A couple rides, a couple hunts

Ok, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday...I managed to cram 2 grouse hunts, 2 rides, a fair visit, and a work day into those 3 days.

Saturday, I got up and donated plasma. Ya, I'm still doing that. Except this time, I drank LOTS of water the 2 days previous, ate right, and limited my caffeine, and no alcohol. Plus, the first thing I had them do was slow down my return. I was the first one started, and one of the first ones done.

Once that was done, I headed back home to get ready for hunting, and to wait for Jake, the bro-in-law, who was supposed to come grouse hunting with me. He said he'd probably roll on over to our house around 10. I got there around 10:30, and he wasn't there. I said I'd give him till noon, you can see how pressed for time I was...

Well, about noon rolls around and I just leave. I got about a quarter mile from the pickup when my phone rang. It was on vibrate, and I couldn't feel it, but I could hear it. I couldn't figure out what the sound was until it was too late to answer. I checked my voice mail, and Jake was way too apologetic. He drank too much at The Beach; I know the feeling. I saw some bobcat tracks, but there weren't any birds to be found on Saturday, so, I went on home.

I found out once I got home that Jake, and friends, were going to be joining us to the fair that evening. Wonderful! I love the fair! The best part about this fair is the fact that there is no admission price. You just walk in, look at the animals and crafts, pay for the overpriced food, and leave. One thing I didn't know about the fair is that there is a home-brew category. If I'd only known....I've got some cider that is ready that I'm letting age in the fermenter until I get the gumption to try it. Anyway, the fair was...well...a fair, and we left.

Jake came over, after he dropped his friends off at the dorm, to work on his shotgun, drink a couple beers, and sleep on the couch (lest he miss hunting again). He worked on his gun, I drank some beer, Jessica watched TV.

We headed out the next morning. We found one grouse, and he wasn't shoot-able (too quick for us). We jumped a couple of deer, and otherwise had a nice walk through the woods. We saw a bear track, which was rather exciting. We kept walking, and found the pickup, and home we went again. Another nice walk carrying a gun.

Sunday afternoon, I changed the oil in my bike. It needed it. After that, I took off for Spiral. The wind wasn't any fun to ride in. It was blowing HARD. I saw one other guy on a bike on the way down. He was having less fun than I was, but at least he had fairings to give some wind protection. I went down, then up Spiral, and realized, for sure, what I was pretty sure about as soon as I left the city limits of Moscow...HEAD HOME, IT'S TOO DAMN WINDY! I got home, and took my gear off. What a shitty day for a ride... Why is it that even shitty days for rides put a big grin on your face that won't go away for a couple hours?

Anyway, I went to bed happy.

I got up Monday morning and went to work, mostly uneventful day. Jessica had a late class, so during the down time, I plotted out myself a ride for after work. 100 miles, mostly of forest land.

I left work, and gassed up. Bovill was my next destination. I headed there, slowing only briefly to stay within grasp of the speed limit, and then took off or Santa. Yes, a town named Santa. It's on the Saint Marie's River, and on the way to Saint Marie's. Well, actually, for me, it's on the way to the White Pine Drive--my own personal heaven. Lots of folks will tell you that Spiral Highway is one of the best roads around. Most of them haven't driven the White Pine Drive. Spiral beats the crap out of the White Pine Drive for technical corners, hands down. But, what the White Pine Drive lacks in tight, technical, corners, it makes up for in not having a damn cliff if you crash. Crashing on Spiral would be a bad idea, because you either have cliff wall up or cliff wall down. Crashing on the White Pine Drive, you would probably end up going up the side of the mountain, but it's no cliff wall up or down. The corners are really nice too, and there's hardly ever anyone on the road.

Don't get me wrong, it's some pretty technical stuff, but it's no Spiral. There's no hairpins, and instead of 15-25 mph corners, they are all 25-35 mph corners.

I can go much faster (in relation to the posted speed) on the White Pine Drive because of the simple fact that I don't feel like I'm going off a cliff if shit happens. I'm much more confident in my corners.

So, anyway, it started to rain. Yeah, I still have my chaps. My top half of my body was dry, my legs were dry, and my crotch was wet. What a weird look, I don't recommend it, get real pants.

A little rain, a little sun, a little breeze (not too bad), and a bunch of good miles, and I got home.

Tonight, I had 3 jobs: dishes, bathrooms, and finish the headboard. I've done the dishes, and finished the headboard (with the exception of attaching it to the bed), and now I'm blogging until I have to clean the bathrooms. Jessica's mom is coming, or the bathrooms could wait till the weekend. Oh well.

The headboard looks really great. It's really done, for reals. I finally have all the pieces put together, and all the buttons sewn on, and the whole thing is behind the bed. It's ready for use. I'm really excited, and so is Jessica.

Anyway, that's about all that's been going on in real life....



dear commenters:
you guys are great, keep it up, I love the feed back!
Jeff