Last night I camped on the overlook above Rabbit Valley where I usually do. Yesterday was a rest day. Very windy. I orientated the van into the wind and sunset. Several times during the night my home was rocked by wind gusts. Didn’t need heater until morning and it started. Several rain squalls hit around sunrise. A sucker hole opened up, big enough for me. Forecast called for showers and possibly a thunderstorm.
I drove to Kokopelli TH noticing there was more standing water on the interstate the further east I drove. No dust on the gravel road to the TH. Just a few rigs. I geared up taking my rain coat. Several days ago on Marys I encountered 2 hikers who were walking off the wide trail, I was enjoying gravity and was concerned that I ran them off. I shouted an apologize, none needed was the replay. On my GJ visit they happened to find me in a parking lot. Friendly conversation, they said of all the bikers that went by them I was the only one to say anything. Anyway, he does some kind of mapping which was why he was hiking. He told me about Kokopelli area clay layers. The frontage road is stop dead stuff. Today I noticed foot prints that looked like snowshoe tracks from the mud that was sticking to his feet (large foot). I heeded this image and factored in the forecast. Today my plan was to ride just Marys out and back as a safe weather bet. Just about an even 4 miles at the top of a grunt climb I heard thunder. That was enough for me to listen for a second peal which clapped a few pedal strokes further. I turned around and headed back to the barn. Several bright eyed groups of riders headed into the flat out storm clouds. I shared my weather info and why I was going my way. No problem they all said. I kept after it pedaling home. Back at the van I put the bike on the van then stepped inside when I heard cherry sized rain drops beating on the roof. I jumped out and threw the cover over the bike. Rain fell harder then shifted to hail size of peas. Bang, bang, blump, ……. . I am snug but those riders out there were wet and chilly. Shortly one group rolled in after hail quit. They had a good time, no worse for being wet. Maybe 6 couples maybe in their late 20s. Amazing that their bikes dis not have gloppy mud on them. Gloppy would indicate clay.
Replacing the pivot parts snugged up loose parts, I drop the bike and only hear the tires hitting, no clinking. I bedded in the brakes.
I drove back into town to take a shower etc. Hot Tomato is closed on Sun and Mon. Stopped @ OTE and asked the wrench if he loctited and torqued the pivot bolts as I remember the Turner manual instructed. He said no. I asked him to pull up the manual and read it to learn if it was required. Later he told me to bring my bike back and he would fix it.
Seahawks played @ 4:30 as did the Bronco Patriots. This is Bronco territory. I went to Suds where they had a bunch of TVs all tuned to the Broncos. A server greeted me. I told her gently I was looking to watch the Seahawks on one of the many screens. She said follow me and showed me one screen on the Seahawks. The sound was on the Denver game. Denver got pasted while a partisan crowd watched and cheered and oooood. Intense devotion the closer to the home of the home team.I experienced the same on Orcas Island last December during the Seahawks playoff games.
Rain fell during the afternoon. Max offered me his side yard in town to park on. Dirt and not on the curb. Level. Forecast is for more rain that wets my concern about clay roads. Suspect trails will be too wet to ride tomorrow.
The furnace has worked sometimes flawlessly such that I was thinking about canceling the service. However, tonight it played hard to start. After several resets it kicked in. I am running more heat to heat soak, but I am now too hot. Turn the temp down and cross my fingers it will start back up.