29,0028 miles. 10 year anniversary is July 18. 3 different Turner bikes.

Last night laying in bed not sleeping very well and some health issues thinking about getting the next ride in. I planned a big ride just because it was a good ride. At wake up I worked on convincing myself that I could ride. I planned a shorter route with bail out points in case my body threw in the towel. I did complete the replanned loop while pushing myself. caterpillars are almost all under ground preparing for their winter sleep. Still black splotches on the tread. 18.4 miles climbing 1552′ pedaling time 2 hrs 12 mins. I worked pretty hard. As always a fun descent of Phils trail. Single track old school.

Extensive trail system I collectively call “Phils” Lots of miles and many ways to create a ride. A pedal fest.

Stayed at camp spot. After the ride I sat in the sun reading Pudd’nhead Wilson by Twain. Wet wash cloth wiped off the sweat and dirt from the ride. made skillet cornbread for dinner. Listening to the home broadcast of the Mariners.

Stopped at 10 Barrel this evening to start the weekend. Sinister is back on tap after the plumbing part replaced. Tuesday night was the COTA annual meeting at the east side 10 Barrel and brewery. Walked head on to a 10 Barrel management group. I was warmly greeted by all. COTA meeting upstairs, attended by maybe 40 people. Finger food dinner.

So, the hernia repair incision still sends uncomfortable signals that my brain heeds to demand less of the body. Actually rides are enjoyable. When I ride by myself I usually put my head down and ride the entire ride non stop. Every day I add more stress, longer time of enjoyment.

Today drove to Import Performance arriving at 8:30 after sharing the road with commuters. I had concern with the temperature running hotter than I would like it to be. Service found just to replace the air cleaner. Shop appears to be a tender care shop. Got the van back b4 noon.

What to do? still early enough for a ride but what route? Motivation was lacking. Idea? Start from Skyliner climb FS gravel rd to intersection with Mrazek, now deep lodgepole twisty single track to Farewell intersection for the drop off the ridge. Finish on Tumalo creek. I made it happen. Cross off full climbing on the road. Long and steep, did pedal granny. 52 mins climbing 1050′ in 4.65 miles. Early part of distance was on flat or slight downhill. Just turn the pedals. A straight section would appear and I would look ahead. I had to keep raising my chin because of the climb angle. Shit, brain goal, road would bend showing even more climbing, one piece was even steeper. I kept after it. Then the single track. Wiggle waggle gently climbing thru lodgepole forest with lots of dead downfall. Then Farewell which drops down to Tumalo Creek. An elevation band exposed sharp edged rocks, like fangs. Riding over the points tested the thread count of the tires. Gingerly pace. Bike is stable over the chunder.

Foot prints going my way proceeded me. Somewhere ahead was a hiker. Sections with little sight line. I caught him on a straight away then hollered greeting and negotiated overtaking. Friendly reply. The an empty wide open smooth tread Tumalo creek down. OK some repeat.

Yesterday I rode from here connecting to Catch and Release heading up Deschutes River to pick up the river trail mostly gently downhill. Watched 2 rafts run rapids viewed right from the trail.

Returned to west side for shower, laundry, beer, food truck dinner at the Lot, then back to score my spot. Partiers have not been back. Last 2 days a questionable trailer has occupied that spot. The trailer is not leveled even though flat spots are present. Run a generator.  Staying our distance.

 

Milestone: 29,009 miles ridden. next ride is number 2,000, 20 days from today marks 10th anniversary.

Temps this year are lower both during the day and at night. No mosquitoes. Able to leave the side door open into dusk. Several nights the furnace has heated.

Several days ago I researched Fox Block contact and found a name. I called and left a message. He called back later that day. I asked for respect users of the blocks. He gave me a guy’s name, I called, left a message, he called me later. We made ourselves available for a possible meet yesterday. Late afternoon he called. I drove out to meet him. He knows ICF Fox blocks, radiant in floor heat. Going to send him my model for his comments. Fortunately he is busy long ways out. Lives in Christmas Valley which is beyond way far away.

Federal government can really harsh a buzz

8:04PM, 80 degrees, down from ride time of 86. At my preferred spot out past Phils. Last 2 nights the spot was occupied by same rig, I suspected abandoned. This AM after scratch pancakes and clean up I walked up the hill to where I could scope the spot. van was gone. Hmm, I wanted the spot for the day and night. I drove the van the short distance and dropped anchor claiming the spot. Found 2 crushed shotgunned Rolling Rock beer cans from a group of partiers who chose to leave their discards. Don’t think the van was part of the discards. Since sheriff’s visit the area is free of rabble. Anyway.

I have been more conservative in activity to lessen pain from hernia surgery. I wear a heart rate monitor which concurs with my perception of less hard pedaling. Yesterday was my biggest ride here so far: 23.5 miles climbing 2381′ pedaling 3 hrs 15 mins, I was anaerobic 10 mins. Using the granny 46T more frequently. Also using bigger bigger gears on flats. Big gear goes real fast.

