Just arrived Moab via Dolores and Norwood. CO now Moab are on mountain daylight time. AZ is mountain time also but keeps clocks to srandard. My electronics needed help comprehending after my gray matter synchronized. Internet was dead dog slow at those places. Now above Moab at Snad Flats XG with 3  bar and sort of catch up.

Last Thurs I drove away from sleep spot off Beaver head rd  heading N. Fist stop was last laundry in Sedona then drove to Dolores, CO and the  Boggy Draw trails, 300 some miles, many hours behind the wheel. Sedona elevation is low 4,000s, Boggy sits at 7538′, felt the higher elevation as I stopped for numerous air blows on the rides. Location is under mixed P-pine and juniper canopy. Cover over my head .

Friday I rode a previous loop from anchor of   16.3 miles climbing 1184′. Today I was 7 mins slower than last spring. Again elevation effect. Popular trails as evidenced by plugged parking lot, however, I shared trails with no one. Bare aspens, Gambel oaks hardly sprouting buds. Chilly nighttime for heater. This year I filled propane in Sedona as a learned experience from last year that filling last year on weekend locally didn’t happen. I drove over to Durango.

Sat I drove over to Phil’s North trails again same loop previously ridden. Lower elevation by maybe 1,000′ Tree cover was mostly juniper. More rocks. I was taking a blow break when I heard a rider’s voice behind me. It was Gary from Bend, we have run into each other at other road places. Way stronger than me. The 6.4 miles exhausted me. Climbing is becoming more difficult to pedal what I can and I walk more. Later I learned that a big mtn bike race was on the southern trails which my choice spared me. Back at Dolores I visited at Kokopeli bike and Board with owner Scott.

Next stop was Thunder Loop above Norwood, CO. Bill and Susan told me about location. Trailforks showed long loop with crossovers. i was heading North. I drove hwy 141 N from Cortez

, there are really desolate places this drive being one of them.

Back up. The weather forecast high winds  at Dolores and Norwood. I might not be able to ride for 2 days because of forecast. I need to do laundry in Moab on Thurs. Camping and riding is other side of Moab. I sought to arrive Moab on Wed for Turs laundry then head out to trails.

So, I followed the brown FS signs to the Thunder Loop way above settlement, this time another high 7,000′ location. I parked at TH, geared up then crossed the road onto the trail going CCW. The trails are on a plateau above canyons. Tree cover and topography  did not provide a vista point. Trail kept close to the edge. Again, struggling, I walked a lot.  I rode the 4 mile Thunder loop taking the first cut over.

 

Tues’ forecast called for 20 to 30 mph wind with 50 gusts. I chose to not mouth breathe the blowing dust nor fight balance. Dam, did it blow. I hiked around noon. Mid afternoon the wind really picked up, gusts rocked my cradle. Fine dust filled the air. When I live in the hard sided security of my van I chose shelter.  Speed abated after dark. Wed morn winds picked up again albeit less strong. I chose to not ride instead I drove to Moab. Yesterday’s wind would have been a challenge to keep my van on my side of the road. Today’s wind still wiggled me.

So, now in state of Utah under their social rules. This is the hardest state for living for me. I like riding Moab trails but would not want to live in the state.

I hiked up Jack’s canyon trail to Rabbit Ears. I saw a well defined trail crossing the system trail. It was created by ants going away fromthe colony empty jawed then returning with food. Trail was maybe 1 3/4″ wide and all but smooth. Ants coming and going just avoided one an other with no defined direction. Never seen such a well defined run.

Tracking info says my Outlier Pendulum pedals arrive this Mon.

So, hanging around Moab for undetermined number of days. I’m back scheduling from June 11 dentist appointment in Bend.

Van still gets 25.6 miles per gal highway driving. 318,000 miles.

La Sal mountains above town seemed to have less snow cover.

Ride what I can. Yesterday I rode Scorpion which goes over many basalt babyheads on upper part. I walked over the usual ones then walked over some of ones I had ridden in the past. I am becoming more risk adverse and error on the it’s ok to walk. The babyheads are on the trail that has exposed rocks on either side. To loose balance on the tread might mean falling on the nasty outside the trail. Friend Doug with his bum shoulder kept him from leading me on this trail. He has left leaving me to be the chooser of my own challenges. I started from Sunset Park over to Old Post climbing up to Skywalker to its end at HS and start of Scorpion. Scorpion descends, I coasted past where I crashed 3 years ago. Pick up social trails over to Ramshead, another piece of social to Old Post climb out. Lots of breath and walk spots. Social over to Carroll cyn to Ridge to pavement. 8.89 miles climbing 1024′ moving time of 1 hr 28 mins. Average beats per min was 121, max was 141. Recovery time was 33 hours. This morning before coffee my heart rate was 47.

