Friday I drove from eat of Prairie City to Bend going thur Prineville and Redmond. Lots of traffic. Prineville is hoping small city putting on a rodeo. Close in public land camping doesn’t exist. I could only drive thru as I was tracking to my 2:00 PT appointment. Interesting river cut for roadway near John DayCentral Oregon looks like AZ desert

Dave, the PT, is located beside Web Cyclery, Kevin. We have met at places on the road. I hang at his shop. I visited w/ Kevin in air conditioning as it is in upper 90s. Dave’s office was AX also. He was impressed w/ my range of motion. He gave me some isometric exercises for home work till next session next week. Says everything is attached. tell you, I am stretching forcing the stopping point. My shoulder hurts constantly, just enough to know it is there but not so biting to keep me from sleeping. He said I am more weeks away from riding. It isn’t that I can’t ride, it’s coping w/ unplanned damage from a miscalculation. I am putting in my healing time. 10 weeks post surgery.

I greeted Lev of Cog Wild, he said that there were no scheduled work parties for me to work on. Great to be known as a giver.

next stop was 10 Barrels. Manny greeted me and introduced me to Clinton. I ate a humus platter for dinner. I drove a short distance to Snap fitness for a shower then on out to past Phil’s TH to where I have been staying. Got the spot.

Sat AM I drove out to SE area of Bend. Kevin said land might be available. I wandered around desert residential neighborhoods. I found 1 sign for land. Lots of horse ranches.

I drove back into town. Another upper 90 degree day. Temp drops as elevation is gained. I camp @ 4157′. Dutchman SnowPark right outside Bachelor ski area is 6300′, temp would be in lower 80s. I drove up to snowpark w/ plan to hike up Tumalo Peak. Trail is 1.5 miles climbing from 6,300′ to summit of 7775′. Good short uphill hike. For years I looked up the slope from a bike trail. Years ago on a ski trip I climbed the same side up to the top and then dropped in on this face. 2 days in a row in white out conditions, deep snow, connected w/ local guys who said they knew the way. Some of the best pow skiing every: steep and deep. Free heels.

Looking a different direction are the Three Sisters. On a spring trip 4 of us climbed South Sister and skied down.

Good hump hike.

Next is to find a high camp spot. I finally found one driving out an FS road doubling as a XC trail. Parked right off the road. No traffic. Slept w/ the bug netting. Saw 61 degrees.

Refrigerator is keeping temps in the 30s. Seems to be OK even if the burner noise is less noisy.

Today I planned on another hike. I drove to Edison snow park and hiked out Dynomohumm trail out and back. Hiked 6.4 miles. I planned on bush bashing up a butte until i checked out the dead and down trees: way too much acrobatic stepping. Deep woods cover. Trail just gets it done, nothing exciting.

I drove back into town and the heat. I needed water, food, and a shower. A shower at Snap then over to Newport Market. I was hunting salmon. This market has better food but is way expensive than Safeway. I bought a $15 3/4# of fish. Next stop is over to Safeway to but water machine filtered water. On the way my phone rang. It was Dangerous Dave from Sedona. He saw me in the parking lot. We both needed filtered water so he joined me. He, his wife, and 2 kids were in town for a yoga training session for her. I didn’t see Dave while in Sedona but he finds me on the road. Pleasant visit.

I drove to 10 barrels for a short cold one before dinner. Time has moved on and the pint worked its healing properties. Salmon dinner was deferred till the next night.

Back at camp spot: 4157′, at 7:43 it was 49% RH and 89 inside with 75 outside. High humidity. Clammy.

Tomorrow starts the chores. Phone calls for appointments.

I bought a garmin Etrex 30 GPS at REI. I need to find mapping software to add GPS tracks to. Back Country Navigator w/ GPS and GS maps run on my cell phone is top drawer except battery drainage and need for Cell reception or thinking ahead by downloading maps where I will be going.

 

My chest & head cold is almost gone. Today I am hardly coughing.

Two nights ago I found Copper River salmon and bought some for Steve to fix for us. mmm great.

I visited Sun Summit South bike shop run by Chip whom I have known for years. Bob Bergdahl, father of Bowe, is working there. Bob engages in intense intellectual discussions, ones that I enjoy as I learn much. People might have lots to offer if they would get beyond the one line put downs.  I  became mentally exhausted after awhile.

2 summers ago a huge forest fire burned here. Trails were burned over. Then a 100 year rain fell which eroded the land destroying trails. There is a form of Wood River drama like Sedrama. Not all groups affected by trail reconstruction were consulted and a new one added that added influence. Conflict. I don’t have a dog in the fight and because this time I am here for a short while I did not pursue behind the scenes understanding. The regrowing hillsides are covered in tumble mustard plants lending a particular greenish hue. The plants flower then die later in the summer and break loose from the ground and blows as tumble weed.

 

 

Over the years I have spent many days visiting and riding here in the Wood River Valley. It is a pleasnat place but one of big money as seen by very large and expensive homes.

Last night I drove up river to Baker Creek to camp. Great view of the Boulders.

