Today starts the 15th year of my vagabond life. Just so many of so many.

2,870 rides covering 41,485 miles traveling in my 15 years old Sprinter  , 281,xxx miles, body is 72 years old, 4 bikes, and more. Been there, ridden,  moved on. I learned about recording data back at work, I record in 2 spreadsheets, mountain biking and living. Data.

Yesterday I paid for shuttle up to Alpine with ATCA on my mind. However, my body was not sending positive vibes. This ride was the 7th in a row, previous 2 days rides were hard. Alpine starts climbing right away that I worked hard on a cold body, the first evaluation point.

Foggy up high

Bare stalks are dead bear grass from previous bloom 2 years before. That bloom was something to see as I did that year.

Continues mostly down.

Jedi section is through old growth trees

Above is the only open vista on entire trail which is under deep verdant tree cover.

Just through the above opening the intersection of Tire mtn, the T in ATCA. Put up or shut up. I did not want to make the big climb out of C in ATCA, Cloverpatch. I rationalized my abandonment of big ride was planning on a return trip in Aug to ride it and be in better recovery state. Yeah. I could make a loop ride trip first riding O’Leary Ollie loop as warmup. (?).

Oakridge is on the wet side of the Cascades. The trails are under deep tree cover, moist. Tread is mostly loose dirt tread. Narrow tread because of build and also no uphill riders to cause tread not in the tread. I spent last night on Larison rock road to enjoy the wet side.

Alpine, well established notoriety on bucket lists. Edge seems to not record when speed is low so its ride data is understated. It showed 12.7 miles, climbing 931′ and descending 4318′.  Pay attention, all the challenges requiring skill execution to remain upright and some degree of control. I have become more comfortable on this Revel Rail bike. That elevation drop. Shuttle costs $30. 99% of ride I was alone.

This Wed I have a teeth cleaning appointment which means back in Bend. I anguished over how to spend the next 2 days. I needed to rest today then ride on Tues etc. I could hang in Oakridge today then ride ATCA on Tues then drive back towards Bend. I could have made a loop to McKenzie river to ride O’Leary. I chose driving over to La Pine for the night then on Tues back to Bend riding. I wanted to cruise La Pine for what I could see and sense. Ray’s grocery store ain’t Newport Market in Bend, even Safeway. La Pine is a wide spot on US 97 bordered by US land. It is what it is. Is that because lower income pinching pennies for food, or is it the store’s policy to not carry more expensive choices reflective of better quality of product? Yesterday I bought chicken thighs in Oakridge, the label read something grown in America, not organic or other healthful claims. Today at Ray’s in La Pine I found the better chicken I prefer. More $ here in La Pine. Still no aged Gouda cheese.

Celebration is time at my dream house location. And empty mouse traps.

Change. Happiness is having the I9 rear wheel back on after Thurs ride. Thank you I9 for 1 day turn around rebuilding my wheel, UPS put the wheel on their doc on Thurs, Friday they ask for a ship to address, I gave TJ at The Hub Cyclery address. Thurs afternoon I parked under a shade tree at TJ’s then did shade tree mechanics to swap wheels. I cleaned up the loaner then returned it to shop. 12 rides covering 165 miles of no quick hub engagement.

Now I will head over to Oakridge. I spent Thurs night on my piece of physical ownership. Quiet and dark.

Friday morn I drove to Oakridge, elevation 1333′, the lowest prolly since last year here. Drove by Randy’s shuttle shop that is now an empty building. Gone is local comp shuttle. Visited at Merchantile then drove to Greenwaters city park which is at bottom of Larison Rock trail. Larison is a shorter  downhill of 3.21 miles dropping1936′ taking just 20 mins after 4.0 miles of pavement climbing1670′ in 1 hr 3 mins non stop pedaling that’s 417’/mile. Rode in granny gear for most of distance which is really a friendly gear. Change: Oakridge is on the wet side of the Cascades meaning verdant big trees and no pumice. Shade dappled sunlight plays havoc with me reading shadows. The trail dropped 603’/mile. Handful of a descent. Part way down a threatening cramp said hello, I stopped to let my leg relax. Trail is old narrow single track, bench cut on steep mountainside, heavy tree cover hides the exposure. Smoked my body on the climb.

Salmon creek is way too clod to immerse more than my lower legs. Cleaned up then drove up to old town, the original location. I booked a shuttle for Alpine on Sunday. Visited brew pub formerly Brewers’ Union, now Three legged Crane. Salad for dinner while sitting at the empty bar. A woman arrived walking behind the bar in front of me. We looked at each other, it was Katrina, such a warm sight to greet and she called me by name then we greeted each other with warm hugs.

Spent night at bottom of Dead Mountain trail, end of today’s ride. Warm night.

Damn, still hearing mouse skritches. Set 3 traps out, this morning 1 did not get away. I use 3 different traps, all by Victor from Lititz, PA, the next town over from Manheim where I lived for 6 years back in the 70s. The oldest trap has a metal trigger, the newer one same config but has a plastic paddle, and the newest which Steve gave to me. So far the middle age trap leads the capture. I will change locations tonight.

