Bonus Sunny Snooseville Populaire

Yawn.  Up at 5:50am, so as to arrive at the start of the Snooseville Populaire before the 8am start.  Preferably by 7:45am.  Stumbled around the house, ate breakfast, argued with my booties, and headed out at 7:02.

9 miles later (and a bit warm), I rolled into the Cornelius Pass Roadhouse parking lot, to find James B and Susan F checking riders in.  I was the last registered rider to show up.  There were maybe 9 riders in total.

Susan: "who will be back first?  how long will it take?"  I guessed Tom D.  Tom D thought he'd take about 5 hours.  Susan said no one finish before 5 hours, because James didn't want to have to get back to CPR before then.  Remember that.

I was awfully warm (I'd removed my cap on the way over), and swapped the jacket for a vest and the tights for some knee warmers.  And, throwing caution to the winds, also removed the booties.  Could have saved myself some weight carrying all that, but the weather forecast was chancy.  If it started dumping rain like yesterday, I would have been very sorry.  And wet and cold.

8am.  Off we went.  The cue sheet was mostly decoration, as the route is one I ride frequently.  Saw a cyclist heading east on Evergreen as we were heading west - friend John O, back from his volunteer stint at the Amgen Tour of California.

Got to North Plains by the shortest cycling route possible.  I was riding by myself, but knew I was in the middle of the group.



Vibrant field of canola right before the turn onto Dairy Creek Rd.





North on Dairy Creek to the very end, then right on Fern Flat to the intersection with Greener Rd.  James was there with doughnuts and hot cocoa.  Had a bit of hot cocoa and a doughnut to go.  I could see Ray and another rider up ahead, and set myself to catch Ray.  Flying down Dairy Creek (it tends downhill on the way out), not quite catching them.  Onto Mountaindale, heading west.  I'd see them up ahead, mark the time and check the clock when passed the same point... Not even a minute ahead by this point.  Inching closer...

Finally caught them at the Frogger Junction crossing of Hwy 26.  The other rider was Tom D.  We crossed.  Ray: "If I'd known you were trying to catch us, I'd have ridden faster."  Into Banks, out Cedar Canyon (Lynne retrieves and eats a banana from her bag, while riding)



Rode with them all the way into Forest Grove. It tried to drizzle on us a bit, but stopped, and that was all there was for attempts at rain. Maggie's was closed for Memorial Day weekend (oh NO), so we stopped at the Kwicki-Mart.  The clerk was so happy to see us: "I get to come out of the freezer!".



Bought a Starbucks Doubleshot, and ate some buttered fig bread and a piece of cheese.  We weren't there long at all, but Tom was getting chilly and left.  Ray and I finished our drinks and headed out very shortly thereafter.



I was now completely on auto-pilot - this is the standard Portland Velo return route back to Hillsboro.  Ray and I chatted the entire way back.

A Portland Velo group passed us just before the 231st street intersection.  To be precise, MY Portland Velo group - Hi Brian!  Hi Jim!

Pulled into the Roadhouse, locked my bike, and it was... 12:36.  A bit faster than the 5 hours, and my fastest 100km ever.  Went in, found James, his friend Kim, David P (who finished in a blistering 3:41).  Tom came in - he'd gotten a finishing receipt from across the street and changed into warmer clothes.  Ray took off to get home.



I knew David P was likely riding home into Portland, and I also knew our routes would coincide.  We rode together all the way to my house (I had lots of Penguin Caffeinated Mints and parted with a tin).

And, major milestone... Sweetpea rolled over 3000 miles!

Great day!  Grand total for me: 80.15 miles, 3300 vertical feet, 14.46 avg mph.

Nothing but Rim

"Given the conditions of the flat, a trip to Bike Gallery to discuss brake adjustment/modification options should be considered.  And I guess I'll be getting to try out those Soma Xpress tires somewhat sooner than I planned."


The flat occurred because the drive-side rear brake rubbed on the tire.  The brake could not be adjusted to not rub on the tire.  I didn't notice it until a month ago, when I was giving Sweetpea a good clean.  It didn't seem to be a problem.  At least until yesterday, a few miles from home.








The brakes are Tektro R556, purchased on-line, on sale in the fall of 2008.  Perhaps there was a reason they were on sale.


