Monday, Tues, and Wed were wet days. I spent 1 day inside the van parked on my property except for wetting a tree. Some soaking rain, mixed in with light drizzle, sucker holes. One afternoon the sky I could see was clear. I fell for the hole. I started down the road towards the forest, not far, when drops hit the nylon shell of my wornwell  puffy jacket. Discouraged I retreated to cover and that was it until Thurs.

Thurs, laundry day, and my new sheet was at Hub in Bend. All part of my plan: Arrive the Hub at 10 for shop opening to pick up new sheet, then drive short distance to laundromat. Sign on door at laundromat read closed, no power. Recovery plan: Drive short distance to Newport Market for groceries. Was greeted by an employee as I was leaving my van. He said they had no power. Recovery plan: Drive out to Welcome Center, ride, then return to complete the open tasks.

Welcome Center parking lot. Chilly enough for lightweight wool top and wind shell. Just huff and puff the climbs, I still pedal. Speed is age affected slow. Rode Ticket to Ride CCW so finish is down a draw. I saw 1 rider at a trail junction, she was quite close, then I watched her until she disappeared. The draw the trail descends had a now nonexistent  fall line FS road. The trail swoops from side to side going downhill. I coast. Back at van ride time was under an hour. I am reestablishing my fitness level which needed more pedal time so I started Catch and Release to intersection of Storm King then returned. 10.3 miles pedaling for 1 hr 20 mins. Nice day, fall chill and light.

Drove back to town. Laundromat was powered. Wash and dried my new better quality top sheet that is softer than the Target sheet. Groceries and Back Porch ground coffee beans.

I like riding the Swampy area trails from namesake trailhead. I was stocked for water and food for 2 nights here. A day or 2 before heading up I had read the propane gauge level believing enough propane to last till Sat for planned town time. However, I checked the level the morning seeing dial appeared to be pegged to the red E. Not good, need today, need to drive down to town for fill up. Last night a heavy frost fell as I saw on the downed trees outside my windows. Ride time will be late morning. I used the warm up time to drive down for propane: 4.8 gal, max is 5.6, gauge is estimate of remaining time.

Drove back to Swampy snow park which is about 2,000′ above town. Sunny and chilly, enough for knickers and long sleeve wool jersey. Huffed and puffed up Ridge trail. Dirt was primo firm. Before junction with Swampy Dutchman I saw small blobs of snow. As I climbed said trail snow was on the trail in patches to ride through. Several tracks preceded me. At 6,200′ I turned onto Flag Tie over to intersect with lower Flagline. 6,000′ elevation and above kept recent snow fall. Bike and I remained under control. Some places the snow had not melted, others snow melt on the trail running. Front fender kept my face clean but fenderless rear gave me wet cheeks. Brakes squeal when wet. Once below 6,000′ the dirt was dry and firm to dry out brakes. Water runoff is determined by temperature: Snow melt runs  where below 6,000′, assuming the same amount of precip fell, the tread was dry and firm. Rode by fall location: firm. I ride the bottom edge of the out slope tread. Maybe at my fall spot there was no base so what appeared to be out slope was just loose dirt that sucked in the front wheel.

I  am waiting for surgery schedule. I have not been contacted. I need to learn so I may plan my life. Dave, the PT who knows my shoulder, answered my questions about the surgery and recovery. He was positive for benefit to me and long term I will be able to mountain bike ride.

Forecast for tonight is 40% showers and Bend temp of 41. Here, precip will be snow and frozen dirt. Plan is to ride here then drive down to town for resupply then back to rd 41 to ride lower trails on Sunday. Swampy sits at 5,800′. Ride tomorrow would be this level and lower. Snow free tread and not puddles.

How quickly a pattern can be established. In the early days after my fall my knee hurt so badly, moving was put off as pain would start at first muscle contraction, I would sit in my turned around driver’s seat with that leg extended. A need to move arose. I moved because I had to but was not smiling. As my knee pain lessened over the days movement was not painful. Pattern: Today I sit while thinking about moving as I remain seated to avoid that pain which is no longer. I’m slowing down. Stasis works.

New sheet is pleasant. Kept heater on all night for warmth of course, and also as it sometimes does not light when commanded. Chill sets in enough for me to wake up then look at control for flashing red LED meaning light failed. I twist the control knob correctly enough to tell the heater to light. I hear the pizzo striker then the sound of ignition causing the LED to turn to solid green meaning it’s happily running. Back to sleep.

PT also said my knee pain was caused my irritated MCL, not meniscus. I am taking his evaluation to the next bike ride.

I felt no unhappy signals sent from my body after yesterday’s ride. So, today I pedaled again from my land. Land is flat. Somewhere over to the west is the Deschutes River. I navigated by Backcountry Navigator on my phone. I wandered with a sense of direction. I found my way to  miles climbing a piece of shoreline. Rough single track that had 1 bike track on. Tread stayed on short bluff above river. Made it back. I am affected by a meniscus tear in my right knee which happened inside my van when I twisted on my foot levering knee, small pop. Pain of varying degrees. So I pedaled for 1 hr 7 mins climbing 226′. Heart rate average was 135. Majorly affected by 6 week no elevated heart rate.

That night long time friends Randy and Lisa visited for the night on their wander about. Randy shared salmon he caught on his Alaska annual fishing escape. He rides a Turner Burner, 650b non boost frame. I listed my rear wheel, I9 Hydra hub laced to Ibis carbon rim, on Pink bike which did not sell. I picked the wheel up from Steve’s then gave it to him. It will be ridden I told him he has to ride it b4 snow and report to me.

