Oakridge ain’t all about downhill

Another night in the trailer park w/in earshot of N fork of Willamette river. Scott and Jen slept in his trailer a few feet away. Yes, I take a shower after every ride the big bonus. Plus I am not far away from Brewer’s Union. Plus I have a sure camp spot. Don’t plan on making any life style changes however.

I checked weather records for Oakridge humidity, amazing: ranges from 83% to 25% over the course of 24 hrs. This AM dew wetted everything.

Today i am to meet @ Bruce’s house for our ride up to Little Bunchgrass. He lined up a friend to ride along then drive Bruce’s car back to bottom TH. Rode in a Honda Element like I sold b4 leaving. Climbed up mountain side on logging roads. Cascades are really rugged, what they might lack in size they make up for quantity. At our upper drop off point was just under snow melt line, however 200 yds and we were full on in left over corn snow patches. Shortly the trail dropped 900′ down the radically steep face w/ steep nasty switchbacks. Maybe a 10″ tread. It was all there: a slight over steer correction and down over the edge I would go. Good woods dirt for traction. Bruce nailed almost all the switchbacks while I slithered around most of them. Bruce skids his rear wheel on the inside of the turn & drags his uphill foot as an outrigger. Still it was more than I wanted to handle. This was the worst section but several others were not far behind. W/ a shuttle we dropped 4700′ and climbed 1,800. Some of the uphill gave way to hike a bike from exhaustion. Bruce has a worse breathing problem than me so that I get to ride first on the uphills and flats. I can stay close behind on the more predictable downhills. Ride time was just under 3 hours that took us 5 hrs to complete. I didn’t understand the ride b4 hard and didn’t completely prepare myself. Again, spinning wins.

18" bar won't cut it
Bruce climbing

Wait, I am listening to Willie’s place on XM.

Stopped @ Brewer’s union for a pint. Encountered a lubricated IN rider out for a week of riding. Maybe it is the 20 ozs of beer, 4 more than a pint.

Drove to trailer park for dinner and a shower.  Forecast is just sunshine and 83 dropping to 74 degrees. Beautiful.

And that was my day. A difficult ride and a warm shower to rinse it off.

 

 

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