There are shadows. WTF? There are now perceived obstacles on the smooth trail. I am cautious cause I never know when something changed on the trail, something that could maybe send me flying over the bars, or worse, a chilled can of beer might be there (never happened).Yesterday (Friday)I rode some of the same trails as on cloudy Thursday. The trail system out at Phils present many options for a ride, you can go big and stick it or dream big but eyes were bigger than the plan and bail on a shorter route. I have been good about equating eyes and body to plan and complete what was planned in comfort of my van. I enjoyed coasting Pine Drops but wanted a shorter ride. I started on Marvins riding right from van. Short climb at start up to junction with KGB, go pass the buzzard feed and bounce down hill passing hit squirrel, turn left on Expressway which is a greener ability having a slight grade that going in other direction puts up some serious speed. Arrive at intersection with ELV and its watching over riders gnomes, maybe 5 of them but you got to look for them. Turn right on Ticket to Ride the northern loop passed the home in progress, today the window opening was paneled over from inside. Join Grand Slam which works its way up on edge of ridge with tight turns and basalt features scattered, negotiate the turn and deal with a feature right out of the turn. Then Storm King about midway climbing up to top of Phils, a short piece of same arrives at cut in to Pine Drops, game on. Shadows and this trail is spicey. I yielded to an uphill rider that I saw long before I needed to pull over. While trail lacks a rough tread it has many sharp bends with varying degrees of firmness. I keep my eyes peeled scoping ahead looking for other users coming up hill and to be yielded to. Sight lines range from I can see the end of the block to right on my nose. Shit: I flew by a rider who was off the trail behind a tree. I only saw him out of the corner of my eye. Sure glad that he was off the trail, albeit if he would have been riding I would have seen him. Anyway, like 9 mins down. Still fun, maybe it’s like driving a performance car on a race track, what it lacks in features is made up by trail layout: the faster I go the difficulty increases. Take EXT to join Phils again, Phils to Kents all the way down to trailhead then short pedal on Marvins to van. 19.6, climbing 1581’ pedaling for 2 hrs 25 mins.
Ground squirrels and chipmunks are in abundance where I parked as is at other places. Here several of the squirrels, which are larger, entered my van. I never saw how they got in, must of jumped. I would hiss causing rapid exit. Yesterday there were several of each kind working bitterbrush about 3 feet from opened side door. Hmm, I had the power to adversely affect their lives. Won’t shoot them with my B-B gun. Ah, squirt bottle. I have a large bottle with a pump, I opened up the nozzle to a hard stream and waited on my stool I set in the doorway. First critter entered squirt zone. I squeezed the pump shooting that stream of water. They seemed to scoot away before the water reached them. Hmm, what could be better? Ah, the tree sprayer I use to pressure wash my bike. More pressure and no sound of pump. First one caught a little bit, again dashing away but not as quickly. I squirted a few more while sitting in my “blind”. I noticed when one got wetted it would roll in the dirt to dry. Several made return trips.
Broke for the night, wipe off body with wet wash cloth. Read several pages of Still Life with Woodpecker, warm night.
Yesterday after my ride I drove back down to town. Around 4 PM the town temp was 99 degrees at 3590’ elevation. At 4:38 at Swampy snow park at 5735’ was 87, say a refreshing change?
So it is Sunday evening.
2 rides ago I wore my retreaded shoes, they are noticeably heavier with new 510 sticky rubber (?). My feet are noticeably stuck to the pedals now. When I turned in to resoling the newer pair I was concerned that the stickiness of the worn spare pair would be slippery. Well, duh, both pairs were worn about the same. What was noticeable was the new soles and costing only $50 instead of a new pair. I do stick better.
Swampy snow park is a short distance off the MT Bachelor highway which is very busy and noisy. Traffic dies into the evening then this morning it was picking up. A shuttle rig pulled in around 7:30.
Today is another scorcher. I stayed at Swampy again for a ride and sleep. Forecast called for possible T storm mid afternoon. The skies darkened, trees started swaying, sprinkles, heavier sprinkles, then hail introducing the main event of a drenching downpour. Storm blew in, dumped for maybe 15 mins before moving on. Did create puddles in the parking lot. I sheltered in place. Temp dropped to 57 degrees.
For today’s ride I chose to stay high up here for coolness. I rode SST in the other direction to Swede shelter then returned on Swede ridge to east side of Swampy. Swede has 1 nasty climb that caused me to catch my breath. Around Swampy then up lower Flagline which is open now and ridden by shuttle crowds. Trail is mostly uphill for me which gives me etiquette right of way. One rider coming down, the last of his group, came the closest I have ever been to being hit. I stopped at an intersection on Flagline and watched riders speeding down the trail. I recognized Craig from Pisgah before he even stopped. We visited for a long while. Back at van ride was 11.4 miles pedaling for 1 hr 27 mins climbing 1083’. Dusty trails.
Sat I rode S Fork from Skyliners snow park. Refilled water from spigot. Pedaled up Tumalo ridge trail. At the rock garden a woman rider was walking her bike down. I asked, she said she had been run into by a rider elsewhere which incapacitated her headset the repair required a special tool that she did not have. We visited awhile among others reminiscing the good old days before the crowds crowded the trails. Pedaled the haul road right down fast, close to record for me. SST for 3 miles of deep forest single track. On today’s ride I rode it the other way. At Swampy I encountered a couple around my age riding almost the old English bikes with skinny tires. I said hello. I dropped down South Fork under dappled shadows. Pint ‘er straight down, assume attack position with seat bottom out. Just a whole bunch of moves to make flying downhill. All to myself. Hit Tumalo creek trail. There is a fast wide shallow turn piece with a sight line to see anyone. Flying, I hit 25.6 mph, not the fastest. I finish at Tumalo lodge. I hung for awhile. That couple showed up. They were trying to figure how to get back to Swampy. I shared my map and instructions. They had to retrace their route. I was parked at Swampy later and the rolled into he parking lot. What an undertaking for them as they were under biked and little experience. You don’t have to have the most technically advanced bike but it sure helps.
Watching a mole very tentatively exiting its hole, its working on pulling standing grass into its hole. Also shoving excavated dirt with its chest.