It was gray and windy all day and I didn't really want to go out. I got a little more motivated when I decided to do this route and do some trails that I haven't been on in a while. Like San Juan Canyon last week, I see that they've done some extensive clearing out of the bushes and underbrush at Hidden Canyon and Waterdog. It looks so different and it's amazing how much more you can see. It looks like they've done a little bit of trimming on Sugarloaf Mountain. Hard to tell whether they're just getting started or that's all they're going to do. I'll have to check back in a bit. It also looks like they done work to grade or smooth out the trails too. Thanks Trail Fairies! The rear brake on the Stumpjumper is dragging unfortunately. I had to to stop periodically to really squeeze hard on the lever to get the pistons to retract. I was wondering why I the descents didn't feel as fast and why I was slowing down so quickly. Well, this is a first. I found a tick on me. I was just brushing my arm and I felt something on my wrist and just immediately grabbed it and took it to the light. Sure enough it was a tick. I don't know how it was on me after I'd showered and changed clothes. I couldn't find any bites but it would've either been feasting somehow that whole time - ~2hrs - and then was roaming around again when I found it. Or it had fallen off my clothes then found me again. Also seems unlikely since I was on the couch when I found it and was nowhere near the couch until after showering and having dinner. I didn't have to pry it off me and it didn't have a swollen abdomen so hopefully that meant it didn't bite me.