Back at Bend. Rolled in last night, drove straight to 10 Barrel for dinner and a lip lock on a pint of Sinister. Walked in to the crowd making my way to the bar. An empty seat right beside another regular, Dan. Greetings. The Mariners were on one of the screens that attracted my attention. I watched for awhile till Dan said he didn’t want to spoil it for me but it is a replay. Darn. left while still light to snap for a shower. The sedona card works here. washed off grime from Don’s birthday ride the day before. Then drove out to camp spot off rd 41 where I stayed last year.
Wed afternoon I drove out to Croy trailhead for the 5:30 ride start. Riders poured in. Once started mark called out 20 riders in the group. I only saw them when they took breaks. They all climbed together talking and laughing while I struggled as always so far off the back. I never rode with them when I was younger so I can’t definitively say I would have been in the thick of it. Steve is several years younger than me. Our abilities are pretty close. I feel better when i ride with older riders. We added Punchline into the usual Boullion connector, 2 dog, bulldog loop. It’s a flow trail with big berms and a few tabletops. The entrance was over some nasty rock outcroppings. One had a gap on the blind exit that grabbed my wide pedals as I walked. Finished back at the TH then adjourned to Power House and more beer. wished Don a good day.
Hailey has an RV facility right off the main drag and right under the runway take off or landing depending upon the wind direction. Can stay for 12 hours max. I take on water from the spigot. I decided that I would spend the night there instead of driving back into the forest. Quiet night with no airplane noise.
Drove into town to do laundry. Clean clothes folded and stored and the wet line dry stuff hung with care. I put into drive and headed towards Bend. The first part was 2 lane highway. Near Mountain Home I noticed small dark colored objects on the road. Hmm, thought was red cinder gravel. No, some moved. This requires investigation. I pulled off the road. I’m wondering if these are Mormon crickets. Could be. I did not key them out to learn if so. What I saw was a back slope of a road cut swarming with these like Katydids. They were headed across the road and whatever on the downhill side of the road. The crossing success rate was rather small. Amazing quantity of them. I did not see any eating a fallen brother as they are know to do. What caused them to move? Wonder if their squashed dead ever made the road slippery like I saw one time in Nevada where a reader board displayed Slippery Road Ahead in July: Squashed crickets.
Saw sierra trading post store off the interstate. I drove in. I was looking for a down quilt and flannel sheets. I was told they dropped the housewares. Hmm, how about golf shorts? No. How about board shorts? Yes. Scored a pair of surf shorts for riding.
The store is at a major 4 lane intersection. As I approached the interstate ramp I spied a badger heading to the road. I laid on my horn and it turned around. A badger almost in town.
Monster headwind across Oregon sage desert. Lots of wiggling. I was always between my lane lines while I made good use of all that road surface.
On Pacific daylight savings time. Back in trees first since when I left Arkansas.
Forecast for last night and this morn called for rain. Rain would bind the loose dirt making for hero dirt. I elected to stay and ride today if rain fell. Well none fell. I decided to stay and ride anyway. I drove up to a pullout near where Storm King crossed the road. From there a short connector joined the trail. Then taking Funner all the way to a snow park. Picked up Tiddlywinks to Kiwa to Tylers Traverse flow trail to Larsens to Storm King back. The 2.5 tires really enjoy this dirt. Larsens was dusty but I rode by myself. I walked the same things as last year as they are unimaginatively insurmountable. I walk well before that degree of difficulty. I pedaled almost non stop for 2 hrs 13 mins going 16.52 miles climbing 1765. almost the norm of 100′ vert per linear mile. Noticed most of the handfull of riders I passed practiced good trail love.
Drove into town for a shower and groceries and dispensary. As I drove I made a plan to drive down to my property for dinner and sleep then drive to Oakridge tomorrow. Treated myself to more salmon, good asparagus, and sweet potato for a steamed dinner on my own land. Did business at another dispensary purchasing some sativa to learn what up and at ’em pot is like.
My property is 30 miles from west end of town. heavy traffic each way on US 97. I walked the fence line of my 1 acre reading how the land survived the winter. All is good. Fixed salmon dinner, mmm very satisfying. Mosquitoes.
Slow internet connection so no pics.
Tomorrow is Oakridge. I learned that Alpine is open at Kate’s cutin.
Low clouds obscured the snow capped dormant volcanoes.