Post eye exam dilating drops. Could see real good in 26 degs around sunlight 7:30 when 2 hot air balloons appeared. I watched the closer pilot spill air and heat to ride and fall to clear a slight ridge between him and me where he was going to land. Somehow the balloon can be steered if that is a word. Managed to drop it right on road and might have stayed out of the junipers this time.

Nice cloudless morn, below freezing. Forecast was for 40s. Drove into town w/ time on my hands and only the 3:15 eye appointment. Stopped @ Sedona library to read newspapers but they were busy so I magazine read Nat Geo cover article on polygamists in FLDS and Colorado City. Church demands church members which can be accomplished by having many wives and their role is to bear children. Nice library. Saw many older people. Do I consider myself “old People”? I believe that they are all older than my 60.

Put my original Eggbeaters on as they appear to be less worn than the newer pair. The older pair probably started getting lose so I bought a new pair. The new pair has eclipsed the older pair such that what was old is now new. Yesterday removing the pedal from my road bike I tightened the pedal in the crank arm. I tried removing it w/o putting on the front wheel which would have helped me to loosen in correct direction. Stopped @ MBH and Bob put a cheater on the allen and clamped the other crank arm in the vise. Once he figured out which way to turn and applied force the allen started flexing and he was afraid that he might snap it before the pedal let loose. Another heave and it spun free.

Eye exam using VSP insurance and selected eye clinic in Sedona. Eyes are in great shape just my lenses are starting to form cataracts which is a normal part of aging. So small a change from present prescription that i will continue w/ current lenses. I have an astigmatism in my right eye which is far sighted. My left eye is near sighted. I don’t wear my prescription glasses for outside activities. maybe the different sightedness causes bal;ance problems on my bike? One eye commanding the body to change focal lengths for clear vision. Left says close up I want to see what i am going to fall in. Right demanding to look further down the trail for more places to check up closely.

Drove back to Deer Pass into the setting sun on dilated eyes. I stopped for a beer @ Oak Creek brew pub as a way to spend time in a dimly lit place. Made just a beer. I need more people to have a better chance of a conversation.

Freeze over night last night made for thaw mud above freezing. The dirt gets slimy slippery and sticks to tires, so far not so badly as to stop the wheels from turning like they did in China wash in Hurricane, UT. And the 4″ of rain saturated the soil. And yesterday’s ride was muddy, today would have been more of the same.

Going to check forecast for need to ride tomorrow b4 next rain. Will try down near B & B as it has more sand and slick rock. Position myself for shower down canyon.

Greg from Turner called today and we firmed up shipping for this Wed on my request as the front wheel’s arrival is unknown and I can not store the frame in my van. Learned wheel was shipped today from somewhere via USPS. PUSHed shock arrives Tues.

Broke a rear spoke on my Sun ride right @ the nipple. Gear cluster which is steel grinds it’s way onto aluminum free wheel on Chris King hub which is normal. getting them off requires some skill.

Zags are ranked 8 in ESPN. Bill’s Kentucky is ranked number 1.

Javelinas are present even in outskirts of Sedona. Last night’s scat was left in library parking lot for close examination of their diet which doesn’t completely digest. Got pictures.

Same camper as last night is here again w/ his generator going to power his trailer.

As in not flushed away. Weathered 2 days of rain w/ just a small drip that will be chased down once it warms up early this week.

Quiet night behind shop. Sat is a drive to Prescott to attend an IMBA pitch to local elected officials . Local riders have an idea of making Prescott into an IMBA ride center. The regional IMBA guy, the past trail crew team spoke and audience listened and asked questions. Us mountain bikers are an older bunch, lot of gray hair in the crowd. The new trail care crew team was present in a learning capacity. They are like 5 days into their job. Friday night they were stopped @ a traffic light in their IMBA Subaru when an out of control driver T boned them aft of the driver’s door. Shaken but OK. Spoke w/ Robert whom I met at the Black Canyon trail ribbon cutting. Prescott was under about 3″ of snow. It will be more weeks before their trails are rideable. I understand there are miles of good riding to be had there abouts.

Oak Creek canyon didn’t flood as predicted. There is some snow up high that will flow down. Driving S from Oak Creek the hwy crosses Dry Beaver creek. Other drives over the creek bed it was just that: dry. This trip to Prescott is was a thick chocolate color splashing down hill. Seeing it w/ h2o was different than it’s being dry. It means a lot of rain hit the earth and it was moving down hill.

Found a seculed parking spot behind a bank right on main drag of 89A in West Sedona to spend the night. I bought deli prepared food from New Frontier which is a big health grocery store. Hunkered down in van to watch the Zags win.

When I dirtbag camp I don’t sleep as restful. Last night I lay in bed listening to sounds and hoped than none would come my way.

