Fires and more fires. Until this morning Bend smoke remained elsewhere. Earlier I checked air quality which was just yellow, OK to ride. I geared up, outside smoke was becoming more noticeable. I sat down then looked at the web site: air moved to not good, do some less strenuous activity. My breathing should be protected at this level. I rode yesterday, tomorrow has non bike riding events, making Fri next ride day: 2 rest days in a row, Sensibility becoming more the norm. Big area of even worse air is east of here like Burns. Forecasted wind is to become westerly which will blow that smoke away. Perhaps riding later in day.
I have been riding and staying up at Swampy paved parking lot at 5810′. I prefer the trails up here as they are more rugged and certainly less crowded and beat. I am there now with slow internet.
My introduction to the Oregon Cascades was back in 1969 summer employment with the forest service on the Umpqua National Forest, Diamond Lake district at Toketee ranger station on the wet side of the Cascades. I was a tallyman for a timber cruiser in presale. That work was about setting up forest to be harvested, hiking virgin forest seeing big trees that would someday be deprived of life. Bend is on the dry side with less water needing flora, nowhere near as dense.
The Deschutes NF, the local forest, has put out a proposal to allow m-bikes on select trails. I don’t support the proposal. I provided my opinion:
“Prevent adult obesity! Keep present non-motorized trails 100% heart propelled. Pedaling motorized bikes (M-Bikes) burns fewer calories per unit of time spent on bike than pedaling hence increase in unburned fuel which becomes fat: obesity.
The Walton Family Foundation realized childhood obesity is a health problem. Their solution was funding mountain biking and putting kids outside pedaling mountain bikes.
M-bikes are expensive. Riders who ride one are prolly the same golfers who ride golf carts instead of walking. They can afford the luxury as their pant’s size increases.
Obesity adversely affects health care costs.
Prevent obesity and make America thin again.
I am against the Deschutes National Forest proposal to allow motorized bikes on current non-motorized trails.”
Trails up here are not in the proposal.
Tree cover up here is lodgepole and hemlock determined by sun exposure. Trails I ride go through each forest type.
You are either a rider or a tourist, mutually exclusive. Tree cover is like blinders on a horse, the trail is a corridor, eyes focused on tread, body responding to commands, attention is rider. The overall quality of the present is enjoyed being in it.
Air quality moved further into unhealthy, further justifying rest decision.
Bend is a repair spot for me to attend to whatever. My departure is affected by completion of last needed event. My ulcer doesn’t seem to be happily recovering so I scored an appointment for tomorrow. The front end of van has an undiagnosed issue that I want further investigation so that is 8/7. Forest fires are burning. Hanging here is comfortable.
Turns out my wireless internet receiver receives strong enough signal to upload above pics. Phone internet is slower.
I was told by a guy who was told by a soil person working for the FS said that the dirt here is hydrophobic which means water doesn’t activate bonding. He said that is because of the origin of the dirt, which is volcanic, is cooked material.
Addiction. Day 6 of no chocolate or Werthers. At first I free ranged consumption. I realized I eating too much. I established a consumption amount which I followed. I decided I wanted to full time kick, today marks 6 days no chocolate. I am spending mental energy to block craving. I need to create my desired acceptance. It’s the chocolate I want.
So. I sit outside in the sun for an hour to change the color of my skin. 60 mins full on sitting reading. I might go for a forest walk for additional accumulation albeit it shade affected. Multiple tan lines.
I will be setting the timer shortly.