I sense the seasons changing, fall is asking to move in. Last night it was 38 degrees. I kept the furnace switched on with a lower heat need and the furnace responded flawlessly. I have been comfortable. There is heat loss thru the doors and windows making my living room colder than the bed room. I have been curling up in bed later in the evening w/ a book. I am still moving around the bed pillow I bought back in Sedona, sure takes up room and requires handling to create open space. Better continue dealing w/ it until I learn more about my shoulder.

I rested yesterday spending it finishing up TrailTrash. Their hike was foiled by massive wet weather system that dumped umteen feet of snow on the trail which was above the snow line. They made it to Snowgrass trail junction in the Goat Rocks Wilderness just before the pile of rocks that was the Dana Yelverton Shelter. She wrote that they got rained on many days once they entered Washington. The trail has become a social experience w/ so many hikers to chose from to make friends. She sure spent many days in comfort off the trail staying in buildings and eating prepared food. No foul, more opportunities and maybe more money to spend than I had. It’s an experience that can not be lessened however a person hikes it under own power whether it is a record short time to hike or the longest. I gifted the book to Lindsey.

During my 1978 hike 4 of us slept in the shelter out of the rain. Many hikers think the Goat Rocks was one of the most spectacular places. I saw only the bottom of low clouds. There were 2 trail choices to make after the shelter: the hard snow traverse of Packwood Glacier w/o an ice ax or the start of the knife’s edge. A slip on the glacier meant a long ride down crashing onto rocks at the terminus. I picked my way thru the rocks. Once there I noticed many trail working tools but no hands to make them work. As I hiked on the weather cleared a bit. I encountered a man on crutches walking towards me. He was responsible for the humans working the trail and they were nowhere to be found as the weather blew them off and they deserted their camp. Further on the trail offered a choice of a side hike to the top of the White Pass ski lift and a ride down to the pass or the several miles of trail hiking to same destination. I was cold and wet so I chose the lift ride. The lift was running which I did not know when I made my decision. A phone and instructions for a ride were posted at the lift shack. I called and waited a long time for an answer. Soon a man appeared riding a chair up. It was Dave Mahre, the operations manager, and father of the famous ski twins. He was warm and dry and talked while my lips turned blue from cold. I rode my first real ski lift going downhill staring at the steep slope. Dave let the 4 of us to crash in a bunkhouse. I stayed there 2 days waiting out the rain.

Hiking the trail is a lifestyle where you make primal choices, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Choices made might have a direct effect on your safety, there is no thought about whether this color matches my eyes or I chose not to invite someone to a party. Reintroduction back into society and civilization is overwhelming. A person is changed having depended upon their decisions having been tested. Back in the world life seems petty.  Until you get back behind the wheel.

So, I might be facing a decision about my lifestyle when I learn more about my shoulder. Should I put my house on wheels so I can feel the rocking? I know it will be small but spacious compared to my less than 100 sq ft space I inhabit today. Imagine walking into my own inside bathroom, turning on the hot shower w/ unlimited water, and able to leave the lights on.

Tomorrow is MRI followed by DR review next Wed.

My Spokane “dance card” is getting filled w/ people to see and things to do. Buying expensive pot legally. With pot being legal should it still be called a “drug”? Alcohol is legal and is a drug but is not labeled as such.

11:00 and it is 57 degrees. Going to go for a ride wearing a long sleeve jersey. Maybe knee warmers are not needed.

Yesterday was my ortho visit. Dave said he is the Bend’s shoulder guy. Waiting room furniture was soft over stuffed chairs to make waiting comfortable. Ohh perhaps long wait times. I didn’t crush the cushion long before I was processed. X-rays were taken then reviewed by DR. Head of the humerus rides up indicating rotator muscles not working either because the tendons tore free, the muscles are still not awakened, or the muscles deteriorated and were replaced by fat. I have an MRI scheduled for this Friday and a followup DR visit the next week followed by a PT session 2 weeks later. I asked the DR about riding and I am unsure what he said that I could.

I will make a one week visit to Spokane then return to Bend to continue a solution to my shoulder.

Yesterday I walked around downtown wearing the new Keen boots listening to my feet. I believe they were happy as I wore the boots into the evening inside my home.

I stopped at Dudley’s bookstore to recycle a read book and pick a new one. Tom, the owner, showed me Trail Trash written by a local author about her and her husbands 2013 PCT thru hike. So far my nose has been stuck in the book. Her format is a day by day account of her hike, more nuts and bolts and no drama like Wild. I relive my experiences thru her writing.

While in the bookstore I noticed a young couple next to me. My observation was they were fire. Close but they lead Americorps teams doing trail work. Interesting conversation. She complimented me on my ability to relate and engage in conversation.

Nightly 10 Barrel visit and the friendly staff. One beer while watching several innings of the mariners game then out to Phils after dark.

Amazing experiencing the shortening of the days. Temps here in Bend vary from too hot to sleep even w/ the door and windows open to the last several days when I ran the furnace in the early morning hours. Smoke has cleared out leaving clear blue skies. I am comfortable in Bend. There is a sticker that reads: Be nice, you are in Bend.

Pot possession is legal in Oregon as of the last election. In October medical dispensaries will be permitted to sell to non medical card holders. Why I like Oregon politics. Go Bernie.

I have postponed my desired PCT hike for another year because of the fires and my shoulder. I checked the forecast for the trail from Harts Pass which calls for snow which will help smother the fires. Too much of WA Cascades are on fire. I read in TrailTrash the term “section hikers” which is what a person hikes instead of thru hiking. I would be a section hiker. I will continue to mix backpacks in w/ conservative riding.

I checked w/ Sunnyside where I dropped off my dropper post to learn any news. There is no tracking info and hence no knowledge of its return. I am not comfortable riding on a rigid post. I heard that turn around is about 10 days. I have thought about retrieving my Reverb that is back in Spokane and having it repaired. i wikll take it back w/ me to Bend where this shop will repair it for about $150. If you have a dropper just expect that it will need the internals serviced and to prepare for a back up. Not a bad idea to have a spare post.

Today I am going to ride some blue square Phils trails.