A bit from yesterday and some from today as I remember.

Been spending quite a few nights at my old neighbors across the road from my old house. Yesterday AM I visited w/ Jennifer & her 85 yo mother while they made applesauce. I learned how it is made. Tasty.

Drove to a shop in Tim’s building near Audubon in N. Spokane as I remember he had quality hats. Score on a brown wool felt hat. Stylish as it grows on me. Picture forthcoming.

Fed Ex is scheduled to deliver my fork on Tuesday to Bicycle Butler and Arch allowed me a gentle ride. I drove to BB and hung in the parking lot awaiting Fed Ex. Tracking report stated out for delivery. Antsy. Plan is to get in a ride @ Riverside, drive back to BB for a shower, and then drive downtown to Vorphl Wing open house as per Dennis’ request. Fork was delivered, truck parked right next to me, I jumped out, and held the door open for the driver. Quick change act installing the refurbished fork. Big travel back. Push didn’t find a cause when they cleaned and checked it out, serviced it no charge.

Drove to 7 Mile @ Riverside in great cool fall weather. Geared up & headed out like a kid released from school. Kept effort in check sort of as I checked out Arch’s body work. Some pain but way less than what dropped me off the bikes. Tolerable. Wonderful bike and fun ride on non technical trails of Riverside.

Showered and in long pants, loafers, collared shirt under a sweater, matching dark socks, good to go made the open house. Met Dennis dressed in a gray suit. Richard Welch from work arrived. We were some of original Boeing Spokane associates as we were called, nice for “help”. Enjoyed his company. Drank several glasses of Chardonnay, tasty.

Spent late arrival @ neighbors.

Last night was chilly, started heater before i got for real out of bed. Todd’s Toddy coffee filter are in the store per the telephone message.  Drive downtown. Stopped @ Value Village w/ hopes of finding a wool sport coat. Score on a tan, brown, black herringbone pattern wool coat. Stylish. For $4.99, oh, 20% discount to seniors…. yes I qualified. Dropped coat off @ dry cleaners. Picture forth coming.

Shopped REI for a pair of wet cold weather to supplement my open mesh hikers. Really sweated out the correct sizing. Bought a pair of cross trainers type shoe that will shed h2o & be warmer.

Arch worked some more strain counterstrain over some of old points. He said it is normal for a second session to turn off the muscle. I will ride tomorrow to learn the results.

Stopped @ Don’s, the cabinet maker, to use his drill to install a bracket to bed frame where the glued joint failed. Dropped off a six pack of beer for him.

Dirtbag camping down off Montgomery  by the tracks. I stayed here previously. Loud trains of what frequency I forget.

Starting to plan route and rides down thru Idaho, should leave by middle of next week.

Sooo, my right hip is keeping me off my bikes. Strain Counter strain is easing the original pain and creating some new ones. Arch says it is because releasing previously tightened muscles shifts body to working more correctly on unused muscles. He says all is good. He made the ” tendinitis” in my left arm disappear in 1 release point. Amazing.

PUSH shipped my fork to my earthclass mail address in Seattle instead of Spokane. PUSH paid for the additional shipping charge to ship it to Spokane. Fed Ex shipped it to0 Oakland distribution and have scheduled it for delivery tomorrow. Arch has allowed me a not hard ride tomorrow. Great! Fixed fork and Riverside are a good match.

Enjoyed Loppers’ ball @ Mel’s in laws cabin out in hinterland of Springdale / TumTum. The Boeing crew of Tom, Mel, Dave, Cal, me, and a kindred but non lopping guy, Guy. 4X pickup ride to distant cabin. Each of us brought food items to share and our beverage of choice. Somehow a bottle of tequilla was interjected years ago and a misunderstand concept of penalty shots required when some instantaneously made up foul was committed the offender was required to take a sip. And then the bottle was passed around for all to have a sip. Among 6 guys the bottle went dry before sundown which was a spectacular sight as we looked right @ the western horizon. I chose to sleep on the narrow front porch to be cooler and avoid the snoring of others. I woke w/ a mild hangover as I sipped quite a bit of  Scotch.

Boys:

I spent every night previously in my van for 14 months. Loppers ball gets me out and into a sleeping bag on a floor. I turned down how many offers of more palatial digs to stay in my van. Band of brothers nets a hard floor.

Beautiful fall happening. Not the reds of NE, so far the leaves have not turned. What is blond dead  are the grasses. A killing frost has fallen.

Life away from Spokane was exotic w/ way many new experiences. Back in familiar grounds I am reconnecting w/ parts of my former life here and to me they are less exciting. Nonetheless they are rewarding and fulfilling, I just am not making the time to share w/ you all.

Having said that i will capture experiences here in a non linear script.

Hip update: Jeff, @ U district, suggested that i take a week of rest along w/ his treatment. My pain is exacerbated by use. OK, no rides or hikes this week . Jeff is a real a hoot, he is acquiring the title of “Yes Man”. He rode a bit of the Pot Peak trail near Lake Chelan, a real tough trail, on his entry level mtn bike, ill equipped for trail. I noticed a bruise on his forearm, he showed me a scabbed wound on his knee and told me about his adventure. Several over the bars tumbles. Better courage than me.

Been staying many nights in the driveway of my former neighbors on Lindgren road, across from  my old house. Bill is quite the skilled handy man. Jennifer is a nurse who helped me thru some of my medical conditions. My old house from the outside appears to be almost the same; however they did cut down the iron that was hung in the tree in front of the house.

Sent my fork to PUSH w/ hopes that I will have it back this weekend just to look @ & not ride because of rest.

This weekend is to be the Loppers Ball overnight festival out near Springdale. Mel says what happens at the cabin stays at the cabin unless it can be used for future embarrassment.

Nice fall weather w/ dry, clear, warm days coupled w/ chilly sleeping nights. Last 2 days i turned on the heater for warmth. Summer is past. Need to leave before I get snowed in. Spokane is a real pretty place w/o the harsh weather extremes seen other places: 17″ of rain which includes snow melt, just a few days of 100 degrees, and hardly any 0 degree days, a bit of fog during the winter, low humidity that makes line drying clothes a real thing, no quantity or variety of nasty bugs. But it is a big metro area of 400,000 people. I enjoyed the 18 years I lived here but I don’t see this as a place to reroot myself.

Off for more enjoyment. Tonight I will be fixing dinner @ Mars & Rick’s using the Chanterelle mushrooms I picked on Rick & my MT Coeur d’Alene ride.

Bonus shot: