Still riding and living here in Bend. Several days ago I thought to look for riders my age (late 60s), seems that they were all younger. I have missed out on connecting with younger people.
Initial PT session by Dave revealed that my back is “locked up”, stiff as a plank of oak. Treatment is this week stretching then next 2 weeks work on abdominal muscles.
Now have 2 Cura brakes on bike. Sunnyside shortened the hoses. Still pleased with brakes. I bought an Enve handlebar with a little rise. Handlebar has held me in place for lots of miles. New color coded grips also.
Tuesday my fridge received its yearly cleaning by Jerrys who have serviced it in the past. A bit of dirt on the orifice plus lots of dust in the enclosure. Runs a bit cooler now.
I dropped my bike off for service.
Beers at 5 at 10 Barrel almost every evening. The guys keep me slaked. Some nights the Mariners are on one of the TVs. Some days someone will engaged me in conversation usually i start then they join.
Wed was a short quick loop of Phils: climb Bens, continue on Pine Drop then turn mostly down on Phils back to parking lot. Today I passed a rider off the trail on Phils. I asked if he was OK, he said yes. I continued pedaling and coasting. I sensed something behind me, it was him and he was hard on my wheel without having said anything. Shit, to me that is rude and inconsiderate to roll up behind me, an unsuspecting rider. OK, trail is dusty and I did not want to ride behind anyone. I put effort into pedaling and carving the twists and lofting over the stuff on the trail. I kept him behind me. A duel. I smoked. Catalyst pedals puts more power to the metal. Bike is so much fun to ride. Guy bailed at an intersection.
Learned that there is another moth blooming here which is Pandora which larva feed on pine needles. Big things. That’s what’s down here. I no longer believe that the caterpillars up high feeding on the ceanothus are ceanothus moths. Yesterday on Tylers I rode thru another patch of stripped leaves and saw lots of the same moths. I videoed one on the ground, next is to identify it. Whatever it is they have sure eatened lots of the bush.
Been staying at old favorite spot out past Phils. RD 41 is packed. Good water from FS visitor center at RD 41.
Yesterday I parked at visitor center and rode Catch and Release to Storm King up to Funner climbing up to Wanoga picking up Tiddlywinks to Kiwa Butte connecting to downhill Tylers dead ending at Catch and Release for pedal back to van. 25.37 miles climbing 2480′ pedaling time almost non stop of 3 hrs 11 mins. Said I burned 1367 cals, lost 3 pounds. Just so dry from lack of rain, lots of riders, and the dirt itself. Don’t want to ride 2nd. Quite a few blown out corners on Tylers from poor riding choices. Ride can be shuttled which loads skilled as well as the less skilled on the trail. Lots of brake bumps right before a turn. Front brake and looking ahead to plan will lessen the damage.
Wed night was the Bend Mountain Bike movie night at the Tower Theater downtown. Most movies filmed riders riding fast and getting air. Yet to see one of a rider pedaling up. Perhaps Ebikes will make an uphill movie as Fisher says with them you get uphill flow. May I never have to share a trail with them.
Clean clothes yesterday. I washed the van and vacuumed. Chores done. I drove past The Lot which is a corner lot with food trucks. Narrow street with parking on both sides. I was about mid block closed in by parked cars when a Fed Ex big truck turned onto the street. I doubted that enough room for us to pass by. I spied a gap in the parked cars at an alley. I turned sharply into the gap as the truck driver cranked a turn into the alley across the street. He passed. I started turning out of the gap. I heard something rattling inside my van, a sound I did not recognize. Something not right. I checked the passenger mirror: I was tight to street side cars. I put the van in park blocking a lane and got out. I had side scraped a car because I did not turn out sufficiently. The car is a Subaru. The left front bumper was torn free dangling down and a green paint stripe. I queried the Lot for the driver. A young man walked over saying it was his car. I put my docs on the car’s hood and he took a picture. Young people, no writing down. A piece of plastic was on the street. I discovered that it pulled free from the right rear corner and a scrape mark down the side. Something ain’t right with his damage. Hard to imagine the resistance put up by my snap in place trim could have pulled his bumper free like it did. I made an appointment next week at a body shop to reinstall my piece and or order parts.
Made today a rest day. Yesterday’s ride worked me.
David Turner was interviewed by Pinkbike. Informative about small frame makers pushing the envelope more than big box store bikes who sometimes make small changes that they tout as the next best thing. Owning my Turner RFX will be sustainable resisting any unnecessary changes just because.
My back is responding to the stretching allowing greater freedom of movement. I actually did a situp meaning that stomach muscles are firing. I am here for PT till second week of August.