Hardesty and Alpine

I made 3 goals to accomplish while in Oakridge and I have completed them. 1) ride ATCA, 2)Ride Heckletooth w/ Jim, and 3)ride big Hardesty loop. I made them all.

I rested on Tuesday putzing around. I bought groceries for Captain Jack chicken and drove up FS road 2409 towards Dead Mountain where a small rock quarry sculpted out a flat spot w/ a view location. Jim and Bob pedaled up on Wed on their Dead mtn ride.

Wednesday was Goodman Hardesty loop, a real big one and way out there. I rode it 2 times previously so I recalled the route. I knew that it would be really hard and somewhat scary as I would be way the fuck back out there by myself. I parked @ the Hardesty Mtn TH right off rt 58. I noticed broken window glass on the pavement. It is what it was. Goodman creek trail is a climb, the easiest of the ride.

Trail topped out on paved old logging road which wound around to the start of Sawtooth trail that climbed even further into a different tree cover

There are big trees here also, this is one spot where i stopped to catch my lost breath. Climb, climb, hike a bike, pause, pedal some.

Sawtooth was torture w/ several steep hike a bike pieces broken by downhills. Shit to climb up then drop down the back side knowing that more elevation was still ahead. I intersected w/Hardesty and the real fun started in the tech downhill on old legacy hiking trail. According to a FS person (Kevin) the trail predates the FS in 1910. Drop drop, drop, drop…  that’s the idea. Ultimately the trail returns to the TH and an unmolested van.

I saw a hiker early on and another hiker just about the bottom. Out there by myself. I use a Garmin edge 800 and used backcountry navigator app on my phone. 2 different results. Garmin: 14.71 miles, BC: 18.5;Garmin 2hrs 17 mins, BC 3 hrs 15; Garmin 4158′ climb, BC 3905. I made it w/o incident and felt relief being finished.

In the parking lot was a young woman who just finished her ride. She initiated a conversation by asking for riding tips as she just started riding. I gave her pieces of Better Ride skills. She willingly paid attention.

I drove back to the Pub for a beer and pub food. I was pretty high from my accomplishment. Derrick and I conversed at the bar. We bid adieu. He said that I am part of the culture here. I’m a made man. I talked about riding Alpine today via the shuttle. He said I should do it just to ride it because.

Out to Salmon creek for the night. I haven’t has night time leg cramps for a long time. I lay down in bed and felt relaxation. I listened to my body to determine today’s ride. Woke up and body had passed the test.

The shuttle leaves at 9:45. Maybe 12 riders climbed on board. Shuttle drives up to Kate’s cutin then you ride back down to Red Bridge in Westfir where your car is. I rode it fast as I could pedal uphill and comfortable at speed downhill. Garmin said 12.38 miles in 1 hr 32 mins climbing 1149 and dropping an astounding 4470′. Deep forest cover, only 1 place does the trail break out in the open in a meadow hung on the side of the mountain. Down low a black bear ran across the trail heading down mountain side at a brush breaking pace. Bear story for the year.

Back in town I stopped at Oregon Adventures, Randy’s shuttle service, hoping to catch someone there so I could get inside to take a shower. randy showed up and let me in. I am clean and in clean clothes. Next was the laundromat. I rode 6 out of 7 days sweating up all my riding shorts. My clothes line is jammed full. Laundromat is in a side room of St Vinny.

Plug for Randy: Oregon Adventures: oregon-adventures.com for Oakridge area shuttles. I have earned comp status.

I’ll hang here for tonight then tomorrow head back to Bend stopping to ride Waldo Lake. COTA is sponsoring their Bikeoctober trail work day that I will help the Bend trails.

The Garmin drops data gathering when my speed drops to 1.5 mph whether I am pedaling or pushing. Cum Garmin data states I have climbed 1,967,063′. That’s almost two million feet. and ridden 24,303 miles.

I like central Oregon and Oakridge. Oakridge is a favorite riding destination. Bring your climbing legs. Les, these rides are steeper and longer than trail 257. Saddle up your camp and head down here for days of punishing rides.

The sintered brake pads are quiet and very powerful gripping the 8″ rotor w/ gusto. Here I have been riding granny a lot. 34 chain ring 36 cluster and wonder what even lower gears might feel like. With my 2X10 I have lower gears than a 1X10.

Trails here are narrow bench cut many old legacy hiking trails. Steep steep out slope. A mistake causing a  launching off side of hill you won’t stop for awhile and nobody will know that’s where you went.