Sundance then Spearfish.

Yesterday I rode Sundance. I picked a route from Trailforks. Pedaled away from anchor which is always enjoyable. First part was on XC skiing trail: wide and tame except for climbs. Then came logging haul roads. Finally descent with several harsh hike pieces back to the van. Interesting: a race was just completed, there were no routes on TF. Today I rode at Spearfish on trails that were part of the famous Dakota five oh, (50) miles on Labor Day, many riders created race route that were on TF. If the Sundance course was on TF I would had a more pleasurable ride.

Sunday’s storm lighting strikes on dry forest vegetation had potential of fires. B4 I pedaled away several FS fire rigs climbed past me that to me indicating they would soon be facing fire. I smelled no smoke and did not see them deployed.

Drove away for drive to Spearfish, SD arriving middle of afternoon. Interstate driving is just steering, driving is on the 2 lanes. Destination was Tinton trail TH out of town. Found an exposed open area for the night. After dinner a short lived Tstorm passed over dropping hail. Rest of night was calm and warm.

This morning I pedaled away on Tinton trail. I rode here back in ’08. First ride with PUSH tuned shock on my Turner TNT 5 Spot. Realized how much more enjoyable the ride could be. Over the following years the trail had been more sustainable such as moving it on side slope out of the creek. Forest is conifer hardwood mix including aspen, oak, and birch. Tread is moist wood dirt. Single track.

Finished ride noticing temp was rising and now oppressive.

Next up was an interstate jaunt to Rapid to buy locally roasted coffee, drop off my laptop for repair, Disciunt to balance van’s wheels, and groceries. I am a visitor here fitting into the local scene. Grocery store, non chain, was wanting. Produce dept was like after thought. Wheels balanced eliminated front wheels rumble as they needed much weights.

Weather forecast called for severe thunderstorm and high wind starting at 2. I wanted to be anchored off the road b4 it hit. Internet located a free XG near Sturgis back where I came from. I drove to it, I stayed here last time through. Wind picking up at 8PM. Forecast for tomorrow wants strong winds, perhaps too strong to ride in the forest. Facts will be learned tomorrow morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, the other one, Wyoming.

My laptop is injured not allowing me to open the screen. I’m on my phone for this. This will not be as stuffed w/ words as a result.

So, on Sat I rode the Outlaw trails outside of town for a technical experience. Here there lots of rocks for moves, I made the ones in my wheelhouse, the others were not attempted. This was my 3rd time riding here. The BLM developed a trailhead. The ride goes out a double track to a fence line with a stile now a 4 step stile, previously it was more steps steep and narrow. Apprehension filled me should I be faced w/ previous as I might not make over and back. This time some effort. Trails here are rough and little dirt work, sort of ridden in. Old school.

After ride I drove into Cody for supplies. 25.6 mph.

I let google navigate to Meadowlark ski area. Surrendering routing to digital solution sent me on roads I would not have figured out. Highway  climbing out of Ten Sleep into the mountains climbing and climbing. Big Horn mountains. I did not recall my previous drive. Road shares a canyon curtailing side roads. I sought an open FS xg. Chose Island something. Picked first open site. $10. Chilly night allowing heater to burn all night. Camp was 7979′, I crossed my fingers that the heater would burn at this elevation. Bfast was scratch pancakes as every Sunday’s. I looked out my windshield to see a cow moose maybe 15′ away. Her calf accompanied her. I watched them browse aspen greens, no stripping the leaves, just eat entire branch. Again pics on laptop. They ate for many minutes then bedded down right in front of me. Then they ambled away.

And I drove away continuing climbing. Trees. Steep descent into Buffalo.

At Buffalo the drive became interstate to my destination of Sundance. At the exit I read a sign for heading to mountain bike race. Hmmm? Previous visit a race was going on. And today, that annual race was underway. I scratched my ride to prevent interference. Later I approached the race organizers. One guy greeted me quickly as he remembered my green van and conversation. I’m staying here tonight then ride tomorrow.

I join sister Lynn on Friday. I will ride many South Dakota trails.

I must find a computer repair person and wait repair.

Trails here are cowified meaning cow pies and tread damage.

Enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Monday was my 75th birthday. I was held in Hailey, ID waiting for alternator etc parts to arrive then installed. Shop told me parts would arrive on Mon or Tues and that they would be installed same day. Over promise and under deliver. Parts arrived Tues but install was to be Wed. Previously I made a plan to drive ride and camp on way thru Yellowstone to make a Thurs night campground reservation East of the park. I lost ride days because of late repair. More later.

Wed morn I drove out of camp spot on Democrat Gulch. Maybe 25 antelope watched me go by, most were on hillside silhouetted against the sky. Turned onto paved Croy road were a moose cow and calf paced me a short distance on the other side of the fence.

Arrived at shop. I expected about 2 hours shop time. Van wasn’t finished until 2 for my departure heading east. Maybe the noise I heard came from the worn bearings in the alternator and the tensioner. For sure parts were replaced before failure.

