Yesterday I got after it about 8:30 to beat the heat but late enough to take my time. I believe that the heat is taking energy from my body and my brain listened to the feedback. My plan was just a climb up Bens to continual climbing up Pine Drops then down Phils back to cold beer. I completed the climb. A woman trail runner with her dog were going downhill while I was climbing. Question of proper behavior. Running was not hiking, I was climbing. How and who to yield the trail? Open forest to permit leaving the trail. I was not going to yield. OK, I did favor the outside edge of the trail and she stayed on her side. We exchanged greetings and continued on our way.

At the junction of downhill Phils and Storm King I decided to take another route home. I rode down Storm King to the junction with Grand Slam that was being feller buncher logged. Today was Saturday so logging was shut down. At the selective cut I walked around studying the harvest. Larger trees required a larger machine than what I saw operating earlier in the week, No machinery was visible, I never did see where they were.

Machine drives up to the tree to be cut, reaches its cutter boom out and grasps the tree, a quick whir of a hydraulic chain saw flings out huge chips, the machine lifts the tree(s) and carries then to a common pile then drops the tree onto the pile. What’s left are stumps cut almost at ground level and deep tracks from the machine’s tracks.These logs will be skidded to a landing for limbing and bucking. The stumps are from chain saw cutting skidder logging years before, back when many men earning good wages logged. Machines are productivity gains displacing many men. Huge investment in machinery needs lots of trees to cut which endangers remaining trees.

I finished Grand Slam to Expressway to KGB to marvins back to the van.

Friday I sought brake advice from Les’. A guy checked the brakes out: Their repair will be new calipers, rotors, and pads. Full meal deal. Chunk of more change. Guy said work could be done tomorrow, Saturday. While waiting for estimate I struck up a conversation with a woman over working a jigsaw puzzle. Our conversation somehow connected to Tom Robbins Even the Cowgirls Get the Blues she was reading. I am a Robbins fan having read at least once every one of his novels. I told her to wait and I would be right back. I walked to my van and retrieved Robbins Jitterbug Perfume book and gave to her, Never enough Robbins readers. She said it made her day.  I left and turned over the service charge.

I still have pain at the hernia surgery site. I am concerned that the pain is from diverticulosis. I haven’t been feeling chipper for many days. I kept putting off medical advice. Today I decided I had put this off long enough. I made the urgent care as last patient of the day. Proceeding with another dose of antibiotics treating pain source as from the large intestine. Made pharmacy for prescription just before it closed. I started a restrictive liquid diet last night, no solid food. I think we are missing what’s wrong.

I checked into 10 Barrel taking a seat at the bar. A server stopped for a beer order right beside my chair. Struck up a conversation. She is a trail runner, has a dog and was running this AM. I described her and her dog. It was she. No harm no foul during our trail encounter.

No dinner. Drove out to Phils first checking out my preferred site which was occupied. Next I drove past the woman’s camp and selected a hardly used camp spot. Slept with the door closed, the temp dropped during the night chilling me to need of double up down blanket. Good sleeping temp.

Forecast for today was for hot and smoke haze. No riding today because of smoke and more importantly no fuel in my tank.

I walked out the road that is not on the FS map to an intersection with a mapped road. I turned left hiking towards KGB to walk back on. There is a climb (or downhill depending which way you ride it) that presents challenges to rdiers. I walked over to it and found a spot to sit with strong internet and started learning about my new phone and watching riders going either direction. Just a few were capable riders as this trail is down lower nearer to TH and the more experienced riders were riding up higher on more demanding trails. I coached several riders.

I started using my phone camera.

Back at the van I sat outside reading. just juice, broth and 3 eggs for day’s energy.

Forecast for tomorrow is for more heat and smoke. Today the smoke blew in and out early afternoon today. Clear skies tonight.

Brakes to be serviced on Tuesday. Network with medical people tomorrow.

Sitting here at 9:30 PM with the door open and windows down: no mosquitoes. 71 degrees.

to try out oil from fat by melting (dictionary used the word “try”)

Still dry and still very warm should mid 90s be relatively cool to you.

Yesterday I rode another one of my wants but fears ride. Approach avoidance. 3 miles of exciting downhill on S Fork lasting less than 20 mins followed by hours of climbing effort to return to cold beer. Wed I drove up to Swampy Snow Park for the night and be positioned for this ride. Temp was only 3 degrees cooler 2,000′ higher than at Phil’s.

So much fun descending South Fork of Tumalo Creek in deep tree cover left alone by man since it was cut way way back when. Trail shows signs of use as in brake bumps prior to a reason riders have to scrub speed. Trail is cupped which creates berms. Pick a line to which ever edge of the trail at stutter bumps then roll thru. Dirt is pumice, tree roots are exposed as a result of traffic either foot or wheel which causes them to “grow” out of the ground. Little bumps just right for lifting my wheels. Compress the suspension then spring off just before the root. Suspension soaks up the landing. My bike has more than enough travel to avoid bottoming out. Just fun and nobody ahead of me creating a dust cloud.

