The Chase: yesterday was followup  appointment after the MRI last Friday which revealed a small meniscus  tear. Bob, the PA doing the exam said that fixing the tear at this time is my choice as it will prolly not propagate or cause the knee to lock. I have a chronic slight pain that if I can live w/ it no rasping off the loose end will be required. Cool. I know what is the deal w/ the knee. Last Fri after the MRI I fell laterally on my left side including the knee. I shared this info which caused Bob to order X-Rays as it was possible I broke the smaller leg bone. Bob said no harm and my knees are solid w/ great cartilage remaining. Bob and I go way back in treatment years and  I trust his judgement. The DR in VA didn’t go far enough in his exam and possible treatment. No harm, no foul. I am still too sore to lay on my left side on the X-Ray gurney.

Celebrated good news w/ Jeff, owner of U District PT, another fix me shop. Jeff is intrigued w/ living on the road. We had dinner @ No-Li.

Wed I rode a short less hilly ride in Riverside included was the ditch. Along the river I spooked a bald eagle which I watched fly downstream in my direction.

Today I rode Beacon / Sekani area w/ 2 Boeing engineer buddies, one, Les lives here and sometimes I sleep in his driveway like Wed night, and Cal who lives here on the weekends on his time then over in the Puget Sound for 4 days of work. Lunch was a Loppers Ball reunion w/ Cal, Tom an engineer who lives here full time and is storing some of my stuff, and Dave, a planner who I used to work with. For 17 years here I cut little trees down on the ski slopes @ 49 Degrees for my season lift pass, these guys joined in later years. Boeing wages now replace sweat equity. These guys are long term friends going back to 1990 when we all joined the new Boeing fabrication plant here in Spokane. Lots of history and fond memories.

3 years ago I paid $600 for a 3 day Better Ride skill clinic. One of the big take aways was riding w/ bent elbows as in pushup position instead of stiff and locked elbows. The bent elbows puts the rider in an athletic attack position more centered over the bottom bracket for better fore and aft wheel weight. The bent elbows gives a safety measure when rolling down drops: as the front wheel drops w/ straight arms the front wheel pulls the rider right over the  bars because there is no travel in the arms. Straight arms also pushes the rider back unweighting the front wheel. This rider didn’t pay for lessons and rejects my free tip:

He remained upright. Nice lycra. A seat bag on a dropper post?

I have been searching for a shop to install a Propex heater in my van. I found a Westie conversion shop in Renton who will do the install. Will be great having circulating warm air thermostatically controlled. I will plan my itinerary for a Puget Sound visit.

Very dry here such that the knapweed has been killed for this year. Knapweed is a scourge.

I researched a retail pot store here in Spokane. 2 days ago I stepped to the counter. WA stores allow lots of shoppers in @ same time. $27 a gram. Bought a gram of sativa and indica (in the couch is a way to distinguish the species). I bought and received a Haze portable vaporizer. It runs on lithium ion batteries, the kind that started fires on the new 787.

I found a WA distillery moonshine in a large liquor store here. I like is best of what I have so far consumed.

So I am here all next week. Hot and dry here, sleeping w/ side door opened.

Tomorrow I will ride MT Coeur d’Alene one of my favorite trails.

Abe commented on the Clark Fork ride that captures the diversity of the US. He likes it because it is along a white water river and is under tree cover, stark difference to his Phoenix locations. Those of you who have ridden back east know the tree cover, etc. I like riding back there for the difference from the mountain states.

I want to get a hold of Mike and Allison whom I met up in the Zunis. They told me about the book, American Nomads by Richard Grant. Along the way I would stop @ bookstores and ask about the book. Not in stock but they can order it. I never committed the time to wait for delivery. However, the first day in Spokane I ordered it from Aunties, a cool local bookstore in downtown Spokane. The first paragraph captured what living on the road is for me also.

“Looking back on my own American wanderings,  they seem to flow together as one; memories strung out on a single cord of highway, fourteen years long and headed nowhere in particular. I like to think I have tasted freedom, but I also recognize the signs and snares of addiction. After a while, wandering generates its own momentum, its own set of cravings, phobias and justifications. I like to think of it as an adventure, a perpetual seeking out of new horizons and experiences, but like so many endeavors of this kind, it has also been an act of flight- away from a point in space and time, away from routines and responsibilities, away from a state of mind. And when it began, escape was my only concern.”

Parked on side street in Brownes addition, soon The Elk.

My fall on Friday has affected my life. So far nothing broken, just hurt. I rested Sat, rode Sunday then rested Mon and Tues. I developed a killer localized head ache of great concern for bleeding in the brain because of the coumadin blood thinner I take to manage blood clotting. Earlier today I was treated by a sports orientated chiro who checked my symptoms out: no brain damage, just muscles that are over tightened and vertebrae gone astray. I am relieved by his assessment and adjustments. In a short while I am to ice my neck.

Sat dinner was back @ The Elk w/ Terry and Meg and Tom V. Great friends and great familiarity w/ the staff made for fun evening. We planned a Sunday ride up on MT Spokane.

