Yesterday was an Idaho day. I picked up Andy @ his house and assured Jen, his wife, that I would return him after our MT Coeur d’Alene ride. She let him slip from her grasp trusting me to my word. No assurance was made as to his condition.
I offered to drive w/ the swaying point that at the end of the ride there would be properly chilled beer in the frige. Andy said he usually waits until he gets home. I welcomed him to my home and we set off.
We parked @ the big cedar tree on Beauty creek rd and pedaled off. The trail drops off the road and crosses a small rock strewn creek. Rides past i walked the log carrying my bike. Today i was full of myself and 5.5″ suspension rolled over the rocks & thru the water to the other side. Successful!. I found several chantrel mushrooms just uphill from stream and marked them for harvest on return. Nice almost entirely smooth trail 257. Nothing technical about it other than it was narrow. Tread was tacky and the tires carved. We rode “somebody’s” new trail over to the Scaraboo trail, aka caribou ridge and then up to 227 dropping down towards the hole. We shortened the ride short of the hole and rode the logging roads back to 257. I was pretty sure of the road to take out but it lacked the remembered tire ruts. At first i was sure, then seconds later I doubted but when I saw the intersection where a log landing had been and where once I surprised a black bear w/ it’s back end exposed I knew I was correct. The FS finally able to keep 4 wheel traffic out of drainage. We pedaled & pedaled thru knapweed, a noxious weed, back up to the ridge to the sweet smooth 257 down.
Trail description that makes it sweet: smooth tread, mostly less than 10% gradient, slightly bermed turns, narrow, some restricted sight lines, just us on it, tread damp w/ no dust and tires gripped, shade, small bumps for hip turns. No technical challenges. A best trail is in what kind of trail you like: the conditions the day you rode it, the number of different trails you have ridden, closeness to home, your bike, your riding ability, acceptance of fear, plus your ideas. I enjoyed this trail for what it is. Best ever? It was when I was riding on it. Next ride will be another best ever trail.
Jen prepared vegetarian lasagna that Andy’s roll was to put it in the oven before we joined her @ the c d’a farmers market. I reminded Andy of his responsibility which he had forgotten. Never mess up a cook’s food when you are entrusted w/ an agreed upon task.
Jen makes soap and sells it and tonight she was at the market. I wanted to go to the market to soak up what might be happening, kind of like Kerouac’s digging of musicians. Short block of vendors. Right beside Jen’s attractive stand of artistic bars of real soap was Hoa from TCS selling produce.
I found a booth that sold aprons and I found a lycra tights, wool hat type of apron that I just had to have. Pink flamingos in dayglow on a pink polka dot back ground. I just flipped and many vendors had this wonderful smile on their faces enjoying my selection. What a hoot. So many people to turn into an audience.
We loaded Jen’s wares in her rig when the market closed and drove to their house. They are hosting me and how wonderful it was. The lasagna properly cooked was mustache licking good. She is a great cook in this big kitchen which is bigger than the kitchen dining room I had in my old house. I showered using a bar of her soap. I learned that real soap is made w/ lye as during the making of soap a chemical reaction occurs that breaks down the raw material fats. Real soap lacks detergents that strip the oil from your skin. She said that companies that make detergent soaps also make lotions to replace the oils their “soap” stripped off. She sent me off w/ 3 bars of different fragrances. Sweet smelling van.
Jen made blueberry pancakes for bfast. More conversation and I bid adieu.
I have a physical therapy appointment @ U District next Monday to help my right hip that still bothers me.
I stopped @ Tate’s Honey farm and bought a jug of honey. Honey farm was started by Jerry’s dad, a survivor of the Bataan Death March and has since passed. Jerry and I go back to first day of Boeing Spokane. Jerry has a cute picture taken years ago w/ him and a grandson both in white bee suits working on handling bees.
I picked up my mail @ Mead PO and bumped into Charley ( I forget his last name), an old biking, skiing, and lopper bud from the past. He invited me to Lake Chelan where he has a place for 5 days. I declined as I already rode there. i gave him my Steve Barnett Falcon Press guide book and told him i did not want it back. Pox on the book.
Tomorrow is a ride w/ Rick & Mars of their choosing.
Thanks to your birthday wishes. I spent it riding an old trail and spending it w/ new friends.