I couldn't decide what was up - I've got supposedly the Very Same Brakes on Bleriot (also a 650B bike), and there is still room for adjustment on that side.  The Silvers are the Rivendell-branded Tektro brake.  I bought the Silvers in winter 2007.


Now that I knew what was going on... ack.  Big ride next month, didn't need a tire flatting because of this. I understand there are many other reasons a tire will flat out there in eastern Washington, and indeed, a friend riding a 400k out there yesterday had a ton of flats, as did the folks she was riding with.  They had a flat-patching party in the Safeway in the middle of the night to repair all their tubes.  No, don't need more opportunities to get a flat tire, especially with the amount of wrestling it takes to get tires off the Aerohead rims.


Took the bike into Bike Gallery this morning, and had a long conference with Mechanic Tim.  (for the record, I prefer working with Mechanic Tim, Mechanic Mark, or Mechanic Michael.  I am sure the other mechanics are competent, but these guys completely understand what my bikes have to put up with)


We stared at it for a good long while.  He thought the brake arm might be a bit short.  I did, too, but a cursory once over with a precision measuring instrument didn't seem to indicate that.  He suggested I try the rear brake from Bleriot, to determine once and for all if it was the brake.


Went home, hauled out the repair stand, cable and housing cutter, third hand, allen wrenches, little bag of ferrules and crimps, some tunes and a cup of coffee.





Pulled both brakes, and compared them side by side.  The Tektro did look shorter.  Hmm.


Put the Silver on the Sweetpea, dropped the brake pad to the bottom of the notch.  Nothing but rim.  Relief!  Got everything adusted, put a new crimp on the cable, one down.





Then, put the Tektro on Bleriot.  Nothing but rim; no adjustment needed (good, because there was no more adjustment to be had).  Finished that up.





Called Mechanic Tim to let him know all was good.


Now just waiting for the new tires to arrive.

Multnomah Falls with Best Cycling Buddy Ever

Continuing on my path of keeping the mileage up as I prepare for next month's epic ride, Cecil and I planned an out and back to Multnomah Falls.  I hadn't ridden to the falls since last June, and was a bit behind in my "rides to the Falls" count for the year.  From my front door, approximately 100 miles.  (80 for Cecil)



Up at 5:30 for a 6:30am departure (I am SO pokey in the mornings).  Stopped 5 times in the first half mile to fiddle with the bike computer. :-)  That resolved, up and over, down through Washington Park, passing three joggers who were using the whole road on SW Salmon where it is the jog over from SW Park.  They wanted to know if I followed Lance, and recommended that I stay away from the drugs.  I told them it was too late, and doping was good stuff.  They thought it was the best thing they'd heard all day.  They also thought I was joking.

We met at Kettleman's at 7:30.  Probably first breakfast for Cecil, second breakfast for me.  I will point out that we RODE our bikes there, as several cars were outside with bikes on top.  Young man behind the counter wanted to know if we were finishing a ride.  Mmm.  Awfully early for that, unless one is finishing a 400k.  Told him we were riding out to Multnomah Falls.  He didn't know where that was, or what it was.  (Lynne is rendered speechless)

Suitably fortified, headed out east to the I-205 bike path, north to Marine Drive, and east again, to Troutdale, taking the nice off-road path behind the Troutdale Airport.  And then, right around 30 miles for me, the ride finally started. :-)  Back in the day, I'd drive out here and start the ride.

Oh, not raining.  Only wool on the body was socks and armwarmers.  Wearing a lightweight vest, no base layer, no rain tights, Keen sandals, no booties, lightweight gloves, and the day ride helmet without a rain cover.

Brief pause for photos at the Job Corps dragon sculpture in Springdale.



Riding through Springdale, saw evidence of the rapture on the shoulder - clothes and shoes with no occupant.

Changed to shortfinger gloves and removed my vest... while riding.

Summit at Women's Forum, down to Vista House (not far behind Cecil), down to Latourell Falls (again, not far behind Cecil), then east to Multnomah Falls.  Pretty little pinkish wildflowers blooming (Cranesbills?).  Not much traffic, but there was a wedding at Wahkeena Falls.  I'd say most of the traffic was cyclists.  Lots of them!

