Yesterday at the laundromat I put ,my solar shower under the hot faucet and turned it on: room temp, busy day used all the hot water. Still I drove over to West Fir and the Red Bridge park only to see like event stuff piled on tables under the pavilion. I asked what’s up and if they expected a crowd soon such that i would lose the men’s room shower stall. Turns out it is the Sturdy Dirty women’s enduro race series racing on Sat. They are expecting 150 women racers on Alpine. I was offered to share the camping area for $ but I turned them down. Just could not imagine myself in that big a crowd of women. turns out 2 of the organizers shared dinner with me at Thai restaurant in Bell rock Plaza back in March. They were unaware that i was thrown out of the parking lot just after we walked out of restaurant. Their memory said they stepped into my van for nips of moonshine. I chatted awhile then took my shower. I stopped at the Merch to compliment Olivia on her shifting fix.
Next on my route was the Pub for a beer. As I was walking to the pub a full sized pick up truck drove up alongside me. It was local legend Jim, the one who rides Heckletooth so many times. He told me he just completed his 200th ride sharing it with a bunch of riders. He mad a Tshirt made for all those riders. Heckle200th was the logo. Congrats to him. He and Ketchum Roger share a drive, Roger climbs Baldy every day. He occupied the entire west bound lane as he chatted, he even shut the engine off. I checked for drivers wanting to go by and he told me traffic here isn’t like the burg I come from. Just shut ‘er down on First ave. Drives checked out the opposite travel lane to go by and not a horn was honked.
None of their beers make me smile so I drink a short pint while reading the paper. I sat at a window table where I just happened to be able to see the back of my van. I watched a couple checking it out. I looked away then back and they were gone. Soon a guy stopped at my table and asked if that was my van. Yes, I said, he introduced himself: Jiimmymac, former editor of MBA, the guy who wrote the article Riders Who Inspire that I only read after I bought that issue and read it at the bar at Hot Tomato. I turned the pages, There was my facebook pic and his article. He said that this was the only time he ever wrote about someone without actually meeting them and was concerned how I would take it if he ever met me. We met and there was nothing but enjoyment and compliments, I for him and he for me as still a rider who inspires. He left MBA over the publishers insistence that he include articles about Ebikes. The mag had 2 issues that had Ebike articles / stuff after he left and that was all as a sister mag was created for those bikes. The current editor has taken a stand that Ebikes will be covered not in this mag. He retired and has been living his life. So cool to meet each other.
Afterwards I drove up Salmon Creek road and scored a camp site right on the creek bank. Creek flows more like a small river. Only gas stoves are allowed, nothing burning as the fire danger is extreme. I kept the door open all night and listened to the river flow.
Today I chose to ride the Flat Creek part of the Dead Mtn trail, the upper part is newly constructed as a flow trail which I do not like plus more climbing was required to reach its entrance. Selective timber cut was performed over the trail which was not harmed by the dragging out of the logs. 12.8 miles of which 9.25 was road climbing 1942′ pedaling 1hr 20 mins, downhill was 3.55 miles taking 21 minutes to drop 1791’. Big hump for such short smile on my face ride.
Encountered this practice line dug typical of Hotshot crews.
Hot shots have 24 on their crew and dig a wider trail than the 12 man crew I was on back in 1970. I was one of our 6 man hoe line which dug the actual line in the dirt. Spent many hours bent over swinging a hazel hoe.
Drove back into Oakridge:
Fire continues to burn uncontained, ECD for containment is like Sept 30 after seasonal rains fall. 596 personnel on the fire which is 2703 acres.
Another beer at the Pub then see where that goes.