Thinking About Bikes and . . .

Thinking about bikes . . . and the loss of love (my Sting Ray).

There were also the two girls in the area who had "Ray's" that I got excited about having the same type of bike and did they want to go ride around.  They laughed and said to check back in a couple of years.  The nicer of the two is on the left, Cindy I think.  (Always said 'hi" and nice to me through high school.)  Beth on the right was just plain self-centered and mean -- one of the "cool" kids.  Ha.

3 Miles & 3 Hours Hard Day's Work

Went to clean off a portion of  5 miles of cross-country single-track at Fort Lewis area #21 today.  This area has been closed for the majority of the summer due to helicopter maneuvers. I only made it through 3 miles of somewhat overgrown trail today.  Most of the overgrown vegetation was from blackberry shooters,  scotch broom, and fallen trees left from last winter's ice storm. I only lasted for 3 hours before running out out energy from sawing, riding, sawing, snipping and [repeat].  Took out 6 small to medium logs that were laying across the trail.  There are only 7 large diameter logs remaining that will need a chain saw.  Speaking of saw.  I saw no one today on the trail.

Solo at Kennedy Creek Double-Track

There was imbalance between work and outside life this week.  So, I set out and did the following two-wheel therapy route Saturday (shown on attached map).  I ended up very much surprising two illegal hunters (made 'em jump I did) in a closed off area when I came busting up a steep hill.  They were drinking their beers and trying to spot deer through their binoculars looking up towards a ridge when I came up directly behind them. Gotcha!

Swampy Lakes

The question out of the gate was long pants or shorts?  It was 34 degrees at 7:30 AM as I left the house.  I opted for the long pants, which was not too bad a choice, though I quickly shed my warm top as the sun found the trail.  The first ride around swampy lakes found a not so swampy lake which looked like Mars with trees.


A realatively gentle climb with some nice downhill swoops took me to the Swampy Lakes Shelter.   A nice cozy place to warm up while cross-country sking.  A big barrel warming stove in the middle and wood stacked up in the lean-to on the side.  Hope to be back in the winter as I pick up that sport. 

The biggest surprise of the day was fresh bear tracks which turned me around and shortend up the ride consderably.  The tracks were just at the start of the Swede Ridge Loop, so I skipped it, losing a good five miles of riding (rats!).  Hope the bear was having as good a morning as I was.

Happy Trails.

First Report: Bend, Oregon

The lead has to be Thanks to Steve and Micha for joining me on a ride while visiting Bend.  We had a great ride up Ben's trail to the helicopter pad and then a joyous, riotous, rockin' ride down Storm King and Grand Slam.  A good time had by all and no injuries.

The basic Bend report is simply "wow." Still getting used to the dry, sandy soil, but the sight distances, open trail, and banked corners are already a lock.  The bike is in need of a new drive train  which was scheduled for today, but the small front ring is out of stock.  Substitute due in next week.  A short ride with Suzanne tonight was good until I had trouble clicking in to the right pedal.  I looked down and saw this:  ok, can't get a photo to load from the I-pad.  Visualize looking down T shoe with pedal attached - to the shoe, not the bike.  Managed to limp around fornthe rest of the ride, but now need to add pedals to the repair list.

More than anyone cares to hear about I am sure.  Loving Bend and the trials.   Missing my riding buddy(s).  Give a shout if you are headed this way and we'll dial in a ride.

"Epic" Ride and Friendship

An "epic" mountain bike ride is considered as 20 miles.

Today's ride = 19.8 miles from Capitol Peak area to Margaret McKinney. 

Oops, sorry, that's not quite "Epic".

No way, it's got to be epic.  It felt epic.  My body says it's friggin' "EPIC".

It was long - 3.9 hours long.

It had down-hills and a startling amount of steep up-hills (Sherman Valley).

It was so muddy in places that bikes stubbornly stuck /stopped on their own (without the rider).

Rode this with Jeff H. today who recently moved from Oly, WA to Bend, OR.  I know it is likely one, if not the last rides we'll do together in this area.  To you Jeff, and 5 years of riding together!  Thanks for the partnership.

"Mommy, may I move to Bend, OR please and stay with my best friend forever and ever, please"? 

Sun Valley Experience Brings Rewards & A Fractured Relationship

Collaboratively planned a trip with my best friend (and spouse) to Sun Valley ID for mountain biking.  She came up with the location and it was certainly intended to be different than Sun River / Bend OR -- a usual routine for the summer. 

Driving to Sun Valley takes a long time, about 2 days for a more relaxed mode.  We planned our trip to occur at the tail end of the USA Mountain Bike National Championships and intentionally rented and stayed at a beautiful house located in Hailey, ID; a short 10 miles apart.  Hailey was nearly half the cost of housing as Sun Valley rentals.

