Flat pedals and proper shoes: to date I have ridden 18 rides totaling 333 miles. Mark, I agree with you about pedal strikes because the pedals are wider than clipless. It is what it is, I get caught because I wasn’t prepared or couldn’t see the catcher in the brush. Brushy trails add another level of excitement and danger. I accept that risk. Otherwise the technique is to keep toes pointed up for heel down pedaling or for bracing going downhill. Somehow during the bunny hop the front foot heel is down and the trailing foot is toe down to effectively wedge the feet on the pedals. I have found the pedal stroke is more powerful as it is all about pushing down and not pulling up. I have been learning that with a bigger gear I can pedal up stuff perhaps better than I can hike a bike. That’s within reason of course. Great pedal power. The 510 shoes are definitely more secure and comfortable to walk in as the shoe flexes w/o the rigid footbed and there is no metal cleat right under the ball of the foot. More attention to detail of keeping my feet on the pedals is necessary: flat feet on flat pedal meets a bump: body gets kicked up taking feet along, coming back down if you are lucky is right on the saddle and not the top tube.

To Tomas he is hitting the pot intoxication on the head so to speak. These big road climbs need numbing. My buzz slightly distracts my thoughts of how long and steep the climb is. By the time the downhill kicks in the edge of the buzz has worn into base consciousness: am I still buzzed or is the downhill that mind boggling? A small vaporizer bowl of high THC content pot lasts longer than I can burn off on most climbs. So the downhill has both boggling and buzz. Beer is too heavy, takes up too much pack room, and its effects are prone to taking more risks. Crazy friend Shrimper would pack several cans of beer wrapped in socks in his pack. We’d stop for a break and I would hear the pop of the can being opened.

 

I updated yesterday’s post w/ pics as I am in downtown Leavenworth w/ strong signal. A short period of sprinkles fell so far.

The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is right outside of town. I have an urge to spend a night out. A lottery for overnight permits occurs every AM at 7:30. This process limits the number of people camping in a very neat environmentally sensitive area. I might try for a spot tomorrow.

My digestive system might be cured. My stool sample grew out meaning there was bacteria in my tract. The antibiotics seemed to have killed the bad guys. A possible side effect of the drug is torn tendons. I have a sore calf that I hope is not part of a tear. The leg discomfort is discouraging me from hiking. I can pedal OK.

I am planning on being in Spokane starting next Tuesday for a short visit.

Life is too short to smoke cheap pot.

Thursday I left crowded Post Canyon road headed into town to do my weekly laundry at a laundromat I have used in the past, right beside snap shower. Clean dried clothes squished into the clothes drawer and 4 days of riding stuff hung from the inside clothes line. Pretty hot and low humidity will dry them quickly. I drove to Dirty Finger to visit w/ Mitchell, the owner. I asked about 15 mile up on rd 44 trails, he said it would be hot as it is exposed. The climb out is a cardio buster and was made easier to avoid because of high temps. I baled. I did stop back at the bookstore and bought the Chicken Pot Pie sticker.

Next stop was Cashmere for Devils Gulch. Don’t remember what the high temp was during my drive from the River to Yakima then the big hill climbs on I82 to Ellensburg. The engine temp stayed below overheat. Even though the AC has been repaired I still choose not to use it. I stayed on US 97 climbing up Blewett Pass where I spent the night in a FS parking lot.

Friday I finished the drive to Cashmere and up Mission Creek to the Devils Gulch TH. This trail has been a favorite of mine for years, only lessened by other enjoyable trails and the whoops created by the dirt bikes. I believe I rode this trail back in 1998 the weekend before I raced the Boss 100 mile mtn bike race. On my Klein Top Gun, fully rigid, rim brakes, toe traps, maybe 21 speeds, at least the wheels were round. i chose to ride the roads instead of up the trail. I rode up it once years ago, the road is a grunt but easier than climbing single track. At the start the road is maintained that goes over the ridge and down into Wenatachee, I drove this once and that was one time too many. Mission creek road has been decommissioned caused by the road washouts by overflowing Mission creek. You need to know where this turn off is or like some riders who rode way up the ridge.Friend Joe shared this mistake with his wife. The road is disappearing under nature’s ever changing onslaught. Deep wash outs. I was riding right alongside the babbling creek when what to my wondering ears did hear branches snapping like something big was forcing its way thru the brush. The smashing was replaced by sound of claws on a tree. WTF? Maybe 12 feet away and about same height I saw a black bear. I discerned from the sounds I heard that it was only 1 bear, no mama and cubs which lowered the hair raising level. I said hello and just kept pedaling uphill and hoped that I would not feel its breath on my legs.The next day I was back at the TH and listened to 2 women trail runners telling of bikers reporting a bear. Bear behind me. I am riding a 1X11, a 30T chain ring and granny of 42, and flat pedals. The climb lasted for 1 hr 59 mins going  miles gaining 2986′ in 11.04 miles. The downhill starts w/ a climb before dropping 3281′ in same distance taking 1 hr 10 mins back to the TH. Previous burns had killed coverage that mitigated run offs. Now the floods from above coming down the creek were washing down trees and washing out creek crossings. Rides before the burns I rode the crossings. Dirt bike whoops. All by myself. Stayed in contact w/ my pedals the entire ride. Hooray for flats.

