Yesterday, Jul 18, 2023, marked completion of 15 years of my odyssey Mountain Biking the States. Fifteen years.

Numbers from my spread sheet: 3,060 mountain bike rides covering 43,992 miles, climbing more than 518,716 feet. Van mileage is at 294,673 miles ( figure 18,000 miles prior to leaving Spokane), spent in excess of $33,447 on diesel. Haven’t dug to find out how much I spent on bike stuff.

Just keep adding to the numbers.

My travails, numbers as in dollars.

SO, the solar controller is being replaced end of this month. The shop will keep my van overnight and not allow me to sleep in it. Made motel reservation: $178 to have store bought bed and running hot water.

Yesterday my sink pump started send burping sounds. Not right. Previously I installed an in line switch so I was able to shut it off. Short story: I stopped at a local RV store to buy fittings on the intake side of pump and installed but sound remained. Figured the electric in the pump was suspect. Shop pump price was $184. I found one ata major chain for less. I parked in a parking lot and installed new pump. Hit go switch: sound still there. I tore down the electrical connections. Still there. I wondered if the solar controller was the culprit. Called the solar shop, guy said to check for open faucets. I did, could not find a leak. I did notice that water was on the door step where I keep a filled gallon jug that had a taped over hole that I thought was the source. I bought a new jug but step remained wet. Right below the wet spot I have a hose and a valve. I checked the valve: darn, it was ever so slightly cracked open which explained the wet step. Once closed the sound went away. Shit, pump was fine/ I asked to return it but store said I bought it. I don’t need previous one and I lack room to carry it as a spare. Numbers: I visited a local bike shop where I heard a guy was building up a van and maybe he or someone would buy it. Wrench said he needed on, struck a $50 deal.

Numbers: Yesterday to celebrate I rode North Fork which is a monster climb up n fork of Tumalo creek. My engine continues to reveal its age as I lack umph to make 1 or 2 pedal strokes to surmount a feature but otherwise I pedaled it all but for several blow stops. Trail ends at Happy Valley with feeding mosquitoes. Several miles on Met-Win trail to Mrazek Ridge for more miles to start of Farewell drop down to Tumalo creek trail back to start. 14. 4 miles climbing 1732′ pedaling for 2 hrs 10 mins. Average heart rate was 121 just below 85% max rate. Deep virgin forest up the creek gorge. Really pretty. I like the Oregon Cascades.

Farewell drops down from the ridge to Tumalo creek. There are several patches of nasty rock gardens of pointed rocks. In years past I timidly picked my way over the points. This ride I went after the line using the points if they supported my line. Learning lesson for me as to what my bike can handle and what my confidence will support. Crashing was not an option. Tumalo creek offers that piece of downhill speeding, 24.9 mph, 25.x is fastest but done on the RFX.

Celebrated last night dinner out at food court on west side. finished with a second glass of wine at 10 Barrel. You only know change if you have seen it prior. Place no longer has local watering hole feel.

Temps in 90s here. I’m parked on a side street in the shade of a small deciduous tree. Strong internet to post pics. i don’t seem to be drinking enough fluids which I hope is cause of general malady. I did have a chiro adjustment yesterday.

Tomorrow afternoon is my cardio DR appointment.

Where I stay off rd 41 a population of ground squirrels and chipmunks scurry around doing their thing. Upon occasion one will be bold enough to crawl into the van. None have stayed long, their hearts continued to beat albeit faster after I scare them.

Rest day. Right knee still sore. Pounding water down. Morning temps have been upper 30s. Not long enough to run the heater.

 

Yes, life and location are relative. I report what I am experiencing.

Summer time in central high desert Oregon conditions are par although many days have passed since last precip. What eve, what it is is what it is. Trail surface is pumice that has been rolled firm over the years as compared to untracked sink to your ankles dirt. Dust seems to come from tires stirring up the loose on top of firm. None the less riding behind is going through dust. back off maybe 50 feet to allow the grit to fall back to earth.

For the most part trails here are pedal which I enjoy for fitness but not improving my tech competence Although I am learning carving turns on berms while reading the firmness of the berm before I lay into it. So far I have not blown a turn.

So since last posting I have continued my life style of riding, resupplying food, water, and propane, and finding a sleep spot.

