6/30/23 3:38 PM

Second stretch of smoke from Canada that's kept me inside for several days this year. Never had this much smoke on the west coast, though I did wake up with ashes on my car a few times. Literally irritating to the eyes and lungs to be outside for more than a few minutes.

7/2/23 8:33 AM

We've had visible smoke in Michigan but not bad enough to keep me off the bike. Some of the pictures you see around the country are startling.

7/2/23 9:46 AM

Almost back to normal today. May go out for a couple hours later but I did an epic ride indoors yesterday and my legs hate me.

7/2/23 9:52 AM

I have gotten used to it here. Some years loosing days was a shame, perfect riding days otherwise.

9/2022 Crater Lake had big potential to go bad, SW Medford fire, and I actually got a 80+ mile detour [each way] due main route to crater fire closures. Different fire to the NW.

I rode counter clockwise, and when I got round to the NE 2:00 position I started smelling smoke. Luckily it was 1/2 way, so I did a U and returned to start and left. Which was fine, same miles, and no shuttle or driving back down West side with 4 wheelers on the non closed section [1/3 of rim road]. And tons of partial bikers, as I call them. More dangerous than blunt skulls in the cars. You go off pavement and your toast. ;) Down the mountain side or into the crater side, shoulders? Hah!

But the detour caused a 574 mile round trip to do the ride. approx 200 mile drive each way normally is bad enough. But add in the 170 mile from the detours, argh...

And you can't trust weather forecasts totally, MTN make up it's mind fast and furious. Only had one bust trip with 34^ sleeting which was a book reading day at the fireplace in the lodge, bike never came outta the van.

Not sure I'll go back after 5 trips [4 successfuls], but I say that after each one and I am back again. Truly a bucket list ride...

7/4/23 11:35 AM

It feels a bit weird that there are fires raging way north and the bulk of the smoke problems are south and west of us in NH. We've been really lucky here so far. We were in central MA in the past few days and there was definitely some haze on Saturday, but it didn't affect our ability to ride or enjoy ourselves.