We had a long pause at the Falls.  I could not decide between the amazing ice cream sandwich and hot cocoa, so went for both.



One gentlemen in a "Dude" Pendleton sweater was waxing enthusiastic over our lovely Sweetpea bicycles.  Someone walked by mine later and said "oh, what a cute bicycle!".  Cute AND functional, thank you!



And then back.  A bit more auto traffic, but nothing too annoying.  Throughout the ride, Cecil shared "how to be successful on a 600k" hints.  Must figure out the timer thing - drink every 15 minutes, eat every 45 minutes.  Plus carry avocados and bananas.  And hummus wraps.  (I am getting similar advice from Susan O)



I think I had my quickest ascent ever back up to Vista House/Crown Point - 19 minutes.  I could see Cecil at the railing from below, she was just removing her helmet.  Another pause (soda, chips) and generally appreciating the view.  Every time I ride by Vista House, I tell myself that I am so very fortunate to live here.



Applied sunscreen for the first time this year.



Up the last mile, pause for pictures in full-on sunlight, then...

Cecil: "um...?"
Lynne: "Bell Rd?"
Cecil: "that is just what I was going to ask!"

Down my favorite descent (never too steep, big sweeping curves, great scenery, with, of course, the Bell Rd option (screaming straight descent on great pavement).

Stopped for snacks before getting back on the path by the Troutdale airport (well-buttered chunk of fig bread).  Another pause at Blue Lake Park for fluid exchange, west on Marine Drive.



Then south on the I-205 bike path.  Started fading around Maywood Park, so pulled out a bar and munched away.  Eventually found Cecil at one of the transit stations... "I must take you home and feed you.  I'm bonking too!"

The bar did eventually kick in, but I still stopped at Cecil's - hummus, baba ghanouj, Strawberry-Banana smoothie and a garden tour.

Then moved along, because we were meeting up again at the Portland Timbers game in 4 hours.  Heading up through Washington Park (you know, not quite as fresh as I was at 7am), looking at the mileage, I knew I'd have to find a few extra miles somewhere to make it a true century.  I could loop around my neighborhood (boring).  Then, flash of brilliance!  I could do an out and back on SW Hewett (south of Hwy 26, right where I cross Skyline/Scholls Ferry), which would be just about right.



Great out and back (SW Hewett is on my Council Crest climb route), then across SW Scholls Ferry onto Raab and... pshhhhhhhhh.  There went my rear tire.  First flat on Sweetpea in 2900 miles of riding.

Much struggling to remove the tire (gosh those Aerohead rims are a LOT tighter than the Synergys; note to self, put a metal core tire iron in the bag).  There was a hole near the tire bead, so changed the tire as well.  While struggling to get it back on, a couple walking their dog stopped.  6 hands made it much easier. :-)  As I was doing the post-patch, reinstall get-everything-back-in-the-bag activity, a cyclist stopped to ask if I had everything I needed.  Yes, thank you, just about done.

Given the conditions of the flat, a trip to Bike Gallery to discuss brake adjustment/modification options should be considered.  And I guess I'll be getting to try out those Soma Xpress tires somewhat sooner than I planned.

So, home.  101.68 miles. 12.54 avg mph, 6200 vertical feet.  Elapsed time... well, let's just say that efficiency and discipline were not part of the plan for this ride.





Aftermath: Portland Timbers 1 Columbus Crew 0.  Greg was a bit bemused, as Cecil and I kept ducking out to the concession stand for more food.

And best of all, Cecil's sense of fun and adventure has returned!

Triathlon!

Once a year, whether I need it or not. :-)

The Gator Grinder sprint triathlon in Canby, again, hanging with Team Estrogen and Friends.  I'm in the "Friends" group.

Upgraded my triathlon wear to a new Sugoi top.

Collected Cecil and we carpooled on over.  I had a 9:30am start; hers was 9:45, so no need to rush.  The weather was... damp-ish.  Coolest, wettest triathlon I've ever participated in.  I had extra layers ready for the bike and run legs, and a big plastic bag to put over the top of them so they wouldn't get wet in the rain.