Too soon the fun is over then the dues payment started. Short piece of Tumalo creek trail before it becomes the North Fork climb. Bikes are allowed uphill only which is good because many hikers walking up and down to view the numerous falls. It’s a hump. 4 miles gaining 1169′. Trail routes to several small falls. (photo editor was not happy with rotating image)Deep tree cover

The climb is doable: just push down on the pedals. However, for me the hard part is the Metolius Windigo trail heading south skirting Flagline. It undulates while gaining elevation, places loosing it then paying it back. Topped out at 6871′. Same patch of snow still present. Pretty ride if it weren’t for the demands placed upon my body.

Somewhere high on N fork I sensed that my front tire was all but flat. I looked over the tire which showed no signs of wetness from Stan’s sealing a puncture or blown bead. Attached my wonderful Lezine hand pump to eh tire valve then pumped. Air went in to sufficient firmness. I use Presta valves. The Stans clogs up the valve core. I tightened the valve core with the tool. Tight. Pedaled away after minor harassment of small biting flies. But the tire continued to loose pressure as I rode on. I stopped 3 other times to pump it up. Hmm, this ain’t right and I did not want to run the risk of completely deflating the tire to remove the valve core which I determined was the source of the leak. I made Dutchman snow park then found a stump to sit on for my first rest stop. Next trail was a greener Flagline Dutchman tie which is a wide track mostly descending on patches of loose pumice. An unsigned single track left the “road” MTBproject didn’t show it or that what I was on. I was running out of fat to render. I chose to continue the “road” which on the downhill had vicious new log water bars installed. The “road” went under the highway. I was no longer on fun dirt. I bailed to ride the pavement back to van. Nice wide shoulder and smooth pavement. Zoom. I was concerned that the tire would go flat which would make for a bad crash. Air held for 35mph max speed per Garmin. Safely in the shade at my van I removed the valve core and cleaned off the gelled Stans. 22.5 miles climbing 2847′ taking 3 hours. I was spent.

Drove back down to town for living chores. Clean body and clothes. My Wingnut pack made the washer to wash off the encrusted salt. Then out to Phils where I scored my favorite spot. The clothes I air dry inside my van were almost completely dry at bed time with no exposure to sunlight.

Making today a rest day as temps are in the mid 90s again.

It has been many years since I sailed on the sea of youth.

Hot and dusty. Almost every turn in the Phils trail system are bermed which means railing the corners. Aim and steer at the base of the berm then carve. Counter  steer a bit. Zoom Zoom. Not every turn is equal, each turn needs to be assessed for firmness. Softness takes riders by surprise as seen by dusty clothing. Not every rider. No rain since dump back on June 20.

My favorite Phils spot has been occupied before I get there. Plan B is right near where Marvins Gardens crosses a gravel FS rd. I will just say that a woman has a collection of tents and tarps about 100′ away. She occasionally yells something about America, So far she stays over there and I stay at my van. Stayed at this same spot several nights. Tonight I scored my spot away from her but right above the guys in the old style blue trailer that is still not leveled.

I have a pretty good handle on these Bend trails: I know the hurting climbs and fun downhills. Lots of pedal ups,how bad do I want to feel?

Today I rode from camp going up Marvin’s Gardens turning on EKG to Expressway to Grand Slam. Many chunks of basalt rocks “growing” out of the dirt. On Grand Slam I encountered a smaller feller buncher slaying trees of less than  maybe 12″. It was working right close to the trail which was not closed for logging. The machine tracked into stands of trees. Them cutting holding arm pushed against its prey. a burst of large chips from hydraulic chain saw then the tree is grasped, then the machine moves as needed to drop the tree in a pile for the grapple skidder

to haul to the landing. Liza and her dad stopped to also watch. We bush bashed splitting the turn to stay clear of the falling trees. I turned left on Storm King down to Catch and Release then wandered on Ticket to Ride then COD to catch Marvins back to cold beer in my fridge. 20 miles.

Yesterday smoke was in the air, not overwhelming but noticeable from odor and sight. No big fires nearby.

Yesterday afternoon I spent some time in the air conditioned library figuring out where I want to go. I figured WA state for Yakima, devils gulch then up to Twisp and Winthrop. Travel is dependent upon fires and smoke.

Sunday was a big hot 30 mile ride.

It’s hot.

Aubrey at 10 Barrel bought me a beer for my vaniversary.

Today I spotted something wiggling on the trail. I stopped to look. Appears to be a straggler Pandora moth adult working to free itself from its pupae.

No mosquitoes.

Better internet coverage at this spot.

Hot and tired. Sweating here typing.

ran into Cathy of TRID. She is also van living and mountain biking. She camps out where she wants and rides by herself. I stay by myself.