulder PT I set out to add to my yearly trails ridden here. I parked at Sunset Park then rode pavement for 200 yards to trailhead for Old Post. Red dirt. I helped build a piece of a reroute. As I rode the corridor I helped clear I connected to trail and mountain bikers. Contribution. Skywalker starts at junction with Old Post. Skywalker is a reroute of old social Bike Path. One tech feature, a wash crossing, causes hike a bike. It climbs and descends to end out at the high school. Cross the road to start Scorpion which is a challenging test of balance, speed, and line over basalt babyheads less than 16” high. I still walk the same places. Trail descends down passing where I fell 2(?) years ago to connect with Ramshead  Cross the road for a short steep climb to start of Ridge. Secret Slick Rock is short pedal away.  Ridge recrosses the road and climbs over many rock outcroppings to junction of final S, Sketch. The original trail was social then FS adopted it into trail system. Plenty of exposure on sketchy tread. I walk the same features. Sketch connects to Ridge, ending on Carroll canyon back to TH. 10.3 miles, climbing 1178’, pedaling for 1 hr 41 mins, average beats per minute 118. This is a hard ride with many, many body damaging features.

Other rides have been on Western Gateway trails following Doug. One ride we rode just system trails. One was Aerie. We rode it from the north which uses gravity to negotiate the many sandstone features. No basalt. First is a climb reaching a high point then the happiness of a full suspension 165 and 170 cm suspension travel.

What catclaw looks like, each of above plants are branches with hooks:

Last Wed afternoon was filled with classic sucker holes. Forecast called for strong probability of showers in afternoon. Threatening clouds at wake up bode precip. I was near Cottonwood and Dead Horse ride for heater install. Skies cleared while there. My plan was to drive into Cottonwood and possible ride. Start of sucker holes. From time in sunshine at RV shop to stepping outside from health food store skies lived up to forecast for short intense dump. Shortly blues skies arrived. Sucker hole or start of fair weather? I did not take the bait as I drove out to Beaverhead spot. Before dark another sucker hole opened and closed. Would have been drenched.

OK edible is kicking in. Another reason to not create. Thought process seems to fire. My spelling is affected. I’m creating this in WORD because very slow internet. I’m leaving this in. Internet speed picked up, I am now on line. Condition remains the same.

Bike data: 2 3/4 years of me riding it for 525 rides covering 6,942 miles.