First 200k In 11 Months

And, oddly enough, our it seems to be annual "Ride a 200k on Civil War Day", the civil war in question is the Oregon State - University of Oregon football game.

I took the Coast Starlight from PDX to Eugene, given as how they've now got bicycle service AND a better schedule than the Cascades.



Pro: better schedule and cushier seats
Con: coach passengers sit in the very tail end of the train, baggage car is right behind the locomotive.  It is a very long train and "the stop in Eugene is 4 minutes!".  No wifi, and the water dispenser in the car was empty.  And the lighting was dim.

But with all that, I made good progress knitting on my sock, to the point of finishing it, but not weaving in the ends; I wanted better lighting!

First off the train, and scampered up to the front (as the conductor was announcing Last Call!), to find Michal holding my bike, waiting for me to show up with the claim ticket.  Whew.

Our route was Bill Alsup's Perm #1177: Eugene to Beaverton.

And so, up at 5am for the 7am start.  The drop down Michal's hill was kind of scary in the dark, like it always is, but I didn't work up to the whole bike shaking, like has happened before.  We found Chris at the coffee shop, and got ourselves some coffee as well.

Sunrise wasn't until 7:25am, so we got to enjoy heading north out of Eugene in the dawn.  All the coffee for breakfast and at the start meant that the customary pause at Armitage State Park was again observed.  We also decided that it wouldn't be raining any time soon, and ditched our rain jackets. Once over the McKenzie River and through Coburg, we were out in the rural Willamette Valley for most of the day.  Not that we could SEE anything, because there was a persistent fog, which stayed with us until we started the climb on Gap Rd (mile 22 or thereabouts).  We then dropped into Brownsville, pausing at the Chevron c-store, where I discovered PayDay bites, a convenient form factor presentation of the PayDay bar.

North through Brownsville, re-enacting the final scene in Stand By Me, then out the other side, eventually arriving at a road blockage.  Now, there's nothing OUT there, but looking ahead, we could see a small herd of cattle on the road.  It turned out to be the annual moving of the bulls from one field to another, and we watched them being herded by several guys on ATVs and an SUV bringing up the rear.



That settled, we continued on north.  Now, it was supposed to be raining most of the day, but we hadn't seen any rain to this point, and the skies looked like we wouldn't, for awhile anyway.  There were even bits of sunlight!

pic by Michal Young

Passed through Lebanon, and Crabtree, on to our first control at the Hoffman Covered Bridge.  Although, the info control answer was found at the corner of Crabtree Drive and Hungry Hill Rd, rather than at the bridge, 1.6 miles further along.



After the bridge, a driver stopped to warn us that there was a chaser dog up ahead "on one of the downhills".  We did not find the chaser dog, but I did find a shard of glass, so there was a pause to fix the flat.  I just swapped in a fresh tube.

A few more ups and downs, and we found Chris waiting for us in Scio.  It wasn't a control, so we kept going, encountering the Leffler Grade.  I didn't know if I'd be riding up it or walking it; maybe a third of the way up, walking all of a sudden became a very attractive option.  Once at the top, we rolled along the ridgeline, finally dropping back down and entering Stayton (67 miles), our first open control.  On this route, the preferred stop is the Safeway; for other routes, the Roth's Market.  Drank down a half teaspoon of salt before going in.

I got a rice bowl with orange chicken, and Michal and Chris cheerfully refilled my bottles (one with plain water, the other needed hot water for the Gatorade-Tea-Maltodextrin beverage).  I ate about half of the orange chicken and rice.  I really like orange chicken, and white rice seemed to be a good thing for my stomach. Michal thought he'd have a taste, and proceeded to make serious inroads on the leftovers.

And with that, my stomach was all of a sudden very much happier, and we had a tailwind to Aumsville, and all was right with the world.  It looked like it might start raining at the corner of Shaw Hwy and Hwy 214, so Chris pulled on his rain jacket.  Michal and I didn't bother; we couldn't see where it would get any worse than a bit of drizzle.  And, indeed, it cleared right up.

pic by Michal Young

We also had a helpful tailwind on all 18+ miles of Howell Prairie Rd, and the first 2+ miles of gentle uphill didn't seem burdensome at all.  There's not much to say about Howell Prairie - the berry bushes are pretty with their fall coloring, lots of wide open space, the elevators at the Pratum Co-op.  Once you cross the Little Pudding River, there are more trees.

