Tuesday starts the 14th year of my Mountain Biking the States odyssey.
Having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long established and unlikely to change.
I own a raw land, fenced, wooded acre near La Pine State Park, I have an architect drawn house plan, the land has been approved for septic, I have $ to build said house, my Sprinter has only 267,000 miles and is healthy, I own a new full suspension bike, my body has been worn for almost 72 years, I can be wherever and whenever I make happen.
Inveterate.
Bend continues to be my repair station as I scored a returning patient for physical therapy on Monday to treat my ailing right hip. Sat local Discount tire balanced my wheels which eliminated wobble. I ordered a new brake rotor to be sent to Bend, USPS. The Hub will reinstall my Formula Cura rear brake on Wed. Water has been turned back on at the Welcome Center. Trails are dusty with a layer of loose dirt on top that wheels churn up into the air. Trails are more fun up at Swampy as fewer riders and trails less hammered by many.
Rich versus the less better off. The Cascades Lakes highway leaves Bend heading up to bachelor and beyond. It passes Widgi golf course, greens fee for public can be $125 for 18 holes (groceries for a week). Across the highway is USFS land, public land, open to dispersed camping. Prior to this summer it was populated with campers from the very expensive posh diesel pushers down to the this is what I can afford. Observation was whatever people camped in was moveable. There are no established sites meaning parking right next to your neighbor was acceptable. Seems 2 years ago the USFS sought to change the designation of this big area to ban campers because of suspected environmental damage. I wrote a public comment which put me on their mailing list. Review of the land showed not enough damage to close it to camping. Score one for the people. However, this year that same area is now closed to camping because the road is a scenic highway and people seeing campers there will detract from the scenic experience. Golfers with $ don’t care to see people of lesser means. To me the $ people eliminated less fortunate people from our public land. Loss for the people and win for the few.
My right hip is not happy. I have been rolling my legs and small ball rolling that hip. I have been icing it after riding. I took 2 days off. I have been riding at reduced effort. I need PT to figure out how to correct.
Today I rode from same anchor spot out past Phils. Again this spot is primo to me as no one can crowd in. Picked up Marvins Garden to KGB, to Expressway to ELV, to ride Ticket to Ride loop and return on same trails. ELV has many gnomes stashed visible from the trail some are stealth. Today i noticed a new one that won’t be moved soon.
See the bead of glue around the base.
At the Welcome Center I discovered the water has been turned back on although the center is still closed. parked was this shinny newer MB Sprinter.
Almost 15 years have passed on my van giving it a worn in patina. The van burned a gallon of diesel to cover 26 miles driving around town and over to Oakridge etc. I suppose the luster could be put back on my van. Nah, moving right along.
How dry are the trails here? After a walk on the trails I have high dust marks on my legs. I can be wherever whenever I want to be. Today i started studying weather maps to identify favorable locations to relocate to. Midwest is not dry but it has the yang of humidity and mosquitoes. Maybe scoot across the prairie to the upper midwest?