Last week the virus invaded my body, figure Thurs was start day as experienced by rising temp  and sore throat. Performed home test which displayed faintest of purple line. Fri my temp hit 101 making me extremely chilled clear to the bone ins spite of full on summer sun exposure. Additional symptoms experienced not needed to be written about. Good news: no additional hair follicles turned off maintaining current state of baldness. Body temp headed back down returning to slightly higher normal temp as has remained there. Good news. I spent days in a row isolated out off rd 41. I received a J&J back in spring of ’20. I did not come into contact with a visibly sick person, I mostly stay by myself, never do crowd thing.

I gave myself a week vaca from riding. Worked out as the discovered broken gripshift housing won’t hold a fixed gear selection and needs to be replaced. Last week TJ installed my new Formula 4 rear brake and discovered the broken part. I worked to bed the pads in. Brake is Formula, the rotor is Galfer, the pads are MTX, and the brake has squealing issue that should go away with use. This brake is more powerful than Cura 2 the former brake. My need for the more powerful brake is for a better instant rear wheel lockup to set the rear for a move. I don’t skid, I just want a strong dab. Gripshift is to be put on today  early enough for a short afternoon ride.

I walked past the badger excavation 2 times, each I watch a ground squirrel scamper into the maw. Wasn’t able to determine if any of the diggers had made a return visit.

Cedar Creek forest fire west of Waldo continues to thwart containment, it’s working on 5,000 acres with 0% containment. ECD will be fall rains. Close to 800 personnel are assigned to the fire. Oakridge is a fire town. Air support is supported by the sky crane helicopter. Hot and dry. Air quality here is still green.

WA driver’s license expires on my birthday rapidly approaching. Able to renew it on  line. Picture will remain the same, my beard has color in it.

Received my resoled 510 shoes, now with original 510 rubber, which seems to stick to pedals better. I have 2 pairs of the shoes, each a different model year. Each has been resoled at least twice at full costed amount of $90 that includes shipping to and from, parts, and labot. New shoes are like $160, I have no knowledge desirability for new.

I listened to a buddy tell of his nasty covid experience that affected his heart, his recovery is weeks of no exercise to allow his heart to heal. He had a high pulse and pounding chest, I experienced neither. Different bodies.

I am sort of working on travel plan to head N, certainly for annual Spokane visit, then beyond. I am becoming irascible to effect of more people sharing our land. I know change because I saw it before. I have adjusted to Bend, 1 by camping further from town like rd 41 and riding from there which is removed from Phi’s main trailhead. I have visited Ten Barrel only once.

Manners, like common sense are learned. Same with consideration of sharing with others. Recently I was hiking on deserted Catch and Release trail when I heard the chime of a bell right on my heels. I jumped, it was 2 mtn bikers in full on downhill protective gear Not required for this trail, but they might have descended Tylers where gear would be appropriate. I stepped off the trail allowing them to ride by. Down the way they were sessioning a log feature presenting me with opportunity to converse. I said that the bell scared me as I had not heard their bikes. I explained that my behavior is this situation was to announce my approach well in advance of another user, ether coming or going away. The bell ringer smiled afterwards, whether he will inculcate this into his life is bigger than me behavior. To me manners is considering my impact on others, is the right of way mine and if so, am I able to lessen my impact of ones giving it to me. Two people trying to fit in the same hole doesn’t mean I have to take more than my share, don’t be a pig.

Computer is starting to go slightly dim then brighten. Time to move on.

(3) letter S.

Sucker hole

Strange bedfellows

Stupid

Suckerhole happens when there is a break in shitty weather and you just need to be on your way. The weather break closed down with a vey heavy downpour. Forecast said like 40% prob. I parked at rd 41 spot where  Catch and Release is maybe 50′ away. I wave at riders going by, so far nobody has stopped to visit. Sprinkles started during my ride, thunder said serious. I shortened my ride to stay dry. Not long after Being inside rain fell. Thunderstorm gentle pour for short while then stopped. That rain would turn these trails to hero. I thought about a short spin, that was all. More thunder then drenching downpour. Watched weather thru the windshield. Early riders tomorrow will be in pig heaven.

Strange bedfellows.

Maybe 100 yards down the way is that freshly dug badger hole. I wanted to see of any activity. A ground squirrel stood up in the mouth of the hole. It flinched then ran down into the hole. Summation: the meat eater not at home or disposed.

I rode rest of Catch and Release where a newer trail, Afternoon Delight takes off. I rode that to junction of Roundabout going to my left. I helped build some feet of that trail. Loop around turning right at start of Afternoon Delight then Catch and Release. At that junction

Stupid

In general area of the above intersection riders are riding fall line dragging brakes. Rainfall carried lots of loosened dirt onto the road.

Rain washed the smoke down to clear up the skies

Trails are well executed. I like riding these Bend trails because only heart propelled allowed and no horses. Primo tread.

Was no cake walk, 20.5 miles climbing 1516′, 2 1/2 pedal. Hot but not scorching.

Current resident on my property:

 

 

aaaassssssddttt

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.