Chilly 29 degs @ 7:15. Sun cleared canyon walls and shone on peaks to my West. How spectacular. This place is so drop dead beautiful. Windshield had 3″ of frost telling me it was below freezing. Darn, I have a growing crack in my windshield and it is right in my vision. I am waiting for it to run to see how bad and how long I can put off replacing it. Crack started from window edge from a rock chip.

Drove over to Mtn bike Heaven for 10:00 ride. Ground was frozen so today’s ride would be muddy from freeze thaw and from rain. Ride postponed till 11:00. Small group of Rama, Doug, Kenny, Tim, & John, all regular guys and me who won’t go away. Headed down the wash we rode @ christmas only now there was way more h2o in it and the rocks had moved a bit. Cold air and wet feet and bad freeze thaw mud. Dangerous caught up w/ us @ Grand Central. Rama and he communicated via cell phone. Luckily the riding speed is about hike a bike speed so i am able to keep up. Riding here is such a balance thing that I lack. Sometimes I was on which was rare. Not a fun ride by any and it was mercifully cut short. It was just too early after the rains to be riding, perhaps all this week. Another weaker storm is coming in Tuesday.

Eye exam on Monday. Phoenix ride this Sunday.

Called Carrie, a friend of my sister Lynn’s, who lives in Scotsdale near where Sunday ride will be. She said any weekend but this coming one she would be home. This means another trip to Phoenix.

Back out @ Deer Pass rd camp, there is a pickup parked in main area, settled in and spread out. My spot was open and I took it. After dark another rig pulled in. A darn crowd, One camper ran a generator for awhile.

Wed night made it to camp spot, after dark it started to rain, it pelted my roof. It quit and then started again. Jan 21 2.6″ of rain fell. My patch job appeared to hold. Thurs I hunkered down in van rocky w/ the wind and rain percussion. Wind came up and my roof vent opening was right into wind. Battened down the vent to keep it attached to van. Checked out firmness of ground on drive out. Seemed to be still firm, just gravel on solid ground.

Roof vent started leaking again, put the wash bucket under it on floor. Spent day in van. Watched Zags on the funky TV web broadcast. Zags won.

Today it was rainy & windy in AM. Need to get into town for propane. Just after cleaning up kitchen after bfast I ran out. Next step is to drive out. Drove out OK. drove into town to rental place to buy propane. Mark, who filled me, is from Indiana where he started riding mtn bikes. Next stop was Sedona. he is just giggly about riding here. He upgraded to big suspension bike.

Oak Creek was to flood big time, maybe it did but I didn’t see it on my short drive along the creek as I drove to Hilton spa for a shower. Test the person’s granting me shower permission. He was there, remembered me, and said OK. He asked for collateral for the locker key. He said car keys would work. I jokingly withheld my keys because I was securing a locker key w/ my home. Enjoyed shower. As I was getting dressed he came into locker room and said I should at least do a steam bath. I told him no, I only negotiated for a shower. I want to protect my privileges.

Arrived @ B & B  where my UPS box containing my fork awaited me. Then it started snowing, big wet flakes blocking out visibility. Too warm to stick, up canyon somewhere it was sticking, certainly Flag. Hung in shop ; they closed up @ noon because of the weather. Jim, the owner, said that this year’s lodging bookings are way up which is really pleasant. Jim allowed me to park behind the shop. The forecast somebody told me was for 4 to 8″ of snow and I did not want to get snowed in out in the desert.

Late in afternoon the skies cleared. I went for a walk on a trail system to Bell Rock that starts just across the street from B & B. Trail is wide and heavily foot traveled. Many pour overs down from Bell Rock flowed across the trail. The flows were clear which meant nothing was being eroded. The trails were really very firm. The surface seemed to be either sand on top of sandstone or bare rock. It seems that it can be ridden not long after a rain, even of this magnitude of 4.09″ for the month, normal is 2.0.

Turner will ship frame on Monday, PUSH shipped the shock today. The front wheel will be shipped on or before 1/25 via USPS. Success will be that I am riding my new bike this weekend. really, it is not a new bike, just the frame, fork, front wheel, seatpost, and front & rear derailleurs. Eagerly looking forward to first ride, not like waiting for christmas morn as a kid, not loosing sleep. Just a good sense of anticipation.

Sleeping behind the shop. Quiet. Chilly, I run the heater on low all day if I am inside the van.

Forecast still has rain in  it for tonight.  SAt, Sun, & Mon will be clear. Tues brings in another wet series of storms.

I heard from Keith @ Black Canyon trail just down the ways. he said that the Agua Fria at the crossing on the new section of trail was 20′ deep. Trail heading S from TH crosses lower. No bridge, you wade, not for a long time will anybody be crossing the river.

I have maybe 5 good scratches on my right rear end and 1 on my left side. I can’t see back there to count or determine what treatment is required. I sit on some of them both in chairs & on bike. Stitches out this Wed.

A local rider was in the shop showing his helmet cam video of several technical rides here. He will be posting it on web and I will link to it. A movie is really required to get a sense of what Sedona riding is all about. Haven’t experienced anything anywhere like it.