Many days have run their course since last posting. Starting on the 6th a rain event moved in soaking trails and whoever ventured out of shelter. On the 8th snow fell sticking around melting for several days. On the 11th I joined Doug, Leia, and dog Swift on a hike around, up and down Scheurman mtn on the other side of 89A from Cultural Park. Nice day and dry trails. That was Sunday. Friend Steve from Wood River, ID arrived later that night.

Monday was next day of riding. Doug lead Steve and I out from bottom of Canyon of Fools. Our route crossed running Dry Creek 2 times, one crossing was stepping stones dry, the other was stepping stones until a deep pool too wide to step across necessitating a bush bash around. Steve visits me where I have beaucoup local knowledge and I visit him back in Wood River drainage and he returns the favor. Albeit here many more trail choices confront the unfamiliar rider.

Tues we rode Rabbit Ears loop down at VOC.

On Wed the 3 of us started riding a route that Steve says I gave to him and he wanted to repeat it, all system trails. I convinced Steve for a modification to eliminate an out and back part section. Another crossing of running Dry Creek on stepping stones.We rode a good chunk of Last Frontier over to Out Limits. Once on Outer with its climbs and  rock problems Steve searched his memory as to why he wanted to repeat.

Thurs was a rest day for both of us. We watched the Zags game at PJs. Of course cleaned clothes in the morning.

Friday was the Llama problem. Steve, Doug, and I gave it a go. Today on my 3rd attempt I made it to the top. Steve and Doug not so.

Friday was Steve’s last ride here, he drove away Sat morn back to horse camp in CA.

Sat I rode with Matt and Ian down to ride a new to me piece of Black Canyon Trail. We met Jimmy and Christine at TH. The BCT is a point to point trail with 2 side loops. Tough riding an out and back because what went down must be climbed back up.

Just a pedal ride in open desert. Jimmy and Christine live in Prescott which still is under snow so this trail is what they can ride and it’s about half way between here and their there. Rode it, been done with it.

Sunday I rode by myself out at WG. packed parking lot but ran into so few number of others to count. Prefer riding under trees with short sight lines and rocks on tread.

Propex heater really shit the bed to failure. I decided to buy a new one to be installed this Wed and return the dead one for repair consideration.  Switched back to cat / infrared heater for warmth. Both heaters produce heat from burning propane. The Propex is thermostatically controlled and consumes battery to run the blower, however it is a dry heat. The cat uses no electric but is controlled by valve opening. I am still warm.

I have been sleeping on pavement since the 31st, either Doug’s driveway or outlet mall in VOC.

Presently at 4:33 temp is 64 and the side door is open. Sundown is 6:18. I am at Cultural Park now exposed to sky and scenery. Cockscomb is visible a short air miles away.

My right shoulder is being treated by PT Eric, another active mountain biker. His efforts have decreased the constant pain, I have great range of motion for damage. His advice is to avoid surgery until pain becomes intolerable. Good news for me to continue my life. A surgeon sees a repair, the PT sees making it work in as is condition.

Chocolate seems to cause intense heart burn. Darn.

Today Doug, Swift and I went for a shorter hike out Old Post and Carrol canyon under above conditions. No snow, dry trails.

Sort of caught up.

 

 

Sat Doug, Leia, and dog Swift joined me on a long hike down here in VOC. We started from Jack’s Canyon TH to hike up Rabbit Ears and beyond. Beautiful day, no crowd. Over hiked estimate of time finishing with  4 hour hike. Wandered down Waterfall trail, we found a way trail that ended up at the base of Rabbit Ears. Th is piece of trail was well worn down indicating Rabbit was popular at one time. I sought info at local outdoor shop, I was told the feature is a classic Sedona climb but Sedona rock is not sought after. Trail wear indicates many feet made their way to the base. Back at the TH Leia accepted task of removing cactus spines. Bare butt gave her access to embedded spines that she dug out. Ah, comfort.

Forecast called for nasty wet event staring today and lasting thru week which will soak the trails. Ride while dry. And that Doug and I did. Sunday we rode from Cultural Park pedaling over to Mescal. Once we hit Chuck Wagon trail from Dry Creek TH we shared the trail with many, many hikers. Weekends are popular days. Once past trail leading to Devil’s Bridge we had the trail to ourselves until Mescal. Tread was still damp for good traction which was a hinderance on pedaling up steep slick rock as sand clung to tire knobs.

We started from an old gravel pit off Dry Creek road, a place where firearms are discharged, the blasts buffeting my eardrums. The noise makers and the silent users conflict. Explosions range from .22 single shot to semi auto of much larger calibers. Their sound validated our  return trail selection. Should shooting going off when we return, no lingering and drive away. 12.8 miles climbing 1214′, pedaling for 2 hr 8 mins. Appears that my heart rate is lowering from either conditioning or running out of breath and not able to pedal to work my heart. I am running out of breath seems earlier than before my fall last summer. I might be missing something I have not recovered.

Shooting drove me away.

