Catch-UP

  I know, it's been forever since I posted last.  Seems like the last year or two has really been a ride!  After listing our house for over two years we finally sold it last June and moved into a rental in Hayden in hopes that we could pounce on 'the one' that would inevitably come on the market.  After another year of searching and also looking at the possibility of building we stubbornly came to the conclusion that there would be a chance of a snow ball in hell before we could even come close to be able to afford to build what we wanted.  So with most things in life we changed our search criteria a bit and found something that I think we can grow into and enjoy until the kids move out...and it's only a block down the road!  Win Win!
  So that's the positive news...the not-so-positive news is that health issues have arisen and have caused some not-so-awesome crap to happen.  Close to two years ago I realized that my ear had been plugged for a very long time, and after watching it a bit I also noticed eye movement that matched my heart rate with raised blood pressure.  The ENT I visited ordered an allergy test, which I KNEW I would fail miserably...and bingbottaboom...I started taking three allergy shots a week.  Buuuutt...after 6 months of getting poked and shot up every week my symptoms didn't improve.  So the ENT ordered a CT scan and we ultimately found a little hole in my inner ear that shouldn't have been there.  It turns out I have something called Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence (SSCD).  In a normal ear, there are three canals set at different angles that are the structures responsible for sending signals to the brain about head position and balance.  The superior canal extends up into the base of the scull before coming back down into the cochlea.  On a normal ear, there is a layer of scull bone between the superior canal and the brain cavity.  With my ear, the canal has come in contact with the scull at the bottom of the brain cavity and an extra 'window' into the canal has been created where there shouldn't be one.  This site kinda explains it more:  http://vestibular.org/superior-canal-dehiscence-scd
  Over time my balance became worse, especially with raised heart rate.  The symptoms that accompany my extra ear-hole are:
1. Eye movement with heart beat.  This only occurs after elevated heart pressure/rates.  For instance after I've climbed a couple flights of stairs I need to put effort into relaxing and lowering my hear rate so my eyes don't 'shift' while trying to read.  This has provided tons of practice on relaxation methods.  Nothing says 'chill the hell out' like 'relax or your world will spin!'  I have found zen though probably for the entirely wrong reasons.
2.  Autonomy - this word describes hearing yourself talk, chew, walk...and whatever else sends shock through your body.  Wearing cowboy boots, though very comfortable on the feet, was uncomfortable for the head - I could hear every step.  If it was quiet enough I could even hear my eyes and neck muscles move.
3.  Full ear feeling - like my ear was always plugged.  I could still hear out of the hear very well but it was just uncomfortable.
4. Sensitivity to loud noises.  I have played drums for years and recently tried to pick them back up to find out if I hit a drum too hard it would make my head vibrate.  Kinda like a cartoon!  Walking through the weld shop at work became impossible without ear protection.  This also included talking loud too.  If I was caught in the shop with a question I would make myself dizzy by trying to talk loud enough so they could hear me over the background noise of the machine or weld shop.
  All these symptoms I believe have also led me to become extremely tired very fast throughout the day.  It started to make sense when I heard others with this disorder talk about the 'brain fog' it caused.  Over time I noticed that I had a difficult time focusing on things that used to be really easy for me to do at work.  Short-term memory was punishing at work when I couldn't remember what meetings I had or who I had to talk to.  I became dependent on my laptop and smartphone to keep my schedule and to-do's straight.  I also had a hard time remembering what was supposed to be happening at home during the week.  My wife and I would usually talk Sunday afternoon and go over all the things going on that week and all would be good.  I kept finding myself trying to use Google Calendar to keep my week straight.  Writing a good e-mail took twice as long and I found myself double- and triple-checking the wording before I would send them because sometimes I would find that I said something twice or left something else out entirely.  All-in-all it's become a real problem that I decided I couldn't live with, so we starting looking into surgical solutions.

2013 Adventure Ride, Day 9 (July 28)

  There were quite a few motorcyclists leaving the RV park before us, so we figured it was time to skittle.  We arrived in Pewiston...I mean Lewiston - if you've ever been there you know what I b talkin' 'bout - stinky papermill - 'nuf said.   The bikes got their tanks filled while we chatted up the station clerk for a decent place for morning chow.  As usual, it was attended by a teenager that didn't know much of anything...we must be back in civilization again.  He knew of a waffle house - didn't know how to get there but he knew there was one close by.  Isn't that kinda like 'hey, I'd really like to drive that Porsche out there, but if I could only find the keys....'.  My wifey used to live in the Pew for a few years so I luckily remembered there were a couple good places to eat on the main drag...and figured it would be our best bet.  I figured right...
  We had a great meal...for CHEAP at the Waffle House and I told the gents I had one last road we needed to ride...Old Lewiston Grade.  Better known as....wait for it...the Old Spiral Highway...


