Still here in Bend. Last night smoke blew in, no rain since early June. Fire is SW of here. Air quality was 180 this AM, forecast calls for Wed good air from the N which is prevailing during summer I heard.
Trails are dusty but when I ride by myself I do not see dust cloud I roll up. Such a vast trail system keeps other riders away from me.
Sun I drove down to Welcome Center to pay $5 for a bus ride back up to Swampy so I could ride down S Fork then work my way back to Welcome Center and my van. I like S Fork as it is an older trail that is wearing its signs of use and neglect. Deep tree cover with speckled sun patches creating excitement about what I will either roll over of should avoid. 3.13 miles dropping 889′ took 16 mins. I feel the effects in my shoulders. Payment came from climbing Skyliner to top of ridge to drop down Storm King. Turn down Grand Slam where I discovered to gnome’s new home in a tree. These 2 trails have been man adjusted logging out trees. I learned that max dia tree to be cut is 21″ which is about my shoulder width. I remember riding these trails before the thinning, now I don’t know the trail. Time needed to adjust to change. Grand Slam to Ticket to Ride back to van. I upped tire pressure to 22 rear and 20 front, I noticed right away the things I hit but no loss of control, maybe higher speeds. Temp was in 90s at the van. Hot and dry. Parking lot was almost empty. 18.9 miles climbing 1001″ descending 2582′ pedaling for 2 hours 8 mins. I hardly stop.
Fri an Sat I spent up at Swampy almost 2,000′ higher than rd 41 which is higher than Bend. Enjoyably cooler. Trails are rougher and fewer riders.
Sat evening I visited with Barb who is traveling also. She pulls a smaller trailer. She was up there last year but I neve conversed. This year I caught her outside for a conversation.
No pics taken.
Just more of the same: tree cover, some deep some thinned, dry trails. Pedal trails up and down, albeit I have no desire to pedal up S Fork like a woman rider did. I met her last year with her mother. She likes this climb which is almost 300’/ mile. Ran into her later on my ride for a reacquaintance.
Same ol same ol.
Second Chiro adjustment to eliminate same ol head ache.
Watching ground squirrels harvest seeds from grasses. Seems bitterbrush either isn’t ready for harvest or did not produce seeds. A place where I stay sometimes there are 2 badger dug holes indicating predators. Last summer at this spot I saw 3 badgers traveling nose to tail.