At the northern terminus we crossed Hwy 99E, turned into the wind for a bit, and then picked up Boones Ferry Rd (we'd see a lot of this road off and on for awhile), and ended up in downtown Woodburn, our next control.  We usually stop at the Del Sol market and get tacos or tamales.  We both ordered tacos, and I am pleased to report that I managed my entire transaction in Spanish (and yes, there was an actual conversation), then foraged around the store for other things.  I found Arroz con Leche (rice pudding!) in the refrigerated case, in a single serving container, and promptly snapped it up.  It was much better than the tacos - I had ordered Asada tacos, and they were dry and bland; I kind of expect Carne Asada to be moist and flavorful.  We never found Chris; he had gone ahead.



Michal noted that the cars passing by had their windshield wipers on.  Darn.  On with the rain jackets and rain legs.  I was already wearing my Showers Pass waterproof socks; they'd likely get another trial.  I didn't bother to pull on the helmet rain cover.

So now it was dark and raining.  My helmet headlight seemed rather uninspired, and the stretch from Hubbard (just north of Woodburn) to Aurora (just south of Wilsonville) was not clear in my mind.  Michal had been fiddling with his gps and got it working again, so we'd be ok.

Heading out of Hubbard, we picked up Boones Ferry Rd again.  The traffic was rather heavier than in previous years; maybe these were folks headed home from the aforementioned football game.  I see now that we just head north on Boones Ferry, cross Ehlen, and then turn right on Keil, cross a very busy road (the rain had gotten much heavier), follow Keil to Airport, and head north to Miley, at which point I no longer need a cue sheet.

Yes.  Well.  From Miley Rd to get to Wilsonville, there is the small matter of crossing the Willamette River.  At this point the only way across is the Boone Bridge shoulder, which is a busy stretch of I-5.

So, dark. Pouring rain. Four lanes of high speed traffic.  Lots of debris on the shoulder - wheel parts, shredded tire parts, possibly a departed opossum or two.  Good times.

After exiting I-5, turning left onto Wilsonville Rd (there is also the part where one must leave the shoulder and move left two lanes), and onto the relative quiet of Boones Ferry Rd...  Whew.  We then turned into the industrial park, and I was on my work commute home from my stints at Microsoft in Wilsonville.

After topping out on the small climb on Boones Ferry Rd (there we are again), we dropped down into Tualatin.  There is usually a bike lane until there isn't, and the descent is ever so much more fun in the summer evening sunlight.  By now I was feeling soaked through, but not too much further to go!

Through Tualatin park, over the river and into Cook Park in Tigard, north on Hall Blvd, left into Old Downtown Tigard, then out the west side, the non-intuitive left onto Greenburg Rd, cross over Hwy 217, and ride up the back side of Washington Square Mall...  North on Scholls Ferry, and finally the left turn into the neighborhood before the last bit.  We actually got across to the turn lane without having to resort to the crosswalk and sidewalk to get to Elm St.

Through the unmarked and very subtle cut-though (always helps to have a local guide at this point), down 5th Ave (where I just wanted to turn right through the office park and go home!), under Hwy 217, up Griffith, and done.  12:22 elapsed time.



I barricaded my bike with tables and chairs up against the Starbucks window, and went inside to find hot coffee, and Chris A and Chris W (who rode one of my local perms and was planning to meet us at the finish).  They had obviously been there awhile, certainly long enough to change into dry clothing :-)  They eventually took their respective leaves, we finished our hot drinks, and rode the last mile to my house, where Fitz and Cyndi were awaiting our arrival.

Hot showers first, but Fitz had made an enormous pot of turkey chili and fresh cornbread.  With pie for dessert.

First Brevet February 2015

The route: Hillsboro Dallas.

