Today’s forecast called for scant scattered T showers. Accept scattered as a nice like midwest rainstorm fell. Serious downpour.

Forecast for Oakridge on Sunday was 97 degrees. I have a PT appointment on Mon morn. I was pretty beat from Heckletooth ride on Sat. Having freedom I decided to drive past Waldo saving it for maybe even fewer mosquitoes another day stopping at my house location for the night. I walked the dirt track leading into the Deschutes NF 4 doors to the west. Just dust. Map shows numerous side roads going off that the FS has been decommissioning. I believe the road continues to the banks of the river to be discovered another day. Just dead flat, maybe skiing, certainly not biking. Quiet night.

Mon. drove into to Bend for PT on wearing right knee. I have 2 exercises to do only once every other day versus my beat down 2X every day. Dave thinks pain is caused by inflammation thus recommended several days off. Gotta ride early tomorrow to enjoy perhaps less dust. Rationalization: knee doesn’t bother me to pedal, I will rest the next day. I use a ribbed roller on my legs which is helping loosen muscles. Last 2 sessions lasted 27 mins of discomfort to break up tight muscles. Knee still does not remain happy.

Dave from Fat Tire in Sedona called, we engaged in almost 2 hr conversation. Among other thoughts was the gear change going to bigger chain ring and bigger cluster. Perhaps if I can stay with an 11 speed I may do it. I just bought a new derailleur and the Grip shifter is solid. Money conservation.

Once rain fall stopped the temp dropped to 67 degrees, it back up to 87. Relief was temporary.

Time to move on.

Yea 46T suck.

Thursday I drove the back road from McKenzie to the Willamette river valley. Pleasant backwoods drive. Thursday is laundry day. I checked ST Vinnies where a small laundromat exists. Closed. Google nearest laundromat because I need to wash every Thurs, maybe Friday. 41 miles into Springfield west, drive rt 58 even a piece of interstate per maps. Clean clothes. Humidity here is higher which lengthened the drying time of my air dried nice things. Dinner and a beer at Pub. Spent night at bottom of Dead Mtn trail.

Had desire to ride ATCA again to experience the old growth forest on Tire Mtn. Complimentary shuttle ride from local shuttle. Curious to see maturation of bear grass on Sourgrass mtn.

I made the mistake at a switchback turn to the right by steering too hard into the back slope which stalled the bike which pitched me off the bike. Time didn’t stand still while I was in the air nor has my memory retrieved the sequence of moves that resulted in me landing on the outslope side of the trail. My left forearm too the shock to stop me. Jammed my shoulder. Quickly get up to pedal before damage report. Blood was weeping down my arm into my glove. Just skin cuts. Pedaled more seeming to be in control. Finally stopping at end of climb out of creek.

I needed 2 large bandages to cove the worse wound. I needed 2 hands to effectively wrap. I struggled with a wrap of magic tape that needed additional turns to bind to itself. Applied an overlapping piece of tape that I used my teeth instead of scissors to cut that tape. Down lower I stopped at water fall right before exit off Cloverpatch to wash off the dried blood. On a downhill piece of narrow single track bordered by dense lush low plants I drifted tot eh left edge of the trail and I couldn’t bring the bike back onto the trail. I crashed landing in the plants which hid whatever was there. I landed in only soft plants. There were 3 other riders coming down behind me that I hoped would assist me if required. 1 guy caught up to me but I did not ask for bandage help.

Then the climb up out. Today I rode 5 minutes faster for a PB. effort took a toll. Hot. Newly completed trail segment taking off from the to;p of the singletrack which bypasses some Buckhead noise. I missed the entrance but found the rejoin onto Alpine down lower. Left arm is weak.

23.2 miles pedaling for 3 hrs 23 mins, shuttle ride, 2680′ climbing, 1095 feet on Cloverpatch, descended 6086′.

Beer and fish and chips at Pub. Chatted again with a couple I met the day before who are on a several month road trip. They live in Portland the site of on going demonstrations. They expressed dismay that the effort was not organized to call out demands for change. Today I finished my ride returning to Dead Mtn TH. A young man and his mom rolled up. I started a conversation and learned that she is really active in the protests and said that demands and organization are very much in effect. I was impressed with that woman’s involvement. there is goodness on the whole caused by public protest. Yes, there are detractors.

Yesterday garmin recovery wanted 28 hours. I slept at TH again. This AM I slowly slid out of bed checking function of body parts. Did pushups which did not bother my shoulder. Structurally seems I could give Heclethooth a go. which I did. Just no snap to my legs at all. Heckletooth requires elevation gain out of the river valley, today I worked to keep my heart rate below threshold. Still, almost 2 hours to pedal from camp to start of Heckletooth trail. No snap, I hiked my bike on many of the steep climbs. I am accepting performance of low gear 46 T cog. Pushed up to peak then walked down the first 2 switchbacks, just too scary and consequences was a long tumble. Not all was downhill.