Alaska Doug and Rhama on ebikes descended past me. Doug called me by his given name of me  Talking Dude.

My breathing performance limits uphill progress, I run out of go and stop to find my breath. I am able to ride fewer climbs than what I used to ride. Disheartening not being able to do what I used to. This is a problem with riding familiar trails. Going to a new trail I have no past performance to compare. Aging takes a toll. I’m 75. I read info about heart rate and exercise to see that I ma exerting myself at the upper end of those values.

Revel Bikes abruptly went out of business. I googled Hub Cyclery in Bend, the shop that built my bike and my hang out with owner TJ. He closed doors at the end of March. May he remain on his feet.

Vegetation has been greening up for the still living plants.

Rock armoring. Pitches and pavers. There is a short climb on Llama that was rebuilt years ago that has a mix of the 2 surfaces which makes for traction for feet and wheels.

The pitches anchor the pavers. The rocks bordering the trail define the tread.

 

The Llama problem is an example of just pavers and using gargoyles to keep hikers on the trail. Pavers are slippery which causes hikers to walk off the armoring on dirt which defeats the armoring. The gargoyles defeat walking off of the pavers.

Another example:

 

 

 

Today is a rest day. I dropped my bike off at Absolute for fork maintenance service. The service intervals have been exceeded by many ride hours. Tomorrow, Thurs, is laundry day up in Sedona then a ride.

 

 

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The FS has embarked on creating a 30 mile trail network out at Turkey Creek area. Last week I hiked out there on existing trail then bush bashed up to a freshly built trail that I knew nothing of. SO I hiked it heading back to bottom of Transcept trail. But I did not know its end until I arrived at it. Hand built. I returned same trail. A FS person rode up to me. I asked about the trail and supported build. I spoke of pitches and pavers for rock armoring as I had watched 2 builders armoring a short ride with just smooth pavers. Pitches are narrow standing rocks interspersed with flat pavers which provide support for pavers and  acting as a traction cleat for hikers and bikers. Pavers are slick to both bike tires and hikers shoes. Over time hikers will hike off the edge of the pavers which defeats purpose of armoring.

He was doing buffing of trail. I offered and did pull pin flags on my return. Doug asked me when I was going to ride the new work. I did just that yesterday, I parked at start and rode the entire length of 3.1 miles climbing 230′ and descending 312′. Trail design is to be a fast blue rating to finish at to be developed Turkey Creek trailhead. Trail ended up on familiar trails. I added ocotillo forest loop which is monster push a bike up broken up sandstone, mostly fall line.

 

Years ago I learned to ride it the opposite to drag brake down the rubble and still have hike a bike pieces climbing to it. This way it’s just a push up then skillful negotiation of downhill. Many years ago I would ride from outlet mall out the road to start dirt ride then return on pavement. Why pedal when I can start right on the dirt?

I encountered the rock work right at start. Already a skid mark was on a paver. The pavers had be gargoyled to keep   hikers on slick pavers.

Friday rain fell most of daylight, wet snowflakes mixed in. Forecast didn’t call for as much fell. Sat morn while still in bed I heard the spit of rain drops on the roof. The rd out to camp spot is dirt with clay bogs intermixed. When that dirt is wetted it looses adhesion turning into slippery glop. I drove away while still dry. I hunkered down at outlet sheltered from rain.

Bill and Susan left on Sat after a ride down here and reported trails were drier than I suspected them to be.

On Sun I drove up to borrow pit spot off Dry Creek rd. The FS has been doing site preparation for parking? I rode a mix of system and social trails. I rode Aerie from N to S. From high point heading S the rocks have grown to work my bike’s suspension. Writing of bike suspension, I ride a Revel Rail, Days ago Revel said they were abruptly going out of business as they lost their $ backers, Debt. My bike is almost 4 years old. I like the suspension.  Nary another recreator. Many miles of trails spread people out.

So, I am waiting arrival of mail order pieces some to arrive next week. I will be free to roam the country again. I will start planning my mountain biking the states travel. Dolores, CO, Boggy Draw will be ist stop about a 5 hr drive.

Temps will be in 70s which can be warm when exposed to sun. Night time has been open side door until bed time, then quiet no blower noise or music. I have been firing the heater in morning before crawling out from under my covers. wearing full time summer weather shorts and shirts.

Vegetation is greening up on plants still alive. Catclaw has been leafing for a week. Desert is still dead dry. Cows have been turned loose to graze out where I sleep. Environmental destroyers.