Much visiting and twitching beforehand.  I don't usually get this worked up before a bike ride anymore, but this was a race.  Starting with swimming.  My pre-swim-meet jitters completely took over.

pic by Cecil Reniche-Smith

Good swim lane, no demented frogs this year.  Wish I could say the same about my swim.  A few seconds faster than last year is all I can say.  Transition to bike took a bit longer - with the cold wet, I elected to pull on knee warmers.  This was a good thing.  2:45 faster than last year.

Didn't feel like I was running on wooden legs on the transition to the run.  Cecil was coming in on her bike as I was about a half mile or so into the run. To the school, around the track twice, pass Cecil again, back to the start.  Big TE and Friends crowd at the finish :-)  Hugs, congratulations, pictures, waiting for Cecil.  And there she was.

3:00 faster on the run.

Pic by Jeff Mendenhall

pic by Jeff Mendenhall

We walked back to the start area to put away our bikes and get our shower stuff.  Once we were clean and warm, headed out to the post-race TE tailgate party area.

Many fabulous door prizes were won.  I got a gift cert, which I promptly turned into a Transition Mat (think small yoga mat.  works as a transition mat, something to sit on, all sorts of uses).  Results were slowly announced.  I had a cheeseburger and sides and cookies while waiting for my age group...  Our group picked up MANY of the ribbons.

Waiting...  5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd...  They weren't calling times, and I heard the 2nd place called, and, well, she always beats me.  Or so I told Cecil, right before they called my name for 1st in my age group.  Squeak!  First out of seven in my age group, and I took first place by 5 minutes.





A good day!

And great fun on Monday, sharing at our group standup. To quote a co-worker: "you CRUSHED!".

Nestucca Rivers Permanent

Continuing on for my second R-12 (4 more to go) and keeping in shape for next month's DRR 600km brevet (oops.  did I just say that?), needed a ride for May.  A 200km would be fine.  Heck, the Three Prairies 200km would be fine.  That is the easiest 200km you'll ever do.  Even when the weather is bad.

Put out a call for riding companions.  Susan joined up, and suggested Marcello's Nestucca Rivers 210km permanent.  Basically, Reach the Beach until the turn to go to Pacific City - go right, through Hebo, Beaver, and Blaine, over, and back down to Carlton and thence returning to Newberg.  How hard could it be?

Susan was on a mission.  She's got a ride in August she's planning on, so she's working on not wasting time.  I am a champion time-waster.  I was allotted three short stops - Willamina, Beaver, and Carlton.  Ok, then.  I've done STP in a day twice.  It isn't like I don't know HOW to be efficient :-)

Weather was going to s*ck.  90% chance of rain, and we were riding through the Coast Range twice.  The only good thing was that it wasn't meant to get too cold - mid 40's maybe.

Clothing selected and packed (2 extra pairs of gloves, dry socks, dry baselayer, nylon vest).  Food prepared.  Chain wiped off and fresh lube applied.  Tires pumped up.  Little Pink Bear (freshly washed) reinstalled.

Met in the Newberg public parking lot (traditional rando departure point).  Susan was heading over to the Thriftway; I would be right behind her.  Heard a big thump-bang sound, but couldn't see what it was.  When I got to Thriftway, Susan was contemplating not riding.  That sound was her going down on the very wet tracks.  I decided to not say anything, and go get my banana and starting receipt.  She elected to ride.  Which was good, because the way the sky was dumping rain on us, I wouldn't have needed much of an excuse to DNS.

The ride west was pretty uneventful.  Headwind, of course, lots of rain, a brief pause to get the answer to the info control in Ballston.  On the road between Dayton and Amity Susan said: "I've got to design a route that does not use this road".  Laudable goal.  It does rank up there for the most boring stretch ever.  Well, not Peoria Road or Buena Vista boring.  But pretty close to Timber Rd from Hwy 26 to Vernonia boring.

Finally into Willamina.  Note: the Center Market in Willamina will not let you use their bathroom, even if you are buying something, unlike the friendly folks in Dayton.  We went to the grocery.  Ate one of my sandwiches (I'd eaten a bar and some other stuff enroute), refilled one bottle with a Starbucks Doubleshot and topped off the water.

