The shower deal fell thru. I scrubbed myself w/ cold h20 b4 bed. Chilly night, I did turn on the heater for comfort while wet. My body is coping w/ the poison oak, it is in the weeping not much itch stage. Closed down the Pub again. Spent some intense conversation w/ Ben who is a shaker in the GOATS creation and current operation. Learning their story. Slept out on Salmon Creek rd, no cell phone.
Last night I parked on the edge of Rays, the only grocery store in town to fix dinner. Richard from the Mercantile stopped by riding his original Softride bike. Bike for several years on the last page of the issue pilloried the bike until they finally assassinated it to prevent further misadventure.
Today I stuck my head out peering @ the sky to make a prediction for a ride. I saw my shadow which was good. Today i am going to actually pay for an Alpine shuttle from Randy. $25 to make the road climb pleasant. I shared the ride w/ the 2 guys I met climbing Larrison.
Today I planned on riding Alpine from Kate’s to the Red Bridge. I wanted ride data. Ride was 13.21 miles in non anaerobic effort of 1 hr 36 mins of moving time. Climbed 1265′ but dropped 4585′. Alpine is the marquee trail and is so much fun to ride. My wide bars on my Turner 5 Spot, PUSH tuned suspension, mind conditioned by Better Ride, Formula brakes controlling my speed, and my parents for making me I just sped me down the trail. Legacy trail that has widened as a result of years of riding it. Big old trees, a perspective of tininess. So great that some old giants remain.
Wild flowers covering steep meadow:
Fog on top of Sourgrass mtn, beargrass creating energy to bloom:
Single blooming plant down low, the likes will make this green meadow white:
Patchy clouds and low 60 degrees were @ end of ride. Prior I had decided the solar shower would not be warm and that the wind would make an outside shower too chilly. At the parking lot I partially filled the shower w/ tap h2o leaving room for stove heated h20. I added 1 1/2 dutch ovens of heated h2o making it tepid. I carried my stuff into the restroom and took over the large toilet stall. Floor is concrete and has a drain right near by, I took a shower using soap and rinsing it off. While I was getting it ready a man on a funky old touring bike rode up. Another white beard and it was long. Stephan offered me to use his shower down in Westfir. We never met but he offered his resources. Cool.
Off to Brewers Union for another bought dinner pumping $ into local economy.
I left a used shop rag @ the Mercantile. Today Todd handed it back to me freshly laundered.