This now all leads to today’s drive to the Ochoco in Oregon to see where I have been contemplating a set down place. I am excited. I am starting w/ clean clothes first here in Hailey @c laundromat which has new machines and maybe new management.

Hot.

Off to dry clothes.

What environments I have experienced in this 30 day month. Water is a common thread: either you have it or you don’t. Some is normal and other is fickle of nature. Ohio was the wettest, the Ochoco will be the driest.

Range of motion is continuing to be gained. Friday is next PT session w/ Dave who treated me last fall. Next stage is assisted range of motion. Hopefully I will be able to add strengthening leading to road riding.

The addition of the carbon stiff foot bed has eliminated hiking knee pain and considerably lessened my foot pain. Today as I drove down river my eyes looked upwards to the peaks and envisioned hiking to the top. I have been biking for years because of the knee & foot pain. I look to add mountaineering back into the mix. Mountain biking requires a tread which is conformity. Mountaineering offers only complying w/ gravity and freedom of choice.

Last night I set my chair up looking full on to the Boulders viewing the above scene. I played EmilyLou and Linda Rhonstadt album and reflected upon my past. I moved to Gig Harbor,WA in time to start 1980. I was back in the big mountain out of doors. For the past 35 years I have played in the out of doors. I backpacked, climbed, back country free heel skied, kayaked, picked huckleberries, mountain biked, and just enmeshed myself in nature. All activities requiring an able body and a driving mind. I am almost 66. Do I rust or just fade away as age affects choices? I become melancholic about my future. Mountain biking has changed so much since I started and the riders are much younger and more competent. May I successfully rehabilitate my shoulder so I can challenge myself

I visited w/ Mark and Brenda in Salida for several days last week. They live on a residential street maybe 5 blocks from down town. The house residents have unofficially claimed parking spaces. I was told to park down the street in front of a day care center because there was no parking possession. I spent 1 night parked there. The day care center was hopping w/ kids. I sat in my van w/ the side door open working at my desk. A girl approached the fence and asked if I live in the van. I said yes and that was the end. Several of her friends cautioned her about speaking w/ strangers. They all left left at the end of the day. Us 3 adults went downtown to partake of the river festival. I slept on the street. In the morning Mark and Brenda headed out to finish a trail project Brenda undertook. I packed up my bfast dishes and headed to their kitchen sink. Clean dishes in hand I stepped out the front door and saw 2 city cops and a trooper’s car hanging behind my van. I was told that the day care people were nervous w/me parked there and wanted me to move. One of the officers ran my id, he asked if I had a history of doing what he didn’t say. I put my dishes away and moved 100′ towards Mark and Brenda’s. I was told Salida has an ordinance about sleeping in an a rig on the streets. Later Brenda drove me to a parking spot to the South of town in the FS. I enjoyed 2 peaceful nights there.

There are 3 recreational pot stores in town. I picked the one closest to the laundromat and bought a gram of pot oil for $70. 67% THC. Big time buzz.

While Mark and Brenda were trail working I drove up to Monarch Pass for a hike north bound on the CDT. Patches of snow still dotted the trail. On my way back down I encountered a guy hiking north from Mexico. I gave him navigation tips. I lost the trail when it entered the ski area because of snow cover and inadequate signing.

The Arkansas River flows down the eastern edge of town. This visit the water level was way up from a wet spring and melting snow. There is a whitewater course set on the river. This is right downtown.

Salida has a Carnegie Library

I have a road atlas of the US where I highlight roads I have driven. My next stop is Sun Valley, host Steve. I selected roads not driven which made for a longer drive. The first day I made just below Encampment pass camping on a logging spur, I slept at just over 9,500′. The second day of driving was a 12 hour handful day because of high winds. The van is like an empty box of Kleenex on a roller skate. Tough driving. I stopped for fuel and opened the driver’s door to open the fuel filler door. The wind tore the door from my hand. Shit, it was a challenge to stand upright. 26.6 mpg.

Last night I rolled into Steve’s driveway. It was late so after a short visit and a shower where I left the curtain out of the tub and flooded the floor. The temp was chilly pleasant allowing me to sleep w/ the side door opened and the netting across the opening.

Today Steve lead me on a local hike up the side of Proctor mtn.

I caught a cold traveling to and from Ohio. Chest cold wracking my body w/ coughs. I want to be free of this virus.

I visited w/ sister Lise Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday before heading back. The next day sister Lynn said Lise faded. She died Sunday AM. I was fortunate that my timing allowed us to spend time together.

Copper River Salmon arrived here in Hailey. I bought a piece for Steve to prepare tonight.

I am parked under a tree in the shade in front of the Catholic church enjoying incredible internet speed which allowed many pics.

Today my fridge was serviced because it wasn’t keeping the temp down. Same place a previous service, same guy. The jet was clean but the burner was sooted over. I should be enjoying 35 deg temp.

I will be here till Thurs. morn for my final push to Bend and resuming PT.

Time to return to Steve’s. Steve is a retired equine vet. He sold his practice several years ago, bought a Sprinter, and made short road trips. He visited Sedona several times and I visited him a bunch of times here in the Wood River Valley.