Lewiston's Old Spiral Highway

...and yes, it IS as twisty as it looks.  Not only is it curvy as a prom date but every corner is pitched just right - almost like a race car driver designed it.  I've been up and down this thing quite a few times but it never gets old.



Scotty

Mike

   The overlook was the last stop, and we were ready to be home.  They went their way and I went mine through Moscow on home.  I almost thought about heading home the afternoon before, but I'm sure glad I didn't because that was the longest 120 miles of the trip.  All highway...man, it doesn't take long of your head getting pounded by wind to start REALLY missing the dirt roads.  But I took the opportunity while my head was in a tumbler to reflect on the ride.  We only had a few small repairs and nobody got hurt and I got to see some new country and try some tighter trails...and loved every bit of 'em.  There's still trail and road I haven't seen in those same areas that will make me want to come back and I saw stuff that makes a guy just say 'WOW'.  Finally, the dudes you ride with make the trip.  That last bit will always be a huge one for me.  No matter how great the weather and trail conditions are, if you ride with a bunch of goobers you'll have a goober ride.  I always enjoy riding with these two...and deep down I really missed Fud...even if he's Fud. 
  In total we traveled 1310 miles and the tallest peak was hit at 8600 feet.  I can't wait for the next ride...who knows where it will take us.  Montana has some great undiscovered roads and there's always Canada - only problem there is I'd have to trade the pistol for a shotgun.  Hmmm...the tough choices we have to make... until next time!

Day 9 Elevation Plot

Day 9 GPS Track

Trip GPS Track

2013 Adventure Ride, Day 8 (July 27)

  RRRrrrrrrrrroooooooowwwwww!   We awoke to 21 planes flying right over us, taking off from the strip we passed the day before and making their way to their individual fire assignments.  So we broke camp and headed back to the café in town for some breakfast and planning of the day's ride.

Main Street of Yellow Pine

Scott and Mike are parked at the general/liqueur/gas store, and the green-topped building is the café...

Yellow Pine General Store

Now that's convenient...a Tavern and Bar on the same side of the road! ; )

...and boy was a surprised to see they had a city golf course!  Complete with club rentals at the General Store...though I only saw some peeps using two or three irons.  Still though, I was intrigued and if I'd noticed it the day before I might have been inclined to grab a few beers and clubs from the Gen Store and try it out!


Yellow Pine City Golf Course

   I noticed a lot of people around and Mike talked a bit to the gas attendant/owner of the general store about the traffic.  She explained in no uncertain terms that she was not happy there (I think a hangover may have been talking) and the town was going to turn into a zoo soon.  Some of the traffic was due to the firefighter camp but there were also a herd of people coming for the annual harmonica festival.  Yeah, you heard me...a harmonica festival.  Honestly, I would have loved to stick around and see what THAT was all about, but we had to be on our way...if you're interested, here's the website...yes they have their own website: http://yellowpinemusicandharmonicafestival.org/ 

  We  headed east out of town to Warren along Stibnite creek, which was just as amazing a ride as it was riding in from the south...

Stibnite Creek

We took a left up Profile Creek and headed north over Elk Summit...

Elk Summit in the background

Rainy made it out his bag for a pic...

...geesh...more mountains!  Lots of steep ones comin' up...see that little road in the distance?  Dat b where we goin'...

For me, this was the best part of the whole ride.  There is no picture that can capture how crazy steep these mountains are...and how narrow the road is that's cut into the side of them.  Plus, the road was made up of some really loose gravel and  there were definitely a couple spots that puckered my butt.  We ended up passing a old beater truck hauling wood down the hill...you would think there would be easier places to get wood!

Down from Elk Summit

...and where you go down you must go up!  Just as we made our way down from Elk Summit up the mountain to Warren Summit we went!  Maybe looking at the elevation plot below would give a better representation of the steepness...these peaks are the two large spikes at the beginning of it...

Looking back on Elk Summit

Warren Summit

  We didn't stick around Warren Summit very long seeings the bees were especially a pain in the ass up there. 

As we headed into Warren for gas there was a big gun-lookin' thingy we just had to check out....

LOL...I wunder what's in dat hole...

  Seemed this place was pretty popular with the Boise crowd.  There were tons of side-by-sides parked in front of what appeared to be the only place in town still open.  I kinda expected a gas station....

Where's the gas?

  It turns out the only thing you could get was beer...but this place was HOPPIN'!

The Baum Shelter - in all it's glory

Somethin' tells me this table wasn't very flat

  Since we had already been to Bergdorf last year I thought it would be nice to try another route down to Riggins.  On one of my maps I found a trail 325 that went north of Warren to the Salmon River.  The trail was a true 2-track trail complete with some pretty aggressive terrain and a cool lookout... 

