After dealing with Wordpress for the last few years and their overly-complicated way (unless ya pay more $$$) of making a page look good, I am back here. Blogger is easy to use... and free.
With all that being said, the timing may or may not suck. It may suck since the only things to write about are the sporadic trips I get to take between that moment the sun comes up and the moment the "oh fuck, it's over 100 degrees" hits. It may NOT suck 'cause there's plenty of free time to dial in the look of the site, sort through some ideas... and maybe figure out how to upload videos.
This week has been one of the worst, hotter than ever here in the Valley. This morning it was 84 degrees when Bea (the boxer collie) walked outside at 5:30 am. By 11:00 it was over 110 as I climbed back in the truck after a short stint at the gym. The next time I go outside will be to jump in the pool... if I go out at all. Even the water is hot. Enh.
There is a plan to head north next week, a rare window of decent temps up in Flagstaff. At the start of the week (this week), it showed there would be stretch from 6am until just after noon when the air would be below 80 degrees. Of course, that window has narrowed from 6am until 9, hitting the 90's (RealFeel) by 11am. In other words, it's just gonna be hot.
There are two routes laid out, a short bit of singletrack on Monday morning & a longer gravel > singletrack on Tuesday morning. Monday will be just a fun rip up Schultz Creek to the AZT, down Moto, Flue & Chimney. I've ridden it a few times before... but it's a great way to shake the shit outta my legs.
Tuesday will look like this:
That is my "Hart Prairie > Bismarck > AZT > Snowbowl Exit route.... 21.5 miles of Flagstaff gravel & dirt and just over 2000+ feet of elevation gain. It will be a 7.8 dirt road climb from the highway with 1391 feet of climbing (2.8% average grade), 7.6 miles of AZT singletrack (-3.2% average) and finishes with 5.9 miles of pavement & one gravel side note to avoid the highway climb if I feel so inclined. Should I decide the highway traffic isn't so scary (it wasn't bad a few weeks ago), I can cut off 1.3 miles and get to the truck quicker.
I did the climb a few years back on the DiiVerge. I made it within rock-throwin' distance of the AZT before turning tail and bombing back down. I had ridden the two previous days (both days behind the townhome I rented, one not so good...one was pretty good!) When I reached the top, I was drained... so I am thinking if I show up fresher, I can push on through.
I am taking the Mach Wu this time, my 2022 Pivot Mach 4 SL. Maybe one day I will break down the details of the bike but Monday will be the first day I ride the bike with it's new electronical shifting. A few weeks back I plunked down the money to buy an AXS XO derailleur and a rocker-style shifter. Riding in the 'hood they feel GOOD... taking some of the clunkiness out of the ergonomics. Will it feel as fun on the trail?
Guess I will find out Monday...
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