Twin Falls, ID that is.

Sunday was a drive day from Bend to actually Kimberly which is just east of Twin. Forecast for Mon was snow on the route I would take. Sunday was great riding weather and the roads were clear. Drive on good roads. Drove all day. Camped @ Indian Springs BLM land where a network of local hand built trails was waiting.

Again, over the years I have ridden here since I learned about it from a foray to a bike shop I found in the yellow pages. I knew nothing about the trails. Additional trails have been built since that initial visit. This year I am right on the cusp of winter weather, any day w/o snow and or below freezing nights are to cherished. Or until I move out of the early winter locales. Last night forecast called for 60% rain mostly after 11:00. I slept in adjusting to a time zone faster. Sunrise is 8:04AM. I envisioned riding at 9 and finishing about 11:00. I changed into riding clothes from my pajama sweats shorts.  A car parked @ next parking spot away, the rider geared up and pedaled away into threatening clouds. @ 9:20 sprinkles fell as a precursor to the hard rain to follow. The rider was out in the soup and I just sat back in my chair warm and dry then changed into street clothes accepting that no ride would happen. I putzed around inside  as the skies lightened. I checked the doppler radar on my Android smart phone. It showed a hole between rain clouds upstream of here. I changed back into riding gear and ventured out. The wet rider loaded up his car and split b4 I started.

Again during my last visit I parked in the TH parking lot right where a traverse trail went by. That day most of the people, all men, who have pieces of the trail named after them introduced themselves to me. Today I rode up Swami. At the top I started down Matt’s that would drop me down on Dry gulch with a ride up stream and a climb back up then down something back to va n. This piece might have taken an hour. I looked at the sky and made the choice to shorten my ride to lessen the possibility of getting wet. Short ride but no long after getting back into the van rain fell. A sucker hole is one where conditions are satisfactory to venture forth but the inclement weather socks back in. My entire ride was dry. Hero dirt shared by range cows & left overs of “Sportsmen” who don’t police their brass and broken clay pigeons.

Great riding here having a nice mix of moderate difficulty tech moves and pedaling. Geography is volcanic and dirt that grows sage and vegetation that cows eat. A lot of front wheel lifting. Previous ride was w/ 26.5″ bar and a longer stem. This time 28″ bar and shorter stem greatly enhanced my control and enjoyment.

Interesting rock:

descent was on Back Door which gets technical mixed in w/ sketchy dirt between the rock stretches. Finished off on Sugar Loaf shared by cows.

back @ the van as I was changing back into street clothes rain fell. Short ride made for staying dry.

Drove into Twin to Spoke and Wheel bike shop where I learned about the riding here. Mike was working. We had chatted during past visits. We bumped into each other on Sedona trail last year and 2 years b4 it was in the Sedona laundromat. I learned of trail issues here and we shared notes about other rides. Joe stopped in. We met here last year, he jogging my memory. I enjoyed the no customers visit.

Rain in earnest was falling in town. I drove out to Fred Meyers for groceries and diesel @ $4.19 compared to other stations of $4.39. Inside the store a guy called my name. Doug Swami who has his name of the trail I climbed today. He was one of the guys I met from  my parking choice. We chatted again learning more about local advocacy.

Then I drove back to Indian Springs. Tomorrow again I ride as the weather allows. Tomorrow night if the weather is good Mike will be leading a night ride out here. Ride in day light should conditions allow and sack up for a night ride.

I will stay here again tomorrow night then drive to Hailey Wed AM. Friend Steve, the horse vet who lives in Bellevue, and I plan on riding Wed afternoon.

I forwarded my mail to Hailey. It was just mailed from Seattle today. Its arrival will determine when i leave Woods River Valley which is getting snow. Thurs. forecast is for more sun. Perhaps trails will dry out enough to ride up there.

Running the heater. The nose of my van is down wind. The roof vent opens to the rear. Tonight a strong breeze wrestled for control of the vent cover such that to protect the cover I closed it. My only ventilation is the cracked open  passenger window. I have a CO2 and propane detector. It still works detecting CO because the roof vent wasn’t opened. Good to know. Can’t sleep thru it.

Off to bed.

Yesterday I attended to to do list items. Nice day. I saw a rainbow apparently created by fine snow that melted b4 hitting the ground. Summer has been replaced by cooling down for winter. High winds have pretty well stripped the colors off Bend’s trees.

