Yesterday I bid adieu to the rd 44 trails and headed down slope to Hood River. Visited with Mitchell at to be former location of Dirty Fingers bike shop. Years ago he gave me a shop jersey that I still wear. Problem with printing   on the front is the name of a gear maker and on the back is his shop info which I cover up with my hydration pack. None the less the garment is wearing well. Looking at the short sleeve jerseys I wear all of them have been given to me.

Gosh awful windy as I dropped down to river. Driving across the river on the steel grating narrow lane with buffeting breeze kept my fingers white on the steering wheel. I drove east on US 14 on the WA side to intersection with US 97 and climbing out of gorge. Winds remained stiff. Hopes for a pleasant drive was not to happen. Sheesh, I used almost all of my lane to counteract the wind gusts. I was not bored. Reminded me of sailing over waves causing the boat to change course. The van was that way: let the gust move me then correct location with turning steering wheel. This van has sail area with not much underpinning to remain attached to the pavement. Very windy drive all the way to Bluett Pass where I spent the night in a USFS trailhead parking lot. I have stayed at this place many times as it is a good stopping place before dropping down into Wenatchee River.

At the lot there was one car parked. I watched a woman trail runner approach that car. I asked her if any branches hit her caused by high winds. No she said, then she commented about my van. She started a conversation and I engaged. She is now working for an avalanche center nearby.

No service at the pass.

Today I drove down to valley floor and stopped at Cashmere, WA where I found service. Diesel is $3.59 / gal. Sheesh. I found an eye glass clinic to correct adjustment on my glasses as I was having problems seeing. Guy noticed a missing nose pad which caused vision misalignment which gave me head aches and upset stomach. I had difficulties reading. eyeglasses fixed allowing me to see as I should.

Soon I will be heading up Mission creek to ride Devils gulch today and Red Hill tomorrow. No service location.

I really enjoyed the rd 44 trails. Sat I repeated the High Prairie loop grunting up Cook’s meadow to High Prairie. I ran into a couple going my way and that was all. However, when I reached the prairie there were scads of rigs, none appeared to have bike racks. What I experienced was empty trails. Monster climb on purpose built single track closed to motorized and 4 legged trail destroyers. First part of return is on a FS road that has been rehabbed with crushed rock of varying sizes packed by wheels. Grade dips provided hucking. Then the descent of Lookout trail, a legacy hiking trail. Old school method of diverting water off the trail used embedded rubber rises placed at an angle to the direction. The rubber is just stiff enough to slightly deflect the front wheel if hit. Solution was to loft my front wheel just before contact then let the real wheel squirrel sideways until the front wheel established contact back on earth. I climbed this trail several days ago riding all of it yet I flew down it.  At the packed Bottle Prairie TH I climbed then descended Knebal springs. I sat at a high point where I had service to research conditions of future riding locations. While there just 2 riders went by. Amazing with such a trail network how few riders were encountered in spite of many rigs. No where near like Phils crowds. I reached the Super Duper connector and decided that I had more in the tank to ride again Thunder road, a new piece of Surveyor’s Ridge trail. Well built trail. My ride was 21.8 miles climbing 2677′ pedaling for 3 hrs 24 mins. Wonderful ride.

Great back slope. Did not see where the cast off dirt went outslope. On this piece I did encounter maybe 6 riders.

Spotted knapweed is an invasive weed that I pull up when I chose. days before I hiked up from where I was camped noticing a few plants that I pulled up, as I went on I saw plants on the trail tread that I pulled. Then an open hillside was completely covered with knapweed.

I closed my eyes to ignore. I discovered that pulling the plants up prevents regrowth as seen in places around Phils and my property. If left alone it will continue to propagate and crowd out native plants. No animals eat it. If only people would pull it up, a concerned citizen’s effort. I parked at MT Hood on hwy 35, I saw this patch of dried plants, this is what happens as the plant regrows from established plant:

Heat wave moved on during my stay up off rd 44. I ran the heater during the night. Mornings temp hit 33 degrees, day times barely raised a sweat.

Some days MT Hood was visible

Anyway, back in Washington state where most of the license plates look like mine.

