The Monster Cookie Ride

(kind of an annual post, isn't it?)

This year, friend Beth asked if I would do the ride with her. But of course. Riding with Beth suggests riding the Bleriot. It was set up as Rando Bike; no changes needed there, just some air in the tires.

High points:

• Riding with Beth
• Scoring Mexican Wedding Cake cookies at all the stops. Mmmm. Powdered sugar!
• Meeting Cecil for lunch at Champoeg
• Getting to say hi to many folks I don't get to see too often
• Riding the bike (oh yeah, that) :-)
• Wonderful Willamette Valley spring scenery - green fields, trees leafing out, farm animals
• Dinner with Beth afterwards
• Caving in and buying a ride t-shirt

62 relaxing miles on a nice, sunny Sunday :-)

more pics

Beth's pics - down a couple rows, then it is the rest of the set

So Many Choices AND Sweetpea Update

Of what riding to do this weekend. I was going to ride to Canby, and pre-ride and pre-run the upcoming Gator Grinder Triathlon courses (the pool needs no pre-swimming. Won't get lost there, and the terrain is constant). That kind of fell through.

Some TBB friends were doing something around Amity... "We're not riding so fast this year, so perhaps a 19MPH pace on the flat". Mmm, yeah. Maybe not. I was still not recovered from last weekend's adventure, which included the flat parts around Amity. I am pretty sure this route included the very steep parts around Amity (Eola Hill).

There was my club ride. The route was Carpenter Creek, only one climb of note, and not anywhere near the challenge of Iowa Hill, which was ridden last week, and I just didn't feel like writing a post to say I had to stop on that hill 5 times. Had to conceal it in a longer posting.

For the uncle who I am pretty sure is reading this, Carpenter Creek is the hill we rode up last June.

And then I had this thought... Cecil has graduated to an ankle brace and is thinking about riding. Maybe she'd want to ride...

So, yesterday morning I found myself riding over the hill to Cecil's. Got there a few minutes before our planned 10:30am meetup, to find her sitting on her front steps drinking something hot. A bit of pre-ride faffing and clarifying if they were planning to attend the Portland Timbers opening game (not), and we were off. The planned route was "work our way up to Smith and Bybee Lakes and Kelley Point, maybe stop somewhere and eat, and turn back if my foot/ankle hurts".

So, a nice ride northward through Portland, at a Cecil-type pace (as opposed to an injured-Cecil-type pace). We admired all the flowering shrubs and trees and flowers, enjoyed the Peninsula Crossing Trail, the lakes, and Kelley Point ("a bit deranged..." cracks me up every time. Or, as Cecil says, wording you don't generally see. Usually you see something like "eccentric".)

Then return options were discussed. Cecil said her ankle and foot would be happier on flats, plus the Little Red Bike Cafe was on the flat return route. Well then. Off to the LRBC, where we scored the staple rack outside, and outside table, and then, while ordering, an inside table became open. VLT for Cecil, PaperBoy with additions and a side of fruit for me. Diet Cokes all around.

My still painful shoulders and back were discussed. Cecil: "have you tried muscle relaxers?" Me: "?"

Then back, except I looked at the time and allowed as how I needed to be home much sooner than riding would take me there. We stopped at the MAX Yellow Line and waited for a train, which I hopped onto and Cecil raced all the way to the Rose Quarter.

Miles for the day: 43+ The average seems low, but I think that is caused by riding around in town with all the stops and starts.

Back and Shoulders Update

Some venerable Flexeril tablets were found in the medicine cabinet. I took one. It seems to have helped. I'll have to remember that. Wonder how well one that is more recent than 10 years old might work :-)

Sweetpea Update

I think I mentioned that the fork has been built up. Now there is also a front triangle!

I Need a Good Case of Rando-Nesia

So, what's up after a 200km brevet? A 300km brevet! The Oregon Randonneurs Three Capes 300km was meant to be LAST weekend, but the snow, ice, gravel, etc on the Hwy 6 pass through the Coast Range suggested a rain delay. So, yesterday, 40+ riders set out at 6am. I was one of them. This is my story.

Lesli from Eugene needed a place to stay over before and after the ride, and the Home For Wayward Randonneurs (our guest bed) had an opening, so she arrived at about 8:15 Friday evening, just as I discovered that Bleriot had a flat. So she got settled, and I discovered that the valve was the source of the leak, and managed to uncover one more spare tube (I like to carry two. Even though in all my years of riding, I've only had two flats on one ride once.).

