I am outside McCall, ID breathing what’s in the air. All is relative, here the AQI this afternoon is 112, unhealthy for sensitive persons. Bend’s numbers are in the 500s. Sheesh. My only whine is I have not traveled far enough away to breathe clean air. My problem. I have no solutions for people affected by these fires and shitty air. Offering trite wishes have no value. What compassion do I have for them? What value does sympathy have for wishing recovery and safe living conditions? I feel for these people but I lack empathy because I have not walked down the road with them. May we all make wise choices to protect ourselves and others. May the grifters be given short shrift. My vibes go out for measurable precipitation.
Yesterday the air was same level of contamination, I consider myself not to be sensitive. From sleep spot I worked over to pick up Payette Lake west side trail which runs on West side of lake for the most part a ways above said lake. Newly built single track connects with several pieces of old logging roads now closed. Rode this same loop last year during my visit. Today the trail was worn in more and intersections were signed. The trail has many rock features au natural. And the tread shows lack of rain: dusty and loose. A road piece crosses a flowing clear stream that I rode thru which is no normal for me as I prefer to keep water off my bike. Water was deep enough to wet the brake rotors. Wet rotors and pads squeal loudly until friction dries them off. I did not need my bell to alert 2 women riders pedaling up.
My ride went out the bench then down to newly paved Warren Wagon road for a road spin back to van. Dirt was 11.8 out of the 21.4 miles climbing 1529 taking 1 hr 36 mins, road back was just under an hour. What a change to ride smooth pavement and working on spinning.
Afterwards I returned to sleep spot just passed TH at Bear Basin, tucked in behind small stand of trees and off the main road which has hunter traffic creating dust and noise.
Last night was chilly enough for furnace. Daylight has a smoke degree of opacity. The sun is red.
At least the sun is visible here. No daylight headlights needed.
Forecast temp was in 70s. I stuck my sensitive nose outside to determine ride clothing choice. Shit, it was in 40s for me chilly. I wore knee warmers, a short sleeve wool t shirt under a light weight wool jersey. I did wear my orange wet gear jacket for visibility. My plan was to ride up the old lookout road to the top of the mountain or… there is a bail point to connect to the trail I rode yesterday. I pedaled a way up the road passing several hunter camps. Road steepened. I warmed up. I stopped to adjust layers. I spied several knapweed flowering plants which I uprooted. I looked at my rear wheel noticing a wet spot around a spoke nipple. I swiped it off then checked spoke tension, discovered adjacent spoke tension was loose, it had unthreaded from the hub. Shit, that never happened before. Pulled out multitool and found spoke wrench which does not fit I9 spokes. I have a small pocket knife with pliers which I tried to no success. Loose spoke affects strength of carbon rim. I was close enough to turn around and ride back to van where I have a workable wrench. However, I do not have a truing stand and I am not good enough to just eyeball spoke tensions. I changed clothes then drove back to town to Gravity Sports, the shop I visit. I asked the wrench for wheel check and to have my bike back this after. He said should be. I left my bike and phone number then did a short walk about town to the book store and health food store. Grocery shopped. Returned to shop, bike was finished shortly after. Wheel spokes tensioned properly. Drove back to same spot at Bear basin. Air quality is still unhealthy. Decided to rest the remainder of the day.
I have SIBO which requires restricted food choices and am intolerant of gluten which eliminates beer. No beer presents adaptation challenges as a post ride beer can no longer be a reward. Should I choose to socialize in gathering places I will drink wine. I can’t wrap my head around sipping Scotch post ride. Yet.
Bear basin is closest FS land to town as town is built right to forest, Payette NF. Over the years I have stayed here every visit.
Tomorrow give a restart of today’s ride depending upon air quality.
This morning ash fell. The sky said precip but none was forecast and it was too warm. Small white pieces floated down.
Craig – Hang in there. The fire smoke is kicking everybody’s ass on the West Coast, and inland. It’s awful-ugly in Seattle. I’m staying inside, off my road bike for 4 days, and still coughing. Better days are coming, stay strong hard-ass like you are.