Last posting was on the 4th, 5 days ago. I can let 24 hours per day slip through my fingers so fast so to speak. Another impediment to blogging is slow or non existent internet access. Last Sat I drove up to Swampy snowpark, 2,000′ above town to spend the next 2 nights there. Very slow speed such that my patience is beyond tried, I just don’t attempt. I would walk up the Ridge Loop trail to a high point where I get a strong 3 bar signal on my phone for reading internet stuff, no desire to pack laptop up there. Then I was rereading Anxious People which was an avoidance of dealing with my own life. Joy of that location is that it is a bit cooler, maybe the air has less smoke in it to breathe, and I can ride from my van.
Van has new tires on the front wheels. The back door needs to open to access bolts holding the spare tire to the underside of the van. At first blush it seemed the doors would have to be opened fully which meant removing the JOBOX for the doors to swing free. Tire shop budgeted 2 hours for me to remove the box then for them to remove the spare. The spare had never been used in the 14 years of van life and it had a true rim that was needed to replace a bent rim. Wow, I opened the back doors which cleared the bolts eliminating the need to remove the box. Success. The shop only needed the normal 1 hour tire change time and I did not have to assess the stuff stored in the box. I still feel the smooth pavement, perhaps the tires will never fully balance out. Replaced tires wore normally w/o indication of alignment or suspension problems.
I like riding the trails up at Swampy as fewer riders to share. They are more rugged per Bend’s lower trails or not shuttled. I have been riding the same loop as what I took Steve on. It’s 13.5 miles climbing 1575′ with pedal time of 1 hr 43 mins. Climb up Ridge turn onto Vista trail climbing more to Flagline tie connecting to lower Flag, descend to Swampy, go around to east side of nonexistent lake to Swede ridge, many woods dirt downhills. Arrive at Swede shelter, return via SST to Swampy then continue to Ridge tie for a grunt climb back up to Ridge back to van. Bike is so much fun to ride. Unfortunately my sleep spot is full on heat of the day sun exposure and traffic noise carries over. I rode that same loop Sat and Sun with almost identical efforts.
Today COTA scheduled a trail love party on lower Flagline meeting right at my house. Maybe 10 volunteers participated. Tools had been cached at work location. We pedaled our bikes the 3 miles to where we would start. I worked on making and or cleaning drains on the tread to lead water to where it would no longer run on the trail. There were several locations needing extensive rock work that others attended to.
Upper and Middle Flagline open on August 15, this Sunday. Our work will really get hammered by the opening day shuttle crowd. The trail goes thru elk calving cover, the closure allows elk to be undisturbed.
As I pedaled back to my van a rider approached. He said that my van door was open. Shit, I did not shut it. Arriving at the van I checked for different foot prints in the dirt and seeing none I relaxed.
After tomorrow all of my Bend repair items will be completed so I can leave to go back on the road. Forest fires and air quality will be major deciding factors on where I go.
Freehub and 10 Barrel film about me is moving along with a yet to be determined release date.
31 degrees this morning at Swampy. I let the furnace add warmth. Outside the van I stood in the sunshine for heat. It’s a love hate thing as during full on sun it is too warm yet early morning it is too cold until it becomes too hot. Repeat. later this week are upper 90s forecast.
Thursday’s ride of S Fork was smoky as per above.