We packed our bikes in the van - one less thing to worry about the next morning.

Up at 4am, homemade Egg McMuffins (trip to the cellar to find our egg rings the day before), excellent coffee imported from Eugene, and we were off.

The weather was forecast to be amazing, but all the forecasts did say the winds heading back to Forest Grove would be Highly Unfavorable. Oh well, we'd deal with it when we got there.

Off at 6am, with the sun rising as we headed north on Stringtown Road. The temp was hovering around freezing. North to Hwy 6, West to Timber Rd for the out and back. Michael and Susan were waiting with hot coffee and doughnuts. I had more coffee. Then back to Hwy 6, and the climb up to Brown's Camp, the summit of the Coast Range on Hwy 6. From Timber Rd, the climb is only about 5 miles, and not steep. Lesli was waiting for me at the summit ("not too long"), and down we went. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Tailwind, descent, fabulous weather, the Tillamook State Forest leafing out for spring.... What's not to like? When we finally emerged just east of Tillamook, on the flats, we still had a nice tailwind pushing us west. We had to do a bit of careful maneuvering - a tractor pulling a BIG tanker of, um, manure pulled out in front of us. I wasn't going to tailgate that. Nor was I going to try to pass. Fortunately, it turned off at the next driveway. Remember this next time you have some Tillamook Cheese :-)

Into town and over to the Safeway, where many other randos were eating, drinking, and getting ready to leave. Marcello was very helpful - "it's at the end of aisle 4!" Yes, thank you. I wanted to buy a smallish bag of Fritos, but they didn't have any. A gallon bag - sure. So I ate a banana, string cheese and a chunk of trail putty. And off again, headed for the Three Capes Drive.

First up, Cape Meares. You can see it from Tillamook, and it doesn't look THAT hard. Hah. For starters, the road surface is awful. The grades are often 8-10%. And you don't climb it once. NOOOOO, you climb it *4* times. Nice views, though :-)

Heading into Netarts, on one of the downhills, I was stopped in my tracks by a gust of wind. The wind along the coast couldn't quite make up its mind which way to blow, but it was generally not that bad.

Then riding along Netarts Bay (pretty), before heading up Cape Lookout. It is the longest of the climbs, but not anywhere near as steep as Cape Meares. We stopped at Anderson's Viewpoint to take pictures, because it was warm and sunny, and all around a perfect Oregon Coast day.

Then up to the summit (Marcello: "it must be close, we are running out of up"), and the descent. More suboptimal road surface, then onto Sandlake Rd, heading south to Cape Kiwanda. Nice peaceful ride there; not very much traffic at all. Cape Kiwanda has two climbs, but neither is particularly challenging. And then down into Pacific City, where Lesli and I were to regroup at Grateful Bread. It was right at 3pm.

I had the split pea soup; Lesli had a sandwich. Many cups of coffee as well. Then off for the last climb of the day, to Sourgrass Summit. We rode up Little Nestucca Road, one of the prettiest roads in the state. Grades are usually 1-2%, winding through the forest, with the Nestucca River burbling along beside.

We leapfrogged John V to the top, and summitted about 5:30 or so. The descent was unfulfilling - the road had chunks of grooved pavement (in which case I expect better things next year), and, well, it didn't seem to be much of a descent. Maybe we had a faint headwind? I remember really descending that stretch in previous years.

At which point, I needed a stop. Preferably one with toilet paper. Doing these rando rides, one becomes adept at spotting portapotties. And there was a wonderful one outside the Health Center on the Grand Ronde Reservation. Hand sanitizer and all! Thus refreshed, I continued on to the Grand Ronde store, our next regroup point. I was surprised to see other riders - I figured we were at the very tail end of the group.

By this point, I was bonking. I just sat there on the bench outside the store, and, well... shook. I ate half a sandwich, which was all I could stomach at the time. Plus, it was too much trouble to eat (that's always a very bad sign).

Then east and north, which was supposed to be into a headwind. For some reason, not. By the time we were through Willamina and Sheridan, we were flying eastward. I had my light on, and was still going about 17mph, with practically no effort at all. This was the fabled tailwind that I have never experienced, in all my years of riding back from the coast by this route.

