Chilly morning yesterday with forecast saying warmth was coming, like 65 degrees. I postponed Mrazk chosing a lesser price but a higher reward to ride South Fork from Skyliner. What about temperature? Skyliner is 1,000′ higher than Phils and the top of S fork is at 5,600′. Temperature drops as elevation is gained. Chilly at 3,900′ camp means mid morning temp at top was not going to be balmy. I started with just the long sleeve mid weight wool top eschewing the knee warmers. However, I stepped outside warm van after dressing to outside chill, knees said “OK, maybe you should pack the warmers, like just in case. Knees, be quiet, your job is to just drive me to the top so I can coast back. Left the warmers. I filled up water at the well spigot allowing time to pass and warmth. Ride starts with big climb right off the bat. Body warmed up to the effort. My right knee is balking at the pedaling. Hmm, pain is in side of knee which cause is unknown to me. Pain in the front or back of the knee indicate seat height issue. I checked seat height, I raised it a tad which lessened the pain. I pedaled on. Swede shelter view was this:

Environmental conditions change with elevation which affects tree cover. Down low P pine are dominant, up at Swede ridge Lodgepole pine are dominant.

Ground is pumice, tires have rolled firm the tread.

Now the reward is right at my front tire: Gravity pulling me down the next 3 miles lasting only 15 mins, loosing 912′. Old growth tree cover creates scattered small patches of sunlight and shade. Light reveals the tread to figure out how to ride, shade is like a dark room where shadows don’t exist hiding opportunities or proactive actions. trust bike, ability, and physics to just stay off the brakes. The trail has small challenges that can be ridden over at speed. Juke and jive. Even with well tuned bike and fitness I still get beat up. Old legacy hiking trail. Tread went over a root on fall line, water flowed down trail, hit root, flowed over root, then carved a drop on the downhill side. Over time the drop deepens. Pop the root to gain air then land beyond the drop. Assume attack position, be loose, be looking ahead. One last rock chunder and then it’s done. Encountered a rider pedaling up, he said he counted 10 riders passing him going down. I was passed by 2 guys who were enhancing their speed harshing my coast, why work when I can rest? My enjoyment is coasting and playing with trail.

Then the in places high speed coasting on Tumalo creek trail which is wide, smooth, firm berms, but in places limited sight lines caused by ceoanothus bushes. There is this one section that offers sight line and straight line. Today fastest speed of 26.9 mph. Zoom.

Drove back to town. Propane fill. Bought new chain. Drove out to Phils to where gravel road crosses marvin’s garden as I wanted to sit at the trail and interact with passing riders. Darn, both possible spots were occupied. Drove out to favorite spot which was empty. Today I chose partial shade. I finished settling in when one of the other occupiers pulled in the closest ever. I allowed myself to get worked up. Young man walked up and introduced himself as he said we have been neighbors. Learned that he attempted a thru hike of the PCT back in 18. OK, guy is accepted. Learned that the second van is his girl friend’s whom they met on the PCT. later I did pack a beer and stool and walked to marvins and sat in the sun and watched the few riders that went by.

Sat is a COTA volunteer trail work morning on private property that I will be participating in. 1st volunteer work after covid.

Working on revisions to house model this week, getting close to finish.

10 Barrel pub has been opened several days. This was my being around people place in years passed. I am squeamish about stopping in for a beer.

I worked over my right leg in particular over my ribbed roller which seems to have loosened up muscles surrounding my knee, I feel the discomfort but do not have tange of motion issues. Suspect discomfort was caused by the knee not tracking correctly created this residual pain that will go away. I am making today a rest day. There is always tomorrow or the day after or after.

5mg THC gummies start the day off with gentle buzz. I found that later in the day one feels like a bust. Read article about effectiveness of high content of THC in flower, finding was less costs less and produces same buzz.

Last several nights the furnace has been enjoyed for its warmth accepting the whir of the circulating fan. Chilly. Rest day yesterday after 4 straight days of riding and weather forecast wanted rain. Today’s forecast wanted same rain system. Something significant weather wise for time of 11 AM which is cutover time for showers.

So, last night parked at favorite spot past Phils TH, I studied the site to pick the spot that got good sun exposure for the solar panel effect charging the batteries but could be leveled and was not in a puddle basin. Settled on a spot. Thinking was a rainy day here which would shut me in and battery power would be needed for heat tonight. This morning the rain did not fall and the forecast again reported 11 AM. 47 degrees at start, chilly enough to seek comfort of knee warmers and a short sleeve long underwear top underneath the midweight wool long sleeve jersey. Packed my rain jacket. Thing about the lower Phils system is there are ways to affect the length of a ride. With the rain jacket and in many places the P pine canopy was thick enough to suck up the rain before it hit the ground or me. I also was interested in the effect the changes I made to my bike. One, new rear tire, same as worn down Maxxis Aggressor 2.5 WT, and a longer stem.

Stem swap: On Sunday I looked at the relationship between the handlebar and the front hub. Previously known standard of correct relationship was you could not see the front axle because the handlebar blocked the view, this would place the weight of my hands to be over the contact patch of the front wheel which would maximize the grip of that front tire. My line was my hands were well behind that contact patch which affected the cornering and carving. I kept the previous longer stem because sometimes I hang on to swapped parts, plus it took up little room. Also the stem length effects the leverage of the handlebar and greater upper body movement to alter steering. On today’s ride the bike seemed to stay hooked up in the turns much better, both items receive credit. Possible that older tire with worn knobs broke loose. 2 variables screw the scientific experiment. I did enjoy my ride.

