Friday I decided to ride Larrison rock from town. Road climb was paved, no traffic, between 3 and 15% grade. I rode up to the rock itself that was a former lookout. The descent was very enjoyable and challenging 3.4 miles, over too soon. My 28″ wide handlebars and seat dropper makes these trails a controllable fun ride. The bars give me leverage to control the front wheel and the dropper gets the seat from under my butt. Big trees:
Prior to leaving the TH in the park I filled the solar shower. I parked full into the sun. Upon my return the h2o had heated sufficiently for a parking lot shower. Full on sun and 80 degree temp did the job.
Another evening socializing @ the pub. Just fun sitting outside being around mountain bikers who as a rule are fit. Maybe 8 guys arrived around 8:00. They flew in and landed @ airport. There were Randy’s shuttle customers. Oakridge on par w/ Sun Valley? Airplane was a prop, not a jet.
I needed hand made soap and local honey. I asked around town and found nothing. Suggestion was to shop @ the Farmer’s Market in Eugene on Sat. Good idea, go mingle w/ market crowd. 44 mile drive. paid parking. I walked around and found what I wanted. I sampled numerous strawberry farms wares and was nonplused. Greenbluff strawberries are better. I stopped @ a farm outside of town and bought 2 pints. My intent was to make daiquiris to share after my ride.
My ride plan on the way back to Oakridge was to ride the dirt to Hardesty. I parked @ same TH parking as previous attempt. Today the ride would be longer and more arduous and almost all on dirt. I rode up Goodman Creek a nice trail that climbed up the creek valley. I intersected a paved road to nowhere and rode for several miles until a vandalized sign for Alpine appeared on the left marking a trail that per the map was what I wanted. Not much traffic on it. The further along the steeper the trail became w/ numerous switchbacks that I didn’t attempt. Sketchy Oakridge bench cut narrow tread. I arrived @ an intersection w/ names and direction of trails. One was Hardesty Way. I confused this w/ Hardesty mtn. The map did not show this trail. I needed to be on Sawtooth that ran along the ridge line. I chose the Way trail and climbed steeply to the top. No real signs of traffic. Trail dropped elevation joining a skidder road then out to a trailhead for Hardesty Way. I figured the map out to learn that if I continued dropping on the logging roads I would end up in Cottage Grove over on the Umpqua. I needed to climb back to that trail intersection, I pushed my bike most of the way. At the intersection I figured out my correction. It was 6:30. I was loosing daylight. I needed to keep after it to make it out b4 dark. Sawtooth joined Hardesty mtn @ an unsigned intersection. I chose left as it seemed correct. As I rode I searched my memory for familiar features. Only after the first switchback around a root base of a conifer did I know I was correct. I made the turn to stay on Hardesty rather that Eula that I took previously. I was on the correct trail and would make it back b4 dark. Sweet descent of 4.5 miles. The error cost me 4 extra miles and a whole lot of energy. Ride total was 23.60 miles in 4 hrs 36 mins climbing 5891′ and burning 4415 cals.
Short sections of exposed side hill trail:
Tread is about 10″.
My solar shower failed again in spite of full on sun exposure, maybe the air temp robbed heat. A satisfying shower was had washing off dried blood from brush cuts.
I made it back to the pub for dinner and a shortened visit. Back out to airport. I was so dehydrated which must have caused my almost sleepless night.
Today is a rest day, really. I parked outside the Merchantile and rebuilt my drive train. New chain, cluster, and chain rings.
I have several patches of poison oak of different durations. Past experience was it takes a week for the blister to disappear. I itch for 3 days, the blisters open and weep, then dry up.
I have not figured out a departure date.
Randy comped me an MBO in July or August. 3 days of shuttled riding and beer. I did it 2 years ago. I might have to see if I can fit it into my plans. Seriously riders, MBO is special. Check it out:
http://www.mtbikeoregon.com/
And that is all.