Through Willamina, under the highway, and onto Little Yamhill Rd.  Such a nice road.  Quiet.  Wonderful pavement.  The only question - how were we going to get across Hwy 18/22?  Going east, it is easy.  West, not so much.

We went over the overpass, and took the now dead-end road that loops behind the gas station and restaurant at Fort Hill that are no longer accessible, then portaged our bikes over the jersey barriers to the shoulder of the highway.  As the barriers are pretty tall, if there is just one of you, probably better to get onto the highway from the overpass.

West until Grand Ronde road, where the climbing started (and the wind finally became more of a crosswind).  Still raining.

The climb up to Sourgrass Summit was gentle and uneventful.  I could see Susan up ahead from time to time when the road was less curvy.  The rain lightened up a bit, but after summiting (no Susan), it returned.  Or course, after summiting  I descended into fairy-tale forest - trees finally leafing out for spring and very bright green moss on the trees.  Down to Dolph Junction, the split where left would go to Pacific City (not today) and right would go to Hebo.  New road for me here.  I had been to Hebo once, a very long time ago.  All I remember was rain.  Nothing had changed in that aspect :-)

Rain, rain, rain, rain.  Eventually I found Susan, and we pressed on.  I really wasn't cold, and really not wet.  My gloves were sopping, but my hands were warm.  Feet were still not wet.  A first.  Intersected Hwy 101 at Hebo, and headed north to Beaver.  Not much traffic.  Second stop of the day (and first timed control) at 74 miles.  Another Doubleshot for the bottle, more water, and a nice well-buttered Rye Molasses muffin.  We had over two hours in the bank.



Susan: "13 minutes.  Gotta go!"  Yes, Drill Sergeant Susie.  Then, as I was flipping my cue sheet... "Oh, you've got it printed in old-lady font!".  With all due respect and affection... "F*&# you!" (channeling Jason here.)  Okay then.

Picture by Susan Otcenas

Still raining.  Off to climb the Coast Range a second time.  After the turn onto Upper Nestucca Rd at Blaine, we'd be on that road for about 40 miles, until we got to Carlton.  It was very pretty.  The rain eventually let up, and we even had bits of sunshine.  We followed the river all the way up - a reasonably gentle climb for most of it.  Up.  Up.  Up. I didn't know where the summit was.  Up.



Then the pavement ended.  I knew it was going to do that.  Pretty hard pack, but it had been raining for 5 or 6 months straight, so it was perhaps a bit slick.  Not bad going up, but when it started down (not to be confused with the summit, or finishing climbing), it was a bit challenging.  So, pavement ends somewhere between 93 and 94 miles, and goes on for 2.5 miles.  I saw Susan from time to time, but not much.



Up.  Up.  Passed several campgrounds.  Up.  Passed Dovre Campground, which I have actually heard of.  Up.  Found Susan.  "This climb is NEVER going to end".  That was my thought as well.  I passed the time reliving Aerin's climb in The Hero and the Crown.  All I needed was my sword, and I'd be set.

Several false summits later, including a nasty pitch by the reservoir (Lynne stops to recompose), I found Susan again.  She was peeling off all her wet clothing and changing into dry.  I was actually fine.  I had even ditched the sopping gloves and was wearing my mesh shortfingers with some wool gloves over them.  The rain had let up.  Summit is around 105 miles.

Then down.  The road was nice, but quite wet and curvy.  Then it got much less nice and no less steep.  Being well acquainted with hitting a pothole at speed, I kept my speed way down.  Then the road improved again, and got a little less steep.  Then rolling.  Blah.  I was hoping at some point that I would end up in Carlton, as there were NO signs on the road that I was approaching anything!  Finally out of the forest, into rolling farms and vineyards.

Then, glory, hallelujah, I could see the white building at the intersection in Carlton.  Wobbled over to the gas station on the corner; it was closed.  Started coasting through Carlton, and saw Susan's bike leaning up outside a store.  I was shaking - not from cold.  And it wasn't like I was not eating constantly.  Bought some grapefruit juice and sucked it down.  Only 11 miles to Newberg.

The cue sheet didn't say, exactly, but Main turns into Hendricks, which turns into Kuehne, at which point I knew exactly where I was.  The juice started having an effect (the tailwind didn't hurt, either) along this stretch.  Got a bit misplaced in Newberg, but I've done enough rides through there that I quickly got myself back to the Thriftway.  Susan had been there a couple of minutes already.

