Still not known

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.