So nice. Last night before bed I heard a thump sound from the sink cabinet. Could it be? Opened the door and the second mouse was in death throes min the sprung trap. I pitched it and the trap outside. In the morning the 2 were where they hit the ground. So nice after like 3 nights of hearing chewing to peaceful quiet and not wondering what the critters might be chewing.

And the storm hit. Forecast called for more storms later but where I was stayed dry or at least not flooded.

Made Sunday scratch pancakes and drank a luxury second cup of coffee.

Plan was to drive into town, west side, to get sink water at gas station, and groceries, maybe propane. Score with water and gas station has propane again. Newport Market for my quality of groceries. Still haven’t found favorite oatmeal, Bob’s Scottish.

Drove up to Swampy Snow Park passing visitor center on highway which is gated closed. Cars were parked filling the drive opening. Can’t get in for water, cross that spot off itinerary. Parking at Storm King crossing was plugged. Swampy had a few cars but nowhere as many as down below. The storm dropped the temps to needing long sleeve mid weight wool jersey and knee warmers. 5800′. Wearing the long sleeve wool shirt inside with door shut and furnace running. At least no mosquitoes so far.

My ride was down South fork of Tumalo creek, 3.3 miles dropping 1068′. Deep forest cover, old hiking trail. One of my more favorite descents. Turn onto Tumalo creek which drops on smooth open sight line trail. Hit 25 mph. Hump climb up Tumalo ridge for 1 viewshed. Shared the downhill with one trail runner climbing, ran into her later as she was making a loop. Otherwise there were several bikers not enough to scrap over the same piece of tread. On the ridge the single track empties out onto a former haul road gently climbing up to Swede ridge shelter. Last year I paid attention to how long it took me to pedal that piece, it took 18 mins whether I was straight or buzzed. Today I was buzzed, I knocked off 50 seconds, it was a hump.

Much of this upper area has never been logged as it is connected to the watershed. Trails are old hiking trails. This is what I like to ride.

Viewshed in the trees:

Sleeping at empty Swampy trailhead. 42 degrees at 9:06 PM. Drinking a cup of sleepy time tea as I am wont to do when it is chilly.

55 degrees at 3:22 PM. About an hour ago an intense thunderstorm passed over me and others dropping the largest hail I have ever had beat on my van. Leading edge of front dropped hail diameter easily half dollar which sounded like someone took a mallet to the roof. Then the rest of the storm followed, not so much heavy downpour enough to wash the green P pine pollen out of the air and leave green rimed puddles. Trails here are dry and dusty. I got my ride in before the storm hit, forecast called for it but it arrived 2 hours late. There is an unmarked intersection in Phils system that continues to leave me navigationally challenged. Today repeated where am I? Serendipity for shorten ride kept me out of that storm. Bought groceries, filled up with water and propane then drove out to Phil’s TH and seeking favorite camp spot. last week the FS opened the TH and snow parks here, being closed kept me away. Trail head was packed with most rigs I have eve seen. Continued past to find sought for spot opened. Living here in the forest just outside of town and right on the trail system is easy living.

Going back in time to bring us up current will be shared.

Thursday needed a laundromat which I found down in Klamath Falls in a Fred Meyer shopping center. Clean clothes in empty facility, and groceries were almost the same. Expected my food and beer choices, just enriched wheat flour bread.

Friend Derrick is employed as a trail builder for Dirt Mechanics out of Bend and is building trail on private property on Shoalwater Bay / Spence mtn. I drove out to Shoalwater bay TH to start ride Derrick gave me. The land is logged over timber harvest current woodland beef grazing. Yeah, but the trails were first rate. Mini ex built except for nasty Queen of the Lake which was hand built traversing several basalt rock gardens. Deep shade from oak trees.

Negotiated the Queen walking several of the rock gardens as I have resisted the challenge of exquisite balance. what goes down has to go back up and then maybe go down again (?). Climb was up Spence south ridge, 4.7 miles climbing 1546′. Purpose built trail which makes climbing matching what a strong rider can pedal. I am strong but my engine is worn which causes me to lack steam to make some of the climbing rock moves.

Lots of sun exposure during the climb. At the top, what climbed up, can only go downhill. machine built terrain park type features mixed in. Drop, drop, drop. I was so accustomed to coasting that when the trail pitched upward I had forgotten how to properly pedal. What a great system making a trail system with some features versus making a features park. 19.8 miles climbing 2028′ in 2 hrs 47 mins. Spent the night at the TH. Derrick arrived for a short visit.

Learned that the property owners are allowing trails to be built on the land and that the greater community is raising funds to pay for development of the trails.

Friday AM I drove to my property N of La Pine which has been my goal. Stopped in La Pine for groceries which is a Ray’s which is like a 3rd world IGA. Found an opened business with computer access for me to print off the house models to mark up for the architect. I bought 120 linear feet of 1/2 ” pvc pipe and connectors at the local hardware store. Pipe is to create a 30 X 30′ square to visualized my house setting.

