Woke up at 7:30 am in the Motel 6 – what a luxury (compared to camping in a hammock)!

Did not eat breakfast – just geared up and got ready to ride. It was 54 degrees F outside when I began riding.

I saddled up and hit the trail for another day, cranking up the mountain towards Mt. Bachelor. I’ll use all my 24 gears on today’s ride – another day of adventure!

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” ― John Muir

I wonder what John Muir was like many years ago – perhaps he would be a mountain biker if he lived in this day and time! I am privileged to take his advice on this day, following some wonderful dirt trails on my mountain biking adventure.

It is another great day. I am thankful for the exquisite beauty that God made in his creation. The way the sun rises to warm my skin, the way a tree grows and extends its shade, the grace of a bird in flight on the mountain updraft, the symmetry of a bright flower’s bloom, the thundering rush of a stream over a waterfall falling at its base and running downstream. God’s hand is everywhere I see, hear, and feel – and in everything I experience.

And I am grateful for the health with which God has granted me. Due to health issues, many are not able to ride mountain trails as I ride them. And my health is not taken as granted – I consider health a gift from God each and every day.

So I started the day thankful and amazed at what God had in store. I rode out of Bend towards Mt. Bachelor, on the Cascade Lakes Highway, headed for an epic advanced/difficult trail called “Tiddlywinks” (7.2 miles long).

The climb was gradual for the first few miles out of Bend. But the elevation grade kicked up soon. I geared down and kept cranking. Many vehicles headed out of Bend on the highway carried mountain bikes, road bikes,  kayaks, paddle boards, and other recreational equipment. Many bikers passed me as we cranked uphill. Most of the bikers  going up and down that highway were road bikers. Each had an encouraging  word as we passed. I saw a cross country skier with poles and roller blades going up and down the highway – he was training seriously in the off season (summertime).

With stops to rest and to check navigation, it took me about 3 hours of ascending 13.5 miles to get to the Tiddlywinks trailhead. I stopped and ate lunch (granola bar, trail mix, and water) near the trailhead.

Don’t let the trail name Tiddlywinks confuse you. This is one epic mountain biking trail, not some fru-fru trail. The trail begins with a mile, or so, of relatively flat downhill. Then some climbing to a ridge. After this things get interesting – multiple danger warning signs on the trail – see the “skull and crossbones” on the pink sign below.

Some serious. steep downhill trail after the signs. I rode down multiple switchback curves through the trees – the trail was similar to a motorcycle motocross track with MONSTER banked earth berms and deep ruts.

Switchback after challenging switchback took me downhill. It was a big drop. I thought the curves would never end. It was mountain biking heaven! I was riding the brakes most of the way down, using both front and rear brakes to check my speed. In between the curves were earth mounds and rocks for launching jumps into the alpine air.

I took multiple jumps and had my only fall of the entire trip. I saw another earth mound, let go of the brakes to gain speed, and launched into the jump, only to discover a rock outcropping out of sight, but visible as I launched past the mound. Mountain rock embedded in the landing zone (LZ) is not what you wish for. My front tire hit one of the rocks in the LZ, and my front wheel slowed. The rear-end of the bike kept moving forward with my momentum, and my speed forward launched me over the handlebars. This move is called an “endo” (short for end-over-end). My bike and I tumbled to a stop just off the trail. I was still clipped in to the pedals. When all the tumbling stopped, I was located upside down (and sideways) in some low bushes, with the bike on top of me. I think my backpack took some of the impact of my falling body when it hit the ground. And my helmet did its job protecting my head. I lay there for a minute, letting the adrenaline and the shock of the crash subside. During that time I was doing a self-assessment – was anything broken or bleeding? No visible injuries. Then it took a few minutes to get the bike off of me, to untangle myself and the bike from the bushes, and to right myself.

Relieved that I had no injuries, I rested. Then I got back in the saddle after a few minutes and rode the rest of Tiddlywinks trail downward to a trail called Storm King (4.1 miles). Storm King was a fun, downhill, flowing trail. Then I hooked into Catch and Release trail (2.5 miles). Then I rode the Deschutes River trail (4 miles) back to Bend, following the Deschutes River. Stopped next to a place upriver of Bend called “Lava Island” and ate a snack. It was sunny and 82 degrees F.

Then I rode streets of Bend to get a snack at Taco Salsa. I thought it would be a snack – I ordered a bean and cheese burrito – and they delivered a monster burrito that became my dinner. It was delicious and hit the spot at the end of a full day of biking.

It was early evening, so I biked to Bend’s town park (Drake Park) on the Deschutes River and enjoyed the green grass and relatively cool temperature.

I biked 39 miles today and hit 5,500 feet in atitude.

I took several dirt paths today – like John Muir suggested. It was a good day and I was grateful for the blessing of this adventure.

“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” ― John Muir

Day Six – Marianne and Houdini