Jeff Hart of U District Physical Therapy worked on my body for my last years in Spokane. He gave me a T shirt w/ company logo on it and asked me to pose @ places and sent the pics to them. I made one @ World’s largest ball of twine in Cawker City, KS. He reads this blog and knew when i made Spokane and I roughed up his close cropped hair by taking almost 3 weeks to visit him. I told a few stories and made amends, he treated me to lunch several days later. Good Guy. I am giving him a shout out as he said I never mentioned him. Here’s to you Jeff!
The day b4 I was parked @ Esmeraldo Golf Course parking lot, an access point to Beacon trails, sitting in the sun. A woman biker rolled into the parking lot. I asked her about her ride. She said fine but she lost her new Blackberry on the trails somewhere. Bummer. I offered her encouragement and filled her Camelback and she headed back tracking her route. I was waiting for Jeff Vogel for our ride on Beacon. The woman returned empty handed and no h2o. Her next move was more h2o and walking her route calling her cell from another cell. Jeff arrived and we rode off. Her van was gone when we returned just after can’t see.
Our ride was challenging. Jeff is a much stronger rider and faster on downhill than me. We took turns leading a route selecting from so many trails. I lacked sun time management such that we were finishing the Essey downhill in I can’t see the rain rut running down the trail light. We lingered in the parking lot sipping a beer. Jeff invited me to stay @ his curb side. We have known each other for years here in Spokane. We skied together a bunch of times. Jeff navigated north to his house using the new north / south freeway which is the cat’s meow for getting to his house. Some day the freeway will connect to I-90 in the Spokane Valley, a route that bypasses the city surface streets.
My new shoes crush to tops of my big toes, very painful to pedal in. Specialized made a design change that shrunk the toe box. Today I stopped @ the Wheelsport store where I picked them up and whined. My action was to fill the toe box w/ a pair of socks and beat the toe part into relaxing. Shoes were pleasant on today’s ride on MT Coeur d’Alene after the violence.
I confirmed what I suspected that having a restaurant lunch and a beer b4 a ride is not wise. Yesterday afternoon ride @ Riverside was blah. I concentrated on riding slowly and avoiding the big hills. Dinner @ The Elk to put the fat in my life. Dashed to Bill & Jennifer’s for visitation and place to sleep. Bill bought a motion sensing wildlife camera and was learning what creeps around in the dark woods.
I visited w/ B & J this AM b4 heading out to MT Coeur d’Alene. I was asked if I would be riding w/ anyone. I said by myself. The camera location recorded nothing overnight.
I parked @ the TH for MTCd’A. A rider pulled in and re introduced himself. We met several years b4 @ same spot, Tim is his handle. He knows these woods like the back of his hand w/o his glove on. Our routes were agreeable and we headed up. I have ridden these trails bunches of times over the years riding them in the same direction each time except for earlier exploration rides. Once I figured them out I rode the same way. Today Tim introduced me to riding a good chunk backwards to me. What a hoot. He is a screamer downhiller but I out climb him. He invited me to his house tonight.
Tomorrow i will continue further east in Idaho to the N fork of the cd’a river. Lost Creek is closer up river. Further upstream the river trail is challenging and when return is via Independence creek it makes for 30 some miles. Rain is moving in which will affect route.
Still planning on leaving Spokane area on Friday. Still have people to visit b4 I leave.
My session in Larry’s box is successful. I am riding the uphills w/ more discipline and focus down the trail. My letting my reflexes free rein has improved my balance and line choice. I use the inhaler b4 I start out.
Patch of Chantrelle mushrooms was populated by pick me condition. I checked some out but left them in the ground. Last year same place we found ripe ones and I made a dinner of them @ Mars & Rick’s.
Cell phone lady cont’d. Yesterday after lunch i walked into U district PT w/ Jeff. I recognized a woman on the staff side of the counter as the woman from yesterday searching for her cell phone. She didn’t recognize me at first and couldn’t connect me w/ Jeff. She called her phone 94 times b4 she found it. She and i caught up on her search and Jeff couldn’t figure out how we knew each other, plus he learned from me that she told a true story. She works for U District. Yay Kirsten.
Adding socializing to my day keeps me away from this blog.