Sunday 9AM met with Cog Wild shuttle at West Fir for shuttle ride to Kate’s cut in for start of Alpine trail. ATCA initials stand for Alpine, Tire, Cloverpatch, Alpine. Today I will punch thru reservations of confidence and see thru it to the end. Kate’s cut in was a social trail, FS laid the trail out, Thurs, 2 days before Cream Puff Derick Bell and I built the official trail replacing social while fulfilling need to cut in to Alpine at a favorable spot from the logging road. Two shuttle vans preceded us as we shared the road in opposite direction. There were just 3 other riders in my van. Small number of riders. Today I concentrated on being nice to my body, I used granny and plug away pedal stroke. A 1,xxx acre forest fire near Waldo Lake is putting up smoke that we encountered far up the way. Air quality was yellow in Oakridge. Smoke visible at drop off. I pedaled away. Trail breaks out of timber at top of Sourgrass mtn, some years into full on Beargrass bloom. Today dried stalks remain in the leaves of the plant. Today, well,
Forecast called for winds to blow smoke away. I harshed my lungs breathing the solids. As I dropped down trail the smoke cleared. I arrived at decision junction in fine spirits so I committed to the big effort.
Tire Mtn is thru old growth forest, such and experience to spend moments in old nature. Trail drops and drops never steeply to junction with CloverPatch which starts pay back. Old growth here also. Lower elevation enters poison oak zone. Trail ends at logging road, turn right then descend steeply good shape gravel logging road. Numerous limited sight line bends precludes letting it fly in case of vehicle uphill traffic. Concern this time was for naught as maybe a 3′ fallen tree spanned the road being too low as to block all but smallest traffic. Turn left uphill on little used FS rd 130 for the climb back to Alpine. Hot sunny, I steered thru patches of shade on the road part. Trail leaves rd for handcut tie that works its way upwards with numerous climbing turns and small coast sections. This piece ties in with recently completed hand built singletrack bypassing Buckhead shelter and more road riding. Trail ends on Alpine. This climb was 3.83 miles climbing1293′, took me 56 mins of nonstop pedaling. Well, no stops longer than 1 minute blow. Hot. Finished on Alpine down. I passed riders up high stopped then I was all alone. 23.7 miles, climbing 2943 and descending 6161′ the most since Whole Enchilada. Hot.
Last year I was shown a path down to the river under Red Bridge. I found it overgrown with blackberry canes mixed in. I cautiously placed my feet avoiding grasping thorny canes for balance. Made the river, I was told this is the warmest water of all the area. Wonderful no bite chill to lower body temp and rinse off residue of effort.
I drove the river road back to rt 58, several places there were many pickups parked at turnouts for river access.
I decided to stay overnight. I drove to Greenwaters park scoring some shade. Park is a bottom of Larison rock trail. As I was preparing to leave for Mexican dinner I watched a white pickup with a mtn bike hung on the tailgate. I followed him all the way to my chosen restaurant. I exited my rig first, I invited him to share a table. I only knew him as a mountain biker so we had that in common. We connected: I visited with him during previous visit to TransCascadia shuttle site. He told me about Chucksney mtn loop. We shared a booth for dinner. Nick, 29 years old doing what I would have liked to live if I had known.
Visited at Pub for glass of wine. Drove out to Dead Mtn TH for the night. Hot, side door open and small fan blowing. Temp dropped below 70 before I slid into bed. I was so wasted from the ride I was too tired to fall asleep.
Cedar Creek fire is burning west of Waldo lake with access up Salmon Creek road where I was. Many many fire rigs headed up to fire. Oakridge has several fire camps. Sat night I noticed firefighters in town. Firefighter safety rules limit number of hours worked per day and in a stretch. Seems like the wildland fighters put in a days work then drive into town for dinner and a bed. I spent my summer between junior and senior year of college on a fire crew when stopping the fire was what we did. We lived at a spike camp within walking distance of the fire line, from can’t see to can’t see. Scoring a paper sleeping bag was cool, scoring a second one was like a 1 star motel bed. Anyway, they do not know of those old days, they are living by today’s rules.
My sink water pump had issues such that I wired in a switch to turn it off when acting up. Sat afternoon it failed to pump. I checked over my wiring assuring myself that wiring was not the cause. Pump died, I wanted running water. I googled RV stores, found one at Eugene, straight down highway 58. I called, guy had last one. Could I make the store before closing. Maps said I could. I drove at the upper speed limits to make my purchase then returned to Greenwaters shade to install, this time without switch. degrees,
I’m parked inside the envisioned house perimeter on my land. I envision sun exposure to my house. Midafternoon exposure. At 7 temp was 85 degrees. Now at 9 PM it is dark and 75 degrees. Sunset tonight was thru smoke to the west. No screens covering van openings.
I succeeded in making today a complete rest day and worked at rehydrating.
on July 22, 2020 I first rode the Olallie O’Leary loop, first ride time was 4 hrs 21 mins, this time it was 6 mins slower. Age.
So, I have completed two of my Whys. I am warm and fuzzy inside. But Why? My observation of aging is the older one becomes the less active they are, stasis is life’s reward. WHY do I not sit out? What I do is physical effort, most times past comfort zone. Just keep doing it.