Preparations: clean the chain.  Get the fruitcake out of the freezer.  Have the entire family over for dinner the night before...  Mind you, I was working this week, finished up at 3:30, and rode the 14.5 miles home from Wilsonville.

Michal and Cyndi arrived after everyone had cleared out.  After a brief logistics discussion, we decided that I'd drive us to the start, saving Cyndi a couple of trips to Hillsboro.  I mostly knew where I was going, as well.

Not going to rain. Going to be sunny.  "Light fog, burning off early"

We arrived at Shute Park at about 6:30am, finding Paul W.  Others filtered in, and the organizer appeared.  I said hi to all the folks I hadn't seen for months.  Some of them, years (Hi John K!  Hi John Henry!)

Michael P-P gave us the route rap, including an update on the routing in Dallas, since the cue sheet was vague.  It still wasn't quite clear in my head, but I guessed I'd figure it out when I got there.

We all headed out.  What with the crowd and early speed, it felt like a club ride start.  Groups quickly started sorting out, and I found myself solo.  No worries.  I wasn't going to get lost.

The fog was thick, and, at times, thicker.  The route was very familiar.  Found the info control; memorized the answer and time. (Two green, 7:19)  I stopped briefly for a nature break at the corner of Geiger and Fern Hill, only to discover that the blue room was BEHIND the fence.  Cruelty!  I then quickly discovered that others must have felt the same way, because there was a place in the fence to duck through.

That taken care of, I headed south on Fern Hill to Spring Hill to North Valley. (someone posted a comment on another post about how cyclists should not ride on Spring Hill/North Valley.  Because, and I quote "to the poor victim who has to live with the memory of accidentally killing a cyclist".  Nothing accidental about it.  The driver made a CHOICE.)

Eventually, I found a rider up ahead, who turned out to be John V.  We rode along for awhile (he also usually rides solo).  And then, just north of Lafayette, we found Kevin L, who thought he had started out too fast, and was pausing.  So the three of us rode along together.  John was wondering where we'd stop, and I suggested Dayton.  The route was the usual, but it wasn't a control.  The clerks at the Center Market were a bit disappointed that no one asked to have their cards signed.  Banana, V-8 and ibuprofen.

We started out toward Amity, and I pulled ahead, and finally just went on.  The fog FINALLY gave it up here.  Passed a rider in Amity ("I'm checking the cue sheet").  Steve and Jeff passed by and went on.  Continued munching on fruitcake cubes.

Out to Perrydale Rd, then up and down the 4 big rollers.



Saw a few groups of riders headed back; waved at the ones I recognized.  Hi Chris!  Hi Susan!  Then the route crosses Hwy 22, goes up a couple more climbs, and I was in Dallas.  In only 5 hrs.  Disbelief.  Even better, there were many riders at the Safeway, including Michal.

It was sunny and warm by then, so I ditched the wool cap, and, in a feat of agility, removed my baselayer without pulling off the jersey OR flashing the bystanders.  Lunch was all the potstickers from the deli counter, another banana, and the Gatorade which didn't fit into my water bottle.  Michal thought he'd ride back with me.  I appreciated that.

Me: "there seems to be a headwind".  Sigh, yes.  A stiff NE headwind.  We were, of course, heading N and E for the balance of the ride.

After the stretch of Kings Valley Hwy/Hwy 22 (no climb back out of Dallas, nice!), we were back on Perrydale, working our way up and over the 4 big rollers.  They are easier in the northward direction, as they stairstep down, but still not effort-free.

A rider came up behind on Bethel Rd.  It was Steve's buddy Jeff, and I wondered where Steve was.  "His wheel broke just outside of the Safeway."  Hmm, say more about that.  Jeff was going to finish, then go back and fetch him.  Steve was going to have a long wait, but at least he would be inside with food and coffee.

So we enjoyed the sunshine and landscape (this is, hands down, one of the two prettiest stretches on this route, the other being North Valley/Spring Hill), and tried to ignore the headwind.



Through Amity, and then the deadly dull stretch to Dayton.  With headwind.  I tried to find a good wheelsucking position behind Michal, but the wind was just not cooperating.  By now I realized that the shoes I was wearing were truly done.  Michal kept unclipping, so his feet weren't happy either. 