Still mid afternoon on a sunny winter day to be enjoyed out at Cultural Park for out of city space. Sedona is built up to the Forest Service, public land, boundaries. At the Cultural Park, now owned by the City,  it is right against FS land accessing the Western Gateway trails. I ride from here most rides. Where Doug is looking is typical of the physical land and flora, the trails are in the trees, perhaps Mescal Trail, which traverses the sandstone at the height of Doug’s helmet. That is rare mountain biking terrain. So close. Doug and Leia’s place is maybe 3 miles away into town.

Sedona mountain biking is special. And how so? Red rock, green trees over my head, unsmooth tread, traction, physically and mental challenging. High desert making for open to the ground spaces. Many rocks host plant growth to create a like copper tarnished patina. Green manzanita and bare branches cat claw.

Spent the night in town.

Sunday morning Doug called the ride to meet at CP at 12. The ride today was to ride Cherry Stem,(?) way out the way. Memory identifies these ridden trails: Roundabout, Girdner, Axis, Bolo, Last Frontier, social for Cherry stem and back joining Outer Limits, a short social, Last Frontier, Bolo, Axis. The CP is high point making trails down on the way out but climbing to finish a ride. Axis climb from Dry Creek crossing to home is an intense 1.46 mile climb gaining 285′ pedaling non stop for 16 mins. You got to pay to play. 11.5 miles climbing 1230′ pedaling for 1 hr 49 mins. Territory etc was similar to above pics.

These rides are demanding both up and down. Chose lines to reward the bike’s prowess, a Revel Rail 650b wheel size. Suspension is 170 on Fox 36 fitted with Diaz’s RUNT, and 165 on rear. Industry Nine Hydra hub and carbon rims. I don’t ride hard hits as either I chose another line, or make bike and me weigh less to float over. The entirety  of the bike is substantive. The suspension just hooks up when power is put to the pedals, the suspension works to keep pedaling constant. I am continually improving and gaining confidence.

Last night Leia fixed a baked dinner. She wanted to host a traditional evening meal and to make it using the oven as I can’t make oven foods. Spent the night in their driveway, my city anchorage.

Wet forecast has become reality. At times in the night I heard spits of rain. Rain settled in off and on since 9AM. During the night the heater failed to light causing me to twist the control knob in the correct sequence to reset ignition. Heater lit which turns on it’s green LED on control box, changes the pitch of the blowers, and blows out heated air. The panel is at the back end of the van. Sitting in the turned around driver’s seat I look the length of the van for me to see the green LED. The heater shuts off when thermostat sends command. Silence. Temperature drops past setting which starts ignite sequence of initial blower sound lasting about 30 seconds. A faint ignition sound is produced which also turns on green light. Unfortunately 100% of the time it doesn’t ignite. Every time ignition is to occur I look hard at the control panel seeking the green light. The heater does keep me warm, not toasty.

So, hunkered down parked at the mall. Next to nothing solar charge. Here for the night then back up to Sedona for a PT session, then back down here to watch Zag’s game at PJs, then back to Sedona on Thurs for laundry and more hunkering down out of nasty conditions. Sunday’s forecast is for no precip. Trails will need to dry out before riding.

The 2 contractors I was in contact with me did not respond to my request for more discreet pricing. I must reconsider my house build.

Phooey. My right cheek is a pin cushion of prickly pear spines as I rear ended sat down on same on botched attempt on Llama problem. I hit the approach with speed carrying me some ways up the ramp then I stalled and started sliding downhill. To stop reverse direction I sat to the right blindly as stopping was paramount. My right cheek was the stopping part on a prickly pear. I stood back up removing a generous quantity of spines attached to my shorts into my skin. The larger spines were easy to pull out of my flesh, others were either embedded in my liner or my skin. I dropped my drawers then felt for spines to pull out. I pulled out the spines that were on my saddle contact patch. Afterwards and still to now I bare my butt and feel for spines and blindly pinch what i hope is a spine. Nobody willing to face my naked butt to pull the remainders. Hazard of the locale.

Tues Doug lead 3 newbies to pleasures of social trails out western gateway trails. Matt and Alex were new to what they rode, they also put s hurt on Ground Control and Shithole, very skilled riders. Beautiful day, shorts top and bottom.

Monday I drove up to Flag via the canyon to visit primary care DR. A law breaking driver almost changed my locomotion to the DR by passing a truck on a double yellow line and only by me stopping did he avoid my grill. Could have been an ambulance ride. Flag is about 7,000′, above town is the highest peak in the state.

Weather here is now in a wet wash cycle. Yesterday forecast wanted rain at times during the day. Doug and I hiked other side of 89A down then returned up nasty herkinham. I stayed at the park for dinner. A short lived thunderstorm settled in shortly after we completed our hike. We beat the wet by less than 30 mins. Desert is now prolly to wet for my travel so I will be mixing pavement spots of the mall and Doug’s city driveway. I put the rain cover over my bike while the skies were still blue.

Zags host ST Mary’s tomorrow night, televised on espn, bar side watch at PJs.

Hunkered down at mall. Occasional squalls intermixed with teeny patches of blue.

Saga of house building on La Pine property as last 2 contractors I connected with are more expensive than I have funds for. Prices are in $300,000 for my small house. Sheesh how expensive small is.