Sat I drove up Skyliner road to rd 300 for meet up for trail work volunteer. Paved smooth road, so enjoyable van performance, not working around the transmission idiocycrancies, smooth shifting. So much nicer.
Trail work was on the bottom end of Upper Whoops, we drove up the now opened up logging road which is also the uphill access for start of Lower Whoops. You only know change if you had seen it before. What destruction modern timber harvesting machines do to the land and kill so many trees so fast. Upper Whoops ends at a major trails intersection where there used to be this creative bench. It was at the top of the fresh cut.. We walked uphill in the uncut forest to where we would work. I worked with 2 other guys to reshape 2 berms and dig several drains. My put is this trail is primarily downhill and COTA has spent resources to make this a smooth trail with bermed turns, all hand built.
Shuttle riders. Prolly sold as fun fast downhill, many riders not equipped to be prepared mountain bikers as noticed shoe wear and some 2 finger on the brake levers. Most thanked us for our work. Forecast was for cloudy but sprinkles fell towards end of work.
Drove into town visiting Sunnyside to visit with Barb who puts Barb Tight on my cassette nut.
Drove back out to Phils, my spot was taken, turned around, took another road where more pullouts exist. Each one was taken, I took the first open spot tucked just off the road. Nobody on another’s bumper but full occupancy. Another heater running night.
Sun I set out to ride the weekday closed trails from my sleep spot. Closed is Pine Drop. upper Storm King, and upper COD. Chilly and overcast. 20 miles climbing 2234′ pedaling for 2 hrs 50 mins. I was climbing up a piece of Ticket to Ride soon to be crowded by a non yielding man. I might have said climbing. A bit more uphill I saw a rider descending at speed. I hollered Climbing and stayed in the trail. Shit, she was not going to slow down or yield, I rode off the outslope edge and she pushed the steep back slope.
Spent the night same spot. Gauge on propane tank showed concern for sufficient fuel till town run today.
Yesterday afternoon I hiked on a piece of Marvins Gardens, a group of riders approached, one was Mark from Hood River and 2 of his sons. They had just descended S Fork trail which I really enjoy. Snow free and clear. I’m in, that’s what I rode today.
This morn I drove into town, the west end which abuts to Phils trails, to take on propane, 5.1gals, empty is 5.6.
Then drove all the way to Skyliner TH. Ride went up Tumalo Ridge to SST over to Swampy, down S Fork then down Tumalo Creek trail. Over the years I have ridden this same route. I always record ride data after every ride. Short story today’s ride was 19 mins slower, I was 2 mins slower on road climb piece of Tumalo Ridge and same amount descending S Fork. Last year last ride of this loop my time was 1 hr 50 mins, today it was 2hr 9 mins. I worked the road with effort that I perceived to be fastest time, not so. The downhill is peculiar as I coast and only pedal when gravity turns flat or uphill and I brake sparingly. I will ride this loop several more times before I leave.
Back into town to Sunnyside to drop off my bike for rear hub service tomorrow. Dinner at 10 Barrel. It ain’t the same.
Back out past Phils, my spot still occupied by same white van.
I do have a pet peeve and that is for riders overtaking me not letting me know they are back there until they are right on my wheel, the suddenness startles me. It’s not that I am aware someone is behind me. Courtesy says makes sense early warning.
Tomorrow is 3rd insurrection hearing which I will listen to on NPR. Rest day as bike is in the shop.
Tonight my Ubolt that locks the cable for locking my bike to the rack failed while at Sunnyside. As I fiddled with the lock a guy told me of his story with a failed lock. His bike was locked to his rig. He drove to a hardware store and bought a cable cutter that he used to cut his bike cable then returned the cutter for credit. I was close to having the bike shop cut the cable to free my bike. I bought a new U bolt.