Heat dome cooking me and a whole lot more people than just me. I will write from my perspective and experience. So hot my gas absorption refrigerator can’t keep up with heat. The water I drink is still insufficient to turn my pee nice and pale straw color. temps in the 90s most days with a plus 100 mixed in. I finished 1 ride that van thermometer read 100 degrees. Today when I finished it was a cool 90. This AM it was 41, every night so far the temp has dropped below 70 which is minimum recovery rest temp.
So, I ride not beating the heat. However, the trails are almost empty although I do turn on the clanger bell when sight lines are bike length long. I rode once more around Swampy to enjoy elevation chill. I rode down Swede Ridge and returned on SST. No past logging damage, just nature as fire suppressed by man. Swede has more downwhill, some pitches have long sight lines so I enjoy rewards of physics. Deep tree cover with scattered sun patches that confuse my irises temporarily blinding me. That happening when going downhill at speed and needing to see the tread nuances. I encountered so few people either bikers or hikers that their numbers never enter my memory. Even down low at Phils TH. Stay off the shuttle routes.
Drove back out to my spot at Phils after being gone 3 nights. Stuff still there and no tire tracks over my last ones. This place is so great because hardly a camper rig drives out this road and those that do keep going. The place where I used to stay just up the hill from here has been enlarged by driving down the vegetation and is crowded as people park real close. My spot can not be expanded so I socially distanced. I can see the sky but no view. I am shaded from morning sun but scorched by afternoon sunshine. I have been staying for 2 to 3 days without moving, leaving for water and groceries.
I have owned my Revel Rail for 11 days, I have ridden it 9 times, 176 miles. It is better than the RFX was. First 3 rides of July were 25, 20, and 33 today. Are the lengths a result of that improved performance? Dunno. Perhaps it is being a knucklehead to ride in the heat these long miles. Because I can? So far my body hasn’t balked at me pushing it in the heat.
Today I rode Mrazek Ridge loop, 33 miles climbing 2969′, pealed for 4 hrs 12 mins. Route was same as June 20, ride times were almost the same albeit today my heart rate was higher. I pedaled away from anchor spot just b4 8:30 with expectations that I would reach Farewell intersection ahead of the forecasted 90 degrees down in town. Mrazek is a grind. I ride from van to Phils TH then pick up Bens, a one way going my way, then turn onto MTB where i helped build drains. Cross 2 FS roads then drop down onto gravel road that crosses Tumalo creek then a climb up to where Mrazek crosses. I stop there for a safety break, give me another puff of that worry be gone weed. I made my normal rest spot 1 hr 6 mins after starting. I watched 3 riders scoot across the brief opening in the ceanothus, they were conversation speaking and going fast, too fast for that conversation. Suspect E bikes which per USFS regs are illegal on non motorized trails which all of these are. I pedaled away, up the ways they had stopped. I just said they were illegal. He rode my wheel bitching about not doing any damage etc and I was a hater. How much energy he put into his effort to justify his breaking the law. I just pedaled to my body’s ability which was considerably slower than their ebikes could do. I listened to him bitching to his companions. 2 couples stopped to let me climb by, I told them that there were bikes behind me in hopes that other riders calling the scofflaws out would cause them to leave. After awhile I no longer heard them. 2 riders going downhill stopped foe me, one said that there was a hose stretched across the trail uphill of Farewell intersection and there were 2 logs blocking the trail. Shit. This could get real ugly if Farewell was closed, well ok, just reverse direction and make it an out and back. I arrived at the intersection to see the logs but no evidence of closure. 2 riders arrived who climbed same route. I asked about ebikers, they said they were going back down. They preceded me down Farewell, I waited till their dust settled then rolled on. In a short while I saw the hose and the evidence of a forest fire. The hose was for mopping up, it was connected to a FS pumper 9 rolls of hose. The fire did not burn across the trail as it burned downhill. Firefighters were still on scene, I will say an official acting came up to converse with me about the fire. He did not tell me the trail was closed. Said fire was about 1/2 acre, seemed to have burned Sat until it was contained. Hand line dug. Had water for 100% mop up. FS fire investigation was inconclusive but prolly man caused. Ah, the smell brought back memories from my stint as a forest fire fighter back 51 years ago. Descended through forest cover until a prominent rock outcropping which marked our previous turnaround for brushing. lengthened sight lines were enjoyable as I rode with my bell on seeing only 1 hiker. Rolled out onto the sharp rock garden I let the bike go where I pointed it steering for a line that made sense instead of picking my way. Wheels and bike kept me upright. Farewell ends right at Tumalo Falls parking lot, place packed cars lined the road. It’s a one way up and down hike along the creek, the water is awesome but the crowds. Tumalo creek had just 2 hikers and they were on the speed downhill, I did hit 27 mph before coming to a stop for the hikers. Climbed Skyliner alone, descended Pine drops alone, traversed on EXT alone, descended a piece of Phils alone, down Kent’s alone. Riding in the heat. Computer displayed I burned 1900 calories.
I’m bookless as yesterday I finished Four Winds, a novel about Dust Bowl and flight to CA and abuse from people who have.
9:45 PM, 67 degrees, door and driver’s window open. No mosquitoes. I should roll my legs before bed which is fast approaching.
Deschutes NF went to Industrial class ll and banned all open fires except for select campgrounds. Just dry.
Steve arrives tomorrow evening time. Rest day for me.
Bed time.
