Fueled by Ice Cream and V-8

Given that the first two attempts at my August rando ride were non-starters - 1 DNF, 1 DNS - if I wanted to keep the R-24 streak going, I had to successfully ride SOMETHING.  I own three perms.  It shouldn't be hard.

Decided on 1401 - Beaverton - Hagg Lake - Carlton.  Other than the breathtaking number of info controls, it had the advantage of not getting that far away from home base.  I think spousal unit was getting a little worried about me.  All the ride buddies were unavailable, so it would be me, myself and I.  Preparing wouldn't be hard - the bike was all ready for that ride it did not start.  Wore the Randonneurs USA jersey.  I have learned that if one rides in red, white, and blue, chances of harassment are reduced.  And since it was just me, I was going to exploit that.

Breakfast of eggs, toast, and juice, then off to the Starbucks for a pre-ride mocha and receipt.  Uneventful ride west.  There was a bit of a headwind, which was just enough to make me feel like I should have stayed in bed.  Overcast, and very agreeable temperatures.  I actually wore arm warmers until I got to Forest Grove.



Jackson Quarry Rd has fresh chipseal.  St Francis Church in Roy (a control) has brand new concrete pavement and they've remodeled the bathrooms.  The donation can is currently not present.

All of Banks turned out to watch me ride through town.  Chairs lining the street, and so on.  Ok, well, maybe it wasn't for me.  Perhaps a parade before the Combine Destruction Derby.



By the time I got to Forest Grove, I wanted something substantial.  An ice cream sandwich and a Sobe sounded pretty good.  By the direct route, I can make it from my house to Forest Grove in just over an hour.   By the perm route, it took almost 4 hours. :-)





Keeping on south, out and around Hagg Lake.  There was a sign about culvert repair and construction for September.  Not clear if it would close the road.  Up and down and up and down and up and down.  Brief pause at Sain Creek.  Learning - a bicycle will fit in the handicapped stall.







Though Gaston, with a stop for more drinks.  Their drink selection was severely depleted.  Got a V-8 to drink right there, and a Coke for my calorie bottle.  At this point I was beginning to wonder if I'd finish on time.  By my reckoning I was running it pretty close.  And so I tried to pick it up heading south to Yamhill and Carlton.  Waved at all the people in Rick and Catherine's driveway :-)  By the time I hit Laughlin Rd, I figured I was going to be ok, and relaxed a bit.





Stopped at the market in Carlton, where I got more V-8, another ice cream bar, some Sobe for the calorie bottle and water for the water bottle.



Only 44 miles to go and lots of time in the bank.  The wind was supposed to get favorable for awhile, but it was "variable".  Finally heading north on North Valley.  While this ride was NOT finishing in Forest Grove and NOT finishing in Hillsboro, I always feel like I am on the home stretch once I am on North Valley.



Lots of haying in progress.  Oregon summer - hot shimmery blue sky, not a cloud in sight.  Queen Anne's Lace and a few other wildflowers by hay-brown roadsides.  By now the temperature was slowly dropping from its mid-80's high of the day.





Hoping that the turn east onto Geiger would get me some tailwind.  Maybe.  Still variable.  Some harassment from a driver headed the other way on a totally empty road. Huh?  Needed more liquids, and the Forest Hills Golf Course was just ahead.  I stop there often, but never buy anything.  That changed on this ride.  Snapple for the calories bottle, another V-8 to consume on the spot.  Got my vegetables on this ride, yes indeed.

Turned right onto SW Johnson School, and saw the ROAD CLOSED sign.  The detour would be Tongue Rd to Hwy 219, then south to Burkhalter to rejoin the route.  I very much dislike riding on Tongue Rd, so I thought I'd see exactly how closed it was.  As Cecil says... "there's closed and there's closed".  Finally, just at Behrman Farms, I saw a very big piece of construction equipment parked across the road.  "Bridge Out". Well, there's out and there's out.  After squeezing around the equipment, I found an entirely passable road.  Well, dirt, and boards, anyway.  There were other bike tire tracks in the dirt :-)  Not that I recommend this for you, of course.



Back on the bike, crossing 219, oooh!  look! the alpacas are back!



Last info control, and then working my way into Hillsboro.  I love the "Reduced Speed Ahead" signs.  Coming into a town.  Pulled in at the Jackson's for the last timed control and bought a half height Pringles to munch on for the last 6+ miles.



Finally, the tailwind!  Finished off the last bit pretty quickly, for a total elapsed time of 11:43.  Not much slower than our February ride, but a bit slower riding and a bit less faffing.  Some day I'll get the faster riding and the less faffing together on the same ride.

Including the to/from, 132 mi. 13.5 avg.
All the pictures here