Chilling in cold Spokane

Thurs the Chiropractor went to work on my hip, when i got off the table i walked almost w/ o pain. Said things got twisted over time. He made a few adjustments and then went after the tight muscles. Made 2 more appointments next week to finish me off.

Rode Beacon messing around.  Down near Boulder Beach I screwed around too much & Stuffed the front wheel and flung myself over the bars. My eyes plotted my trajectory onto the bulge of a rock right into my left rib cage. I fell that way. Big impact on left chest and a splatter on my left forearm. And I was tied up in the clipless pedals. I kicked the bike free and felt for damage. I took a short tentative breath to learn if my chest would rise. It did. I moved my left arm and it raised & turned like it should albeit sorely. I was afraid I might have joined Mars on the injured bench. I rode 2 step challenging hills to test my body. All sore things worked.

I drank a medicinal beer in the Esmeralda parking lot before heading to Mars house. Earlier in the day Rick said something about riding Moscow Mtn on Fri and I wanted to be all over that ride. I fixed a bulghur dish in my kitchen for Rick. He liked it. I did too.

Tom Zysk invited me to dinner and a driveway for Friday night. Rick cruched the time and temperature numbers and said if we leave @ 9:00AM we could ride a 4 hour ride and be back in Spokane @ 5:00. We drove out of the driveway right on a 9:00 schedule. perfect timing and completion of prep & loading tasks.

Moscow Mtn is to the North of Moscow, ID. Jim LaFortune negotiated w/ the timber company land owner to build mtn bike trails. I met Jim when he hosted me back a few years ago. Over the years I rode it several times while never finding the Cave trail. Rick sorted out the old map & the web updates and figured out a ride. Beautiful day, cold, blue skies, fall light. 24 miles, 4110′ 3 hours 35 min of riding time. We booked. Rick is a bit stronger and more technical rider than me but I was never too far behind. This ride was one of my best interms of trail. Much of the trail was in second growth dense cedar / hemlock forests, some places it was pretty dark. I took a few pictures but the flash chased the shadows away. The dark wasn’t quite as dark as the broadleaf forests of the east & midwest. Hard ride.

Made it back to Spokane 16 mins behind schedule.

Stopped @ Rosauers up on South Hill for Waldorf salad fixings. Tom grilled salmon. We goofed & carried on over several glasses of wine. After dinner I visited w/ my skis down in his basement. I told them next year they go back into play.

Dave, aka fafu, all the way from his Everett commute stopped by before he made his home. dave is one of maybe 15 people from old Boeing Spokane that got rehired by Boeing where they work during the week over in the Ouget Sound area and live weekends in Spokane. Future is brighter w/ Boeing than TCS who bought the plant from Boeing.

Sat Am the temp was 22 degree, approximately 20 degrees cold than normal. Slept w/ heater on low and 1 layer of down blanket. Visited w/ Tom awhile after bfast and then I took off for a ride @ Riverside. My hip is bearable. Beautiful day that needed to be ridden in. While I was getting ready @ the TH somebody called my name. i saw Bob & Julie who invited me along on their ride which was trail 25 in the park. I rode a few new sections & rode stuff I hadn’t ridden for maybe 18 years. Out @ 9 Mile there is some tough technical stuff on basalt, some big pieces anchored in the dirt and some softball size blobs that moved around. Bob has a carbon Ibis w/ the DW link rear end. he let me ride it and I headed for some basalt chunks. What I experienced was excitement for a new Turner Spot w/ the DW link. The suspension appeared to “float” over the rocks. Turner will give me $850 for my present Spot towards the new DW. My Boeing stock won’t quite cover the difference. Which piggy bank do I tap into for the new frame?

Spokane river:

Beautiful chilly tights & long fingered glove ride. Beer in the parking lot. A visit w/ Bicycle Butler for a shower. I gave Tim a stickie. He told me of his downhill race last Sunday @ Silver Mtn.

Forecast is for slightly warming temps. Stanley is still cold. I will be here until at least Friday morn. I will leave here before I get snowed in. I had a passing thought to contact 49 degrees ski area to do my trade work for my season ski pass in case I “decide” to spend the winter.