Thursday morning during wake up I felt a tear in bottom sheet. Wash day anyway. Found that I finally wore out that sheet. Need to return to Bend to purchase new sheet. Bath and Beyond was previous point of sale but store closed. Ended up at Target for single flat twin sheet then drove to Doug’s laundromat in west Bend. Clean clothes I drove back to my spot near La Pine State Park. I so like anchoring here.

Friday back to Bend for presurgery exam. An EKG was taken, heart rate 52 beats.

Also, I intended to ride out on Ticket to Ride from anchor spot off rd 41. Scored the spot, geared up, then pedaled away on short piece of Catch and release to Welcome Center. Started Ticket. many rigs in the parking lot but rode all alone. 7.83 miles climbing 614′ for 1 hr 2 mins. Average bpm was 128, lower than 2 days ago with more climbing.

Spent night at rd 41 spot. Before my lights out numerous cars drove to gate, stopped, then turned around. I saw a motorcycle rider who got to the gate first appeared to turn the correct combination into the lock. Couldn’t make it happen. I suspected all those cars would have been part of a party on the other side of that gate.

Sat I increased the length and difficulty riding from anchor spot out Catch and Release to start of Storm King. Climbed. Passed crowded Green Gate TH, again, all by myself. Down COD to mid point of Ticket to Ride to Welcome Center completing on Catch and Release. 10.4 miles climbing 879′ pedaling for 1 hr 26 mins. Average bpm was 125. Improvement.

Wet wash cloth clean up then drove up to Swampy TH for ride on Sunday. Intent of Sunday’s ride was to continue to test myself and to return to my latest tumble spot. Ride starts with gentle climb up Ridge. My body struggled with the exertion. I got passed by 2 dads leading 2 groms. I stopped for blows. May I recapture what I lost. Stopped at junction of Ridge and Swampy cut over. Visited wit a couple. Guy is 59 and works at the west side Center, branch location of east side where I have been going. He works knees but not shoulders. Finished climb to Flag Tie over to join lower Flagline down to Swampy back.

On Swampy I stopped at my tumble spot to learn what I could from my loss of contact with my bike.

Near as I figured was the tread was deep small grain size pumice that stalled the front wheel per above. Mistake was not commission, it just happened.

Today was 6.8 miles climbing 735′ pedaling for  1hr 2 mins. Average bpm  was 124 but stronger.

Back to my vacant land. Today I drove thru Sunriver. Long descending FS road. Beautiful day. Took on propane and sink water at a station in La Pine. Weather forecast is for several days of rain and I did not want an attendant to stand in the rain filling propane. Me standing outside filling the sink tank.

Beautiful fall conditions. Light is flatter which affected reading trails. Some aspen in La Pine. Native tree cover here is green Ppine and lodgepole, little color. Did see this spot on Flag Tie:

My shoulder whimpers while riding, not hurtful enough to prevent future riding. Seems lesser pain than what happens during normal van living. Concern is meniscus tear in right knee. Knee works, no clicking or locking, just burning. Weather will clear on Thurs for next ride.

Tomorrow I will start pestering shoulder repair shop for fix date so I can plan my life. I figure I will stay here waiting for repair. I really like hanging here.

Hematoma is shrinking but it still has a constricting influence when bending. Six weeks out.

Yesterday, at the start of PT for my knee, I was started on the warm up bike, that 13 days ago I could not make a complete spin, I spun in complete circles for 5 mins. Exciting. The hematoma is loosing its effect. Went thru previously given exercises. Yesterday was the exercise bike. Tomorrow perhaps my bike? I thought about the test forth coming: if I could swing my right ( hematoma knee) over the top tube I figured I could pedal a real bike. I thought about.

This morning forecast wanted showers in AM with clear skies in afternoon. I put off learning result. I drove into town to refill water. Back at my address I ate lunch. I wanted to learn but then again I did not want to learn if I could not ride. I dropped the bike off the carrier and pumped up the tires. I changed to bike riding gear minus my hydration pack. Moment: left foot on pedal, push off, then lift my right leg. Success: Flexible. I felt my way to the gravel road listening to my body. My knee allowed spinning. 41 days since last ride. I pedaled on network of non maintained FS roads 4 doors down. Flat, jeep roads. I pedaled for 50 mins. I made my heart rate speed up, average bpm was 133. I can pedal and felt comfortable on bike. Passed first test, tomorrow will be more of same on road to reconditioning.

However, I am not pain free: my shoulder spoke up as did the meniscus tear in that right knee.

Yesterday PT Dave restated importance of having my shoulder repaired: reverse shoulder. Yesterday afternoon I made the call to the repair shop. I have no rotator cuff allowing ball to move around in the socket. I have come to grips that I need to pay the price for my past actions. Today  the ortho office called and started my process. I asked person when I would be fixed, she was not knowledgeable but said figure 3 months out. PT said arm will be in a sling like previous repairs.

When I know the date of repair I can make plans.

A new chapter is opening. Riding is outside Bend, about 28 miles away. If I go back to riding like 4 days a week I would want to sleep up there for next ride. I so like living here as opposed to public land. Diesel is like $5.25 / gal, van gets like 23 miles / gal. It’s just money that slips thru my fingers. I spent almost $300 to round trip over to Victor. What was 1 day at a time waiting for knee to work meant waiting. Now that I am able to ride and a future months long repaired shoulder recovery time to start when, how do I spend that time? I need to regain fitness before venturing out. Driving is expensive. While writing this I am in a perplexed state: Muscle tone slackened, I memory recalled rides minus the huffing and puffing expended during those rides. Going back to riding will real life cause that effort. I have lived a bit of down time, is the drive still inside me?

It is said to ride every ride  like it is your last. Fine and dandy if you have planned that ride as your last. However, you never know if the ride you are on is your last. Should you make it back to the start without injury, the next ride could be your last. And so on.

And so on.