The saga continues. I’ve got a rideable bike now, and thought the number of things that need to be tweaks continues to grow rather than shrink, the unmitigated fun of riding such a superb machine makes such tasks a pleasure.

Rain was the theme here in Arizona, along with occasional humidity the likes of which I haven’t felt since our trip to New England a year ago. Back in Iowa, at this time of year, being unable to wear optics (hehe) because of fogging was common, but at 7k in Flagstaff?

Saturday morning saw a long overdue return to Thumb Butte, and continued trail explorations. The networks there continue to surprise with new, fun stuff, and diversity generally of the riding in our area just gets better with familiarity. All good things do end somehow, and this was my fate that morning:

I’ll be able to ride on this, right?

A massive sidewall slice to an XR I shouldn’t have been using anyway, they don’t play well with rocks. That and various tube shenanigans led to this solution; a slime tube cut and tied, with another (flat) tube trying to fill the missing space. It rode interestingly for a couple hundred yards at 3 mph, until one of the knots exploded and I was looking at a long walk. Fortunately a gent took pity on me and gave me a ride back to the truck, shortening a 90 minute walk considerably.

Friends don’t let friends…….yeah.

I retreated home, buying a Fast Trak on the way, and managed to sneak in a 305 ride in the rain that evening. It’s the definitive local test track, given the frequency with which I ride it. The Lenz did “normally” on the trail, except it was a new trail with 70 percent fewer rocks, suddenly.

Sunday was Flagstaff with Chad Brown. He was up for the Lake Mary tri, doing the Olympic distance. I investigated a bit of AZT before meeting him.

My front derailleur was being problematic, more a reflection of my mechanical ineptitude than anything. Though the unique requirements of my very non-stock setup make things a bit harder to put in perfect order.

The AZT is a wonderful trail. This is the stretch between Walnut Canyon and Marshall Lake.

Eventually I made my way down to Lowell Observatory and the race course, and found Chad. We chatted, regrouped, ate, and set off.

It gives you a good sense of Chad’s psyche and motor that, after doing an Olympic tri in well under 3 hours, setting a PR in the process, he’s still keen to go mountain biking for the rest of the day.

Chad overlooking Walnut Canyon and points south.

We had fun. Rolled from the Canyon Vista camp down into the canyons, hitting some stellar descents and technical bits along the way. I’m a better descender than Chad, and the Lev wasn’t helping equalize the field. The descent’s opener is a series of ledges to roll, uneven and closely spaced. Something I would’ve never thought about months ago. Ah, technology and lift it gives our minds. The bottom of the canyon features a ~100 yard section of streambed cobbles, fist to bowling ball size. Sus and big wheels kill such sections.

We rolled out of Walnut, talking about Zion. Hit the fantastic 7 mile roller coaster that is the AZT on Walnut’s north side, got hungry, and looped into town for ESB and sandwiches at the Flag Brewery. Heavy legs aside, we still made it back to the cars, enjoying the steady and unique climb out of Faye Canyon along the way.

More good days in the bag.

Tweaks to the bike coming soon.