Monster heat event in the NW, I am experiencing hot Bend, won’t speak for other burning locations. Riding temps in mid 90s down low. Sat after a hot ride down low I drove up to Swampy snowpark for the night which is almost 2,000′ higher than town. What is rule that the temp changes 2 degrees for every 1,000′. Yes, Swampy is hot, yesterday afternoon the van gauge read 98 degrees. Yesterday I did my ride ahead of heat of the day at Swampy, 14.8 miles climbing 1430′ under tree cover, big trees. I work at drinking a lot of water, both during the ride and afterwards, yet very little exits. I reversed my usual Swede loop by riding down SST and climbing Swede ridge. Swede has one nasty steep climb that I could not get my shoulder into as I took a breather part way up. Almost all by myself.
Riding the Rail while learning how to compliment its design to my reflexes and desire to commit. The bike seems to like carving better than the RFX. How quickly I have accepted the differences between the 2.
I left my table and stool at anchor spot down at Phils to hold my spot. I wonder if the stuff will still be there tomorrow when I return.
Presently I am in the MT Bachelor ski mountain bike park parking lot. Lift serviced bike park, not for me. Great internet speed and a sink tap for water.
Going to spend tonight at Swampy again. Mosquitoes are present. Last night I kept the side door opened and stretched the mosquito netting across the doorway to keep the biters out and let the cool in. Still slept under just the top sheet.
Rest day after 5 straight days of riding.
Reading a novel about the dust bowl, the setting is Dalhart, TX, Timothy Egan in his Worst Hard Times wrote that this area was the epicenter of the dust bowl. Those were some hard times. Today the west is being baked while modern conveniences of air conditioning, if you have it, give comfort. Today we are not being tested like back during the bowl. The future is uncertain with climate warming.