We thought about stopping for a bit, but I figured that we should press on to Dayton, where we could enjoy sitting down outside the store with snacks, while our feet got a break.



Dayton, finally.  Gardettos, another banana, another V-8.  And a brief, welcome sit.  Jeff was just leaving.

Those last 35 miles were not going to get ridden by themselves.  Back on the bikes.  I should note that it was really nice, except for the wind.  Really nice.  Beautiful day!

Dayton-Lafayette-Abbey-Kuehne-Ribbon Ridge (whee!), and back onto North Valley/Spring Hill.  I was hoping that the hills to our right would mitigate the NE wind, which they did, somewhat.  We admired the wetlands, and continued relentlessly north.  After most of the traffic turned off at Flett, we enjoyed it even more.



By now it was Golden Hour, with amazing light from the sun being low in the sky.  In all the years I have ridden up and down this stretch of road, I have never been there with the light like this.  It was beautiful.



Then up Fern Hill, and east on Geiger.  Wait... I was riding at 15mph!  The wind shifted!  The wind shifted!

So we VERY HAPPILY proceeded to polish off the last 11 miles, and enjoyed the spectacular sunset which lasted from just south of Cornelius to the turn off Hwy 219 onto Grabel Rd.





I kept looking at the clock, and realizing that we were somewhat ahead of our projected 12 hour time. (yeah, I'd like to project a time somewhat LESS than 12 hours, but my riding the past year or so has not supported that).

With a bit of vehicular cycling, we successfully got into the left turn lane on TV Hwy (a stroad of major proportions) to get back into the park where we started.

Found Michael P-P and did the finishing rituals, plus lots of chatting while we loaded up the car.



11:10 elapsed.  My fastest 200k time in almost a year and a half.  Wowee zowie!

Pea Soup Riding: Inaugural Orenco-Gaston 105k

Ray has yet another new perm pop, and he rounded up a group to ride.  It is loosely based on the West County 100, but different.

The draw for this one, besides new roads, is that it starts a block or so from the Orenco Transit Center.

I rode to the start, since it was my old work commute, but a bit shorter.  Found Ray, Adam, Kevin L, RB, and Steve at the Subway.  We were waiting on Jeff, a friend of Steve's.  Got some pre-ride cookies, and, as it was just after 9:30, Kevin and I kicked off, knowing that everyone would find us soon enough.

It was very, very foggy.  So foggy that my lights were on the entire day, and I wore my reflective/neon vest and both reflective ankle bands.  Pea soup.

Until Banks, the route was familiar roads.  For the first control at the Banks Thriftway, we paused a bit (banana), and then I announced we had been standing there a bit too long and started up again.  (There was a "thank you Susan" from the peanut gallery.)  I was cold if we stood around too long, being just on the border of underdressed/exactly right dressed.

But wait!  First big variation - we proceeded west on the shoulder of Hwy 6, rather than Cedar Canyon.  Flatter, and it goes right though the Killin Wetlands.  That was way cool, with the heavy fog and the bare trees sticking up out of the water.

Then up on Stafford Rd/Strohmayer/Kansas City/Thatcher, again, all familiar.  (Lynne consumes a pbj) Then we turned left onto David Hill Rd.  I had ridden up it as far as the pavement went, but never over the top and down the other side to Gales Creek.  Ray said that it wouldn't get steeper, but it did go on.  I was watching the incline numbers tick up on my computer (9, 10, 11...).  Kevin opined that Ray's credibility was dropping.

The pavement did end, and we all (with the exception of Adam, who had gone on after Banks, not to be seen again) helped Ray find a better info control question there for the next time.  We were starting to get above the fog, and after that initial pitch, the well-packed, but wet dirt road meandered along the crest of the hill.  We passed the David Hill Winery, and looked down into a sea of fog.