Our first mountain bike ride was at the Croy Creek Trails network of 14 miles of newly built trails within 1-2 miles of Hailey. The altitude of the area is 5,000 up to 6,220 feet which makes the ride makes one feel like you're out of shape.  Summary:  A great "Best Date Ride" and local favorite.  (Although we only saw three other people there for the 2.5 hours of riding.)

The second and next day's ride was more difficult (or "Gonzo") at the Adams Gulch Area rated as "Strenuous" and "More Advanced".  This is one of the classic trail systems in the area with some more technical climbing pitches for 3 miles then quick roller coaster of a ride winding through trees (read roots and baby-head rocks).  This started out great but at 1.4 miles up, Naomi hit a root or rock on a steep and slanting trail that pitched the bike with her over a 8-10' steep embankment.  She hit hard. Two riders on a parallel trail across a river and line of trees heard her yell out "help".  They raced up to another trail head, met me (because I was ahead waiting for her) and the three of us rocketed down a quarter mile.  Spouse was trying to crawl up 40-50 degree embankment -- left arm hanging loose, bloody knees, dripping bloody elbow, dirtied face, and bloodied lip. She was nauseous with spells of fainting yet "Woman'd up" and hobbled out 1.4 miles and quasi-collapsed in a shade of white.  I immediately drove her to the hospital where she was X-rayed, scrubbed with a surgical brush to remove dirt and rock particles, stitched up at the elbow, and received news and consultation on fracturing her "humerus" bone (not a funny name for this break) just below the shoulder joint.  They gave her a pain shot plus pain pills and an initial consultation that immobilization for 3-5 weeks is far likely better than surgery -- unless the fracture and a bone chip shifts in the next few days.

She rested up the next three days, and I was able to get a few rides in.

Came home a day early, driving 13 hours straight back to Oly, WA.  Purpose: Get injured spouse back to comfort, doctor's care, and additional icing of bruised and damaged body parts. She sees the local Orthopedic Monday. This is what my marriage means to me. I love my best friend . . . and, wife.

Summary: 

She stated a number of times that she wants (as well as I) to go back to Sun Valley area next year.  It's very quaint, and manageable, has rivers meandering all over the place, and miles and miles of single track through wilderness areas.  The people we came upon were extremely hospitable and reached out. One even provided dinner and lunches for us. 

Recommendation:

A definite place to go back to again and one is better off flying from SeaTac and renting bikes than driving the 2 days.  We will both return again.  Next:  Two very strenuous rides while the significant other recovered.

"Race Track" and Rider . . . Have Nice Curves

Military Assault Squirrel (MAS)

Tomorrow is an opportunity to ride Fort Lewis single-track again. The trail planned to be ridden is referred to as "RaceTrack" (area 21). It's about 11 miles out and back, is fast, swoopy, and it's got nice curves and turns to it. One time riding it we were stopped and threatened by "Military Assault Squirrels" (MAS's). We gave 'em some nuts and they got to become "friendlies." Here's a photo one of the friendlier ones.  

What's With The Sign

Speaking of trails with nice curves reminds me that one of my best friends (okay, I'm married to her too) started taking riding more than just casual -- on her own motivation. She's taking riding serious (and seriously fun) and has increased her fitness level and satisfaction in being able to "stay on my tail" more often now. I was surprised recently when she showed me her new little notebook (it's not black and it doesn't have men's names and numbers in it . . . yet), to keep track of the dates of her rides with a goal of 100 rides within the year. (Jeff Hall raised the idea!) New math says that's an average of two (2) rides a week. I offered up some incentive stating I'd give her something special on ride #'s 25, 50, and 75. Any ideas?

Thumper Turns 100

Today was a good ride - pushed it on the RaceTrack at Ft. Lewis, Area 21, setting a new personal best at just under 45 minutes.  Ran into Ken and had a nice introduction and chat.  Agreed to hook up for a ride when he comes through Bend, my soon-to-be new home.

But the real reason for this post is that I got home and decided to catch up (several months behind) on logging my rides off the Garmin.  Turns out today was the "century" ride - # 100 - on Thumper, my Specialized StumpJumper.  I am pretty much just a week-end rider, so it has taken almost two years (a month shy) to hit 100 rides (Gee, I guess that adds up at 52 weeks in a year.  Duh!).

Total stats are 100 rides, 155 hours in the saddle (moving time), 1,078 miles traveled, 91,000 feet in elevation gain (at least that sounds impressive), all at an average speed of 7.0 mph.

What those numbers don't convey is the amount of joy captured, stress unloaded, and companionship enjoyed.

All thanks to my riding buddy John Specht  (aka Girlfriend, as my wife calls him), who introduced me to MTB and very patiently rode with me as I improved over the years.  The Garmin does not capture it, but I would bet that 800 of those 1,000+ miles were ridden with John.

Thank you, John.  Happy trials and looking forward to sharing my new "home trails" with you when you come to visit me in Bend (soon and often, hint, hint).