Sunday we met down low in the park and hatched a ride plan. We rode up the Kit Carson road to the outhouse then rode down the newly constructed piece of trail that eliminated a further hill climb just to go down. Trail made w/ miniex which leaves a slightly rippled tread. New trail is dusty as are all the trails from lack of rain. Going downhill propelled by gravity, what a rip. The bike sure handles it well. Back @ the parking lot we visited and drank a few replenishing beers. There is now a recently reconstructed trail from the top all the way down to Bear Creek lodge dropping several thousand feet and can be shuttled. Coaster geeks. We earned our descent.

I have been voicing my discontent w/ horse riders and the affect they have on us recreaters. I created this  flyer and plan on posting it.

“Horse Riders

How to make friends Better:

• Remove horse excrement from shared trail head
parking areas and shared trails

• Ride elsewhere when the trail is wet and muddy

• Dismount and walk your horse while we stand
on the downhill side of the trail and talk to your horse as you pass
You Can Do It!”

No Shitty trails.

Today I learned that I was supposed to make a followup appointment to review the results of the MRI. I meet on Thurs to learn fate of my left knee. The dentist found an opening for next week. If all goes well I plan on leaving Spokane the weekend after next heading South.

That’s all.

Thurs was my dentist and ortho DR appointments. Understood. I left camp spot @ Patrick Creek TH on time, lots of extra time. Thurs is my customary laundry day and i needed a shower. I drove away heading towards Spokane. I googled laundromat in Post Falls near Anytime shower. GPS missed the number, I searched and found it several doors away. Either the place moved or the programmers subtracted several numbers. Good. Clean clothes and body. Back on I90 reality hit: Spokane was 22 miles away and that was just downtown, I still needed time to get to the north side. Wouldn’t make it. I called and plead my case. Call next week for another appointment. I still had time to make the Ortho appointment. I wandered around Pill Hill looking for the office and a street parking spot. I know where the office is but seem to forget how to get there. Street side metered parking  3 blocks walk to 5th floor office. On Time. Today is my first claim using Medicare and my Medigap insurance. The front desk was satisfied and I was passed to the inner sanctum. X-rays were taken and sent electronically to the exam room computer. These guys are my body fix it shop after 4 shoulder and 1 knee surgery repairs. My first visit to DR Kody was back in ’90 when I first arrived Spokane.  Bob, his PA examined me. Bob used to do more skiing and mountaineering than I did until marriage changed the focus of his life. X-rays were good. However, his gentle manipulation revealed something an MRI would need to suss out. Suspect meniscus tear sim to right knee years ago. Scheduled an MRI for Fri. Score. Been seen and pics taken. Now waiting for report next week.

I drove out to Seven Mile @ Riverside SP for my ride. I now have a yearly park pass allowing me to park inside the park vs poaching an outside the park parking spot. Riverside has literally miles of rolling single track. I know the trails and can put together 30 mile loops. I pedaled away just enjoying how the bike rides the trails. 12 mins into the ride out by 9 mile TH I rolled down and up out of a small radiused ditch, nothing big. My forward looking focus picked up the ditch, the bottom was below my sight line. I rolled into the ditch which compressed my fork, normal. However, what I didn’t pick up was a bigger than a bread box rock embedded in the up wall which I struck w/ the compressed fork, no travel was left which stopped the front wheel. I was pitched forward over the bar dragging the bike w/ me. I landed very hard on my left side from my head down to my ankle. Left side I said, not the once in a lifetime repaired right shoulder. I am bruised and somewhat bloodied. My head still hurts that is less than a concussion. Little fall beat me up. I continued my ride as planned leaking blood from my left forearm, no big deal, it wasn’t squirting. I was just hurting. I washed the blood and sweat off @ an Anytime shower later.

Amazing. Time can take so long to move forward, seems to stand still as I was making my air flight. I made the decision to keep my hands retracted and took the force on my body. I didn’t see the fall coming until I was in the air and was able to reflexively respond.

Today is a healing day.

Dinner last night @ The Elk, my favorite hang out.

Since arriving I have been connecting w/ many friends. Warm greetings. Continually asking how long I will be around. That question will be answered from the MRI.

I founded Fat Tire Trail Riders mtn bike club in Spokane years ago. The first year of our existence we scored an IMBA Trail Care visit, Nat and Rachael. We did a trail reroute around Devil’s Down thru a recent burn and a layer of ST Helen’s ash from 1980 eruption. Mike Brixey was the regional director back then helping on the work. A pic was taken of him sweaty w/ black charcoal mixed on. This pic continues to be used in IMBA campaigns. The trail side vegetation is above head high, the chard snags exists as does the volcanic ash. Below is the start of the reroute.

The park is located literally just downriver from downtown Spokane.

I am dog sitting my former neighbors’ female Labs. I can pet Amie inside as she doesn’t shed, however Peaches looses hair just looking @ her.

My former wheelset is here. Sales plug: I have front and rear 26″ wheel, Chris King hubs, rear is 20mm maxle laced to Stans Arch rims by DT Swiss spokes, all black. Hubs have always been maintained, the wheels are true. The Industry 9 wheels are an improvement and more expensive than the older wheels but they still rock. They are for sale still in the shipping box for $450, just saying.

I screwed up my courage to ask Bob about their medical opinion that my shoulder was a once in a lifetime repair and not in the 6 month healing time. He said the tear was so extensive and so old that DR Kody did what he could stitch fibers together. The fibers are so torn that there is nothing left to work with in the future. It is what it is.

Done for this entry.