Spokane hanging

I lived here for 18 years, I have been gone for 14. What was is sometimes still is, others not so much as discovered as I drove around. The same is comforting, that’s people and some places.

Tues Happy Hour gathering was gen’d by Les, attended by him, Tom and Dave, all of us former Boeing Spokane associates as we were called in days of socio-tech. We have known well each other for 32 years now. Les and Tom are retired engineers, Dave was a planner such as me. We all skied together a bit, mountain biked with Les and Tom. Tom has my cache of past life mementos in his basement, storing them longer than my expected 2 years for my retrieval. Oh, stories we lived. Old friends.

I rode Riverside SP first. Park is pay to park at trailheads, $10 per day. I learned of a parking spot that is 1 mile of pavement each way to access trails at Seven Mile that I occupy. Seven Mile forms a division of the park. Today I rode downstream on familiar trails until I followed trail 25 which for this part dropped down into Dep Creek then climbed out. Nasty basalt gardens and steep each way. I wrangled me and the bike back to pedalable tread continuing to top of what I know as Sharp Stick in the Eye on a bluff overlooking views over the Spokane River.

I lived in this end of the county.

I picked this ride to ride over several basalt rock gardens to experience the bike’s handling and refinement of my skills. Smiles for both, without me the bike would not have been there and if not for the bike I would not have been there. This bike is stellar. I really realized that per the designer’s suspension, separates pedaling from suspension. Amazing real. Previous DW suspension bikes I would have been bounced around. Today I steered course and pedaled which sometimes was like a track stand for balance over the rocks littered like earth’s teeth. The I9 Hydra hub completed the pedal control, and the RUNT handled the front end. All in all, we earned a gold star for accomplishment. Was a demanding ride with climbing, 12.8 miles, climbing1217′, pedaling for 1 hr 36 mins, average heart rate was 128.

After the gathering I drove back to former neighbors’ driveway taking on what I remembered. Up River was closed moving to another entrance, I turned into Avista head quarters parking lot sort of a maze to get out. Shorter story was I drove up Greene where the someday to be completed North South freeway is having its way with closed side streets and erected concrete overpass piling in place. That’s change.

Wed I met with the guy who is managing my $. Hang in there, soon smiles will change the curve of my lips. Office is downtown. I let google maps navigate my way until being confronted with numerous downtown streets closed for construction. Afterwards I headed back to Seven Mile after finding my way out. Driving my van in city traffic on city wide streets is a challenge, so far I have not caused sufficient alarm in other drivers for their attempt at my behavior modification.

This rode I parked at same place, crossed the river then turned up stream, this area has a plethora of unsigned socail trails, several were ones I opened on deer paths. Wander with direction to Bowl and Pitcher. I wanted to clean the hill that I fell on way back in ’97 that introduced me to orthoscopic surgery to repair my badly torn up left shoulder. At that fall I was riding with Theresa.. I stalled and grabbed both brakes, force vector took over making the bike rear backwards. I was mechanically attached. I fell backwards onto my hyper extended left hand which traveled to the shoulder. Successful surgical repair. Today I made it up to where I had fallen, this time I stayed off the rear brake. So close. I walked partway down then pedaled up, this time I cleaned it. Success. Trails here are mostly smooth pedaling that I used to work my pedaling. Cameron asked me if I count my strokes, no I don’t. had not learned that. Since his lesson this summer I have been more discipled on cadence and power. Seems the better I am at it my breathing doesn’t blow up. A piece of trail is almost in the river in a corridor of green vegetation, I have heard it called Little Saigon. The exit is a short climb to a bench. I cleared the ride when what do my wondering eyes see but:

Maybe 20 feet away. Did not cause it to briskly leave the area.

Ride was 14.1 miles climbing a flat 689′ in 1 hr 30 mins.

Friend Randy invited me to dinner at his house way up on South Hill, I was on the north. I left just b4 4. No rush hour traffic heading into the city. However as the Maple Street bridge neared traffic was backed up leaving the city. Mass, I never experienced this while I lived here and I sometimes drove same. Randy takes a fishing trip to Alaska and returns with selected spoils of his success, as a result salmon abounds and I looked forward to his and wife Lisa’s company and food. Both were great. I city camped in their driveway.

This morning in the dark sprinkles started that intensified to gentle rain. We visited a bit then Randy sent me off with more frozen salmon than my freezer would hold, I threw a package back. Thank you Randy and Lisa.

Today was laundry day, clean clothes would happen at a laundromat on the north side that I use when here. Today’s drive was after rush and it was 1 left and 2 rights, easy peezy.

Fore sometime I have had a headache presently being treated as a sinus infection. I wasn’t improving. Last summer I experienced similar pain which I thought tooth caused, which it was, resulting in an $1800 crown. I was thinking this was again dental. Heading to the laundromat I would go right by my former dentist where I hoped to be welcomed as an established patient. Kondo might have retired. I read the reader board sign for his name: not there. Perhaps a dentist bought the practice and I might still be repeat business. I parked then walked into the office. Two women working the front desk. One looked at me searching her memory: she remembered my first name and I sort of recalled her. She pulled my chart: last visit was 2015. I scored an appointment at noon. Did my wash then returned. Dentist viewed freshly taken X Rays and checked my upper left teeth. Short story, teeth are fine, pain perhaps is still from sinus and I should finish the 10 days of antibiotics to allow medicine to work and if still having pain 5 days later go to plan B.

During Cook’s Meadow ride on RD 44 trails I rode into a horizontal tree smacking me on top of the helmet, like a compression, several days later pain set in indicating a chiro adjustment. I called my past chiro. First opening was next Thurs. I explained my living on the road situation. She said she would seek approval for a 2 day earlier Tues appointment. She called back with approval. Today she called back, I am now in there tomorrow at 2. Yes, horizontal, as the tree grew vertical then turned sideways just short of me clearing it. I perceived the foliage as a branch which would bend out of my way. Not so.

This is the last piece of care or social need so I am free to leave to where I have not decided as I keep putting off deciding. I will head east then south. Air quality is still of concern. Today all is green. Open choices. Price of diesel constrains mileage. I see myself in Wood River Valley ( Sun Valley environs) for fall colors.