Loose thoughts flying while riding, could be as bad as trying to be a tourist and a rider at same time when you are literally riding on the edge of the grand canyon North rim. Bend’s trails offer many hours of reflection while pedaling. Observation: Rides here are measured in time while the likes of Moab and Sedona they are measured in miles. Two days of long rides out here from Phil’s. Tread is rolled firm pumice that is now dry and dusty but still rolled firm. Fuels reduction commercial logging is harvesting trees marked with either orange or blue paint, depending upon the unit, which closes trails in the area during the week but open on weekends.
Yesterday I drove back to repair garage for replacement of air filter. Well, to get there as 2 routes with bridge across the river are closed requiring wandering and slow traffic. But first I rdoe from anchor spot. Sheesh, 26 degrees at wake up 6 AM PDT. I waited for just lightweight wool long sleeve jersey temp before pedaling away. My route kept me out of closed area as I am reacquainting myself with trails and how to build a route. Memory is returning. Today I rode from anchor spot joining Marvin’s Garden in trail, right on KGB, left on expressway, left on KGB, join Ticket to Ride to Storm King climb, right on Grand Slam, left on Ticket to Ride, left on KGB to start back of the out and back ride. 22.2 miles pedaling for 2 hrs 40 mins, average speed was 8.25 which is higher than most recent tech trails. Tread is dry and dusty. Very few people to immediately share a trail with. Parking lots can be plugged but empty trails.
Bend characteristics: Bitterbrush instead of sage or cactus, open Ponderosa Pine forest with some tall junipers, pumice dirt. smooth tread, purpose hand built trails, and NO COW SHIT or over grazing. Here grazing is manmade feller buncher and large grapple skidder machines murdering trees.
Drove off for air filter and groceries. Bought a small piece of wild salmon; while I prepared it by steaming it was way under Steve’s grilling last week. At Phil’s I tried another spot nearby which is more open. Every spot was filled. Drove back to last night’s spot which was open. Tucked out of the way, might be my go to score. This morning was again chilly enough to enjoy furnace heated air.
Today my ride plan is to take me into the logging acres. Nowhere to go today I lingered until 10 to start. I picked up Marvin’s garden going the other way heading to the main trailhead which was well on its weay of being packed. Took Ben’s all the way to its end andthe start of cutting and hauling and mowing. Pine Drops is the climb, it started in uncut as the logging seemed to use the trail as boundary until it didn’t.
Above is typical viewshed, under tree cover vs being above it like Hailey, ID earlier in the week.
Change: new look. Difference between and bad hair cut and a good one is about a week. Here recovery won’t be during the rest of my lifetime.
Pine Drops is a legal trail so the tread will be restored as required. One of the climbs is now a haul road. At the top turned left on Phils climbing short distance to start of Storm King, at the high point of my ride. Down Storm King where a rider hollowered at me asking me why I have not been doing trail work. At Grand Slam intersection I recognized local, Gary, who stopped for a visit. I met gary at Fruita bike festival back in 2009. Trail ended at Catch and Release. I stopped at that intersection, a rider pedaled up, it was Matt, a COTA trail crew leader, I have joined him in several work projects. Left to Welcome Center where the water is still turned off and it’s not manned. Ticket to Ride thru prescribe burn left on ELV, home to many gnomes. Today I noticed a big gnome at the Storm King / Grand Slam junction where it was located like 3 years ago, last 2 years he was on ELV trail. Gnomeknapping. Coast down Expressway, right on KGB climbing the climb (duh) where I watched the vulture feast on a smashed ground squirrel last year. Left on Marvin’s then right on social trail to road back to anchorage. Stopped to visit with Tom and Nicole camped at what they call Craig’s spot as that’s where we met last year. 24.1 miles, climbing 2024′ pedaling for 2 hrs 58 mins, average speed again in the 8s. Faster riding here.
I rode 6 out of 7 days this week. Tomorrow’s high is forecast to be 79, Monday jumps to 86, Tues is 93. Ride tomorrow up high.