Today was Dead mtn loop from anchor spot. 16.5 miles climbing 2546′, pedaled mostly non stop for 2 hrs 49 mins. Again 46T granny was my friend. I needed 1 hr 10 min to cover 8 miles of pavement then the grunt took over for 2.57 miles climbing 1138′ gravel for 39 mins average speed was 3.9 mph. Solid effort.

Then the descent: the upper part is machine built flow trail down to became old hand built trail, legacy hiking trail that has been modified for bikes. 5.77 miles dropped 2369′ in 39 mins. I came upon a gaggle of adults and young kids. I visited with them at the bottom, 7, 8, and 11 year old boys, wheel sizes smaller than 26″.  Poison oak.

Wiped down clean. Writing this in the park.

Wet side: Doug Fir, tall trees. Logging.  Trails are more difficult than Phils. Trails are road climb up then single track dirt down.

I will be here till Tues eve as I will return to Bend for a scored teeth cleaning session.

3 shuttle services here. Riding here is downhill. Larison and Dead are shuttled, some paid $ I paid in calories. I will pay for ATCA tomorrow.

Off to social evening in old town. There is a local distillery that hosts open air music and drinks made with their spirits. Cool small town happening.

I live inside a van, a one room affair. I sleep in the kitchen and pantry within a short arm’s distance. Around 10PM I turn off my reading light then settle into visions of blank. The past several nights shortly after light out I would hear the subject . Is it 1 mouse or mice about? Two nights ago I watched 2 scurry along the floor. I set out traps baited with remaining peanut butter from previous use. Having taken action only a mouse tripping a trap and their body squished under the bale. Yesterday it was a mouse but the other trap was cleaned of that pbutter suggesting at least another mouse. Last night I set 3 traps, 2 on the floor and 1 in the food drawer then listened to subject. I fell asleep. During the night I was awaken 2 times by sound of a trap taking out an unwelcomed critter. The traps on the floor scored.

So, listening to a mouse getting after living in my space while I waited for it to trip the trap and that is all I can do and I must sleep over their sounds. I presented the lure, it just has to take it. Yep, should have seen the one that didn’t get away. Just watched a mouse scurry across the floor. Traps again.

Back down from Swampy but above town off rd 41. Spot at gravel pit has been occupied by a large trailer with folks that play outdoors. I park a bit behind with some distance. We say Hi to each other when they drive out or in. Catch and Release trail goes right by. Trail continues, it crosses an unimproved dirt rd which which heads into forest. I coasted down the check for anchor spot. I scored one a short way in that has a tree shade. Score. And I can ride from the van.

Which I did: Catch and Release to Storm King climbing to junction with Tiddly Winks for short climb this time not sharing with non yielding downhillers. Larsen’s up to Tylers down bermed turns to bottom at Catch and Release back home.

Tues my new $1800 crown was installed. Appointment was at 4:20. Later I attended the Bend chapter of COTA monthly meeting. Short conversation with Woody. Melanie, a COTA member is on a forest health committee representing recreationists views, opinions, and maybe approval for FS actions. I have posted many pics of the result of the tree thinning. She reported that various FS ‘ologists have established that the forest is not healthy. Man messed with it by cutting then replanting then preventing restorative low heat fires that clean the floor. Data on tree growth showed periods of fire every bunch of years. Forest is over grown. The logging is a partial cut thinning out resulting in far fewer trees per acre. Next was the mastication of low plants such as manzanita, snowbush, bitterbrush, leaving chewed up formerly living vegetation no longer on the ground. I learned the next step is to burn which will be low level fire and “manageable”. EPA controls when it can be burned. Man screwed it up and is attempting to make amends by screwing it up again. Said ultimate will be large diameter trees of sustainable density just to look at, looking because saw mills no longer have machinery to mill the to be larger dia trees. City of Bend is built right against the forest boundary, trees continue into the city. The thinned forest is hoped to retard a fire from the forest.

Today I climbed Storm King again to junction with COD. Storm King is closed here because of logging. COD down to Ticket to Ride to Welcome Center, cross the Bachelor highway pick up Catch and Release back to van. Short ride because trail closures block possible longer rides. Earlier when I passed this other spot off 41 I saw only the full size pusher yellow school bus across from where I wanted to be. I put the bike on the van and made the van road shape ready then drove to spot: still empty. Nice. Appreciate shade.

UPS ECD for wheel delivery is for tomorrow by 7PM. I’ll prolly ride here in the morning then go to town to do laundry then hang at The Hub waiting delivery then putting it on the bike.

Shimano has made an ebike that has an automatic shifting/transmission. Other manufactures make their versions of ebike. There’s money out there, the buyers will challenge the federal land managers to change trail access to motorized. Money talks, politicians listen and hold their hands out. On Singletracks web site there is an article about a Trek ebike, picture included showing a rider getting air on a technical downhill. Shows action, wonder how much assist the rider was using? Climbing is where assist assists however it lacks action not exciting.