Got to Ballston and located the info control. I had to shine my headlight on the zip ties to verify the color - in the fading light, everything looks black. They could have been dark green - you never know. Then east, east, east in the fading light, into Amity. It was not yet full dark when we arrived, and we went to the gas station/convenience store for food and conveniences. Lesli went for the burrito. I ate a banana from my bag. Stomach was queasy, and I was shaking. Lesli: " this ride is in the bag". I wasn't so sure. 36 more miles to go. I was also getting chilly, so pulled my jacket, cap, and leggings back on.

Then off to Dayton. Lesli: "what does it look like in daylight?" Me: "boring". More tailwind, and a stop in Dayton, where Lesli made me take some No-Doze (falling asleep on the bike, and it wasn't even 10pm!) and eat a gel. Then off to Lafayette and the final push back. In the dark, the Abbey Road hill is less obvious. And it was dark. It was extra-special-black-hole dark. And starting to rain. Not that I minded, because 1) it gave us a push north, and 2) it kept me awake. Abbey Rd, Kuehne Rd, Ribbon Ridge, and then, finally onto North Valley Rd. The frogs were croaking away in the wetlands. Not much traffic, and what there was gave us a wide berth. I had to stop every so often, because I was weaving all over the road. And wondering how I was going to suck it up and finish this ride.

Crossed Laughlin; North Valley became Spring Hill. The two big hills, again, invisible in the dark, then past the lights of Gaston on the west, down, around, up, past Fisher Farms, past the big curve to the west, looking for Fern Hill (not obvious in daylight, but I know where it is). Lesli made me eat another gel, only 4 or so miles to go, and I knew every inch of that road. Past the water treatment plant, the base of Blooming-Fern Hill Rd, up the little climb, down past the (invisible) red barn, across the bridge, past the Fern Hill wetlands (even more frogs and ducks), across the railroad tracks and... right turn onto Hwy 47, go around the curve, cross TV Hwy, and done.

I wobbled in to the room where Mike and Susan were hanging out. And sat down. And didn't move much for awhile, except my legs kept twitching (!) After snacking and visiting, we figured one of us was alert enough to drive home. Pretty much.

Not my fastest 300. I expect if I hadn't bonked, it might have been, but, well, that's life.

Thanks to Lesli for keeping me going! She had 36 miles of poking, prodding, and cajoling to make me move.

Wow

If I could think of a better blog post title, I would. I was singing this somewhere between Timber and Vernonia. The exuberance and the screams are the best part.

I speak of today's 200km Oregon Randonneurs brevet. This is my first brevet in a year. I was HOPING to finish somewhere between 11 and 12 hours.

Cutting to the chase:

This is the fastest I have ever completed any 200km. I went back through past results, just to check.

Back to the beginning...

This is a great brevet - starts in Forest Grove, heads north through Gales Creek, Timber, Vernonia, does a funny little loopy thing, then off to Birkenfeld. Coming back goes directly through Vernonia, etc. I've ridden it twice before, once as a rider, and once on a pre-ride as the co-organizer.

I was planning to ride Bleriot (duh. my rando bike.), but Cecil put the bug in my head that I should consider Lemond (10 lbs less bike). Limiting factors are 1) not needing fenders 2) enough carrying capacity for food and all the clothing I'd be taking off, and 3) lighting. I thought Lemond might be up to it, so transferred everything over at 10pm. Amazingly enough, I did not forget any bits and pieces! I installed the Nite Rider MiNewt just in case I would want a headlight (battery, bright, 6 hrs run time). Lemond already has a rear blinkie, with relatively fresh batteries.

This year, the weather was forecasted to be amazing. Unlike 2008, it delivered.

It was 50 degrees at my house. It was 35 degrees at the Grand Lodge.

Arrived at the Grand Lodge with plenty of time, was checked in by John Henry ("you are looking much better than when last I saw you" "thanks"). Visited around. As it did not appear to be sunrise anytime soon, I pulled on the reflective vest and ankle bands, and turned on a few lights.

Bill A (ride organizer) released us at 7am. Headed west out through Forest Grove. The sunrise in my rear view mirror looked pretty spectacular, with lots of riders silhouetted by the very colorful sky. Rode out of town with John Kramer, at least until the Blaze of Glory feeling faded. Eventually passed through Gales Creek, and headed west on Hwy 6. The shoulder was relatively clean, so I could avoid the Evil Rumble Strip altogether. The wind was projected to be ESE, lighter in the morning, strengthening in the afternoon. My strategy was to make time while I had a faintly favorable wind.

