Some say before you attempt a change you should let people know what you will be changing. They might offer support. Others, keep quiet and do it. Some might brag about accomplishment later, others, it’s just part of life style and internal satisfaction. In the mountaineering code is item: tell someone details of adventure before you go.

My challenge will be a compilation of all. Tomorrow I will be driving down to Rainbow, OR and park at covered bridge at end of king castle trail. Challenge will be riding Olallie and O’Leary loop. Real big climbing ride up Olallie then O’Leary which I have ridden 3 times previously. Final reward is superb descent down King Castle.

I am staying overnight at Benson snow park at Santiam Pass with strong internet. Tomorrow when I drop down to McKenzie river expect none. So I sort of not telling anyone because I will be doing this before readers offer support. Upon successful ride completion I intend to head to Oakridge.

Upper 90s today when I left Bend. Will be cool sleeping at pass tonight.

Mosquitoes sucking up here at 4800′.

I hiked thru here on the PCT back in 1978.

Update: 2:22 PM on top of McDuff peak.

Tom Robbins first novel. Published in 1971, I discovered his writings starting with this one back in 1978 when I was hiking the PCT. I have since read every succeeding novel learning about each one just after publishing.

I read the words on the pages, sort of comprehend much of his stream of conscious (?), Is reading him and understanding similar to mountain biking: you can ride your bike and get by or you can sit your bike and experience more out of it. Sure, I can read his words, like riding, but I am stretched to comprehend his sitting style. There is much that reinforces what I internalize now or back, when I read it in 1978, might have created that awareness? My mind gets full after while. Which is why I am writing this tonight as this keeps me away from being expanded. I’m full.

Came across this today which captures my situation:

“It is better to live free and endangered than captured and comfortable.”

Presently I am living the former, I am working on the near term later. Approach / avoidance? Horns of a dilemma? Courage to remain the former and the strength to acknowledge the former.

Today temps rose to lower 90s. This AM I drove into west side for propane and groceries then returned to same spot as last night. I set up my chair in the shade then set down to read. Dehydrated. At 9 PM I am sitting in my driver’s seat with no shirt on as my back sweats sticking me to the fabric. I have since inserted a shirt between man and machine. Sleeping with side door open.

I missed reporting ride data after 12 years. 35,248 miles from 2,427 rides. Elevation gain as recorded by garmin is 3 million something feet.

Down here ground squirrels and chipmunks are plentiful and bold. Authorities have killed off the tier 1 predators which feed on these amusing critters. Population density is waiting for their pandemic to reduce their numbers. Man has upset nature’s applecart. They are climbing up the bitterbrush and harvesting their seeds. Quite acrobatic. Then their scampering and chasing antics. Haven’t seen a knock down scrap yet. I arrived here as the bitterbrush was flowering sending out their fragrance. Flowers attracted pollinators, fertilization occurred resulting in seeds for their future.

Comfortable sleeping temp at about 5800′, door shut and double down blanket. Ran the furnace before getting out from under comfort. 36 degrees. Letting solar gain greet the day. Where I was parked I could gave ridden S Fork for desert then hump back up for vegetables climbing Tumalo Ridge. I needed water from Skyliner to day. Decision then was to drive back to town then out to Phils, ride Mrazek etc, drive up to Skyliner for water, then drive back down and out to find sleep spot past Phils.

And I accomplished above in that order. Driving down to town a pallor of smoke hung over the town. Down lower I drove into what smelled like wood fire smoke. At Phils, parked, I googled forest fires, nothing in OR. I geared up. Bike now has new rotors front and back and new pads on the front. Brakes seem to apply better gripping of the rotors hence able to lock the rear wheel up and with just the front brake to raise the rear wheel. It will get er done. Trailhead was packed at 9 AM, forecast upper 80s, no wind, and low humidity. Headed up on Ben’s all by myself, hit cut over to FS road down, cross Tumalo creek, and climb up to Mrazek trail crossing. I am repeating previous ride except previously I added extra from pedaling from preferred camp spot. On Mrazek I encountered several small groups of riders heading down, just 2 guys climbing who stopped where I took rest break, never saw them again. It is just a whole lot of pedal strokes. Same time of 1 hr 42 mins gaining 1204′ in 10.3 miles. Hot day, as I climbed the temp lost a few degrees, never is feeling temp drop noticeable like descending as the temp climbs. Mrazek climbs thru lodgepole, the bleached down trees were felled by a natural event. So much fuel.

Farwell trail junction marks the high point. Trail descends into mature mixed hemlock, wild, never been logged but that will soon change.

Observe the light and shade on the tread. Sometimes my eyes just can not discern a line which causes me to just steer straight into the light. works so far except when the shade is too deep.

Pedaled the brake bumps up Mrazek. Shame how beaten the trail is becoming.

Hot day. I put maybe 80 oz in bladder just short of 100 ozs. refill was at Tumalo lodge where I get water. Hit 26 mph down Tumalo creek. At the spigot I pulled up the bladder for refill, I had sucked down till almost dry. I sucked water in preparation of climb out of valley on Skyliner. Hot day even under the tree cover. I worked. At the end of the climb I was glistening with sweat and very hot. I had concern I would be having a heat event. I sat in the shade and sucked much water, the sweat evaporated, and I cooled down and avoided heat stroke. Climbed to high point of Phils then dropped down to connect with Kent’s back to the almost empty TH. Temp was 89 degrees. At a point on Phils the temp felt like opening oven door. And it was only going to get warmer as I descended almost the entire way.

Wet wash cloth rinse of body at TH and a beer then drove up to Skyliner for water, then drove back down to Phils then out to preferred spot hich is still occupied by a family. Back up spot is nearby.

No rhyme or understanding why some nights my legs will cramp causing intense pain lasting for many minutes until muscles relax. I read about drinking vinegar during a cramping session. Vinegar is in the horseradish mustard that is on the upper shelf on the fridge door. The fridge door will open just far enough to reach inside and retrieve that squeeze bottle. Friday night my legs cramped just over an hour after going to bed. I slid out of bed carefully to not cause more cramps. I opened the fridge door and groped for the mustard. My legs are going nuts, I shake the bottle then squeeze a dose onto my finger then stick it in my mouth. Almost instantly the cramps relaxed. I suspect a dose tonight caused by the heat and exertion. I am so dehydrated.

69 degrees at 9:45 PM. windows open.

County approved my septic plan. $18,000 for complete septic system install.

Now reading Tom Robbins first novel, Another Roadside Attraction.

Forecast temps first part of week are in low 90s. FS has not turned the water back on at welcome center.

31.1 miles climbing 2917′ pedaling for 3 hrs 58 mins, burned 1660 calories, average heart rate was 125, 3 beats short of theoretical aerobic threshold of 128 beats. Max was 146 beats.