bluekat's Journeys

Nope. Didn’t go to McCullough Peak. Several reasons for that, the steep climbs, some time constraints, and a bit of lingering fog. Who am I kidding. We all know it was the climbing! This is where the hurt starts I did ride (well, mostly hiked a bike) to the little viewpoint up past Extendo Trail.  Not today Satan! Lol. It’s not a view point anymore.  Where's the view? Same spot in 2012 This was one of my turnaround points. I didn’t get over to Corvallis until late in the morning. Then I had to stop at the bike shop for a water bottle because … guess who forgot to bring her water bottles?  Guess who forgot her water bottles I wasn’t quite ready to turn back, but I also didn’t think I had the time to climb (walk actually) up the last steep bits to the peak. A bit of fog made the possibility of no view added to that decision. (Really wasn’t much fog, like hardly any, but why take chances) Looking back down the hill I did ride up to the intersection with the 770, planning to ...

Cronemiller Lake. Can you find the painted rock? 🍁🍂🍁 McDonald Forest is magical in the fall. 🍁🍂🍁  This was supposed to be an easy day. Oops. It’s only 15 miles. How hard can it be?   I forgot how steep the climb is coming out of Peavy Arboretum. Not sure how I’m gonna do an epic gravel ride if I can’t even climb 2 miles of 10ish percent grade. So legs were toast in the first 2 miles. Top of the climb. So happy to see the cap house come into view   The start of some sweet downhill Actually I still felt pretty good at the saddle so rallied on to the top of Dimple Hill. I confess I walked the trail. I’m not a mtn biker and I have never been able to climb single track. Well not the uphill stuff anyway. I did the chicken ride down the trail though. Death grip on the brakes and one foot dangling for any hasty dismounts. Yeah, it wasn’t pretty. Forest magic Got back to the saddle and had a flat. 🤬 I’m slow at changing flats. ...

Gravel Sweetness! Visited one of my favs today - McDonald Forest. I almost opted for a quick spin on Zwift since it was foggy dreary outside, but I knew the valley was pretty clear, and I’d been saving for a trip to the Mac. Up by the Cap House Just one of those views I love First rode the Davies-Nettleton Loop, then since I wanted a little more, rode up toward Dimple Hill. Almost turned around. Legs just weren’t digging the grade at the start up the hill. Stopped, turned around, took a pic, then decided to carry on after all. Turned the bike around again and headed on up. I knew once I was past that initially steep part the road leveled off into what is just a sweet section of gravel road. I did opt to skip the final climb up Dimple, so I headed back at the big intersection just below. According to my coach there were to be no hard deep efforts today. I’m not quite sure how to define that, and not sure I hit that mark. There were a few tough spots, but they were reall...

My plan for the day was to go for a hike/run in McDonald Forest, on my favorite trail. Then I pulled a muscle in my back and worried I wouldn't make it after all. Rested a bit, then decided to give it a go. I love this place  Smells like new bridge! Came around the corner, out of the bushes and this! This is why I love it. Careful! Lunch view This. This gravel is calling my bike. Love biking here in the fall! Down we go. McDonald Forest Peavy Arboretum Powderhouse & Section 36 trails

Took the Domane for her first gravel ride. McDonald Forest of course. There is something purely fine about riding a bike in the forest. My gravel racing ambitions may well be too ambitious. I don't have enough motor for the uphills and I don't have the balls for the downhills. I can't blame it on the 32mm tires. I'm the same on my mtn bike with fat, squishy tires, so it's just me. Let's get this show on the road No matter. I had fun and I didn't burn up the brakes in my deathgrip. All right it does look rather puny here, but I swear this gravel was made of boulders. I did get better at riding through it. Trails. Dang but the trail builders have been busy! There are new trails everywhere. Some open, some a work in progress New trail Dave's Trail Views, flora, but no fauna. She (doe) dashed up the hill and out of sight as soon as I pulled out the camera. I need to start carrying a real camera. I feel limited with the phone, and I get l...

Okay, this is from my Facebook post from last Sunday when I actually ran the race. I frittered away the week and didn't write a blog post for posterity, so here 'tis. A cheater cut, paste and edit. More so I can look back and remember than anything else! I hate using Facebook as a journal. Blogger is much better for that. The run is the McDonald Forest 15k that has a 5k option. I did the 5k. Perhaps next year I'll be ready for the 15! My first official race with a start and finish and a tee shirt at the end. I even placed 1st in my division, which I’m pretty sure means I was the only one in my division ( I was). Good times and a fun run with a great group of runners. Thanks to my fellow runners and to Ron for being the photographer and cheer team for the day. Dave from the bike store Tracii Archana  Robert Yours Truly My prize for placing first in division (1 of 1). :) Mac Socks - Yay! And the tee shirt

Morning in the forest is soooo wonderful. Good for the soul, or whatever. Did one of my regular routes. It's been over a month since I've been here. How did a whole month go by? That explains why my legs are so sore this afternoon. It would also explain why the trail looked so lush and overgrown with a new crop of wildflowers to distract me from my workout. Carpenteria californica, or so Google says. Heck you didn't think I'd come up with the latin name did you? It was the usual stuff. Hike up, run down until the legs are thrashed. Then hobble back to the car. The hike up was at a pretty good pace, I think. I jogged some of the lesser inclines. Ran from Peavy down to the lake, about a mile. Stopping to fuss after things in my pack and what have you, so I had some short breaks. Fern. (I figured that one out myself!) I fell once. The upside of trail running, if you're lucky you will face plant into a soft part of the trail. No harm done, and the lady I pa...