Beaverton-Birkenfeld, Sept 200k Perm

The September 200k.  When I fall behind in posting, the ride report gets a bit terse...



Roped Jeff, Kevin, Bill, and new rando Greg P into riding.

At 5:50am on day of ride, Fitz woke me up, asking: "when are you starting your ride?"  OOPS (which is why I get most everything set up the night before)  He woke up wondering why I hadn't been rustling around.  Kind of like when your baby sleeps through the night for the first time, I guess.

Down to Jim and Patty's, where I had time for a Pig Newton and Mocha.  We started only 10 minutes after the official start.





It was cool, but not raining.  We didn't stop until Banks, and not for long.  Then no stops till Vernonia.  As we were on the trail, no places to stop :-)  Except there might have been a bit of walking up Tophill.

We all ended up in different spots for the control in Vernonia; Jeff and I stopped at the Shell Station.  It also being Worldwide Spin in Public day, I had packed my Trindle and some fleece, and got in a few minutes of spinning there.



From there, we headed on to Birkenfeld.  We thought we might encounter the riders from the Hammerhead 100 along here.  I was a bit worried, because their lunch stop was The Birk.  The sag driver saw us and asked if we were on the ride.  Nope.



Arrived at Birkenfeld to find all the event riders long gone.  Greg was there; the ride staff had gifted him with some excess Gatorade, which he shared.  Ordered a sandwich and foraged for info control questions, since the Birk is now a "Music Venue", and is only open from 11am to not so late on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  They no longer have a store, so be prepared for that.  The food is really good, though, and service is quite reasonably paced.



Got in some more spinning.



We then headed back.  And it started to rain.  Ok, not bad.  Not pulling on all the raingear...  Then quickly pulled over at the Mist Fire Department and pulled on all the raingear!  First excursion with the Rainlegs.

Rained all the way back to Vernonia; another pass through the Shell Station for the control.

Headed back on the trail, the rain let up and finally stopped after we summited.

And eventually we finished; Kevin and I about 15 minutes behind everyone else.  I had recommended we finish at YoPop, so that is where we found them.  The owner was giving out free samples of Thai Iced Tea!  Yum!



Miles: 135
Pace: 13.12 mph
Total time: 12:48

Permanent #1470: Beaverton-Birkenfeld-Beaverton 213km

Cue sheet: Beaverton-Birkenfeld-Beaverton 213km

Reg form: Perm 1470 Registration Form

RideWithGPS (for those who like a GPS format; no warranty expressed or implied)

The Tri-Met Beaverton Transit Center is one block to the west.

Starting in Beaverton at the corner of SW Canyon Rd and SW 117th Rd (Starbucks next to PETCO, Jim and Patty's Coffee...) you'll head northwest, finally escaping the urban growth boundary crossing over SW Cornelius Pass Rd.  Expediently working your way through North Plains and Banks (still pretty, just direct), you'll stop for a control in Banks (grocery on the right, after crossing under Hwy 6, restroom at the trailhead), then hop onto the Banks-Vernonia  Trail, where you will enjoy 20 miles of fields and forest before arriving in Vernonia.





Another control pause - Black Bear Coffee is the tastiest stop, but the Shell Station works if you are on a mission.  There is also a Sentry Market and a Subway.  Be prepared for The Birk (turnaround control) to be closed.

Then following the Nehalem River north and then west, you will eventually arrive at the Birkenfeld Store The Birk.  There is a cafe, groceries, lots of liquor, and a restroom.  It may be open, in which case you can get some food and a receipt.  If not, there is an info control question.





And then turn around, and return the way you came!

Note: the Starbucks by Petco at the start closes at 7pm.  Many other options - the Starbucks at Fred Meyer is 24 hr, YoPop one shopping mall west (take the alley next to Jin Wah, it will be on the left), plus lots of fast food along Canyon Rd right there.