Last night’s forecast for today looked wet. Didn’t happen, instead was a nice warm day.

Rallied @ MBH for Wed shop ride. Rama, Doug, Jan, and me, the interloper plus 2 additional women part of the larger riding group who dropped out.  Long ride later we picked up Dry Creek that is running now from recent rains. Runoff has rearranged rocks & edges creating sand banks & rock gardens. This bike is just phenomenal. Riding in these rock strewn washes it moves over the rocks. Except 1 time @ a creek crossing in the water I stalled and went down hard and wet, clipped in. Sort of like a turtle  flipped on its back. Flick my feet to disengage the shoe, hence me, from the pedal, hence the bike. Works well in the parking lot but on my side w/ the bike levered away increasing difficulty to click free. Bike gear I wear wicks h2o left me drying out quickly, except for my feet. Wet sandy ride wearing on brake parts. Been using Squirt chain lube from Hurricane. Its some kind of wax base that dries leaving a clean chain. Remarkable.

My bike frame is unfinished metal. I scratched it during my fall. Just marked the metal vs scrapping paint off.

Landed on my left foot and left shoulder. Put an ice pack on the foot and did the muscle tests for rotator cuff damage. Shoulder works but hurts. Come on Advil.

Ride up wet Dry Creek was pretty. Normally it is dry, enough h2o flows thru to water good tree cover. The AZ cypress look very blue thru my rode tinted glasses.

Added additional miles to my resume. So many miles of ST from fairly easy to white knuckle exposed drops. Really like riding here and on my new bike. Rama commented that I have gotten much better. Validation.

Ah, Sedona in the winter.

Monday dilly dallied here @ camp. Not really a camp, just an unimproved flat spot just off rough gravel road. I pull in, park, & spend the night. Leave the next AM and possibly return the next night. So far the preferred spot I found has been free every night. I like to get out here b4 dark, I don’t like to drive around here in the dark looking for an open spot. For the most part i have had this entire camp spot all for myself. Sits up offering some skyscape views back into Sedona or west over Cottonwood to mtns above city. OK spot.

Parked @ MBH for ride. Goofed w/ Rama.

Headed out w/ a large ambition. Getting to know the bike better. I rode up the spot where I fell on last ride.  Just got it done. Intended to add Ledge n’ airy to my route making the ride worthy of all day ride. The miles of trails that are on so little land boggles the orientated person. So many small sections of trails, all named. Rama says that I was in for a big day. Ledge n’ Airy is a tough trail. I refocused my efforts on getting back to shop while riding on S side of hwy.

Loaded up and headed down canyon and camped @ beaverhead flats S of oak Creek.  Today’s schedule is for early ride from B & B and finish by 12:00, hit the Hilton for a shower, and then  drive back to camp @ Deer Creek staging for Wed ride from MBH on west side of  West Sedona.

Nice day for ride, short sleeves but knee warmers. Intended to retrace ride I did w/ Gonzo. Encountered a lone woman hiker going my way. I said hello to her and said something about scaring her. After passing her I picked up another piece of trail heading back the way i came. She came around the corner. We stopped. She is german. She told me I need to relax and smile and enjoy my ride instead of grimacing and being wound up. I told her that is who I am and I can not be a mellow johnie like her. Friendly banter. Dropped down steep hiking trail, again down the biggest drop that felt comfortable. Wandered up the wash, made a different turn, and rode on.

On the Highline trail I heard voices. I greeted whomever it was and was beset by 3 non threatening barking border collie type dogs. The voices were from a rock climber grunting over some climbing problems. he yelled @ his dogs but he had no control over them. One was blocking the trail and didn’t appear to be inclined to move off. I bumped it w/ my front wheel like I would have done to a dog of my own. The dog put on the good stage jump. The climber took me to task for hitting his dog. I chose not to get into a pissing contest about him having dogs off leash.

Rode on. Came to a nasty short piece of trail that crossed a dirt slope on just about a wheel width wide, loose dirt. Room only for 1 bike. I might have been going downhill which means that a rider coming the other way had the right of way. Darn, a woman rider came around the corner. I committed and apologized for not waiting. She said no problem. I received a Facebook from her husband. Somehow he tracked me down. They are from Wisconsin for a month, own a bike shop.

Bought propane: 5 gals, almost out. Thought about putting off fueling until tomorrow. I would have run out part way thru cooking today’s dinner probably.

Oh, the Hilton shower. Made the spa in time. At front desk learned that there was no hot h2o in the locker rooms. The desk guy learned that emails were sent from maintenance to management that didn’t share w/ their staff. Rats no shower. Plan B is to drive back up canyon and down to Cottonwood for a shower @ RV park and drive back 8 miles to camp thus staging a clean body for tomorrow’s MBH ride. Forecast is calling for showers for several days.

Really liking the bike. It is so mild mannered. I sit pedaling for all uphills unless it is a power grunt move. Rick taught me to sit centered, loosely grip the bars, and pedal. Randy, the front stays glued to the ground w/ the 5.9″ fork. I am using less than recommended positive air pressure (spring) which makes the shock more supple which helps keep the front end down on climbs. I haven’t bottomed out either end of suspension.

I saw a Pisgah Works stickie @ B & B. Gonzo said a guy gave it to shop and that this guy had ridden back in Pisgah. Need to track this guy down to learn of his connection w/ Bruce.

The 7 Springs ride outside Phoenix was cancelled because of flood damage to road. Sunday’s MBH ride will be just a shop ride.

A bit cloudy upon looking out windows. Forecast is for mostly sunny. Yesterday’s ride was on primo trail conditions w/ just a right amount of h2o in the sand. Hope today’s ride bears well.

Arrived @ MBH after a scratch huckleberry pancake recipe. The berries are from last summer’s picking. I couldn’t find buttermilk for the recipe. Yesterday i splurged on a quart w/ a pull date of 2/10. Need to have another pancake bfast. Freezer temp fluctuates causing the berries to go thru numerous freeze thaw cycles. Enjoyable non the less.

Crowd @ MBH gathered, all usuals and a new guy and that became his name. For me I am becoming Craig. Great validation and creating a sense of community. Yes and no that this comadre applies during the rides only. No invites for shower or place to crash but I haven’t been soliciting.

Today’s ride was way west of town, darn near where I have been camping 7.5 miles from shop. Bike continues to please. Ability to ride thru rock gardens and step ups. It weighs 29.5 pounds w/ a small amount of Sedona sand added. Not a light bike, it is a Sedona bike. I measured the used travel on the front fork after today’s ride: 5 1/4″ used out of 5.9″ No bottom out, nice and soft. The suspension allows the bike to set down on tech stuff. The wheels seem to follow the terrain versus being bounced around. The rear shock that has been custom tuned by PUSH is very supple, I move the ORing to almost off the shock body during compression. This means that PUSH has given me literally all the shock has to give. Super ride.

Back out @ Deer pass for the night. More showers coming in mid week. Will ride by myself tomorrow enhanced skills.