Friday new rear wheel tires were installed, new rubber is snow impressive. During Thurs ride a strap that holds a buckle that a adjustment strap goes thru failed which means I can not snug the shoe down correctly. I took it to Hutch’s which is the Specialized dealer. Warranty replacement. I gots new shoes. The old shoes were starting to tear in their customary spot. 8 months. Did my wash. bought propane as I have been running the heater.

I treated myself to dinner on the town. I started @ 10 Barrels for a beer. Next I drove into town and parked in a tight public parking lot. I walked the first 1 way street window shopping. Shortly I found a Mexican restaurant which is what I was hankering. Several dishes were made w/ Mole which some describe as the heart of the kitchen. Another beer. I sat @ the bar and conversed w/ the 30ish attractive woman bartender. I walked over to Deschutes Brewery on the next over main street. One beer. Yes, all the parts of my van are in showroom condition.

Today I helped on trail work sponsored by COTA. Our group was driven way up towards MT bachelor. We hiked about 3/8 mile b4 we hit the trail were were going to work on. This trail is populated w/ jumps and bermed turns, machine built. We erased brake bumps. So incredible was only 1 rider rode by and he was pushing his bike uphill not the way it is Funner to ride hence the name of the trail. Saw snow falling like yesterday. Chilly. Full leg coverage. We left some pretty sculpted places of trail.

Back into town. I debated w/ myself if I wanted to night ride. This was after 2 beers @ the post trail work late lunch. Temp has been dropping. I talked myself into a 10 Barrel beer and staying warm. Finished my beer, took a shower then drove out to normal camp spot. It is 34 degrees @ 7:22. Naw, I don’t want to ride that badly. Heater is on.

Snow is forecast most of next week. And same for Sun Valley. I am leaving tomorrow for there, may the roads be free of slippery stuff. Weather is what it will be. I have stuff mailed to Hailey that I need to pick up, most important is my absentee ballot.

I like Bend, prolly the best of any other place I have stayed. And after the rain weeted the trails making them hero dirt. Gotta go.

Another below freezing morning. Need to be up & out of here for today’s drive, ride, and drive. Heater creates suitable warmth, water vapor condensed on the inside of the windshield, didn’t freeze. Red sky sunrise. Forecast for today is sunny w/ chance of showers tonight and into Fri.

Headed out driving south on us 97 then up OR 58 over Willamette Pass then climb back up to Cascade crest @ Waldo Lake. Oakridge buddy Jay showed me this route: I parked @ Betty Lake TH which is the closest access point to hwy. Geared up electing to wear long underwear top under bright red jersey for sight recognition, knee warmers, and knee socks. Betty Lake trail joins the Waldo lake trail. I headed N along the east side of the lake. Effects of the heavy rain earlier this week were visible  in the form of rain rivulets down the trail. Great woods dirt again of mostly conifer needles. Appeared to be 1 old bike track until I hit the north end. Up and down and around the lake I went.

Back in 1996 a 10,000 acre fire burned down to the nnw corner of the lake:

The trail circled the lake sometimes right next to the lake, most other times in deep tree cove w/ the lake nowhere in sight. Warmed up enough here to remove the long underwear top.

I saw only 1 rider the entire 23.58 miles. Climbed 2397′ in 3 hrs 26 mins. calories burned per the edge 305 is difficult to understand as today I burned 2109 cals while yesterday which was only 1354′ climb burned 3496 cals. I burned more riding downhill than this more demanding trail.

Back @ the van I changed clothes and ate a late lunch @ 3:30. I headed back to Bend. Running late for my pint @ 10 Barrels. Hit Newport Market for grab dinner. In the parking lot was a Sprinter w/ a mtn bike on the back. Home made conversion. Ran into the guy, Drew, in the grocery store checkout line. He remarked about my Pisgah jersey. He was starting to leave the parking lot when i exited the store. I waved hi and pointed @ my van. He pulled up along side. He said he now connected w/ me. He read my thread on MTBR 2 years ago about my life is better than your vacation. He posted a favorable comment because he liked what I was doing plus he was pissed at the negative scathing comments others made about my lifestyle choice.

Out to SNAP for a shower then my usual camp spot @ Phils.

Tomorrow is tire day & tasks during a rest day. Forecast is for some rain which will support rest. Monday forecast calls for possible snow. reason to leave perhaps Sunday for Sun Valley.