Somewhere on Timber Road, before the climb, Peg and Lesli came up, and we rode together (much chatting. Peg and Lesli were 1/2 of the fleche team a couple years back) until the Timber climb, where, as I expected, I fell back. It got colder and colder and colder. I was later told that it was 32 degrees at the summit. I believe it. Fun descent - I could see Peg and Lesli, but never could catch them. Stopped for a small snack after crossing Hwy 26.

Did the long stretch between Hwy 26 and Vernonia, arrived at the control, had a rando mocha prepared by Ed Groth (in a REAL mug, not disposable!), and endeavored to taste every single variety of baked good. Thus fortified, headed on out for the Keasey Road out and back. Saw Susan O heading back. Info question answered, and jacket removed, headed back to the Stoney Pt Rd turnoff. Greg Olson joined me for the climb, and we caught up. At the bottom, he headed off; needed to get in some aerobar time. North, north, north, headed for Birkenfeld. At the Big Eddy Campground (mile 52 outbound), saw the first of the returning riders. Shortly after that I came upon Holden, who was resetting his computer. He came up and joined me, and we rode together all the way to Birkenfeld. I kept looking at my bike computer in disbelief - speeds ranged from 15 to 19mph... numbers not usually seen on my bike computer.

Peg, Lesli, and David were already there ("not long" said Peg). Got my card signed, bought something to drink, and joined Peg on a bench in the sun. Lots of motorcyclists coming there - I think there was a Poker Run in progress. Peg had her eye on the guy in the sleeveless shirt, big gut and leather pants - "I bet he'd be good in a bar fight". Ate my smoked turkey-cream cheese-cranberry chutney-whole wheat pita and a well-buttered Rye Molasses muffin. Lots of visiting and admiring each other's bikes and luggage. David Parsons was riding the Midlife-Crisis Bike ("better for brevets than the Xtracycle" Oh yeah) with his home created front bag, which received much positive attention. Took off the fleece vest, leg warmers, stretchy knickers, and swapped in the shortfinger gloves.

Then it was time to head out (we'd been loafing around for 30 MINUTES. UNHEARD OF), and off we went. The promised headwind never did quite materialize - riding mostly in the 15-16mph range. Again, I was wondering whose bike computer this was and what was powering it.

As I now had access to my jersey pocket and bare fingers, I started taking more pictures. Possibly more pictures of the Nehalem River than was warranted, but it was pretty in the sun with the mossy trees.

Peg and Lesli told us they'd be at the Black Bear Coffee Company in Vernonia, and, sure enough, there they were at an outside table ("not long" said Peg). Went in and ordered a mocha, then joined the group at the table. Outside, in the sun. With a pastry and a banana and a mocha. At a control. UNHEARD OF. Peg - "see, this is how it can be". I've been at way too many controls standing under bank overhangs in the pouring rain or freezing my butt off eating pbj sandwiches. Again, another long sit, then off again.

Holden had to make a stop between Vernonia and Hwy 26. I figured he'd catch me by the Timber climb, because, after all, I still climb like a rock.

So, crossed Hwy 26 with not much waiting (I saw Peg and Lesli cross as I was riding up - a policeman stopped traffic for them. wow.), and proceeded up to Timber. No Holden. Took some pictures. Then started down. It was much chillier on the south side, but it finally warmed back up as I was proceeding east on Hwy 6 to our next control at the Glenwood Shell Station.

Peg, Lesli and David were there, snacking. I went in and bought some chips and got my card signed. The woman behind the counter said we had a nice day for it, and I said, finally after all those years of less than nice days (rain, snow, hail...). She said to the other woman working the station (and I quote) "they come in here all wet and cold, and I really hate to let them go back out in it." Lots of friendly customers in the lot, as well. Potato chips consumed, off we went. Holden (who rode up): "you didn't climb like a rock"

Turned onto Gales Creek Rd (only 11 more miles to go!). We didn't seem to be moving very consistently, so I punched it and led the 5 of us at 18mph. No head wind here! We traded pulls, at least until we hit some of the little climbs, at which point I'd fall back. Regroup and off again. As we headed into Forest Grove, I looked at my HRM - 10 hrs, 17 min. Hmm. That seemed fast.

