A Longish Weekend Ride with Many High Points

As I understand it, Cecil was planning to ride out to the BTA board retreat in Hillsboro at Team Estrogen.  Susan thought she'd ride into Portland, meet Cecil and they'd ride back together.  That's 34 miles for Susan, 17 miles for Cecil.  They invited me to join in on the ride part, and, as Team Estrogen isn't all that far from Longbottom's, I'd be back in plenty of time to lead a Portland Velo ride.  And then ride home.  But of course.

Bicycle of choice was Sweetpea because I'd need the lights, and it is the default bike for winter club rides (fast, yet fendered and luggaged).

Susan was riding in over Springville-Skyline-Thompson-Cornell.  That's kind of out of my way.  So, up at 4:15am, riding by 5am along the Sunset Hwy bike path, down through Washington Park, through downtown, over the Hawthorne Bridge, then right on 11th to meet at Kettleman's around 6am.  It being dark, I didn't bomb down the hills with quite my usual verve, and arrived a bit after 6.  Cecil was there, eating a bagel.  I'd had peanut butter toast and a banana at home, and, as Cecil said: "well, it got you over the hill".  Time for an everything bagel with lox cream cheese and a cup of coffee.

I had started out with a long sleeved wool knit shirt under a long sleeved wool jersey.  Ride leader vest over that, and Portland Velo Showers Pass jacket.  Took off the wool base layer and Showers Pass jacket - too hot!

Did I mention the three of us are in a weight loss death pact?  I was looking forward to the ride today because I could EAT with relative impunity.

So.  No Susan.  She appeared at 6:25am, and, at 6:30am, give or take, we were headed back west.  I'd never ridden UP Cornell-Thompson, but it was not a big deal.  4+ miles of climbing, no traffic.  It got light somewhere along there.  Then a delightful zip along Skyline, and the steep drop down Springville.

We passed the historic house on NW Kaiser, completely surrounded by suburbs.  I remember riding by it when there was Nothing There At All but Fields.  Nothing.  Kind of sad.

Susan took us on the Bethany Meadows Trail from NW Kaiser to NW West Union.  Nice!

A wander through her neighborhood with a brief stop, then they headed off for the meeting, and I headed off to Longbottom's.  30 miles, 2500 vertical feet, climbing the West Hills twice.  I had 90 minutes to kill, but I had brought some knitting along, and a full coffee card.  So I redeemed it for the largest orange-mocha they offered, and settled down to knit.

Eventually JRod came by and some others, and then it was time to go out and lead a 40 mile ride.  Brian C was in my group (yay!), Bill, and Ron.  Ron left us, and Mike Y joined us until Forest Grove.  Ate a well-buttered Rye-Molasses muffin in Forest Grove (brought from home, I add raisins and walnuts to the recipe).  I'd get ahead and then slow down for Bill to catch up.  We finished about 1:20, and Brian and I found a spot at the tables of Portland Velo riders and enjoyed a leisurely, um, fourth breakfast.  70 miles.

Time to head home.  A reasonably mindless 10 miles.

80 miles in all, 4400 vertical feet, My average for the Velo portion of the ride was 14.15 mph.

High points.  Well.  Sylvan summit.  Skyline at Thompson.  Riding with Cecil and Susan.  Eating with Impunity.  Nice day.  Riding with Brian C.  What else is there?