Loppers’ Ball: 6 guys and a clinger who used to cut trees (lop) @ 49 degrees North ski area for our season passes. I was part of the original crew dating back to 1991 winter and the others joined later, they were all from Boeing plus another clinger. Over the years we cut some of the same runs over again as the young trees continually sought their life’s goal of photosynthesizing clashed w/ low snow level. It was a hoot. Tom originally proposed doing all 3 days of trade work in 1 fell swoop. It caught on, we spent 2 bachelor nights camped at the base. Potluck foods became institutionalized as is the Tequila penalty shots. Times moved on, season ticket prices dropped and Boeing wages increased and I moved away such that no longer was work performed. Mel hosted the last 2 years @ his family’s secluded cabin. Boeing was the nucleus. So we ate and consumed adult beverages and goofed on each other for so long we went to bed exhausted just after 10:00PM. Someday i will return to 49 to introduce others to lopping for a season’s pass for 3 days of cutting trees on the upper slopes was enjoyable.
Caught another ride @ MT Spokane b4 the Ball. The conditions were early fall and clear. Just a fun place to ride albeit earning my downhill by pedaling up. Trails are woods dirt which are fast. Deeps forest cover from conifers that don’t shed their leaves in the fall, what is dark now is dark all year. I rode down the last for me unrideable switchback, I almost made it uphill.
Been staying @ Bill & Jennifer’s, my former neighbors, in their driveway. Sometimes a shower but always pet fixes from old dog Kelli and cat Toeless.
Monday I rode Riverside SP going upriver towards downtown. My rear tire was leaking air for a sidewall gash suffered @ Curly Lake over Labor Day. I stopped 2X to pump it up. I hit a suspension compressor and heard the sound of escaping air. Checked the rear tire and saw Stans bubbling out the tear. I pushed my thumb on the tear and held for several minutes. When I removed it the leak had stopped, Stans worked. I need to replace the tire.
Today is a rest day enjoying fall weather in Spokane. This afternoon I meet w/ my $ man @ Fast Eddies for dollar beers and financial news. Tomorrow is a ride w/ Cal and camping @ Les’. Thurs is ride w/ Jeff and a shower and curb @ his house. Catching up w/ friends b4 I leave next week.
Dan from Hurricane called me to update me. He test rode a new Ibis carbon frame on his home track. He bested his old bike time by over 5 mins. He learned that technology has moved on literally leaving him in the dust. I’ll be back in Hurricane early Nov.
Friend Grace broke her right humerus requiring hardware to put her back together. She facebooked the Xray.
So, I am caught up as my memory remembers what to record and has stood test of several day’s time.