Years ago rides had to be 20 plus miles to be worth my taking my bike off the rack. That was then, this is now. 2 hours of pedaling is a good amount of riding covering maybe 14 to 17 miles. Rides taking 2 plus hours and over 20 miles are big days now. My oats have been done et up. Understanding this I will describe yesterday’s ride as pretty big. I plotted another way to get up on Mrazek ride to ride Flagline and descend South Fork. No smell or visible smoke experienced at 7AM. Good to go for this ride. I drove up Skyliner to the TH. I filled my hydration bladder at a spigot at the lodge. I climbed up an improved FS road.
This is why lumber companies need more timber to cut and no loggers, just machine operators:
After a left hand turn I took the first right which brought me to Mrazek crossing. Uphill from there. I continue to rdie that short piece of old haul road. Then the single track which is a legacy hiking trail. Woods dirt mostly hemlock needles and dry. Pass Happy Valley North Fork trail on Metolius Windigo. There is still a snow patch remaining tucked in the shadow of a bluff. Then on to Flagline which seasonally opened on 8/15. Already the trail shows signs of wear. Brake bumps and loose corners. I wondered if winter might have filled in the bumps and hardened the corners. No. Still wear happens. Flagline connected to Swampy that took me to the top of the South Fork which for me is a killer downhill. The bike really excels over roots, small kickers and drops, brake bumps, and steepness. I have encountered riders pedaling up which can be done to give an idea of its steepness. Still perhaps a 4% slope can get me going pretty fast, top speed was 23 mph which was prolly on smooth Tumalo Creek trail. Mrazek goes thru heavy tree cover with lots of dead and down. Nature was denied but not for ever.
Not much for view sheds. Trail breaks out in small alpine openings. Tumalo creek was down enough to keep feet dry at the crossing.
Flagline down to top of South Fork and more fun. All by myself. Just so much fun. Trails Ts into Tumalo Creek trail dropping down stream to the TH. Smooth wide trail with several short sight lines. Today I had all the steep pitches to myself. Smoking.
On Metolius I caught up with 3 riders. A woman said we talked on a previous ride at Happy Valley. I guess so. I tried to bribe them with my cold beer but she said they have their own. Back at the TH a tailgate gathering occurred with these riders. 2 couples and they had beer: 16oz Rainiers. 1 was a previous smoke jumper, 2 worked for NOLS and the last was connected to Outward Bound. Kindred spirits.
Ride was 27.06 miles climbing 3323′ pedaling for 3 hrs 53 mins. Said I burned 1727 calories. It was a big day. The Edge 520 calculates recovery time which was 15 hours.
Into town for clean up, beer, and dinner.
This AM skies were again clear in spite of the forecast. I drove up to the FS Visitor Center at rd 41. I call this ride Short Tylers as I ride maybe the lower part. I rode Catch and release turning up on StormKing to a traffic circle of several trail, I took Tiddlywinks up to Larsens which hit Tylers. Blown out corners and dust down to start of Catch And release for ho,e. 17 miles. My legs are worked.
93 degrees. Morning temps justify running the furnace before sliding out of bed.
Sign says the facts in Oakridge:
Eclipse
Hot, dry, dusty and sometimes smoke. Hoot owl logging.