All well and good until the descent.  Still unpaved, and as it got steeper, someone had thought to add fresh gravel.  Right.  I think I scrubbed off a whole set of brake pads with my cautious descent, but I didn't walk any of it.  I am personally just not a fan of descending on gravel.  Dirt, sure.  Kevin and I stayed together, and found the rest at the bottom of the hill, back in the fog.  Ray got a little commentary (perhaps undeserved) for the road selection.  Really, it was pretty, and I am sure minus the fog it is even prettier.  And I did make it down unscathed.  Perhaps on a drier day...

We then proceeded south over Gales Creek/Stringtown (Lynne consumes another pbj) until Carpenter Creek.  I warned the two riders who had never descended Plumlee about the technical turn.  Up we went, above the fog.  But the pretty pond and views from the top were obscured.

We'd been splitting and regrouping.  I mostly stayed with Kevin.  From there we proceeded to the store in Gaston (another banana, some V-8).  As always a cheery and welcome stop.

The last 25 miles was autopilot, with the "pretty route" variation just past the golf course.  Somewhere just before the golf course, I elected to wait for Kevin and finish with him.  I don't much like riding off the back by myself, and figured he'd want the company.  He's not been riding much lately.

We were both happy to turn onto Johnson School just past the golf course; Tongue Rd gets kind of busy.  I was describing all the sights along the way, and pointing out the highlights (Duyck's Peachy-Pig Farm with the fallout shelters and weaner pigs for sale).  Of course, my favorite part of this stretch was obscured by fog, so I was telling Kevin what he'd see if we could see!  While he'd ridden the brevet based on this route, I had changed the routing to Tongue Rd, so as to remove a control.

And now, still mindlessly working our way east and north through Hillsboro (a long town E-W), we were joined by the sun for the last few miles!

We found everyone at the Subway, so went in and joined the second lunch festivities.  Afterwards, both Kevin and I elected to take mass transit home.  I showed him the nifty Tri-Met ticket app on my phone - no worries about broken ticket machines :-)  and we hung out on the platform until my train arrived.

Oh - my new tires arrived, so the rear tire was ALSO new, and no flats!  Quicker than North Plains-Carlton, despite having 500 more vertical feet.  Amazing what the absence of rain and headwind will do for you!

Last Chance (Dec 2013) 200k

As in, if I didn't ride a 200k before the end of December, I'd be starting that fourth R-12 over AGAIN.  Which I did not want to do.



Jason K from Montana was apparently in a similar state, he was in Portland over the holiday, and did anyone want to ride a 200k?  Jeff A thought he'd join us.  Not that he needed a Dec 200k, he'd just finished the local Solstice 200k.

"The flatter the better" was the request.  Nothing is really flat here, unless one rides the Mill City 200k, but I wasn't thinking I wanted to get up so early and drive to Wilsonville.  Better to coast the 1+ mile down the hill to the start of my Beaverton-Hagg Lake-Carlton 200k.  Jason and Jeff were up for that, so 6:30-ish on Sunday morning found us in the Starbucks', dozing over coffee drinks in an attempt to wake up.

It was to start out foggy, and clear off in the afternoon, maybe making it up to 45 deg F!

Dark and foggy when we started; the first 9-ish miles heading west and slightly north to escape the Urban Growth Boundary, getting out into the country.  No traffic early on a Sunday.  Pointed out the local celebrity farm to Jason.  His wife is a fan of the show, so he was delighted to be able to share that with her later.

Many info controls for the first third of the ride, some with interesting historic significance.  We finally ended up in Forest Grove around 11am, looking for something to eat.  I knew Maggie's was closed on Sunday, but figured we could get a slice of pizza.  No, not until noon.  Not anything else obviously open either on Main Street.  I knew there was a burger place "somewhere", so we continued along the route, hoping we'd find it.  As it turned out, we didn't go quite far enough, but we did find the Little Monkey Deli.  No one in there but us, and we were promptly served tasty sandwiches, Coke, and in my case, a pickle.  Jeff bought some killer nut brittle ("the owner's dad makes it") to take along.

