Monday morning I checked the UPS tracking which showed received. In a short while I drove to Sunnyside. I got to cut the packing tape away. They joked about how quickly I arrived. Well, it’s just a piece of equipment, it’s a thing that has value when put to use. Which is what i have done for each of the 3 rides so far.

Monday eve was a sprint up Ben’s, Pine drops, then the rocky parts of Phils, first on top then down lower in what I call the canyon: down hill only, gentle grade that provides speed with some pieces of junk to hit at speed. Then climbed up to Kent’s for some cross country downhill on a 2 way trail. Just had fun.

Tuesday I rode from camp spot off Catch and Release taking same to junction with Storm King, climbing to Funner to Larsen’s TH, then Tiddlywinks to Kiwa, over to Tylers downhill to Larsen’s to Funner to Storm King, crossing the road picking up COD to new piece to Ticket to Ride. 25 miles. Noticed how well behaved the fork was over some stutter bumps on Tylers.

Today I chose to ride North Fork as the last big climb here. I drove up to Skyliner TH. Route was up Tumalo Creek to connect to climbing N fork at a major scenic spectacle of the falls. For me it is a grunt of a climb sharing trail with hikers, no problem there. One across the log bridge over the creek I was ahead of the hikers. Trail provides several view sheds of falls.

And so the water flowed downhill. Clean.

Trail enters Happy Valley and Met Win trail, the one I was on last weekend from the other end. Snow free and cut out. Turn on to upper end of Mrazek wending way thru lodgepole forest

Descent off ridge was down Farewell which has patches of gnarly sharp edged sometimes loose rocks. I rode with much confidence. Several steep sections went by very fast. Back to Tumalo creek trail down to TH. Today max speed was 25.4 which had to have been on this trail. Just so much fun on my bike.

So, I believe that this fork is an improvement on the Lyric even with Diaz’s RUNT and tuning. But not by as much as going from RS Revelation to the Pike. Well, it’s new and I paid a chunk of change for it so I lean towards better to make me fell less bad about buying it. No, the Lyric was worn and 3 years old. I asked Anthony Diaz for fork advise. He said he would buy this fork.

My body’s lower digestive system is on the fritz. A possible helpful solution is following this FODMAP diet which eliminates many cherished foods I eat today. No wheat, one beer max per day, no beans, no honey. On Friday I started it, Gluten free bread is like $7.00 per loaf. So far no change.

I ordered underwear to be shipped to Bend, I am now captive till arrival later this week. Then I will mosey on to rd 44 above Hood River for 2 days riding. Then crossing the Columbia to WA. I am planning on a backpack trip into McCall Basin in the Goat Rocks, a place where I spent many Memorial day weekends skiing. The road is open to the end and the approach trail has been cut out.

Plan for Thurs was morning ride from green gate, back to town for laundry, a shower, and beer.

Geared up at Green gate, where still legible is a Hot Tomato sticker, pulled bike off fork mount, placed the front wheel in the fork, then threaded the maxxle thru. Shit: spun freely, no more threads to engage. There went the ride. Reversed course headed back to town. Did get a shower and clean clothes, later a 10 Barrel beer. Dropped bike off at Sunnyside. No fork. rescheduled work for Fri. Fri no fork. Due this Monday.

No bike for weekend. Legs started twitching in anticipation of a backpack trip…. maybe. But where to go as the Oregon Cascades are legendary for mosquitoes as I can attest to. Where to go that would be out of a lakes basin. I remembered on the Met Win trail where it crosses the Middle Fork of Tumalo creek would be a desirable place to spend the night. A strongly flowing creek only would not be hospital to the suckers. Question arose about snow and what will my body’s response be? Sat I drove up to Dutchman Flat snow park , a starting point for the Tumalo mtn trail. I put on my high top hikers and my hiking poles then put one foot in front of the other as I joined many hikers both climbing and descending. Nice day. well worn trail, some places very steep. Gained 1,356′ in 2 miles, big hump. topped out at 7,775′, way above Bend.

Years ago I visited Bend during ski season. I was primarily a back country skier. I parked at Dutchman and geared up for a tour climb adventure. I followed various up tracks. Heavy snow falling. Globbed on to another skier just below the summit which was obscured in white out. Deskinned and changed into down hill power gear. He said he knew the way off the ridge, follow me. He was randonee, I was on no fat tele skis. Shit, almost waist deep fresh dry pow. I just remember punching turns all the way to the bottom, some times my vision was blocked by face shots. Other skier complimented me as I was the first tele skier he had ever seen ski the line non stop. So good skinned back up for another go. Crazy. I was driving my Westie that developed engine issues which prevented me from visiting an aunt in law. I slept down just outside of town. The next day i returned for another go, this time with another skier. same fun. Snowed all night and while we were again letting gravity give direction. Today remnants of the cornice remain.