I needed google maps to find my way to my property. Arrived. Slipped off the rusted cable stretched across the entry. Drove in tracing previous sunken ruts as ground is unconsolidated pumice. No winter damage or vandalism. Home, this is mine, I can not be kicked off as long as I pay the real estate tax. For me a comfortable feeling, like my emotions settled.

On the land there is a sort of opening and 2 of largest trees which I want to keep. I laid the pipe in its square, located it and orientated it to my idea. Then I walked around inside with the house design to see how it fit. I am pitching the orientation about 20 degrees east west for slight privacy from neighbors on each side of me. Looks good. Want dirt work to be done with a mini ex to minimize land damage. Will need to chain saw several trees.

At least 1 mouse has joined me. I believe they get in when I leave the side door open at night. 2 nights ago I was awakened to munching sounds. Shit. Too late to bait and set a trap. Last night I baited 1 trap with almond butter and set it just inside the sink cabinet which is also my pantry. went to sleep. I woke up to hear a thump then some crashing. Slipped out of bed and retrieved my leather gloves, put them on, and grabbed the trap and thrashing mouse. I didn’t put my glasses on to see sharp detail. I parted the mosquito netting and pitched my handful out. I heard continued struggles as the trap appears to have not squashed the mouse. I crawled back to bed. Before I fell back to sleep I heard more munching. Might be a second. This morning the trap was nowhere to be seen. Did a predator scoop up and carry away? Was the later scratching caused by same mouse returning and sloughed off the trap somehow? I am now down to 1 trap which is baited and set at same successful harvest spot.

Might be a furnace night. Shut the side door. 55 degrees and breezy.

So my property is 30 miles from nearest my choice of grocery store , Market of Choice, and a bit further to Phils TH.

1181 miles from Sedona.

Plan is to mark up house model with my changes and the architect will draw up the plans then shop the build to learn how far my saved money will build. Once I have the $ figured out I will will be faced with decision can I or can’t I. Or another house solution. A yert is in the background, way far away.

Yesterday was a big drive day. I researched a ride outside Reno, NV. It was a hot and windy drive. Reno was hot and the ride was on an exposed mtn side, I didn’t need nor want the heat. I needed coffee beans. I googled local roaster in Reno. Deep in town. Google parked me at the curb of the closed shop. Lesson: even though web site states open: call. Found a coffee shop back up the street. Walked in to open coffee shop. I bought their house beans. Asked for coarse grind for cold brew. Attendant either didn’t move the selector or failed to remember as it was ground for drip. Pay attention to details. Still made acceptable coffee this morning other than it plugged my filter.

Continued west and north into CA to Susanville on the banks of the Susan River. Grocery shopped with mix of covered and naked going the wrong way shoppers. Called local (only one) found on google search. Learned of a forest area to camp which was above town. P pine and juniper but the smell of forest, not desert. Grabbed 1st spot about 15′ off the FS road but only 1 rig went by. Quite comfortable sleep.

This AM I got after it early to drive back down the mtn into town to the TH to ride the trail system along the river.

The easier was a converted railroad grade and the South trail on the south side of the river was a blue narrow, places exposed, graded to make most of climbs, in the shade mostly. System allowed for route variations. I rode out (downstream) to end of segment TH then returned on the railroad grade enjoying being outside in the forest and listening to the river sounds.

Spring time blossoms

Nose candy came from mock orange and ceanothus.

I didn’t start with much drive which went away after a chunk of time. I enjoyed the coasting and negotiating a first time ride, what was around a bend was hidden from view in many places.

I made the turn around point then started back on the railroad grade, certainly to avoid the steep climbs . I picked a trail connector that climbed up to join the South trail. Working on having fun.

Riding here reminds me much about Riverside SP at Spokane.

Hot day. Packed up. Plan was to drive all the way to Klamath Falls, OR. Route was narrow windy hilly, empty, state highway 139. I asked Google for route to UPS store in KF. At first it was on this road. Then it determined a cut over route to be the shortest. Fine. I turned off smooth no expansion gaps pavement to bumpy gappers. However in very short distance the pavement ended. I looked at the selected route that ran on smaller roads that appeared to be gravel. I had enough of that possibility of gravel road driving. I picked up another state highway to take me back to 139. Fun backcountry state highway drive: up, around down, around, up, repeat in different sequences as I skillfully kept the van between the ditches.

Yesterday in NV on US 95, a major artery, little traffic. A semi was in the other lane descending, I was in the other lane starting a gentle climb. A guy in a white sedan pulled around the semi into my lane and passed. The was insufficient distance for him to pull it off before head on into me. I flashed my headlights and put my foot on the binders and went for the paved shoulder. He kept on. Seems that drivers making an error they keep after it forcing others to take evasive action. Prolly said “sorry”

Highway routed thru pieces of NF. I picked a spot before dropping down out of public land. 4395′ Still in upper 80s. Tomorrow down to Klamath Falls.