On Wed I caught the mountain shuttle at the closed Welcome Center for a $5 ride up to Swampy for my descent back to van. Great way to mix effort with coasting effort. Van racks were full and driver let me put my bike inside in the aisle. Current feller buncher logging closes selected trails which determine my route. Today I chose to ride S Fork but first I climbed up Ridge and over to Flagline Tie to descend lower Flagline to Swampy then down S Fork for fast descent. S Fork is an old trail and not mountain bike purpose built. Deep tree cover, never been logged creates sun patches that my eyes can’t see thru. Hang on and trust the bike to ride over what ever. Turn downstream on Tumalo Creek down to start of Skyliner to climb up to connect with Storm King down to Grand Slam intersection where trail is closed. Just b4 that intersection the trail goes thru a basalt squeezer problem that I foot assist the wiggles. I was 1 move from the exit when while directing my rear wheel my front wheel speared a bike stopper rock. I was pitched forward abruptly where my right knee made a full straight on contact with the handle bar. OUCH. Wishful evaluation convinced me I could still pedal as more miles were ahead. I hope I just bruised the patella and no soft tissue. Finished ride back to Welcome Center. 21.7 miles climbing 1273′ and descending 2966′ pedaling for 2 hrs 30 mins. Good all around effort with no guilt about paying for my turns. Short drive to anchor spot for the night.

Thurs drive into town for laundry etc. Grisham’s 2022 new book is out, knowledge escaped me. Dudley’s, an independent bok store will not bring his books in which I understand. I scored the last copy at the big box bookstore then I spent the next several days reading it. Last night I was between books, idle evening.

Sat was the 100 miles mountain bike race. An aid station was at Swampy where I stay some times. It’s almost 2,000′ higher than town and degrees cooler. I headed up there Friday. I attempted to sign up on line but system would not accept me. Okay, be that way, I would be there during the race and I intended to help anyway. A Uhaul truck arrived while I was still eating oatmeal breakfast, aid station set up. I joined and helped set up. I assigned myself to the cow bell ringer up the course a little bit to announce racers arriving at rest stop. I set my chair up and continued reading my book only looking up when I saw a racer approaching. I spent like 3 hours ringing my cow bell getting dusted and hearing impaired in both ears. Station was at mile 47. later that day I anchored at spot off trail Catch and Release which was part of the course and continued ringing, catching riders with a second dose. My voice was abused by words of encouragement.

Yesterday I rode from anchor spot to ride logging closure trails. Big day earning my turns. At end of Pine Drop I conversed with a couple, me sharing trail knowledge for the tourons. I learned the woman is from Chewelah where ski slope 49 degrees north is located. She is friends with former manager whom I know but not as well as her. 20.3 miles climbing 1814′ pedaling for 2 hrs 35 mins. Finished dehydrated and starved. I pounded jugs of water but none exited. No appetite. hard day.  Average beats per  minute was 125 which is 1 beat higher than my 85% load. 1 hr 28 mins were in the 80 to 90% effort. My speed continues to be slower but not my effort. Hardly any riders out there to be passed by.

Hot, van temp yesterday was 101 degrees. Fridge has hard time chilling.

Today is a rest and rehydration day. So far little pee but color is missing.

Tomorrow marks the completion of 15 years of my odyssey. I have picked out a suitable challenging ride.

My solar controller is failing. I contacted a shop here in Bend for replacement. I will be here till end of month for install. I had been considering new van shocks or SRAM’s Eagle drive train. Not anymore. It’s just money that is in short supply.

I did buy a new book at Dudley’s The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy to bury my nose and brain into.

I experienced a near collision with an approaching rider where either of us could yield, we both skidded to a stop. I saw the oversized bottom bracket indicating an e bike. I said he was illegal. He began screaming at me, I pedaled away with no altercation. Guy was illegal and wanted to scrap with me. Ebikes assisted top end speed is 18 mph, they can go so much faster than pedal bikes which increases likelihood of conflict.

Made the 4th a rest day, Memory is not recalling what all I did from the time I crawled out of bed to crawling back in. I did stay up on Larrison rd. Oh, I remember visiting the annual 4th of July festival at Green Waters park for a few songs.  I planned the next day’s ride while talking to myself about completing it.