132 miles, 11:20 elapsed time, 13.20 avg mph, 5800+ vertical feet.  1:15 off the bike.

Picture by Susan Otcenas

(the distance and time uphill are wrong)

Susan: "I didn't want an EASY 200".  I'd recommend this one for summer - nice and cool when it is too hot in the valley!

Props to Susan for doing a very challenging ride after crashing on the tracks!  She had a headache the whole ride, and was working on some very nasty bruises.

Another banana and a receipt, whereupon we returned to the cars and adjourned to Burgerville.  Dry clothes, cheeseburger, fries and a Timber Joey milkshake.

Visiting an old friend

Last weekend, I rode the Banks Vernonia trail with friends.

 

I had never ridden it in the spring, only in the fall, where I could ride my mountain bike and pretend I was mountain biking.  The trail was not finished, mostly not paved (dirt, gravel, sucking mudpit) and in some places, downright (to me) exciting.  Like the descent and ascent at Tophill, with the baby-head-sized rocks on the ascent.  I walked.  Not to mention the memorable ride where we got to Vernonia, had a snack and came out to watch the sun setting.  17 miles back, and between the two of us, a rear blinkie and a faint front blinkie.  In pouring rain. Good times.  My last visit was in 2005.  Since then, there have been floods and major trail washouts, and I just haven't gone back to ride it since.

Friend Susan suggested we ride Ray's North Plains Banks Vernonia permanent populaire.  We weren't clear on the pavement status.  I planned to ride Sweetpea - fat tires, in case of non-pavement.  Fenders in case of wet.  Turned out, there was total pavement, and no wet.

Met up at Susan's, rode in a pack over to North Plains to meet up with Ray to exchange releases and cards, and headed off.  Uneventful zip up to Banks, interrupted by one info control.  Candy bar in Banks, then to the other end of town to hop on the trail.



First we rode through a tunnel of trees, then popped out into open farmland.  Then back into the trees again, paralleling Hwy 26.  I was looking for the Manning trailhead (the former start of the trail), but missed it.  No riding on the washboard Pongratz Road anymore - the trail went straight along, south of it.  I did not recognize anything!  Then we crossed an amazing trestle, and the Buxton trailhead.  Locational cues re-established.  Used to have to ride DOWN and then UP (was she going to make it?  or bail?).

Sun! Warming up!



The Roundhouse turn is now full of trees.  Passed through Stub Stewart State Park (formerly the deep sucking mudpit part of the trail), crossed over Hwy 47, and eventually rode down the drop  to Tophill.  Now all nice and paved and switchbacked.  We had been ever so gently climbing, and after riding up the other side (more switchbacks), it was flat/downhill all the way into Vernonia.



Susan and I went off to find the info control, and then joined the others at the Black Bear Coffee Company for a lazy lunch.  An hour-long lunch.





And then back.  After summiting Tophill, it was quite warm enough to remove the arm warmers, vest, and wool cap.  And, after summiting Tophill, it was a 1% descent for miles and miles and miles...

Passing through Stub Stewart, we started running into more trail users - runners, dog walkers, cyclists, horses, and the idiots on the ATV.  Susan called that one in.  The additional trail traffic caught me a few times, and I fell back.  Through Buxton, through Manning (found it going the other way), then the farmland, the tree tunnel (cool) and the trailhead.

One more control before the end, where we all got stuff to drink.  We were warm and thirsty.  How strange.  Then back to the North Plains gas station for the final receipt (and more to drink) and back to Susan's.

75 amazing miles, 14.28mph.  We finished the perm in plenty of time, even with the long lunch stop.

Victorious!

The Eden's Gate 400km brevet and I had some unfinished business.  I was hoping it would be settled to my satisfaction this time.



Michal and I had planned to ride it together.  In preparation, we both enhanced the mudflaps on our bikes.  I also did a fair amount of stressing, and spent way too much time haunting weather.com. The weather was going to be Not Good, then it turned to Not All That Bad, and then, finally at 3:30am on Saturday, it predicted a headwind both coming and going.  Joy.



