The ride, not me.

Sunday was a rainy day and no ride. Drove … crapy software ate my effort. Shower at RV place outside Cottonwood, back to Sedona for wash. Out @ desert. Weather cleared as day progressed. Did get a rain squall soaking. In bed when i heard scratching coming from front of van, near as I could tell it was outside the firewall. Got dressed & put on the headlamp and opened the hood. An animal was making a nest on top of engine. Animal was sized like a rat as it jumped out. Discarded the cedar chewing and a piece of insulation. Last of the intruder.

Called Jeff Sunday night to get his ride schedule: meet 9:00AM @ Schnebly rd. I weas there and he was late. I was all but reaching for my phone to call when it rang. It was Jeff: where am I? They drove right by me uphill to the trailhead parking lot.

Today it is Hangover, the 3rd of the H’s: Highline, Hogs, & Hangover. Trails were a bit wet and the slick rock was not always it’s most traction grapping. 8 mile loop, 1 hr 22 mins, 1700 vert. But the devil is in the trail routing & construction. I walked a bit of it. Maybe 18″ wide trail tucked right under vertical wall of sandstone, blind corners snaking under protruding overhangs: 26″ wide bars bouncing off inside rock and steered back by tree on outside edge stopping a fall off the cliff. Then there was the rollover switchback, knife crack line on the slickrock. Over my head which wasn’t really committed today. Wanted to ride in my brain but not in my heart. I slipped & fell walking the hero drop in from the saddle, butt & left forearm.

Cut ride plan short. Called Redrock precision motors to see if they could do the wiring on my van today. Bingo! yes they can. Took some understanding of what i wanted and how to make it happen. My stereo is now connected to the camper batteries away from rig battery. I can now listen to XM and know that the engine has juice to start.

Quiet night @ Beaverhead. Forecast called for rain by 11:00. I made events complete to be able to leave B & B before the rain. Made it.

Ride plan is from B & B, up lower shady ( or some other name) to H…e, out baldwin, up Templeton, down Cathedral rock path to wash to HT and find equestrian bypass Gonzo showed me. Couldn’t find it. I was climbing up and Wes, Kenny, & Gayle zoomed down by me. They were going to ride what i just rode. I lacked the energy & desire to ride H…e again. Ran into then again while they were taking a break. Joshed around some more. Turned down second invite. Finished off w/ upper shady with it’s technical climb. Engine dipping into tapped out zone for riding but strong for hike a bike. Still can’t make the climbing to the left switchback that is armored w/ pieced in rock. Failure is an inside downhill fall onto pavers. And the clouds were clearing off. No rain. Great riding weather.

Hung @ B & B for awhile goofing.

groceries and drive out to deer pass and hope my spot is open and clean. It was, however they left a bed of coals burning under the ash.

Watched Gonzaga beat USF to win the WCC. Next stop is WCC tournament next weekend. Then the NCAA big dance. Some say Gonzaga could be seeded for Spokane venue.

Rain drops on the roof. Pitter patter and then silence….. more pitter patter… Forecast is for rain tonight & tomorrow.

I wonder if bad riding habits persist regardless of what bike enhancements are made. I noticed on the first several rides on the new bike it and I  opened some moves but a short while later I fell to same bad habits. Tubeless tires was next big change. Pumped success for several rides then bad stuff again. Maybe I get away w/ more mistakes that turn into success. I will learn to better ride my ride.

Yesterday dawned clear & warmed up. Today is a rest day and I have a list of tasks to accomplish. No rush to hit road. The dead battery halted the road. Used laptop & wireless internet card to find a roadside shop in Sedona. Called on cell phone. driver called to affirm location. Called AAA to rejoin. Eventually got back to Spokane where I previously belonged. They waived new member fee. I bought basic membership as greater roadside assistance is in my RV insurance. I have used my yearly limit but AAA is boundless. WA membership is cheaper than AZ fee. Service guy plugged in small battery onto mine and the engine started right away. Been doing a lot of short driving w/ no extended driving to really charge the battery. The camper batteries being charged from overflow to rig battery and the solar collector remain mostly fully charged. Today I used the Web again this time to find a service garage in Sedona to rewire the stereo to the camper batteries and then I can rock all night.

Bought propane now that temp is above freezing and their valve is unfrozen. Would have run out last night.

Push to get to Hilton for shower before my granter of special privilege goes off shift. Made it.

Back to B & B to install Maxxis Ardent & make it tubeless. Scored. Hung @ shop goofing & talking trail system issues. Big issue is publishing trail description on the web. Many of trails are not approved but many ride them. Calling attention to these trails might not be in best interest of local riders. Jimmie told me there are maybe 30 riders who live here, the rest are tourons riding trails they found on the web. Might not be here to see how it plays out.

Back down to Beaverhead flats camp. Beaver creek is still flowing w/ runoff. Pulled in to my spot I passed a pickup maybe 150′ away. I was putzing around inside my van and saw that I needed h2o that i forgot to get earlier. Drove out and pickup was almost in my camp. Was I being selected? Drove up to VOC. Chair massage was offered. I sprung for 20 mins w/ instructions to work on hurting lower back. Woman was weak on power massage. I felt like I was being caressed not stress relieved. She said that she detected no abnormalities from crash. Back out to camp. Truck was gone. Before dark several rigs cruised thru. None stopped.

This camp gets the sun earlier. Connected small solar collector to power the stereo. Rig started when I needed. Back up to VOC. Parked & dug into GPS manual to learn how to creak a track and to see how to retrace the route. Thinking is to load ride data in a GPS and rent it. user lets GPS guide the rider on prepared ride thus the rider never gets lost. Most of the mtn bikers are tourons and are lost. Having difficulty making the GPS follow the track back. Emailed Garmin seeking solution.

Made B & B for afternoon shop ride. Owner Jimmie,  wrenches Jason & Richard, and me headed out.  Rode hard, stopped several times but less than MBH rides. Enjoying 2.4 tubeless tires inflated to 23 psi. I have such a Sedona bike now and it is great. 3 hrs 21 mins for 14.42 miles and 1744′ vert. Rode neglected trail strewn w/ loose rock today better than I did on Tuesday w/ Jeff. Tires big difference. Ardent tires roll faster than Nevegals. Finished just before sundown. Bike is so much fun to ride, best bike ever.

back out to Beaverhead camp after dark. No rigs have passed thru.