Ponderosa pine that is. What were you thinking?
Dry side tree cover. Try it, forget what your buddies say about your nose stuck in the bark.
Steve scored an empty FS XG camp spot at McKenzie Bridge XG. Still under heavy wet side wetness for big tree cover. Plan on Fri is to do our own shuttle of McKenzie River Trail (MRT). My van was parked at the FS ranger station. Steve shuttled us up to Fish Lake, the top of the MRT. We hung our solar showers on the back of his van. Broken glass in the parking lot yet a sign warning of video surveillance. Steve left a beer in my fridge before leaving. He told me I am a bad influence drinking an adult recovery drink.
This is my 4th ride on the MRT, and the last. Trail down to Blue Pool has dozens of hikers seeking the natural wonder. Many feet have displaced the dirt between the basalt rocks turning into what was a one place only walk to many many others. Nasty riding walking in volcanic left overs.
Several skim cut logs with one hand rail bridges crossed feeder creeks. Rear wheel wheelie or carry it.
Trail flattened out becoming a forest dirt track. We bailed seeking the expedient pavement surface. Head wind. We took turns pulling the other back to the RS. Loaded Steve and his bike into my van then drove the 20 miles uphill to his van and sun heated solar shower water. Steve turned the AC controls on for the way up. Maybe it works, perhaps it doesn’t. I asked him to turn it off once we reached his van. I live in the outdoors, by leaving my windows down I am experiencing what I will be playing in.
Deep tree cover
We stopped at a pub in McKenzie Bridge for a beer and dinner. Farm raised salmon, we settled for my one skillet dinner back at XG.
Steve’s dad was experiencing threatening conditions keeping Steve on nerves. Sat we had shuttle arrangements with Horse Creek Lodge to ride O’Leary. I did not sleep well Sat AM as I heard movement in his van at like 6:00. He said his dad is of serious concern such that he needed to head to MT. We bid adieu after 7 days of riding, trails that I shared with Steve.
I drove to shuttle pick up right on highway. The other riders were Al and Deb who we camped near back outside of Bend. They ahve been playing for some 20 years sailing then RVing. Shuttle ride up to Horse Pasture Meadow took lots of minutes. A black bear yearling scampered across the logging road ahead of us. (Bear story for the year, more are extra). Big out there ride, go big or keep pedaling.
I rode this ride back in 2013, my memory recalled some nasty stuff. Some existed by much has been updated to new bermed turns. What I also remember was the dry masonry rock work built by the CCC back in late 30s. Still holding bench cut trail in place.
Then the trail bore modernization. Gone was the woods dirt CCC built tread, replaced by amazing amount of hand work to make the trail (what). Bitch about change of legacy trail. Modernization makes it just like say Back 40 outside of Bentonville, AR. New work eliminated the over the rear wheel descents. Sadness really set in when riding King Castle descent which used to be old woods trail, replaced in parts by bermed corners. Tell me of bermed hiking trails you have walked. 16.46 miles climbing 2005′ descending 5430′, pedaling time of 2 hrs 18 mins.
I visited with the co owner of Horse Creek. She asked how was my ride. I dissed the reworked stuff. She said the trail showed signs of increased wear. She wrote a grant for $ to rework the trail to new FS requirements. Bermed corners. It is what it is. I wasn’t part of the decision making.
The shop displayed this bike for their location.
Non indexed shifting. 3X5 gearing. Scary but state of the art.
I spent the night at the local airport.
Sunday I drove over Santiam Pass heading east against the weekend traffic heading back to city jobs. I stopped in Sisters to ride Petersen ridge trail network. Up on the west back down on the east. Lots of turning on sort of firm pumice. I worked the carving of turns and working hard at pedaling, dropping cogs for more gusto. Worked the stuff.
Drove on to Bend. Shower, groceries, then beer and dinner at 10 Barrel.
As mtn bikers we just ride the trails then we move back to some kind of creature comfort. We just pass thru. I was an avid backpacker which allowed me to spend 24X7 in nature. I hanker for spending time out walking. My choices in life resulted in several permanent injuries. For hiking the biggest is left foot damage which causes a limp. I will backpack a short mileage distance tomorrow to Sisters Mirror lake, enough of a forest hike, spend the night out then hike back.
Corn and flower have taken effect.
Good Bye.