Windy day. Drove US 20 thru Craters of the Moon lava fields. Sage brush vegetation then acres of tilled land. Racing against darkness to make Driggs for the night. Rain started to fall with darkness. Seems my headlights lack brilliance to shine thru newer headlights. Made Driggs in the dark. Shopped at large grocery store for Happy Camper bread that is gluten free for my diet. Bought 3 loaves, put 2 in freezer and 1 in fridge. Too late for restaurant food. I drove out of town to destination Big Eddy dispersed campsite on the river. I struggled navigating to the spot in the dark and map confusion. Made the spot.

Thurs morn I got after it early as my route would take me thru Yellowstone NP. I chose the northern route entering at West Yellowstone instead of going over Teton Pass and thru Jackson Hole. Rural farmed land. Many vehicles entering the park with me. Traffic flowed until a back up occurred. Miles of brake lights. Why there are first gears in transmissions. WTF? road work? accident? Finally I arrived at cause of backup: a lone buffalo was grazing that drivers were slowing down to view. WTF?  That was the only buffalo I saw during my trip thru the park.

That day was Thursday, my laundry day. I had visions of doing it on Friday at Cody, WY. Route went thru Fishing Bridge village. I stopped and checked out general store looking for a laundromat, none among all the tourist trinkets. Back at the van I read the park paper and saw that a laundromat was at the RV park nearby. I asked if non campground visitor could use the facility. I was in the laundromat. I have clean clothes done on Thurs. The machines were housed in the same building as the campground registration function for the only hard sided campers, meaning rvs only. I noticed that there was an awful lot of gray on the staff: people my age. I visited with a man in gray. He said this season is known as near dead or newly wed. I walked into the campground: rigs were packed close together separated by mere feet. No way for me.

Evening destination was Wapiti XG which is outside the park on USFS land. No openings in the few opened XGs in the park. More driving. Stormy. Road went along the north shore of Yellowstone Lake. I stopped at a turnout and took this pic:

Very windy moving my van around. How fast was wind? I held my wind speed device which never reached 20mph. I over estimated the speed. I thought higher but had no idea what. Sheesh.

Drive continued and climbed up to 8,xxx’ with snow flurries, none stayed on the road like higher up the mountain sides. Dropped down and exited the park. I passed several other XGs. Wapati XG is well outside the park. I had made a reservation for an assured spot. The XG had many open spots but I did not know that ahead of time. Peace of mind knowing that a spot had my name on it.

During bfast fixings the heater shut down. Oh no. I could not clear the fault, the led went solid red. WTF? I fired up the cat infrared heater for warmth. I pulled the fuse which triggered flashing led and I was able to clear the fault which allowed the heater to fire up. Whew. I put a double layer of cheese cloth over the intake grate to block fuzzies entering the heater which caused the demise of the last heater. I removed the cloth and saw the fuzz build up which restricted air flow which overheated a motor which caused it to shut down. I haven’t figured out the source of the fuzzies. Happy that I figured out how to enjoy the functioning heater. I will turn it on now. It fired up.

Completed the drive into Cody. Filled propane. Drove to Funhoggin bike shop seeing that it was still open. The owner was absent whom I met on previous visit.

There are 2 trail systems in town. The Outlaw trails are outside of town that I have ridden 2 times. The other one is on the city property line which I decided to check out. Weather forecast was for gusts to 20 mph. I parked exposed to the wind. Do or am I able to ride in such strong winds. Again I checked the velocity: a gust hit 16 mph. I decided to give a ride a go.

windy. I came upon a rock move with the wind full on broadside. I walked the move as I was concerned wind would alter my line.

Short duration ride. I looked up wind speed at the nearby airport, a gust of 21 mph, otherwise in the teens.

Drove out of town towards the Outlaw trails. Anchored at different spot as spots close to that trail have been shut down because of past abuse. Everything is exposed.

So tomorrow I will continue towards Spearfish, SD making 2 days to drive the 300 miles across the state. I plan on riding Outlaw in the morning before leaving.

My shoulder is barking big time from this typing. Enough.

Sat morn typing on my phone.

I can be where I want to be etc. Bend’s air quality suffered from heavy forest fire smoke from 30 plus lightning started fires up near Bachelor. Heavy fuel load. Swampy would have been breathing chunks. Fires were on the other side of the road. Climate change sending precip elsewhere and the fuel load continues to build with less retained water. Some day when I’m anchored at La Pine I’ll be faced with fire smoke.

Tuesday night I watched the debate between Harris and dump. He never looked at her. He is such a threat to democracy and is a blow hard w/ no substance. He’s bad but his cult followers enable him. Those who believe absurdities can commit atrocities. My goal in life now, as it has been for each election that he has been on ballot, is to live long enough to cast my ballot for the other person. To me watching the entire debate, which was a struggle, listening to his blather gave me the denominator to compare to the various news coverages.