I have figured out how to ride these trails, some rides are the same. On the 13th, Sat, I rode the same loop as on 6/3. 24.4 miles with ride time just 5 minutes difference.

Pandora moth caterpillars are emerging, green squash slime wetting the gray pumice dust. The males emerge first, both sexes climb up P pines to dry their wings. The males pounce on the emerging females before they are able to fly away. Nonconsentual sex. I read about cedar gnats where mating appears to be female selecting a mate as she favors youth, she distinguishes the age of her suitors, old guys go home. Age is measured in hours.

Also during previous summers the California tortoiseshell butterflies lived in several patches of ceanothus bushes that trails went by. The caterpillars are the feeding stage swarming the bush leaves. While their leaf consumption is never enough to kill the plant the remaining leaves bear the effects.

The trails here are on the Deschutes NF and are located west of town which has built up to property line. Forest was clear cut some years ago and replanted seems to be at same time, result is the trees are all the same size and packed denser that virgin forest would have spaced. Tight trees can create crowing forest fires which could spread onto private structures. Solution: fuels reduction and mastigation. FS uses paint colors for coding. Orange for leave trees and blue for harvest. Today on Phils climb I took this pick of today, note the blue bands.

Some day in the future this will be cut, should I be around and remember to I will take a pic after harvest.

It’s 4:35, 49 degrees, and the threat of rain is abated by blue skies. Comfortable inside van buttoned up. Furnace has not fired on. Weather forecast seems to miss reality. Seek a sucker hole and pack a rain coat.

Today on the climb up Pine Drops a faster rider caught up to me. I stopped. We talked, last year we met and talked about bikes something. Today he was riding his created Mullet which is a 29ner frame with a 29′ front wheel and a smaller 27.5″ on the rear. His frame is rigid. He said there are noticeable advantages of the wheel size mix. My first bike was a Cannondale that was a smaller version of today’s mullet at a 26″ front and 24″ rear. I don’t recall how the bike benefited from the wheels, I remember my shins having numerous scrapes from shitty bear paw pedals and non sticky shoes.

Forecast calls for heating up as the week progresses. Sat is to be 86 degrees. maybe I can get a solar shower. Last solar shower was back in May when down in Sedona. My ride clean up is swabbing off with a wet wash cloth while inside the van. I am clean and don’t smell. I wear clean clothes and brush my teeth twice a day, floss at night.

Grocery stores are still short of good brown rice. Beer choices here tend to higher bitter units which I don’t like. Washington asparagus at Newport market. Years ago when I lived at Spokane I read that the only asparagus packing plant in the state closed down which would kill the industry. Appears enough is still grown to make it down here. I have yet to enter a public house let alone drink a beer there, same with dining in. Today I wear a mask for my inside forays. I live and recreate away from people which does not necessitate wearing a mask. My body has no underlying health issues.

Sunnyside Sports, the bike shop I support, opened their doors to public on Monday. Previously it was like a speak easy where a shop person would serve you outside. You would call them while outside their door and someone would unlock the door and greet you.

My left index finger is becoming numb after riding. I hook the front brake lever with the first joint which concentrates the pressure of the handlebar grip to the base of the finger.

Forecast tomorrow is favorable. Mrazek ride , 33 miles, maybe?

Last night’s forecast for today had wet starting about noon and becoming more likely as day wore on. Possible window was early ride and pack rain jacket. I started about 9 from Skyliner overflow parking and packed my jacket. Chilly, long underwear top. Sky did show signs of wet and a particular bird song I have associated with calling for rain was singing. Ride was my South Fork link of trails. Again starting with fitness challenge up Tumalo Ridge trail, this is where the meat of the elevation gain happens. It is 9.21 miles gaining 1404′ taking pedaling 88 mins. Turn onto S Fork trail for 3.0 miles dropping 886′ the reward. Dirt was watered down firm with just a few tracks ahead. Good dirt. Overcast that held its water. Wore the shield glasses again. High speed descent aboard well behaved bike. Old legacy hiking trail. Deep virgin tree cover. Deep shade in spots. roots.

View from Swede shelter, low clouds but snow capped peaks.

I pedal a 30T Absolute Black oval chain ring which smooths out the pedal stroke as the ovalization matches the gear size to power position of stroke. I had believed that it eliminated my power pulse which is seen by the track in the dirt. Today on Swede ridge steep pitch I pedaled in 42T I did not notice nor have I ever previously observed the tell tale power pulse sign. A round chain ring makes those dig outs because that’s the way legs work.

I made the climb.

Too many people and some are not practicing posting up for the night near me. Last night a pickup with maybe 4 people parked about 40′ away right on my bumper. I put up the window blind. They picked the first open spot. There were other open sites further out the road. Tonight I moved to my favorite spot here past Phils. I discovered this spot many years ago when it was just a faint track off the main gravel road between 2 large rocks. Over the years various users have driven in another entrance and cleared spots. Before dinner tonight 2 vans drive right past me and parked about 50′ away. I picked this spot tonight believing I would be alone. Yes, years ago, right near here, I was accosted by a guy who said I parked too close him, go away.

Yeah but I have 2 gallons of good well water.

Forecast for tomorrow has similar unsettled rain. Oh, today, I stayed dry the entire ride and into the evening. Actual wet once at 30%, dry at 50%.

Mashed potato pancakes for dinner.