Packed an almost-complete change of clothes, and 2.5 lbs of food.  Joel may have packed more  food, but it was close.

Big gathering at the Wilsonville LaQuinta at 4:15am.  Many riders from Seattle (hi Vinnie!) and the usual local suspects.





A few minutes after 5am, Susan F released us.  South through the industrial park, hop onto I-5 southbound to cross the Willamette River, then south on Airport Rd, passing the Aurora Airport, through Aurora, onto Lone Elder, and then Meridian, where we'd be riding for the next quite a long while.  We passed a group stopped at Meridian and Whisky Hill (If I sound really familiar with the area - I used to ride this area a lot.  I'm good until Sweet Home, and then it is less familiar).  We later found out that a rider had been struck by a car.  I heard the rider will be ok, but that was the end of their ride.

Note to self: continue coming to a full stop at each and every stop sign.

Eventually the sun rose, a bit before we passed the location of the Tulip Festival.  Fortunately, HOURS before it started - cars parked all over, tense parents trying to get pictures of their children in the tulip fields...

Through Monitor, still heading south, eventually turning onto Downs Rd and our first info control, the Gallon House Bridge.  So named, because that's where the bootleggers would leave merchandise for later pickup.  We leapfrogged Sarah, Lesli, Joel, David, and Kevin through here.





Through Silverton, but not stopping, and onto the Cascade Hwy.  Hill after hill after hill, spaced too far apart to be rollers.  Michal: "a roller is supposed to leave you with some momentum to get a ways up the next one".  Removed my jacket somewhere along there, and switched to my mesh shortfinger gloves.  Really, I wasn't THAT cold.



Passed Joel, Sarah, Lesli, David and Kevin while they stopped at the Sublimity convenience store.  South through Stayton (not stopping), and onto Cole School Road.

Was I riding up those rollers or walking?  Out of four tries to date, I've only ridden up the second (steeper) one once, on Lemond.  Sweetpea was going through its chain-throwing stage, and providentially dropped the chain right at the bottom the most recent attempt.

Extremely adorable lambs seen on the first roller.  Then...

Ha HAAAA!  Success!

Down to the Shimanek Covered Bridge (second info control) and off to Scio, our first timed control.  Which we made in plenty of time.  Bought myself a wonderful Nestle Dark Chocolate bar with the cranberries and blueberries.  Oh yum.   Ate a few other things out of my bag, and we were off again, just as Lesli and Co. arrived.

Updated my progress on Facebook.  Found an encouraging text and email from co-workers and friends (made my day!)

Wandered around collecting railroad crossing (Gilkey) and covered bridge (Hoffman) info controls, finally heading to the Larwood Covered Bridge.  Again Lesli and Co. arrived just as we were departing.



It started raining again, and it finally got heavy enough that I pulled my jacket on, but did not bother with heavier gloves.

Then, a part of the route that I must have edited out of my head.  The first half of this route really isn't flat.  And there's a few hills between the Larwood Covered Bridge and Sweet Home.  Snow Peak.  Ouch.  Finally though, when it looks like we are going to head up another wall, we turn instead.

I think it is missing some of the not-riding time...

The rain intensity steadily increased.  By the time we were just about to Sweet Home, it was that heavy rain with extra wetting agent.  Into the Thriftway, where sandwiches were ordered, other business taken care of, sandwiches consumed inside (we were dripping on the floor), visiting with Lesli and Co., and then taking off again.

Michal and I winched ourselves out of Sweet Home, and now that we were in his territory, he was the navigator.  More wandering around, another covered bridge at Crawfordsville, then onto Brush Creek, for what would eventually be the major climb of the day.  The rain was refusing to let up.  The climb is really not bad - only 4+ miles, and never more than 5%.  Waited for Michal at the top.





Then the descent, which would have been MUCH more fun if it had not been raining so hard.

One last covered bridge, and then we headed out.  The wrong way.  Michal quickly realized that and we went back.  Lesli and Co. were entertained.  All of us headed off to the Mohawk Post Store (127 mi).  They have a TABLE and CHAIRS inside now!  We all bought something, got our cards signed, and settled down for a big snack and a short break.  Phone calls to respective spouses were made.  Then, after looking outside, went out and started riding again.  Stopping, even if it is warm inside gets me all chilled and shaking, but I do know that I will warm up in a couple of miles.