Heckletooth is suffering from lack of rain and many riders. This trail escapes the Alpine shuttle crowd as there is work on the downhill. 20.7 miles climbing 2612′ taking 2 hrs 58 mins of effort. Pretty beat. Perhaps resting for that 28 hours would have helped. trail drops out of woods then descends a paved road with twisty turns, a screamer coaster, I hit 31 mph.

Spent. garmin wants only 17 hour recovery which did not add on the previous unrested time.

Spending night here. Tomorrow’s forecast is 97 degrees which is hot enough to drive me back across the mountains as bend is just 90 degrees.

First hand report from Waldo lake riders: encouraging, mosquitoes present but not overbearing. Could stop on way to Bend but am thinking I should allow recovery.

Tonight music at Backwoods again, time to head over there.

Wanted to use real small font for title but my grasp of technology was lacking.

Now I have boasted. Yes, I made the ride because it is what I do. This ride was going to be bigger than going home. I didn’t sleep well last night perhaps a bit of can I really eat this sandwich that I will put on my plate.

Quiet and cool night at snow park. I waited till 10 PM last night to step outside and look for that comet. I used binocs, found it faintly sending light under the big dipper. OK I saw it.

Up this morning, breakfast of champions Bob’s Red Mill steel cut oats with blueberries, walnuts, and maple syrup, a 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with butter and honey. 1 big cup of cold brewed coffee. Cleaned up and made ready for drive down to Rainbow and the start of ride, finish will be right at my van door and beerthirty.

Filled bladder to almost 100 ozs, packed 2 Clif bars, endurolytes, and 1 almond butter and honey on craft whole wheat bread. Ride started on pavement along Horse Creek till the FS logging road joined on the right for the start of the real fun. 3 mile climb to Olallie TH, right at the closed road gate. Single track beckoned. I will only learn about myself by pedaling on. 4.1 miles of good gracious climbing to junction with O’Leary. Previous burn had burned over the trail in places.

That 4.1 climb was mix of sucking on 46 T and hiking my bike. GPS malfunctioned during this which left me without knowledge of how close I was to completing this 4.1 mile section. No break, just hump to junction. Monkeyed with buttons on computer that woke it up past this intersection. I wanted data. Some burn areas burned real hot killing the soil. Fireweed is succession plant at present. trail tread is about 10″ wide but obscured somewhat by fireweed overhang.

Olallie has very little wear, Once on O’Leary the trail showed much rider traffic as it was slightly wider. There are some steep walking climbs before Macduff mtn which I was making my break spot. I pedaled or pushed sweating on both methods of locomotion. I set my bike on outslope of trail then scrambled short distance to summit.

From here the trail got after going downhill. Deep forest canopy, narrow trail, exposure, switchbacks, small drops, but no mud. Rode over CCC rock work outslope retaining wall, still firmly in place. Old trail up there went down quite steeply in places that have now been correctred with hand built sustainable trail. I vaguely remember riding down that shit, maybe it was more like bulldogging my bike slipping downhill. Construction scars are weathering in, there is a difference between legacy and new built.

All by myself. Did get right of way from 2 backbackers and a woman mountain biker on Olallie.

Crossed this creek which was only water source.

Castle Rock is a mix of gentle ups and downs but steepens as it nears King Castle start of monster 4.1 mile mostly downhill. King Castle drops 1,637′ per Trailforks. Deep shade under big trees. Last straight section ended right at my van.

Backcountry Navigator gathered data the entire ride of 27 miles pedaling for 4 hrs 21 mins climbing 5174′. Garmin interesting partial data was 4.1 miles climbing 884′ and descending 4,587′. It was a monster ride, requiring more effort than 30 mile Mrazek ride at Bend. I started at 10 and finished around 4. Really worked. Leg muscles teased me with cramping causing me to back off effort.

Drove up to FS campground which just filled up. Returned to TH small lot. Camped at 1,200′, the lowest I have been this year.

Tomorrow drive to Oakridge. Garmin recovery advisor reports 24 hours of recovery. laundry day, use small only laundromat in Oakridge, top loading machines. I hope it is open.

10 PM. Time for bed time activities: wet wash cloth rinse body off, leg exercises, then painful rolling of my legs. he rolling has loosened up muscles that were causing knee pain. Supposed to do 2X, I did 1 this AM in the parking lot on pavement. Tonight it will be in scrunched quarters of van aisle.