What? Me? No, the trails after last night & this AMs rain. Bike shop would not rent bikes for rides today as the clay just sticks and cleaning is a chore plus possible replacement parts. But that is today. Yesterday was another story.
Woke up early and drove down to Scottsdale for Sprinter service. GPSd the dealer. Charged just more than Hendersonville, NC charged by $120. They hand washed the van.
Yesterday’s ride I learned that my handle bar was too low which makes the front heavy for going downhill, for lofting the front wheel, closes off my breathing, and costs $ to fix. While @ dealer researched a Phoenix area shop. Found DNA w/ Chris who is a bike fitter. 2:00 was my fitting appointment. He remeasured my knee bend and reported 30 degs because he measures bottom of pedal stroke @ about 5:15, the PT measured at full bottom of pedal stroke. He said knee bend is OK. He raised my hands and shortened my arms by a shorter stem and a wide riser bar. These parts made the shifter cables too short so I now have complete new shifter cables & housings. I surrendered my wonderful shaped composite bar ends because the shape of bar negates benefit. I was given a pair of Specialized bolt on grips. I test rode in the parking lot. Yes, I sit up higher and more comfortably but my hands are like longhorn’s horns. They were great in working my cable replacement in and doing it like right now. I was told about Red Mtn just down the road.
I parked @ Walgreens instead of TH along side hwy because of break ins I was told. Rain storm threatened but it was in low 70s, perfect bike ride temp w/ h2o cooler. Light faded and rain fell. I really dug the upright position and am adjusting to greater leverage w/ longer bars. I smoked some technical uphills because of seat height and new bars. Just wandered on trails, missed junctions and bailed exiting into a multigated community. I turned right and rode a short distance to an intersection and flagged down the first driver by to ask for road directions back to van. She gave them to me and I enjoyed a cooler in rain downhill pavement ride to van.
Originally I had no ride intentions for Phoenix because of its early season 100 deg days. I wanted to solve the hand problem & return to Sedona to reride somethings previously rode to learn of handling improvements. Temp was cool and then it rained. Soil on trail appeared to be large grain decomposed rock which drained h2o right now. Saguaro cactus.Land between mountains is flat & heavily built up but newer houses I saw were stucco neutral color & 2 story staying about tree level so none stuck out on sky line. Elevation about 1400′.
Arrived @ van rinsed off & cool. Washcloth dryoff was my daily cleanup.
Drove back to Sedona in rain most of way. The desert takes on a unique smell when wetted. More noticeable down low than Sedona.
Slept last night to rain tapping on the roof. Rained till mid morning, soft but steady. Crunched spending numbers to income. Come on social security in 2 1/2 years. Bike is there as long as I ride carefully so as not to break parts.
Drove back to Bike & Bean to learn of possible ride. They don’t rent bikes in these conditions. Enough for me so I hung visiting w/ Gonzo who was looking for a ride also. We have ridden same places in Pisgah.
Early afternoon the rain let up. Bought propane & groceries & drove back to same place on ridge. I look right down the canyon onto road is less than 3/8 mile on skyline interrupted by juniper trees just higher than van and same color. The unwashed green blended in better than dull green sheen presently.
Gonzo told me about Black Canyon 50 miles to South. The soil is to be similar to Phoenix and it is elevation lower. Bikemag said it is best in AZ and I know that value. Plan is to ride it on Sat, Ride the shop ride @ mtn bike heaven on Sun and then head for Flagstaff. I am thinking Grand canyon beyond that and then slip back into SW UT for St George, Gooseberry, & Cedar City. Then North to Lake Tahoe. I am not keen on driving over to ocean preferring to stay E of Sierra.
Forecast is for less than 50% possible rain storms. If no rain falls tonight the trails tomorrow will be fast in that the sand is bound by h2o &/or damp clay. No dust. Sunday will be special. Bike riders told me these storms are not typical for this time of year but they will take all the rain that falls which is not much and they never will get what the SE has been getting this spring.