The 8 of us headed east along the McKenzie river, headed for Coburg, then on to Harrisburg (150 mi).  If there was a headwind, I didn't really notice.  Rain, rain, rain.

The convenience store in Harrisburg also had a table and chairs, and a clerk who tossed us a handful of bar towels to dry off.  I took my change of clothes and snuck into the bathroom and changed from the waist up, and then came back out and put on dry socks and a dry hat.  I felt EVER so much better.

 More eating.  The clerk caught more folks headed back to the bathroom and told us we couldn't go back there because of all the liquor stored in the back.  Really, we were not interested.  Kevin decided to end his ride here, and offered up his wool baselayer.  Not that we were robbing his corpse for dry clothing or anything...

Now, off to Peoria Road, 19 miles of...nothing.  Flat. Straight.  Last time there was a nasty headwind.  This time, not so much.  We rode as a pack of eight, at least until I really couldn't hang on anymore.  The Starbucks Doubleshot must have worn off.  I was getting really sleepy, too.  Fortunately, it had stopped raining.  We could see sky and sunset up ahead.

Thus started the first of the roadside catnaps.  I'd find myself lurching all over the road, and pull into a handy driveway, sit down, put my head on my knees and conk out for 5-10 minutes.  Then get up and ride some more.  Michal would wait, which was incredibly nice of him.

Conversation when I wasn't trying to fall asleep: geeky stuff (we are both CS, although I went over to the User Experience side almost 20 years ago and Michal is an academic), reading (Ursula K LeGuin and other speculative fiction), other hobbies, travel, etc.

Made it past the turn on White Oak Rd.  Yay!  We made it to Albany and decided to stop at Pop's Branding Iron (open 24 hours) for some hot food.  We split a burger and fries.  Holden and Jeff came in as we were eating.



Then, north to Independence.  Another long stretch, this time on Buena Vista Rd, which, in the dark, is pretty desolate.  A couple more naps, at least.  Then into Independence, where the only place open was the bar.  Barely.

We went in, and I put my head down on a table.  The few patrons there were dumbfounded that we were riding to Wilsonville at 2am.  Michal didn't help by telling them we'd already ridden 200 miles...  Coffee (sort of). 15-20 minute nap.  We closed out the bar.  And off again.

Another remote stretch of about 10 miles, then into the outskirts of Salem, and finally into Salem.  After riding out in the sticks in the dark, Salem was pretty bright and distracting.  Through Salem (note: don't obsess over the turns on the cue sheet - the roads are just about all the same road), and out into my reasonably familiar riding territory, although I don't ride on River Rd - usually riding on Wheatland Rd for this stretch.

By now, the temperature had dropped to 35 degrees.  I had put on the Firewall gloves way back in Harrisburg, so I was plenty warm.  Amazing that I could sit down and get a nap when it was THAT cold.

While I was taking yet another nap, Jeff found us.  Holden elected to end his ride in Albany.  Too bad.  We headed north, and found Keene Rd.  We could see the sun starting to rise.  I think I took one more nap, and then the sun came up and I was ok.  Really pretty sunrise.  Best sunrise ever.

Wandering our way north and east; this stretch from Keene Road is always considerably longer than I think it should be.  And... cross over I-5, down the on-ramp, over the river, down the off-ramp (the construction is very messy), north though the industrial park, back over I-5 and.....

Done.
400km (250 miles), 26:25 total time.
Cyndi (Mrs. Michal) was there to take our pictures.

(picture by Cynthia Wenks)

Susan F wanted to know why I wasn't taking caffeine pills.  Let me tell you about that...  I'll have to find something.  Maybe choc-covered espresso beans.  Starbucks Doubleshots are good, but not available at every convenience store.

Shower.  Piece of pizza and a soda.  Short nap, then an errand and home.  For another nap.  And then a Portland Timbers game.  Still behind on my sleep, but getting better.

Longest continuous ride I have EVER done.  No numb fingers.  Both arms work.  I haven't ridden or run since then, but I'll be back on the bike tomorrow, and should be just fine.

The Route

David P's pics
Lesli L's pics