Finished at 10:27 total time. 124.78 miles, 14.33 riding average. My fastest average since Apr 2009, on the Monster Cookie (60 miles). My fastest 200km pace AND total time EVER. The detailed among you will note that my overall average was 11.94mph. Getting close to the elusive 12 miles an hour goal.

Wow.

All the pics here

"You should drink Maggie's cocoa more often"

Another fine day of leading the Portland Velo 15's. Today we were 7 - me, Rob, Robert, Robyn, Greg, Meagan and Diane.

The route had us headed south of Hillsboro, west, up over Blooming Fern Hill, into Forest Grove (Maggie's Buns stop!), then north on Thatcher to Kansas City, and finally turning east through Roy and back to Hillsboro.

I decided to live dangerously, and ride Lemond, fender-free. Weather forecast said no rain to speak of after 9am, and the Weather Underground radar looked very cloud-free.

Uneventful ride to the start (talk about autopilot. And this is cool, because the contract I start next week is right by Longbottom's Coffee and Tea), visit with Mike Stevens, who was JRod for the day. Saw Diane; she thought she'd ride with my group. Diane and I have been riding together since 2003 (wow!)

We were joined by the others, who are rapidly becoming the Usual Suspects.

There were a couple of modifications to the published route - the speed limit on Shute Rd is now 50(!), making it possibly not the best choice to return to Huffman and the finish - we would turn onto Sewell, thence on to Evergreen instead. I also modified the route exiting Forest Grove - we took the route through town, past the high school, and on to Thatcher on NW David Hill Rd, rather than picking it up closer in town.

See here

Lots of pretty late-winter rural scenery - the Marionberry canes are a wonderful purple, and the pond on SW Johnson School Rd is a nice shimmery blue, ringed with gold reeds and a green field.

We had a headwind/quartering headwind heading south and west; I really appreciated it when Rob offered to pull some. Not that I did so badly, but everyone still climbs faster than me. It is like riding with a herd of Jasons, all of whom spin smoothly past me heading up, and I'm slogging along. Slogging faster, though; I don't think I dropped below 6mph on Blooming Fern Hill at any point, and was mostly going a bit faster.

On into Forest Grove, to the delights of Maggie's Buns. She has fabulous Lemon Bars, Cinnamon Rolls as big as your head,... MMMMMMMMM. Today I just went for a cup of hot cocoa. Diane did the same, and also ordered a muffin. Everyone else stayed outside. Didn't know what they were missing, nope...

Then north through Forest Grove, and onto NW Thatcher and the 5 miles of rollers up to NW Greenville. We had a tailwind. I lit up :-), 17-19mph. Fortunately, all the riders in my group are entirely up to that pace.

The turn on to Greenville... Rob: "you should drink Maggies cocoa more often". Or something to that effect. Really, I think it was the tailwind.

Then heading east and slightly south, with the wind mostly at our backs. We could see a storm. It was heading NE. We were heading SE. I hoped we'd miss it. I had taken off my jacket in Forest Grove. I *could* always put it back on.

So, 8 miles out, heading south on NW Kerkman, we picked up the edge of the storm. As it was at our backs, at least I didn't feel like I was getting very wet. As it was at our backs, we got a nice push! I didn't start to feel wet until Sewell, at which point we had only a couple miles to go.

Got back to Longbottom's and there were other riders still there (!). Ordered the Farm Plate, and, as I had a full card, got a free big mocha. Spent a bit of quality time with the paper towels in the bathroom, blotting off some of the liquid, then settled down for a nice, late, second breakfast. Brian C and Mike Y stayed to chat with us.

And then I rode back home, with a detour by Bike Gallery for some tubes. I was on my last tube. Got to see Mechanic Mark, who I have not seen for months. He had to show me the new Electra bike with hammered metal fenders and fancy rear rack (the Ticino line). Looks like Velo Orange components to me. Nice bike, too.

For the day, 65+ miles at a 13.3 average. Best this year.

Nice Afternoon!

Somehow, yesterday (Thursday), I could not get my sorry butt out of bed at 4:50am to get to spin class. Possibly because there was a CHIFOO presentation the night before. Which was a great presentation, plus I got to share my good news with my fellow User Experience/Usability/Human Factors professional colleagues. Yes, there is a job for me - 11 weeks, half time, subcontracting through a company I really, really wanted to work with. :-) Starting in a week or so. Nuff said.