The summit provided a crow’s nest view north towards Middle fork. Snow patches were noticeable. A rider commented on TrailForks that deep snow is present. I didn’t get that impression. The down hike beat my brakes. Back at the van I decided to give a back pack hike in to the creek a go. I pulled out my gear. I needed to verify the workings and conditions of my stove, water filter, tent, thermorest, and good I put together sufficient food from past unused. Burning old stove fuel yet stove ran. Pumped water thru the filter. Other stuff checked out. Packed up then headed out hiking with a heavy load on my back. Hiked trails I have ridden. Just before the FlagLine junction I ran into patches of firm spring snow. Once past the patches became more frequent and bigger. Boots can kick steps. Encountered a biker coming from where I was headed. He was beaten from dealing with unrideable snow. I continued and made it to the creek. I selected a likely spot on pumice. Stiff breeze was nice. Didn’t notice any mosquitoes. The wind died down as I was finishing my freeze dried dinner. My legs became ground zero for the suckers. Splotches of my blood. I watched ants retrieving carcasses to return to where? Ended up crawling into my tent separating myself inside mosquito netting. My tent is very minimalist small which means cramped quarters. My legs are prone to cramping that the cramped space could trigger a cramp and I would have a bitch of a time to stretch it out. I was able to sit up in my therm o rest chair for reading by headlamp. I woke before sunrise then laid snug in my down bag. I crawled out of my bag and brushed the underside of the tent: water dripped. The dew was so thick it flowed up under the tent canopy. Sleeping bag got wet. Pack was drenched. Chilly, too cold for morning feeding. Ate oatmeal, cleaned up, packed, then hiked out. Snow was more firm. Made it back to van and crowded parking lot. I chose to leave and drive down to Swampy snow park which is not crowded and prolly warmer, a good place to hang the wet stuff to dry. Success. Everything dry and ready for next trip.

UPS tracking calls for fork delivery tomorrow. I am hoping that Sunnyside is able to install it in time for a late ride. I have been sharing fork arrival info and they have been creating schedule time.

Today I hiked the return trip non stop, almost 2 hrs. Body is stiff but functioning. Passed stress test. Took a shower to remove dried blood. Great to be not supporting the next generation of mosquitoes. 9:30 PM, door open, window down, 67 degrees. Tired.

Adult moths are emerging from the ground in mass quantities. Many don’t make it up a tree where time and temperature help their wings extend then flight muscles strengthen then she flies away looking to get laid to fertilize the full load of eggs she created while in a pupae.

Suspect they key in on P pines to climb up. Their coloration matches the bark and she will lay her eggs at the base of previously sprouted needles, never the new growth which survives the infestation. Today I watched what I determined to be females flying searching trees for egg laying.

Yesterday climbing Pine Drops the trail was littered with moths in various states of life. One was squashed in the trail with ants crawling all over tearing bits off then moving back to the hill maybe 8 feet away. I looked to the right to the base of a trail side P pine. Several moths were in various stages of disassembly by ants while several were able to climb the tree escaping doom.

In other news.

This issue of MBA has a blurb on mixed wheel sizes on bikes. Today it is 29 front 27.5 on rear. Stirring interest from great downhill race placing. Included was a picture of this:

Specialized produced the first mass produced mtn bike for like $900 back in maybe ’82. Outside magazine was starting to print mtn bike articles. Too expensive and I was on a Boeing holiday (laid Off). A local bike shop owner sold me the bike half off retail. I lived back in the woods above Wanna, WA where a private land owner had horse trails ridden. I poached the flat sandy trails after work. I parked the bike in the unlocked garage I lived over. One day I opened the door to get the bike: empty. Stolen. I stepped up big time to but a $1,100 Diamondback Arrival pictured on the cover of issue 2 of MBA ridden by Johnny T. The rest is another history.

Today while riding up Storm King a rider stopped. Looked at each other: Darrel from Sedona.

New fork has been tuned by Diaz, now is anticipation of delivery to Sunnyside to install. I hope first ride is Sunday.

Anyway, just riding the greater Phils system, drinking a social beer at 10 Barrel, spending lots of $ at Newport Market, sleeping out past TH right off Marvins Gardens. I do like being here. 9:39 PM, side door and windows down, 62 degrees, no mosquitoes.

11 years ago I drove away for the last time from my sold house. The 18th was the first day of the present odyssey.