Wed AM I drove to Westfir and parked at bottom of Alpine where I would finish. Ride went like this: I pedaled the N Fork trail which runs just above the NJ Fork of the Willamette River. Past experience and current info was abundance of poison oak bordering a short section of the trail. I saw it and watched myself not brushing any leaves. Trail ended at infamous 1910 rd for my climb up to Windy Pass and start of Lower Alpine. I chose not to spend $ on shuttles. It took me 1 hr 38 mins to pedal 7.54 miles climbing 2267′. I Stopped for a rest at the 1hr time. This is part of the Creampuff race. I turned onto Alpine at the bottom of the Jedi section. I passed the intersectiopn of Tire Mtn which starts the TC of ATCA, I accepted what I climbed as enough challenge. Rode Alpine all by myself as I must have been between shuttle schedules. Ride was 19.3 miles climbing 3091′ pedaling for 3 hr 7 mins. Satisfaction of completing it. My body performs albeit at slower speed and lower heart rate. I spent 1 hr 30 mins in my 80 to 90% max heart rate.

Thursday morn I headed west to the end of land. Laundry in Eugene. Returned the Bobcat glasses I bought from REI for credit. I rode once with them not liking them at all and hoping ride would fisinsh before I made a miscalculation from the glasses. Googled coffee roaster for beans. Google maps guided me thru 191,000 population of Eugene. Headed west going through the coastal range which are hit by the low rain clouds. Rolled into Florence on the coast. I found the tourist info center to inquire of camping as I did not do any planning other than seeking a paid spot for the night. Volunteer was engaged in a long winded conversation with a visitor such that I was to be ignored. I stepped outside to let google research. Saw a county XG, I called, woman said full but she would check on a possible left early spot. Score, she said it was open. I booked it for $30. Next door to center is fresh sea food store. Fresh Dungeness crab cooked fresh every day. $27 cleaned crab was consumed in my van parked behind store. Such a treat for freshly cooked crab. Googled bookstore, Books and Bears on main drag on waterfront. Bought River Runs Through It. Drove out to campground which borders the Suislaw River but off ocean. I drove out to ocean then walked over dunes to sea water. I waded up to my ankles. Chilly and windy.

I previously researched possible rides near Florence, I picked Cape Mtn nearby. Drove to trailhead climbing like 1,600′ above highway 101, Climb was steep. System was built for horses. Trails were horse affected in places as below grade, but mostly an enjoyable non technical ride through temperate rain forest.

Side trip to ocean completed I headed back E to Oakridge for the night.

Before my Alpine ride I visited with Trans Cascadia at Westfir. Guy I talked to remembered me from giving he and his a buddy a ride in Sedona as they were tuckered from their ride. Nick. He told about the Old Cascade crest trails, AVENZA software and ability to by on line maps. Man at Oakridge also spoke of riding there and gave me suggestion. I picked the one that required the fewest miles of dirt road. Destination was TH for 2 trails, each climbing up to a peak. I learned that each peak had a fire lookout on it.

Trailforks showed Crescent Mtn as black difficulty, the other trail is Pyramid rated red which is beyond black in difficulty. I chose Crescent. Mosquitoes abound at chosen camp spot. Trail is in deep old growth tree cover and climbed and climbed. My engine pedaled what I could and walked a whole bunch of distance. Arrived at spur trail to lookout where I parked my bike and walked short distance to former lookout site which was a ground house long since decayed to scattered boards and glass fragments. 3 hikers plus one later joined me. I left first. EDGE does not record all data when hiking which is below sensing speed for data gathering. Distance was 8.6 miles climbing 1037′ but descending 2182′ at speeds high enough for recording. Distance was longer than 8.6 miles. BCN data for just the climb was 5.2 miles climbing 2119′ pedaling and pushing for 1 hr 20 mins.

I was beat. Mosquito night.

Sunday after accepting the trail to Pyramid Peak would be too much for me to ride so I hiked it. 1.9 miles climbing 1,759′. Trail started climbing from get go through old growth forest transitioning to over grown vine maple breaking clear of it for more forest cover. Climbed up peak that wasn’t the lookout site, 3rd class rock climbing should have told me this was not the site. made climbing moves to top then downclimbed. Took the better worn path to the former lookout site.

My legs were really worked climbing then I used them to brake on the descent, I was afraid they might fail to hold me. Lower trail went thru devil’s club patches, things you want to stay out of.

Drove back to Bend over Santiam Pass. Very heavy traffic heading west, not so much in my direction. Just way too many people out doing what I have been doing.

Today I pedaled from anchor spot off rd 41 to enjoy pedal trails. Then drove into crowded city. Post Office line was way too long to wait my turn. Visited Pine Mountain visiting with a woman staff member. She told me she rode the loop including the red trail.

Tomorrow a rest day.

Bed time.

I bought on line a bug buster device like a bug zapper to harvest mosquitoes. So far I seem to be more attractive than the light.