Off to Devils Gulch for 2 days then back into connection land to figure out next location based on fires and air quality.

Bike has been ridden 43 rides accumulating 725 miles since June 24 birthday.

So many places to ride, so many fires and bad air, and no idea of where I want to go. Nothing in the bucket list. Suspect van transmission is acting up so degree of trust is curtailed. Just a big WAH from me.

Last bunch of days I have been enjoying mountain biking up at rd 44 trails. Might go back up for more miles of enjoyment.

Yesterday I checked off another big effort ride earning self satisfaction and pissed off at garmin edge for not capturing a record ride. Seems between me punching buttons and garmin not being happy with what I was asking for it to record recognition was not captures. Yesterday’s ride was the 15 mile creek loop starting and ending at Bottle Prairie TH. I pedaled up the Lookout mtn trail I descended several rides ago on another big effort ride. I did not remember the descent that I experienced going the other way. Not a hard pedal. Trail climbed up to 8 mile point where I received internet signal. From there it was almost all downhill down Cedar creek trail to the junction with 15 mile creek and the monster climb out. Deep forest cover way back out there. Legacy hiking trails. A zip and a zap with a short walk down section that was loose which I would have hastened gravity in pulling down dirt. Down at the bottom I pressed buttons on edge to record the climb out. This time I even put on my readers with a missing temple to see what i was doing. The data was not completely captured but my body was tested as well as my brain. Big hump with some serious steep pieces. I continue to amaze myself with both the bile’s and my body’s climbing ability. The bike seems to squat and dig in with me just sliding up onto the nose of the saddle and pressing down on the pedals. How much is bike factor and my body’s contribution, the result is bigger smile for me. What I could calculate was the ride was 18.9 miles pedaling for 3 hours and climbing 2316′. Then the descent down the Lookout trail was a screamer, and I had climbed it. I saw 1 guy back at the TH, I was out 5 hours all by myself.

The forest up there has mostly escaped the chain saw. The trees grow and reach old age then die, in time they fall to the floor and their offspring grow climbing into the opening in the canopy. Repeat from start of time. How the trail lay out person(s) scrambled over all the down was remarkable, Today the trail is like a cleared corridor that you stay on, getting off the trail into the forest is a folly. Not every trail has the down, other places. There are some big trees in there like P pine and Doug fir. May they continue to live out their natural life. This area is also water sheds for communities down slope which keeps these trees standing.

were like above, trees not very large or tall but densely packed.

Up off rd 44 I can get internet when I hike up high but no road access. I have been doing web research on ride locations and fires on my phone for just a few minutes. I miss having access while I am eating dinner taking time between shoveling food into my mouth to digest the info, the food the body takes care of.

Trout Lake is on shoulder of MT Adams, there are a few trails that seem to be linked by FS roads, the main one is the road to the south side climbing route. I know this road as I had driven it several times over the years to ski the mountain. I won’t drive my van on the road. Next would be big push to Cashmere, WA for Devil’s Gulch area a 4 hour drive from HR.

Today is Thurs, laundry day. I drove back down to HR for clean clothes and groceries. Dirty Fingers bike shop is relocating.

Mandatory indoor masking for Oregon is back in effect. I accepted the J&J vaccine and am waiting info on a possible necessary booster.

When I bought my first Turner a long time ago I joined a well envied family. I was cool as I had a Turner. The brand was appreciated by the ones who know things. I left the family when I bought my Revel Rail that is a new unknown, no recognition. I wanted to be part of a new family. Because the brand is so new and unknown I’m not cool. The only thing worse than being wrong is being right before your time. I think in a short while as more riders experience the suspension performance word will become known and I will be cool again. Perhaps envious is the better word as demand will exceed the supply, I am riding one and you want one. Will Revel create it own recognition time will tell.

Freehub finished editing an article they asked me to write. Some to appear at a newsstand near you or on line where you sit. So far release date for film is unknown to me.

Going to tour Hood River town then drive back to rd 44 for several more days of riding. Clean clothes and a replenished larder will sustain me and maybe improve my WAH.

.

Again.

