Yesterday was the completion of 10 years of living on the road. It only meant something for me.

I rode yesterday because it was THE day. I was in a funk….. I have made milestones that became completed goals and there are facts. 10 years, 2011 rides traveling 29239 miles. Funny completion took the wind out of my sails. Someday a new goal will take shape. Helps to have a goal however strong. This goal of making 10 years was the most important. Completed 2000 rides was next, mileage happened because it did. So I humped the ride going up Funner to Wanoga TH turning on Tiddlywinks over to Kiowa Butte traversing to Tylers Traverse which is mostly down like a natural jump track, left on larsen to Funner to junction with Storm King back to the TH. Just after turning onto Tylers traverse this wide low slung beast was making good time towards me. I stopped, it stopped, I reached for my camera, by the time it turned on and focused, this is what was captured:

Badger continued up the trail a short distance out of sight. I pedaled into its sight line then it turned around again going off the trail into the tangled timber. Badger appeared at first appeared to set its sights on confronting me. I9 spokes protect.

Trails are dry and dusty which is just what it is because that is the dirt with no binder. Riding by myself means that who ever is behind eats my dust. I find it amazing of the amount of dust my bike makes. No rain.

Hot and dry. No rain in forecast.

Yesterday my new phone arrived. My replacement Absolute Black chain ring arrived.

Today I took the new phone back to the Verizon store for someone there to transfer my data to new phone. Got same guy. He smoothly moved over everything till it came to the backcountry navigator which has my mapping data for like 2 years. He stuck with it with the help of tech support. I now have a functioning samsung note 8 phone. Learning to use it. went from a 4 to an 8 for free to me.

Yesterday AM I continued my quest for compensation for lost data. Argued with a service rep who said she could credit me $25. Take it or it’s off the table. I appealed asking for management.He came on. He read the notes and listened to me. He said he could offer me $100 credit which was way generous. We waited each other out, he spoke first every time. I refused the offer. End of conversation.

Walked across the street to rv store to pick up the correct side hinge for the freezer door. Will do the replacement tomoorow AM in the cool temp. I need a third hand to attach the bolts.

Drove to Sunnyside to remove and replace the chain ring. Just in case I needed a life line. Which I did as the self extracting bolt needed a cheater with muscle to break it free. It was on Barb tight, she is a wrench at the shop. She tightened my cassette one time reefing hard enough for the veins to stand out on her forehead, hence Barb Tight. She would have approved.

Monday evening was a trail work project with runners clubs.

Tuesday the van received fresh transmission  fluid. What an amazing performance improvement: gone is the Sprinter rumble strip flutter. Shifts smoother. 1XX,XXX miles.

Sunnyside replaced stock I9 bearings, one of which was beyond gritty. I neglected to record when I started riding the I9 wheels. Years ago anyway.

Bend is re-provisioning: pair of tires, new batteries, transmission service, bike work, and choice grocery stores.

A dry lightning storm  Monday evening lit up the sky. No rain hit earth. However, rain fell thru the sun’s rays to create a double rainbow.

 

 

 

Verizon failed to follow their process for backing up phone data as a result they deleted all of my text messages and office files.

On a smiley face note today marks 10 years of living mountain biking the states. Heading out on a ride.

Yesterday I set out on a ride I was apprehensive about as it would be my biggest since hernia repair. Sat night I sipped Tequilla at a party, this time the others were mostly mountain bikers and certainly no tobacco consumption. I successfully passed the deputy parked with lights out on the side of the road. I parked at plan D spot which is the open area just down the hill from main parking lot at Phils. Front end up against the wood chip pile; it was too late to go poking around for a better spot.  No hangover so that was not an issue.

My planned and realized route was starting at Phils climbing Bens to the cut out to cross over Skyliner rd then join a FS road with a bridge across Tumalo Creek. Climb short hill ( granny gear) to where Mrazek crosses. Fun and effort started. Lower part of Mrazek is low angle climb to flat. Still an umph. Made the sketchy 2 track climb which has been a problem because of its loose rock and straight sightline always revealing what is ahead. Grunt and perseverance. The California Tortoiseshell butterflies I encountered here when riding with the SPokane buddies were gone. I did not search for caterpillars. Hump up continued on classic narrow hand built single track thru lodgepole forest. 10.8 miles climbing 2080′, took 1 hr 50 mins of nonstop pedaling. Dropping down Farewell was 3.23 miles dropping 1037′ pedal time of only 21 mins. Not a long time reward for the climb effort. Down Tumalo creek taking only 17 mins to almost coast 2.82 miles. Then a climb up Skyliners of only 348′ in 3.26 miles pulled down my energy stores. Then down on Phils of 7.5 miles needing only 39 mins dropping 1151′. A short coast back to the van which was now in full sun. The dash thermometer read 98 degrees. Ride was 32 miles climbing 3074′ pedaling for 4 hrs 11 mins. Hernia repair was good. Now a struggle exists between my brain commanding the body to deliver which is happier sitting in the shade reading a book. Perhaps at some point a rebellion will happen with the body getting that chair. The garmin computer figured 23 hours for recovery before next effort. No pics as I just kept my hands on the grips and pedaled. I spent 1 hr 17 mins anaerobic which is above 132 beats per min. This AM my heart rate is back in the lower 50s indicating heart recovery.

This ride is typical of bend’s trails: all single track dirt and pedaling. A ride can be as short or as long as I choose to make it.

Today is a rest and hydration day. Tonight I am helping at a COTA trail work project.

Sunnyside Sports here is my go to repair shop. During a recent conversation I was told that the single chain ring with its wide narrow teeth which keep the chain on is the wear point in the drive train. I figured if I replaced my chain say between 300 and 500 mikes I could protect the cassette from wearing. I have 485 miles on present chain, the shop measured elongation, nowhere near needing replacement. I learned that when the chain ring is ready to be replaced a noticeable sound is made when pedaling. I tallied the miles on the chain ring which I installed here last year of 2453 miles. I have a new chain waiting for a new chain ring. Staying with Absolute Black oval 32T chain ring.