(for the record, Scotties Drive In is open at 10:30am on Sundays, and is across the street from the Knitting Store)

Off to conquer Hagg Lake, the most challenging climbing of the route.  It was still foggy.  And cold.  The sandwich did a nice job of powering me around the lake.  For the park being closed, it seemed like the most concentrated traffic of the whole ride, except for Yamhill and Carlton, was at the lake.



After Hagg Lake, we all stopped to get pictures of the herd of elk we saw on the way in.



Then into Gaston.  Not a control, but we stopped for supplies, it being a ways to Carlton.  I filled up my thermal jug with a combination of coffee and hot cocoa powder - the checker helpfully pointed me at the tub of cocoa powder and also said we were welcome to fill up out water bottles.  They sell really really good chocolate bars there as well.  A store patron admired the bikes and asked where we were headed.  Weren't we worried about it getting dark?  Not so much.  I have always found the Gaston general store and locals to be a really nice group of human beings.

South on Spring Hill/North Valley, over Laughlin to 240, into Yamhill, then the 3 miles south on Hwy 47 to Carlton.  The guys were a bit ahead (story of the day) and waited for me so we could pick a destination.  We tried the convenience store on Main St, rather than the grocery where I usually stop.  They have remodeled their bathroom - really nice!  Bought some grapefruit juice - tasty liquid sugar.  Off again, still grey and foggy.  I like getting to Carlton (82mi), because it is all headed homeward from there.

Found the three rude drivers on Kuehne Rd, but that was it.  Finally, the drop onto Ribbon Ridge and we were headed north on North Valley.  Over the three big rollers, and that was the last of any real climbing.  It didn't get really dark until we turned onto Geiger, where we admired each other's headlights.  I could clearly see the light pattern of the Luxos in the mist - wide rays and a shaft of bright light out front.  Nice.

My bike computer had long ago given up telling me anything - the display shuts off in the cold although it is still recording.  So no stressing about how fast I was or was not riding.  Occasional time checks on my phone made it clear that we wouldn't have to do any time trials for the finish.  Stopped at the golf course a few minutes too late to go inside (snack bar/plumbing), so any stops would have to wait until the last on-course control.  I did stop long enough to suck down my first-ever-consumed-on-a-ride Ensure.

I was awfully achy.  And I was not alone in this feeling.  Wanted to be DONE.

No traffic on Hwy 219 when we arrived to cross (a gift), and when we rode past the last info control I quizzed them on the details, but we didn't stop.  We'd remember the answer :-)

As we skirted the edge of the Urban Growth boundary, Jason (a city planner in real life) was asking about the mechanics of how it worked.  Actually we had that conversation earlier in the ride as well.

A few miles further and we were back in Hillsboro and civilization, and, a few miles further, the last on-course control.  We paused, ate a little (peanut butter GU, not a flavor I like, but it works), made phone calls, and set out for the final 6 miles.

Finished at the YoPop.  Just to clarify, there are places to get beer close by.  Not sure what quality of beer, but there is beer availability.  But we went to the YoPop, and mixed up bowls of yogurt and non-healthy toppings.  Cards were finalized.  Then Fitz showed up, and got himself some yogurt.

Jason thought the after dark parts of the ride were the most fun.  They were, kind of.  It didn't seem as cold, and, again, almost done and no need to stress about not finishing in time.

And because I was so very tired, I stuffed my bike in the back of the Element (me to Fitz: "so, which car did you drive over in?" Fitz: "yours") and accepted a ride home.  Jeff: "it IS uphill to your house".  Yeah, that's the ticket.

Aftermath: hot shower.  Spaghetti and meatballs.  Bed.  Rode into Portland to meet up with a friend.  Message from Fitz indicated that Rebecca and Asher had stopped by, so took the light rail back (with cupcakes from St. Cupcake).

Reviewing the bike computer data, the temperature never made it to 40 degrees.  It was foggy or grey the entire day.

So, while this year did not go as I had wanted it to go, Rando-wise, I did finish up with over 5000 RUSA km, and kept the R-12 streak going.

Shrouded in the mist

A short ride up to Council Crest/Fairmount and back. Just to make my uncle happy, I took pictures :-) It was a good thing I had the bicycle with good head and tail lights.