So Covid kept me off my bike for 5 days. On day 6 my fever was down low enough to give a pedal a go. Success on that ride of 7.9 miles encouraged me to up the gain, and so I did, next distance was 13.2, next was 17.8, nxt was 13.6 and yesterday was 16. Distance tells the length of the tape, what’s not share is the climbing. I seem to be fully recovered.
Sat and Sun I rode from Swampy at 5791′ well above Bend’s under 4,xxx’. Trails up there are more primitive and less populated where the rides feel bigger than down lower in spite of the ride data almost the same. Yesterday was a big un of riding Flagline from Swampy. Flag opened on the 15th.
Flagline: pedal up Ridge gaining elevation then start Dutchman which starts out as single track dropping that gained elevation then becomes a snowmobile right of way climbing and descending and climbing again up to Dutchman snowpark.
Flagline tie climbs to junction of Flagline which climbs some more mixed in with descents then back up again until it finally gets after it dropping all the way to Swampy. A lot of climbing on Flag for same amount of descent. Deep forest cover, no thinning just fuel load. There was a spot on Flag where I caught a big whiff of campfire smoke which should not have been. I didn’t see fire activity. Finished ride back at Swampy and hung out in the heat. Late afternoon a FS pumper truck pulled into parking lot. Hmmm? Pumper crews normally stay on roads. I walked over to engage the crew boss as to what’s what. He said a fire had been spotted up near Flag. A helitack crew was dispatched and the pumper crew hung out. I shared some of my fire experience from 52 years earlier.
I sat in the sun at Swampy waving at riders either finishing or starting out. One rider, a COTA person, visited. I told about the Dutchman slog and how much more enjoyable the ride would be if a bike specific trail could be built, he said it is in the works. 4.4 miles climbing 435′, not bad but a bigger than double track and all the reclimbing. Ride was miles climbing 1903′ pedaling for 2 hrs 18 mins.
Chilly at Swampy, 40 degrees both mornings, heat is welcomed.
Cedar Creek fire nearby is uncontained, it’s burned to Waldo lake shoreline.
Some days I anchor off rd 41 at the quarry about 50′ off Catch and release trail and watch riders go by. One day I watched 2 young men, prolly not old enough for college pedal by. They just smoked, so fast with little effort. That’s youth. I also watched lesser performing riders. It is what it is and that’s all I am able to do. Because I ride by myself and mostly during the work day I see few riders to watch for me tpo compare my effort to.
Last week while riding Ticket to Ride I noticed garbage strewn at a dispersed camp spot. It was the first I have encountered in a very long time.
More trash than shown. It takes effort to make that kind of mess and something missing in the litter’s mental makeup. A week later the site was picked up. I thought of creating a sign to welcome future litters as it would be just like home. Years ago I spoke with an LEO at another location. He said people visiting the forest don’t leave their home behavior at home suggesting that the above litter was prolly what their home place looked like.
Making today a rest day after 5 straight days of riding.
Putting thought into when and where to go from Bend. Dunno. Perhaps leave after Labor Day with families attending to kids schooling.