Yes, Bend has been cooked and will be baked for several more days to come. I have not been making the time to keep my blog really up to date as I find other things to do or reasons not to. Getting lost in a book means I do not have to get into my life.
I have been staying at the same place out past Phils trailhead when close to town. I put out my table as a place holder which has ben honored so far. There is still the abandoned trailer nearby which maybe repels other campers except for a young couple. I take on sink water at a county park on Skyliners road on the way to Phils or for a real treat up at the Skyliners Lodge for well water.
I have been participating at various COTA trail love projects that have been about managing water and 1 day of brushing on Farewell and attending ZOOM meetings.
The trails are dry and dusty, moon dust, finer particle size than other places I believe.
Last week I did ride the Deschutes River trail to enjoy being close to clear water.
I forgot the many nasty rock gardens. River flow is managed by several reservoirs that are well below capacity from lack of precip.
Freehub and 10 Barrel funded a gift card for food which I can only eat a salad. I am accepting new faces.
BedRock sandals continue to be a recognized footwear. there is a server at 10 Barrel who called them out as she was wearing a pair and spoke about how she likes them. Yesterday I walked in and took a seat at the bar and a woman 2 stools away jumped down and said yay Bedrock as she and her husband sitting beside me were wearing them. He asked if I drive the green Sprinter, yes, turns out both are mtn bikers.
Again so many thoughts run around in my brain during rides that vanish by the time I start typing.
Waiting for review of Freehub’s film about my life.
TJ, owner of The Hub bike shop in town, posted a nice article about me on Instagram. The day after his posting I was riding out at Phils where I happened to be stopped at a trail intersection cogitating how I wanted to beat my body when a rider joined me. It was Kelly from COTA, she pulled out her phone and showed me the post that some 200 readers liked.
The bitterbrush seeds are close to ripening which the chipmunks and ground squirrels will harvest while making acrobatic moves on the plants. They run away to stash their loads, watching them seems that they all steal from each other.
Travel plans I am thinking central Washington. I would like to ride Pot Peak and Angel’s Staircase, both are big rides and remote. I have ridden each, Pot Peak with friends and Angel’s several times by myself. I would enjoy company for those rides.
Today is a rest day hunkered down while still in the shade at my anchor spot. More 90 degree days in forecast.
I make and drink cold brewed coffee that requires coarse bean grind that many coffee shops grinders won’t grind coarse enough. I bought a small hand grinder that grinds desired gravel like grind that takes about 20 mins of cranking for 3/4 pound. Work up body heat from the exertion.
I am viewing my time here in Bend as vacationing from the road.
Seems I envisioned more thoughts than I typed.
Did the spending analysis for the cost of the new bike at something north of $4,000.
My creative energy has been supplanted by hunger.