I’m anchored at Swampy TH arriving earlier today and riding. I’m just off the pavement. A trail running race is about to start. The registration table is just off my let rear. Surrounded by trail runners. Prize location to watch runners

The runners have different body type from mountain bikers who are different than roadies. Will ebike riders look like dough boys? Several mtn bikers have ridden off. Wonder about user conflict. Runners might be faster than a climbing biker. Registrar said this is the 3rd race in the series, the first time here. I’m living amongst a sea of runners. Thy don’t wear helmets.

Monday I drove up here to Swampy for a rest day and planned on riding Tues and Wed then driving back to town. Mon’s forecast was for 94 which is why Swampy ~2000′ higher would be cooler. Trails from Swampy are at 57xx’. I would find out melt out.

Tues waking up at location of my ride burned no fossil fuel. I listened to the Jan 6 Hearing. Afterwards I pedaled away up Ridge climbing from get go, almost made junction with Flag tie when my drive train started balking. The hub would not allow the wheel to free wheel, meaning no coasting or pedaling. WTF? Like the 3rd ride on the serviced hub, figured hub was culprit. The freewheel would not release to allow wheel to freewheel and not pedal. I used my gift multitool chain breaker, Lyzene, to break the chain. Now the return, not  able to pedal I would coast, and walk back to the van. I put a 5mm Allen from the tool to check axle tightness. Seems the axle had backed out, I tightened it which jam the wheel so it would not spin, I backed off enough to allow spin. Recovery plan was dash to Bend first to Revel dealer The Hub, who is also an I9 recognized shop.  He pulled the wheel from the bike. He noticed right away that the driver (?) was not seated into the hub, he removed the driver to see a mish mash of mislocated springs and or pawls. The hub was not correctly assembled during service. The driver was broken and the face of the hub shell was scared. Major damage. I returned to servicing shop and laid out their error. Guy said he would review with wrench the next day and call me. Short story was he would not accept responsibility. They did loan me a wheel until the I9 is repaired. The wheel is now on the way back home for rebuild. Cost $100 UPS, I9 will replace damaged parts then ship back. Guesstimate is mid July before back on superior I9 wheel.

The runners just ran off.

Yesterday was consumed by emerging tasks: DR visit, prescription pick up, wheel activity. I had a sometimes dry cough that is a COVID symptom. The DR’s appointment voice mail said if any covid contact triage nurse. Short story yesterday at pharmacy store opening  I bought a home test then performed it in my van in the parking lot. Healthy result. PA said I have a virus rebound from last month’s nasty cold. Lungs are clear. Good to go. Back out at Phils for the night, different spot.

I parked under scattered P pines giving scattered shade. Maybe after sundown I happened to look at the solar panel controller to see no data. WTF? Battery storage? Even under the shade the face would display remaining voltage. Dead. How about that? This AM the data displayed. The panel has worked all day.

Oh, clean clothes, laundry day.

So, back at Swampy to ride what I planned to ride 2 days prior. I pedaled away on the loaner wheel, with beaucoup degrees of engagement, not like almost instant engagement of the Hydra hub. This is what like going technology backwards. To keep pedal in engagement meant constant pedaling under load. Need to figure out wheel loft point. So far no success. No ratcheting. There is no sound from hub, dead quiet. I’m riding. I rode a Swampy loop, short, 7.88 miles but climbing 957′. Trails up here are more primitive.

Cascade mosquitoes have been sucking my blood.

Runners et. al. have cleared, back to solitary.

Slow internet speed here at Swampy.

4th of July weekend in tourist town. Bend is a living city, not a retirement community like Sedona. Lots of people out and about downtown as I drive around.

Dishes, wet wash cloth wipe down, clean body for clean sheets. Days are getting shorter.

Weekenders have left. Gets crowded on weekends. My preferred spot at Phils is occupied by long time stayers. Next spot is past Marvin’s gardens trail crossing. I arrive before dinner, maybe 4 PM, to beat evening crowd. This morning I counted 6 vans out here, 1 in each spot, just vans. So many more  people. You only know change if you have experienced whatever before. Why I remember I could drive out here after a town dinner and find a preferred spot open.

Sat was a COTA volunteer trail work day further out rd 41 Conklin rd. about 6 miles of washboard gravel road that I did not want to drive van on. My plan was to hitch hike to work site. I dressed in my work clothes and wore my GOATS hard hat then stood out in the side road where I stayed allowing pull over room. Stuck my thumb out. Work project was to be punctual car pool time at 9. I kept looking at the time count down for a work party rig to pick me up. Score, a minivan with Oregon bicycle license plate. Tyler and yes he was attending the party. At meet up we joined the others. Over the years I had worked with 3 attendees. Work project is building a loop trail within the Sun River system. Trail will be a black diamond. Rock work in places, rest dirt. I worked on creating the tread.

