Wheel rolling

Thurs AM I drove into La Pine to do laundry at only 1 around. Clean clothes. Spent the night on my land. Internet speed and my patience don’t match, I gave up on attaching a pic this posting.

house site from road

Fri AM I arrived at The Hub Cyclery, local Revel and I9 dealer, right after he opened. He said no parts. I spoke with I9 who said the tracking number was on the file attached to my email. I had searched the files for tracking info the night before but did not see it. He researched my order, found the tracking number, and said that package was delivered on Thurs. I thanked him for help. Visited with the packing store down the hall who found the envelop. The address lacked the shop name but did have the suite number. Perseverance is my game. TJ installed new bearings. I put wheel back on bike and torqued axle to 10 nm and spun the wheel. All is free again. I relooked the efile and found the tracking number, the font was very small that I did not pay attention to. Take a way: read the small print.

Dashed back to spot on rd 41 for a ride. Geared up, spun the cranks enjoying quiet. Catch and Release to bottom of Storm King past Green Gate and across the road to junction of lower COD descending to Ticket to Ride to unmanned Welcome center, across the road to pick up Catch and Release to my van for the night. Last week an unusual heavy rain fell inflicting erosion damage on Storm King. A COTA crew leader organized 2 work parties to heal the trail. As I rode up I saw many places showing fresh tool marks. The trails down here lack tech features for most part and what there is can be walked. Here it is more about pedaling. 10.7 miles average speed was a smoking 7.72 mph, climbed 932′. Back at van and not driving back to some base.

Sat was COTA trail love day up at Wanoga TH. Trail work day open to anybody, 48 volunteers out of 2,xxx members. I used my personal loppers to further trim back what was back. I worked on Fuller trail along with several other teams, other teams worked on other trails. Well organized effort. COTA owns the tools and has FS permission which makes for lots and timely trail love. Creating drains on all but flat slope to carry off the water carried pumice. Particle size is tiny that the slightest water flow will carry until terrain goes flat. Social gathering afterwards that I added my presence to.

Then drove further up mountains to the Swampy TH for the night. TH is at 5748′. Plan was to spend night, ride here from van the next day, then return to town for resupply. Towards morning some state of precip was landing on my roof. Later at crawl out of warm bed time did I see that snow was the state. Snow flakes, temp was low 30s.

Snow ring ant hill, Swampy

Forecast didn’t want it this early. I fixed scratch pancakes and drank a second cup of cold brew coffee while waiting out the weather. And my level of comfort. Snow was squall intensity broken by clearing. Sucker holes is what it was. I geared up wearing knickers, mid weight long sleeve wool jersey, and wind shell. My teeth chattered as I prepped my bike. Start climbed Ridge trail. Trail had been cut out and tread was hero. Turn right on Ridge Loop Cutoff to descend to Swampy Loop.  I would return on these 2 trails for and pay back and earn my turns direction. Swampy look to Swede to its end then back on SST to Swampy and the above 2 trails. Every tree that had fallen and blocked the trail had been cut out. Appreciation to the sawyers. Curious what the FS effort is? Did pedal thru several small snow patches. A web site for summer trails captures trail reports. Trails I ride were reported  as riding well which they were. I wanted to ride Flagline tie to descend lower Flagline to Swampy but trail report was lots of snow and fallen trees. I could of but chose what was known. Sucker holes, snow quit, sunshine, more distance away from van, snow flurries, sunshine. The wet just dampened the surface which was enough for dirt to stick to tires. At one point I was making a wiggle move while seeing my front wheel spinning a blob of said stuff that was going to go underneath my glasses into my eye. I needed sight for move so for overall body safety I had to keep my eyes open. My left eye received dirt. I stopped afterwards to clear my eye. I could have used a water flush.

Drove back down to rd 41 at 3932′ and 57 degrees and sunshine. Spent the night heater ran throughout the night as controlled my thermostat.

Today was a rest day. I filled my sink water tank. Drove into town. Visited Dudley’s book store and visited with Tom, the owner. Next was a visit I have been putting off which as a house contractor that I visited last year but didn’t follow up on. Guy is on 2 week vacation. I avoid meeting is because I will learn about cost of building my house which I next step to settling down. I am really avoiding settling.

Back out at rd 41. On Friday’s ride I saw that the FS obliterated camping spots. Depriving public access to land we pay for.

Dinner time.