Free time after dinner and b4 cleaning up kitchen. In internet access in Leavenworth behind the local Safeway.
Spent day w/ a varied group of human heart propelled users @ an IMBA trail care event. Instructors were Steve & Morgan. Met them in Prescott and Augusta. Maybe 30 people. Land manager was Land Trust. AM was spent learning about trail construction. Afternoon session was up on Lands Trust land. We built maybe 200 yds of new trail snaking up a hillside. Land was burnt in ’94 fire then logged, finally acquired by the Lands Trust. Like digging fire line but made prettier.
Spent last night @ Sand Mtn TH up past the junk place. No internet.
Earlier I rode MT Spokane w/ old buddy, Jeff. Cloudy day up high. I was the local and showed Jeff some new trail. Made Day Mtn just in the fog. The foliage was dripping wet as we became. Leader got wetter. I had a strong ride, I couldn’t keep up w/ 38 yo buff Jeff. I nailed a previously unridable uphill switchback. Also the former hard spots just rolled by. Soil is mostly dirt which makes great tread esp while being wetted. Jeff had a time issue which cut my planned route short. We rode down Wailer, named because of a steep long uphill inside the really long uphill. I have ridden all the way nonstop from the CXT to the snowmobile parking lot only several times in my life. The Wailer makes you waile. The downhill was so fast on very smooth almost groomed downhill, I just flew. The rear hub is repaired w/ new bearings making my bike so fast. Downhill off back of Day mtn has exposed roots on a steep outsloping trail and they were slippery from rain. Both of us made it over a nasty root. I heard Jeff make it.
Found huckleberries in my usual spot but were past eating.
Spent night in N Div bike shop. I noticed the noise more that night. I pulled up bottom bracket instruction info on line and Greg & I reinstalled the bottom bracket per dwg. King guarantees it for 5 years. I feel better that it is installed per dwg. Read the dwg. Almost a $300 bill @shop. My shock has new seals and valve and holds air. The rear hub has new bearings and has its 6 month service. The bike rides so great. Next up are new pedals. I pull new cleats on and heard screetching sounds that I t raced to the pedals. I looked at the bales that hold the cleat in and they are so worn which allows slack that causes the sound. Crank Bros have refined the Egg Beater type pedals. I am uncertain which new pedal to get: another Time or the new Eggbeater that I disliked but improved, but how so? $100 for the pedals making the choice costly.
Breath test showed I have slight bronchitis preventing me from completely emptying my lungs. The test was performed normal then a shot of Abuterol. I showed a 40% increase in lung function. I went from being 76% normal to 125% of normal. Results will be read by a DR who will share it w/ my primary care giver who has been my doc since I moved to Spokane back in ’90. Big tall guy w/ premature gray hair. At first meeting I picked him as way older than me. Today I learned we are the same age.
Staying tonight @ Matt’s house. I met him today at the trail school. He was a smoke jumper. Cool. I wanted to be a jumper but i chose to stay in summer school. What excitement it would have been.
Forecast is for heavy rain tonight and showers tomorrow. Might be too wet to ride.
Plan is to stay here till Wed afternoon for several rides. Loppers’ Ball is this weekend. I signed up for Bend’s Big Fat tour weekend; Sat the epic ride perhaps 80 miles, the Sat party, & Sunday ride. Oct 16. I will back schedule from that date to allow for some Hood River riding.
Gotta do dishes & drive to Matt’s house.