Tyler returned me to my van. I called Web Cyclery as Kevin said he had plenty of chains. Score, even the shorter length meaning I had to remove just 4 links. Drove out to plan B spot at Phils, scored a shaded spot. Then watched others arrive filling remaining spots. I sized the chain then installed and checked shifting. So far so good. I pedaled a bit checking for chain skipping on a cassette gear. No skip, meaning cassette and chain ring were not damaged by the stretched chain.

Today temps warmed up, want to get after a ride before heat of day. On weekends the forest closure is lifted allowing riding trails closed during the week. I climbed Ben’s, which is directional uphill and is open, to start of Pine Drops which is in closure. Accept the ruination of the forest after the feller buncher extraction.

Finished on Kent’s, back to van to spend another night.

Diesel is almost $7/ gal. Station pump shuts off at $95. 13 gallons.

10 PM, 63 degrees, side door open w/o screen: no insects in high desert to be attracted to lights. I saw my first Pandora moth caterpillar.

Forecast for tomorrow is 90s. Plan will be to grocery shop then head up to Swampy TH which is about 2,000′ higher and slightly cooler.

Today, June 24, marks the start of second year of ownership and ridingmanship for my Revel Rail. Numbers are 224 rides covering 3,087 miles. It is also my body’s number also.

Still here around Bend.

Yesterday  a dentist ground down a crown on a molar for crown prep. Finding a happy place during the drilling. The DR slowly squirted the Novocain into my cheek which did not cause pain, nicely done. New crown installed in early July as they do not make it in house. Have a temp on.

Pedaling the trails here in greater Phil’s network. From the main TH the trails all head uphill at gentle grade, they are easier. Early this week I anchored out past Phils, area is populated. My tuck away spot has a resident van. The road that Marvins gardens crosses spots are filled. Way more people out. Vans, and more vans.

My van with its reman transmission is such a joy to drive after all the years of coping with the out of synch trans. I enjoy the quiet.

Bigger rides happen further away such as Skyliner TH for S Fork etc. I rode a loop from Skyliners climbing up Tumalo Ridge, today I was 14 secs faster on rd piece as I attempted to ride easier. Connected with Sector 16 that becomes Upper Whoops at Shooting Star shelter. I rode over what I helped on last Sat. Trail ends right at closure, full viewshed of feller/ buncher altered landscape. Such destruction. Finished on Skyliner back to van. 13.4 miles climbing1437′.

Yesterday, Thurs, laundry day, I rode from spot here off rd 41 out Catch and Release to visitors center, which is closed, on to Ticket to Ride to COD to Storm King down to Catch and Release to van, Finished in time to listen to the Jan 6 hearing. Then the dentist. Then laundry, groceries then returned to same spot on rd 41.

Today was a bigger day again riding from where I spent the night. Started in opposite direction on Catch and Release then climbed Storm King to major intersection taking Tiddlywinks a short distance climbing up to Larsen’s. Tiddly is a 2 direction trail however, it is a popular downhill trail. I pedaled against the flow, more riders do not yield to uphill riders than do. Made Larsen’s which is lesser traveled and is more like a woods trail that I like. Had it all to myself. I stopped several places and struck up conversations with other riders. Today was an enjoy being in the forest ride as I did not push myself. Made Tyler’s and turned downhill. Popular shuttle trail but only 1 rider passed me and that is not because I am so fast, today was Friday, not weekend. Finished on Catch and Release to the van.

30 degrees this morning, nice heater.

At Newport Market where I grocery shop there is a curb side gelato truck. I had never eaten gelato. I was ripe for ice cream. I visited with the attendant who taught me a bit about gelato. I enjoyed a small dish. I bought a pint of their goods at the store, more expensive that H-D yet so much smoother. I will seek out gelato over ice cream.

Resting heart rate this morn was 47 bpm indicating I was recovered from yesterday’s ride. EDGE calculated 24 hr recovery.

Tomorrow I am volunteering to help build a new trail, Chain Reaction, which is to be more technical. The person who holds the tool shapes the trail. May we not build bermed turns.

Chet Holmgren, 1 and done at Gonzaga was drafted number 2. Nebhard was picked at 31.

No pics as location has weak signal.

I’m tired. Good Bye.