Before leaving on the ride I hung the summer shower on the hood of the van. Upon return the sun heated the water to too hot to shower under. I cut it w/ van water then showered.

I drove down to the Sand Creek road thru this guy’s junk heaven. Amazing how much junk a person can collect. I parked at the end of the road where a TH for redhill starts. Back in a canyon. Too sheltered to receive XM: no Mariners game or Wait Wait Don’t tell Me on Sat. Pleasant night w/ screen blocking the sliding door.

Sat I rode directly from camp. Short loop but mass effort. 13.63 miles climbing 3087′ taking 2 hrs 17 mins of pedaling that’s a massive 226′ climbed per running mile. Deep forest cover. Finished on long downhill. I took another shower again the water was too hot.

The Devils gulch trail travels up Mission Creek which flows into Cashmere, the creek size was captured at the washout photo. Inside the city this sign is posted at the creek crossings:

Looking into what you are told not to do:

I dallied the midafternoon away then drove to Leavenworth to learn of trail conditions up the Chiwawa. Weekend tourist crowds, this is a tourist town w/o an amusement park but packed just the same. People escaping the rat race of the Puget Sound for another one. Das Rad bike shop has been sold to another owner. I asked the wrench there about trail conditions on Chikamin Minnow Ridge. He said what he had heard is don’t do it as it hasn’t been cut out. I walked across the highway to the FS RS and asked. I was informed that the trails have been cut out. I wanted to ride so I chose the better answer. I drove out to Coles Corner then past Lake Wenatchee to a snowpark I have slept in prior. Quiet night. 1 bar internet. Slept well.

This AM I made scratch pancakes, a preferred Sunday bfast. Fed and cleaned up I drove up the Chiwawa river road to the Chikamin creek TH. This ride is in MTBProject. I have ridden here many times thru the years. The ride is another deteriorating logging road. Below is data from Garmin Connect for the ride. This first line is the climb, the second is the descent. Pretty close. Unable to figure how to type below the data so I’ll just keep typing.

Dirt bikes ride these trails. The heavy used part was sunk below grade. Someone told me that with more powerful motors lesser able riders are able to paddle uphill while churning the rear wheel. Narrow trough, I would not have wanted to pedal uphill. Huckleberries are still blue not the ripened purple. I stopped several times to graze on the fruit. I never found a big enough patch to drop my bike and pick, I did carry my berry bag.

The first piece of trail needed serious brushing

On the way up the road 2 rigs passed me, the first one was a newer SUV that slowed down a little as he passed. The second was an older car w/ the windows rolled up to keep the dust from the preceding rig out but dusted me as he went by. No consideration. I fumed. Further up the way I heard gunshots, lots of them. I came upon both of the rigs and their occupants were busily spending wages. I said hello as a greeting as I pedaled uphill. Thankful I didn’t start anything about being dusted.

These trails I have been riding here are not purpose built mtn bike trails, the dirt bikes have created the tread for the most part is not technical. Bench cut on steep mountainsides. Exposure. I acknowledge it while keeping my eyes focused on where I want to go. At least the outslope is not blocked by vegetation.

Forecast is for heavy rain tomorrow. May it happen. I am taking a rest day.

The Raceface Turbine dropper post is taking a dump. Today it was back to partially raising. Back at my moveable bike shop I removed my seat from the post to gain access to the Schrader air valve. I added air pressure to 33psi from the 20. I reattached my saddle then pedaled around. The seat wouldn’t stay down. I researched the web and picked the solution of draining the pressure then pumping back up. I stopped at 30. Saddle attached I rode again. Better but still not as designed. I put a small rock on the saddle then pushed the lever to release the post. Rock launched looking for that pinecone from last weeks launch. Dunno.

Back at the same snowpark for the night.

Internet speed too slow to post pics.

Finally retired my Pisgah Organic jersey, I wore holes in the back common to my Wingnut hydration pack.

Splits	Time	Cumulative Time	Moving Time	Distance	Elev Gain	Elev Loss	Avg Speed	Avg Moving Speed	Max Speed	Avg HR	Max HR	Avg Temperature	Calories
1	1:18:30	1:18:30	1:18:10	7.50	1,972	118	5.7	5.8	15.9	123	137	68.3	660
2	1:05:24	2:23:54	1:03:56	7.98	709	2,684	7.3	7.5	17.1	119	142	68.6	348
Summary	2:23:54	2:23:54	2:22:06	15.48	2,680	2,802	6.5