Bend butts up against the eastern edge of the Deschutes NF. The FS is selling timber for forest health and fuels reduction. Been going on in Phils area for several years. Logging activity causes trails to be closed. Feller Bunchers: just machine operators cut he tree almost flush with the ground, no face cut. Tree is skidded out to a landing hwre it is limbed and bucked then trucked away. land is scarred by machine tracks. On Sat and after 5PM the affected trails are opened as loggers have left. resource extraction is not pretty. Fuel load is what it is because of years of fire suppression. Man putting his correction on nature.

Wed evening Woody invited me on a rock work trail project on the rerouted piece of Storm King. Forecast was for afternoon possibly damaging T storms. Meeting place was the Visitor center. I arrived several hours early. T storms teased in the distance closer in spitting drops. I was walking from y van to a water fountain filling my tank. Splatters finally reached a dryness decision for safety of van. Shortly nature quit teasing and just dumped and made noise. 15 mins before meeting time the rain quit. Woody, Joe, and Scott arrived. Our work project was to create a difficult alt line on rerouted piece of Storm King. we completed the line before dark.

A group of younger riders were at the TH drinking beer and telling stories. Woody wanted a rider to test our work. I walked tot he group and told them they had an opportunity going to the person who guessed my number. Guy who picked 7 put down his beer, grabbed his bike then put his helmet on. His buddies walked over to cheer him on. Rode it well. Each thanked us for what we did. But not a one asked if they could be part of it. Volunteer work is being done by mostly older men. Younger people are not contributing.

I rode with Joe back to visitor center and my van. We passed several rigs with blue flashing lights. Something was up. Next day learned that deputies responded to a disturbance that lead to a camper being shot dead. News reported that at the scene there were several rigs that were reported stolen. Guy had a lengthy record, dirt on the guy.

Thurs I drove up to Swampy snowpark to ride a favorite of mine: South Fork of Tumalo Creek. Rain washed the trail clean leaving firm woods dirt. No dust. I counted 2 other bikes ahead of me. Smoking good time. great bike package. 3.2 miles dropping only 941′ Just lots of fun. Going so fast my eyes teared up behind my glasses. deep woods cover with intermittent sun patches. Eyes do not change fast enough. Down to Tumalo creek which also descends. An uphill rider was stopped eating a snack. I made a comment about eating the caterpillars. He called me by name: Another Eric from Sun Valley over for the weekend. Then fun started with climb back to TH. I passed thru patches of snowbrush that fed same.

A healthy bush

Last year I helped cut back encroaching plants. Told that we must cut right at the base because the plant sends sprouts from the cut end. Didn’t make sense to me as I saw old cuts with no regrowth. It doesn’t happen.

Wonderful ride. granny gear climbs, lower HR.

Back to town for shower and beer at 10 Barrel. Younger people are popping up all over. My age group is shrinking in number. Outsiders now.

Rest day tomorrow after 5 straight days of riding. Reading “Mrs. Fletcher”.

At last Sat trail work day there were way fewer women than men. There are women only riding groups because they don’t like to rdie with men. They ride the same trails. Perhaps a women’s only trail work day is called for.

I am impressed with the number of riders who are practicing trail love. Heartening.

Phils is either downhill or slightly flat with lots of carving bermed turns, up high blind sight lines. Just an old woods trail. Down lowewr it becomes downhill only then I can really rip. Carving the twists, hucking the few kickers. Bike and equipment coupled with skill and confidence makes for smiles. My bike’s headset opening is of tjhe shape to make whistling sounds over some speed. Like bloowing over a beer bottle.

Pandora moths: larva (caterpillar) stage is elevation sensitive. In town at 3xxx’ has no crawlers but last year the town was alive with the adults. Moths are active at night, city has bright lights, woods not so. Eggs are laid at base of P Pine needle. trails literally crawling with crawlers, some still underway, others left black spots where they met their demise under a tire.

 

I stopped and watched their actions. Their rolling was caused perhaps because their exoskeleton lacked rigidity when crawling across the slope, not because they were necessarily trying to rid themselves of a predator. I did see one tree that was eaten pretty clean:

Man messes with nature. Previous management has created an same age forest;

Oh well, that issue is punted down the road for next generation to figure out.

Ran into  a FS pumper truck parked for a break. 3 women were outside sitting on the ground eating lunch. Learned that one was on her 2nd day on the job, she had a pair of gloves sticking out of her pocket showing no wear, she had a cooler for her lunch. the other 2 women were seasoned vets. each was eating from like a store bought container using identical red handled folding knives. Said they forgot utensils. No idea how successful the tool was, I did  not see them resort to fingers.

Sunnyside installed a Wolftooth light action under the bar seat dropper lever and new cable for same and shifter. Action is super light.  Still riding a KS LEV dropper.