Lookout above Warren

...and here is where I got all snotted up.  We ended up on the road to Bergdorf after a VERY rough road out of the lookout.  Truth be told, I'm kinda glad we didn't find 325 since it would have been pretty slow going.  And who knows how steep and richter the trail was down to the river.  Still though, I want to find that trail and ride it someday...with less gear!

The grade down to Riggins

...back to the Salmon River...I half expected seeing some of the rafters we met four days ago...

  A trip through Riggins just doesn't seem complete anymore without stopping at 7-Devils bar and grille.  What they DON'T tell you is the grill doesn't open until 4:00 and it was only 3:00.  No matter...we decided to just have some beers for an hour while we waited for the grille to open.  About 15 minutes into the wait this teenage girl comes rolling into the bar with her two friends who looked like they were on their way to prom.  Well, it turns out it was her 21st birthday...and she'd already had quite a few...and she had a mouth on 'er.  Every person that walked into the bar got her grand screaming welcome...."Welcome to the f***in' bar!  Show me your ID!".  Really?  Wow...after about 10 minutes of that crap we decided to bid that place and the 'yatch friggin' adieu.  Kamiah was calling our name...and y'all know what that means...

Oh baby...YES!

...the Kub Burger!  Yes folks, this is the best burger in the state (pretty sure)...but you gotta bring your man-pants and a hell of an appetite!  Luckily I packed both for just the occasion.  ; )
  At this point it was getting pretty late and there wasn't a camp site within 30 miles.  We finally punted and stayed at the local Long Camp RV park.  Not ideal but we were tired and just ready for a shower and a drink.  Luckily we had the super-sweet talker Mr. Mike with us...he somehow sweet-talked that poor little attendant into $10 for all of us that night.  I don't know how he does it...because frankly I don't care.  I only know that when he starts I have to walk away and he gets the job done.  Someday I'll stick around and see how it's done....

RV camp - not ideal but it works

You know, this wasn't that bad of a place to pitch a tent.  I mean, there were a few people on the other side of the park but it was quiet.  We even had a view of a purdy little pond with ducks and stuff in it.  We DID find out, however, that the local feline fancied herself a predator for those ducks.  About ten minutes after we went to bed there was a devilish ruckus at the pond.  Seems the cat got into it with the ducks, and by the sound of it the ducks won!  It got a chuckle out of me...I like ducks...

Day 8 Elevation Plot

Day 8 GPS Track

2013 Adventure Ride, Day 7 (July 26)

  There were tons of ants in camp, which made it easy to hurry through breaking it.  I couldn't wait
  The road into Stanley was awesome...just look at dem mountains!  We filled up the tanks in Stanley and headed out on highway 21, which I think is also called the Custer scenic byway.  I was enjoying the ride so much I missed the damn turn.  Good thing Mike was keeping an eye on the us yunguns and got us turned back around.  Oopsie!

 

There weren't as many critter as I/we were hoping to see...actually, there weren't any at all! As we entered Bear Valley I thought for SURE we'd see some furry beings, but nope!

  At least the road was great.  Smooth, well-traveled, and just all-around awesome 5th-gear riding.

  It was a good thing I was looking so hard for critters because a dirt-biker damn near t-boned me coming off a single-track from who-knows-where.  After that bloke I saw three more riders...two of which were riding side-by-side and making it impossible to pass on the dust road.  We left Bear Valley and headed on to Yellowpine along a purdy little creek...

we came around the corner to find this huge airfield full of helicopters, planes, and over 300 firefighters.  This has been a terrible year for fires and this was now one of three camps we had seen so far.

Finally made it to Yellowpine and stopped into the local cafe for lunch...and whataya know, they had wireless!  No phone, no cell service, but they could surf da web whenever they want!  Weird but I wasn't complaining...I had a chance to Skype the wifey and show her around the town a little bit.  Before we left town we made sure to stop at the local hooch house where it also turns out a dusty traveler can get anything from gas to groceries.  Handy.

Yellowpine Cafe

Yellowpine cafe

  We set up camp and just relaxed for a bit.  Mike wasn't feeling too well so we didn't see much of him for a while... 

Golden Gate Campground - nice pose Scotty

  While Mike was trying to recover from something he ate Scott and I decided to try our luck at fishing the stream...

Beer and fish...what could be better

We had some luck..nothing massive really - lots of minnows.  A few Scott decided to hang up in the bushes on his back cast (on accident of course).  A few 8-inch rainbows took the bait.  The rest of the night was pretty uneventful...soup and leftover pizza for dinner and hit the sack pretty early.

Sunset on Johnson Creek

Day 7 Elevation Plot

Day 7 GPS Track