100k, The Non-Rando Way

Given that I wasn't going to be riding Something Big about right now, coach told me to go out, have fun and ride 100k or 200k on weekends.

There was a post on BikePortland about the Rapha Women's 100, with a 7:30am meetup in N PDX (ouch!).  Then there was a route posting, which I promptly converted to RideWithGPS (my very favorite mapping tool).  And finally, me.  I didn't know the makeup of the group, but figured that the Fast Bike would probably be the better choice.

Onto the MAX way early - I didn't feel like stressing out not being able to get there on time - off at the Rose Quarter and north on Williams.  Only one person waiting there; not the organizer.  By 8-ish six of us had assembled.  Two had never ridden 100k, and were a bit apprehensive.



Off we went, headed north to the Columbia River.  Pace was very relaxed.



Headed east, then down the I-205 path to the Springwater Corridor.  Summer flowers blooming by the Springwater.



We then had a long-ish lunch pause at Water Ave Coffee.


(the guy in the background was just sitting there :-) )

Then, for me, the fun part.  We headed across the Steel Bridge, north on Naito, then left on 9th onto NW Overton, headed for St Helens Rd/Hwy 30.  Besides learning about NW Overton (nicer way up from NW PDX), well, there was Hwy 30.  We planned to regroup over the Sauvie Island Bridge, so I wound it up, and ended up riding with Annette.  We waited over the bridge, and eventually almost everyone got there.  We saw our last rider miss the regroup, and set out after her.

Eventually Lisa called their mutual boss to get her number, called her, and she rejoined us - she'd missed a turn and kept going...

Made the traditional Sauvie Island circuit.







Then flew back on Hwy 30 to the St Johns Bridge, with a lovely tailwind.





We waited for everyone to catch up.  The last rider arrived kind of done - I gave her a gel for some quick calories.  Only a couple miles to go, to finish at Peninsula Park.







After some post-ride visiting and dunking, I refilled my water bottles and prepared to ride home.  West to N Vancouver, south through the Rose Quarter and down to the Steel Bridge, then Naito/Overton/NW 25th to the Stearns Way path in Washington Park across Burnside.

As I came up to the stop at the Rose Garden, I saw a couple of cyclists start up the hill, both wearing Portland Velo jerseys.  I finally caught them just at the T before the zoo.  None other than Alan and his son Andrew!  We rode together until they got to their turn off the Hwy 26 bike path, and Alan told me how awful his cycling trip to Spain was.  Not.



So, after all that... 80 miles for the day.