But it was a Really Nice Day yesterday. So much so, that after Thursday morning Fibers (of the needle, thread, sewing machine, knitting needle, spinning wheel type) group, including a nice little potluck lunch...

Self - you could ride up to Council Crest and back. Yes, I could. And about 20 minutes later, I was. This time I took pictures along the route, so you can see one of my favorite 15+ mile rides. Once we get back into Daylight Savings Time, it is a great after-work ride, although you'll see bicyclists on it at any time. Don't these folks have jobs? (sad commentary on the state of the local economy. but at least they are getting some good riding in.)

With no further ado:

The start:

On the Sunset Highway MUP:

On to Council Crest:

And around the Fairmount Loop:

More pics here

I'm Saving Myself for Sunday...

I did not lead a PV ride last weekend. I was saving myself for Sunday.

Here I am thinking: "self, you need to up the miles if you want to be riding a 200km in March."

Email received later that day from Cecil: "want to do a century this weekend?"

It isn't like we read each other's minds or anything.

I haven't ridden a century since, um, last March, the Scio Covered Bridges Permanent.

Weather forecast: excellent. Bicycle selection: Lemond

The route was basically Seven Corners by Ladd's Addition-Springwater Corridor-17th Ave-Milwaukie-Oak Grove-Oregon City-Up the Hill-Down S. Central Point-Township Rd-Canby-Ivy-Lone Elder... heck, go here:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/PDX-to-the-Gallon-House-Bridge-and-back

After 15+ miles working our way south to Oregon City, and UP the hill (complete with train passing by below us), we headed out on S Central Point Rd toward Canby.

Excellent descent, way cute little twin lambs in a field of sheep, and amazing castle-like construction, rollers, part of the Gator Grinder bike course, more rollers, then right onto Township Rd into Canby. And then out of Canby on Ivy (Lynne points out the Gator Grinder parking/transition area/etc; we are both entered), and off to the Lone Elder store for a stop. I had a banana and a well-buttered Rye Molasses Muffin (my additions - raisins and walnuts); Cecil had her Diet Coke and other items from the store.

By now the route was essentially flat, but for the few downs/ups on Meridian Rd. Really nice day. I had ditched my jacket and mittens way back in Milwaukie somewhere, and took off my wool cap at the Lone Elder Store.

Now heading south on Meridian Rd (which goes on forever, but not quite as long as, say, Howell Prairie. Scenery is nicer, as well), passing by the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, through Monitor, eventually to turn onto E Marquam Rd, and into Mt Angel.

We elected to go out to the Gallon House Bridge before stopping for a snack. On the way back from the bridge, we saw a group of cyclists. First we thought it was the group of women we rode with for a bit out of Canby, but no. One was even in a Team Bag Balm jersey! We turned around directly to visit. Diane, Don, and Andrew! (and someone not known to us). Amazing who you run into out in the wilds of the Willamette Valley!

Back to the Mt Angel Market, where I purchased some water to top up my water bottle and mix more Gatorade, and a bag of Smartfood. Plus I ate another well-buttered (and peanut-buttered) Rye Molasses Muffin. And some cashews.

Many flowering trees, daffodils, crocuses, etc, etc. It is definitely SPRING in the valley.

Ok. Just over halfway there. Headed back to the Lone Elder Store (another muffin) where we saw a nice cross-section of, um, Merkins, back through Canby, and... back to the rollers.

Somehow, they were a bit harder than on the way out. I was dreading the eventual climb back up on S Central Point, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the rollers. Found Cecil at the top - she had enough time to enjoy a photo session with Granny Reniche-Smith and a flowering pink plum tree.

Back through upper Oregon City, then the descent. Lots of road construction, so it was very chopped up and bumpy going. Or, to quote Cecil at the bottom: "Well THAT took all the fun out of it!" We did get to admire several Victorian houses and checked out the Carnegie Library (brick and cream building, very attractive).

We didn't cross the Clackamas River quite the same way - we went on the west side of 99E, then crossed it on the 99E bridge, then headed north on River Rd and back.

I was definitely fading. There was some question as whether we would break 100 miles, and we decided we'd just ride around until we did. Gorgeous light through the elm trees at one point, where my camera decided it was really and truly broken. Darn.

And then we were done, and the odometer read 100.6 miles. 9.5 hours total riding time.

And 312 miles for February, most miles since LAST February.

My pics

Cecil's pics