Thursday I rode what  was to be my last Bend ride. Climb up Tumalo Ridge. Today I chose to ride down Sector 16 which becomes Upper Whoops then up and down Skyliners back to Skyliners Lodge. ran into Jimmi on Whoops so we visited to catch up. 13 miles climbing 1312′ pedaling for 1 hr 47 mins. Garmin has calculated my max heart rate as 161, as a result I spend less time anaerobic which moved most of its time to in range. Pretty stout heart workout.

Did laundry at west side. New owner Doug happened to be there. Visited. New flooring and machines. Pretty spiffy.

I completed all my things to do while in Bend. I am able to leave. I left before air went unhealthy. I headed north to the rd 44 trails right near MT Hood, on the east side. Working my way north. Hot afternoon drive. FS rd 44 leaves highway 35 then climbs 5 miles up to Surveyors ridge TH. I continue past out to a wide open spot in full view of MT Hood. But full on exposed under blistering sun and upper 80s. OK for one night.

Just haze as air was upper green

Friday, the 13th, I rode around upper Surveyors and down to Knebal springs from park site. back under deep tall tree cover. No rain here either allowing usually woods dirt tread to be dried out with patches of dust. New trails added to me. Surveyors has new single track that takes it off the old buried aqueduct. Nice. Woods trail riding, what I learned to ride on, which to me, is what mountain biking is all about. Hence my description as mountain biking. Riding Phils trails is sport riding, what mountain biking morphed to.

Deep tree cover. Height cranes one’s neck to see into the canopy. Other pieces have plant growth at trail edges but out slope was cleared of foot smacks.

86 degrees at ride finish at wide open spot. Earlier in my ride I spied a spot that was partially shaded, Better than this spot so I hustled down to occupy it. I needed all 10 of my new leveling blocks to level. I jockeyed several times for fit. I turned off the engine as I was done. But I checked the wheel alignment on blocks to see if I moved about 3″ forward I would be better. I turned the ignition key which sent a click sound. WTF? I recycled the key which brought the engine to life. I am totally freaking as the van has a sordid past of not starting and I am way back out there with no cell. I shut the engine down with a scant piece of mind that because it started once after the click it would start again. But I did not want to chance it not starting. Sat I set out to ride while fretting if the van will start. I was so stressed out with the only stress release was to start the van. I was all but shaking when I turned the key. VROOM… it started. My heart rate dropped. No need to test it again. I took of on my ride.

Sat’s ride was the big climb up Cook’s Meadow to High Prairie. I know that it is a brunt of a climb. One of those rides bigger than my mind wanted to force my body to do. I needed to find out if both brain and body would perform as a team. This bike is something special as I was able to climb all but 1 short very steep climb. The traction, grip, is much better. I also have been exercising my glutes which brought more power into my uphill pedals. At High Prairie a recently rehabed FS road traverser then dropped to the junction of Lookout mtn descent. Deep woods riding, twisty. Bike, body, brain, working together. Big ride big success enough to repeat it. 16.5 miles climbing 2192′ pedaling for 2 hr 40 mins.

Today I needed to resupply. RD 44 drop;s 5 miles down to hwy 35 then 29 miles to Hood River. Start elevation was 4200, river is like 500′. Took on 4.2 gals of propane and 5 gals of sink water at station, Grocery store trash emptied. Bought groceries at Rosauers, Spokane hometown chain.

Stopped at Dirty Fingers bike shop. I opened the door and when no sooner than my head crossed the threshold Mitchell, the owner, was behind the bar working on a bike looked up and made instantaneous recognition. Among other things I told him I am still wearing his shop’s jersey he gave me years ago. He will be soon relocating to a spot on the main drag. Tough year he has had like many bike shops. He could buy nothing to sell, Chain, no chain. I am hording a new on, necessary as the present chain already has 200 miles on it.

temps are still in 90s. I’m parked on the side of the road outside Parkdale, OR as I found  strong internet. In a moment I will be driving back up to rd 44 for 2 more days of riding, then driving back down to river and learn of riding across the river. Bend’s air is bad and Spokane’s is even worse.