Estacada 100 With Kevin and David

This is the last week before I start back to work.  Hence, the last week I can do a midweek ride.  David and Kevin are usually riding, but often much faster than me.  They've turned into monsters.  They slowed down for me today.



David has a permanent populaire that goes out to Estacada and back, starting at the corner of SE Bybee and SE 17th.  The logical start point is Marsee Baking :-)  We agreed to start as soon as David got his boys off to school, shortly after 9am.  For me to get there before 9am, because I was NOT going to ride to Marsee Baking and NOT have coffee and pastry, I planned to set out 7:30-ish.  Only 12 miles, but there is a big hill, commute traffic through downtown, and then the light rail construction to get around on the east side.  Careful reading of the construction updates said I could head south on SE 9th, and I'd be ok.  Riiiiight.

Fun riding east on the Sunset Hwy MUP - saw lots of cyclists flying downhill west.

Heading east on Division Place, the road was CLOSED just past SE 8th.  Ok, I'd head south on 8th, and cut over before SE Powell, which was the reason I needed to be on SE 9th - there is a pedestrian bridge over SE Powell there.  Except I kept riding and not finding a connector road.  Fortunately, a block before Powell, there was a road heading east (and lots of cyclists on it heading into Portland!)  Uneventful after that; arrived at Marsee Baking about 8:50, plenty of time for a mocha and an almond croissant.



Kevin showed up shortly after I arrived, and David some after that.  Ritual of the releases and the perm card, and official start time 9:15am.

We headed east on SE Bybee, which became SE Woodstock, through neighborhoods, and roads that were busy until there was a turnoff onto another major street, then quiet.  Onto the Springwater Trail at SE 128th, then the familiar run out to Boring and our first control.  David and I talked about the upcoming new B&M Luxos U light.  The beam pattern is amazing, plus it has a USB plug built in for charging whatever it is that needs a charge.  Not sure how I'd mount it on my bike, but I'd figure something out.

Then onto Richey and Amisigger, and I was totally delighted to ride BY the turnoff onto Judd Rd.  Today we took Baker's Ferry, Eaden, Hayden and Estacada roads into Estacada; all new to me.  Pretty views off Eaden.  We got whistled at twice (same truck, coming and going).  I think the driver was astounded at David's quads, myself.







Once we got to Estacada (our turnaround control), David announced that he had to scoot, so he'd be there when school let out.  Kevin thought he'd stay with me, and David flew off ahead.  We stopped at the Thriftway (many great murals in Estacada; I should have taken pictures) for me to get water and a banana, then headed off ourselves.  Winched ourselves out of Estacada (I was in totally the wrong gear, and had to loop back into the parking lot to downshift).

Back through Barton again, but heading to to Oregon City now.  Springwater Rd and Clackamas River Rd were, again, really pretty - Clackamas River Rd has nice river views.  Got our last two yellers of the day (many of them, all in pickup trucks.) along here.  I can't ever make out what they are saying, but I am pretty sure it is supportive and encouraging.



Stopped at a gas station in Oregon City (control); bought another banana.  I'd been munching on fruitcake all day, and getting bananas at the stops.





Then the final 10 mile slog north.  We'd had a headwind on the outgoing leg, and then the wind shifted.  I actually like riding on SE River Rd and the Trolley Trail, but there's lots of stop signs on the trail and points north from there.  Back onto River Rd, then the left turn on Wren and drop down to the river to pick up the trail right at the river's edge.  Then a bit more trail along McLoughlin, and onto SE 17th.  If there was ever a reason to remove on-street parking, SE 17th is it.  I will not ride in the door zone, and the lanes are narrow.

Finally back at Marsee Baking.  Got a bagel with salmon cream cheese and some coffee for the 12+ miles home.  We filled out our cards (5:30 elapsed for the route; David was 51 minutes faster :-) ), then Kevin saw David a block away (he lives a couple blocks from the bakery), and ran our cards over to him.

I planned to ride back to the Hawthorne Bridge via the Springwater Trail; didn't want to work my way through the construction.  Found my way back to the trail (Kevin: "follow Bybee, turn right on, oh, I forget"), and took a few pictures along the trail.  Always riding in a group on the trail; hard to get pictures.  The sun was low, so the light was great.





Rode up out of town, then UP through Washington Park, and Canyon Rd to the Sylvan overpass.  All downhill from here; except the sun was setting, so I had to stop and take more pictures.



92.8 miles for the day, 5180 vertical feet, 12.20 avg.  13.38 moving average for the Estacada 100.

All the pics here.

418 RUSA km needed to break 5000km for the year.