Oregon Randonneurs Brewpub Populaire

How negative could I possibly go in the spousal points bank?  Open house this Sunday, and I thought I'd go on a bike ride Saturday.  Plus ride to and from.  In my defense, I had been cleaning and preparing the week prior.



Put the remains of last weekend's permanent cookies in my bag, along with a dark chocolate bar with speculoos filling (Trader Joes.  Looked promising).  And a banana.  Plus some water and Gatorade-Tea.  I knew there would be ample food opportunities on the route.

Up way too early; I wanted to be on the road at 6:45, to get there in plenty of time for the 8am start.  Heading west through the slowly lightening sky, I did get there.  Lots of folks to visit with.  I found Smitty, who had posted on the Google Rivendell group that this would be his first-ever rando event.  He was pretty excited.  Also met Hazel with the other Sweetpea bicycle.



Tom turned us loose right at 8am, and we all headed out west and north, through North Plains, and up Dairy Creek Rd, to the turnaround and control at the end.  Lots of "high water" signs, but they'd been moved aside;  the road was clear.  Smitty and I chatted for several miles.





Arrived at the control, got my card signed, ate a couple of Susan O's EXCELLENT cookies, and fixed myself a rando mocha while chatting with Asta.  Stayed as long as it took to finish the rando mocha and headed out.  11 minutes total.



Back down Dairy Creek, right on Mountaindale, and... how had I missed that pretty pond to the north at the curve?  Maybe it usually isn't there?  Had to stop and take a picture.



Over the rollers, quick crossing of Hwy 26 at Frogger Junction, and started wondering if we'd have a secret control. The route can be abbreviated here, but you'd pay for it :-)  Heading along Mountaindale Rd, lots of bikes stopped at the St Francis Cemetery because... Secret Control!





Andrew signed cards and offered snacks.  I took the opportunity to remove the jacket and heavy gloves, and move on.

Through Banks, out Cedar Canyon.  There was an interesting bit at the Killin Wetlands - water over the road.  Easily navigated.



In the interest of not digging myself into a deeper hole, I planned to have expedient stops for the rest of the ride.  Rode along with Ed on Thatcher on into Forest Grove.  I stopped at Mama Jiah's (the Kwicki-Mart); he went on to Maggies.  Sigh.







Last push to the end.  Headed into Verboort on Porter, only to be buzzed by some idiot who had the entire empty road in front of him. Turned from Long onto Susbauer and... wow that's a lot of water over the road!  The road was closed, not that it was stopping anyone.  I paused to watch a truck navigate, just to get an idea of how deep it was.  I could see cyclists on the far side.  And started wading.  A truck drove by, rather quickly, so I got even wetter.  It must have been about a foot deep in the middle.  Very wet shoes.  My bottom bracket went under.  Stupid.  Maria allowed as how it was really rude, the truck driver swamping me and Little Pink Bear.  It was.  Or at least thoughtless.



Then finished it off.  4:56 total elapsed time.  Philippe was there to sign my card at the end, but I didn't stay to socialize.  Next time.

81.5 miles for the day.  Plus some cooking and setting up.

Sweetpea visited Mechanic Michael - rear hub overhaul (not a bad idea anyway).  He figured the bottom bracket would be fine.  Nothing to be done for the front hub, and a careful reading of Peter White's page indicates it will probably be just fine.  I was instructed to open the frame and let it dry out, in case it was wet.  Brought the bike home today and took the frame apart (3 cable splitters, 2 S&S couplers, removed the seatpost, easy).  No water dripped out, and it is hanging to dry inside (isn't that what you use YOUR living room for?) until tomorrow night.

Slightly More Adventurous Than Expected

(not to worry, the Stupidity Bank is untouched)

My new perm was approved this past Wednesday, which meant that the planned ride this weekend got to follow through on Plan A.  Indeed, the OrRando spring 200 brevet is this month, but it is also scheduled for the 31st.  No do-overs for the R-12 if something unforeseen was to occur.

Michal was in, as was Kevin.  My bike was clean and shiny, with new pedals and a new saddle early this week.  I even had "new" shoes to test out; as my Pearl Izumis are getting soft.  A slightly used pair of Sidi Dominators, which all the cool kids wear.  And new shoe covers, after finally trashing the many shredded ones.

Michal and I had breakfast, and eventually coasted down the hill to the start.   We left it a little late, and arrived at the start one minute after our planned 6:30am start.  Got my thermal jug filled with a mocha.  Kevin had not yet arrived; we eventually started just before 7am.  Kevin was riding his fixie, and wearing shorts (!)  It wasn't COLD, but it wasn't what I would consider warm, either.

Conversations on someone's next rando bicycle. Something about front rack, proper front bag, different rear dropouts...

Uneventful escape from the Urban Growth Boundary (there is no traffic to speak of that early on a Saturday), eventually to end up at Banks, our first control.  Not a long stop.  I sucked down a bottle of grapefruit juice, and we were off to the most anticipated (by me, anyway) part of the ride, the Banks-Vernonia Trail.  The promised rain started up around here; a persistent drizzle.  Very light traffic on the trail.



Right about the Stub Stewart park entrance, we found a small snowbank, and promptly posed for pictures.



Then, a little further along (almost to Tophill) the trail was littered with small branches and debris from our recent snow event.  My front mudflap proved to be an excellent debris scoop; I had to stop every so often to pull branches out of my fenders.

And then - tree across the trail!  We had to stop and duck to get past it.



Then a little further along - many trees across the trail!  Portaging required.  The entertainment here was watching Michal using his new phone to document it.  He did eventually succeed, but I think the phone still has the upper hand.  (Can't tease too much, that's going to be my next phone as well.)





Then down and up at Tophill - I can't ride up it without stopping, the switchbacks are very tight turns.  Shortly afterward, we summitted (over 1000'), and began the long coast down into Vernonia.  We elected to stop at Black Bear Coffee, but "not for too long".  Orange-poppyseed scone and a mocha for me, a scone with chocolate drizzles and a latte for Michal; Kevin watched.

Back out into it; still a heavy drizzle.  Munched on a couple of cookies, kept drinking.  I felt pretty good most of the way to Birkenfeld; the last few miles of lumpy rollers did have me wanting some more food.  The Birkenfeld Store has undergone quite a few changes since I first rode out there in 2007.  The grocery part is now much smaller.  The liquor offerings, while probably not much reduced, are de-emphasized.  It is mostly cafe, which suited us just fine.  Kevin ordered nachos.  Michal and I elected to split a pastrami sandwich.  When it arrived, it was clear that this was the correct choice; it was pretty big.  Last year I had ended up eating the other half of Kevin's friend Nick's sandwich :-)







Hot tea, sandwich...  Spiking my hair so it would dry out a bit.  I should have tossed in a spare cap.  Still raining on the way out, but not (yet) the expected headwind.  Again, I felt pretty good most of the way back to Vernonia. Keeping up.  Taking pulls even.  Chatted with Michal and Kevin about their upcoming fleche.  We all slowed down a bit before Vernonia.  Elected to stop at the gas station to really keep the stop short (we were an hour up; it was ok, really).  I am sure I bought something to eat there, but don't remember what it was.



Then south again on the trail.  I was still feeling draggy, and telling myself I'd eat my Clif Builders Bar (chocolate mint, lots of calories, and yummy) when we got to Tophill, but finally forced myself to get it out and eat it NOW. Which was the right decision.  Munched on it all the way there.  Down, up, over the trees, under the tree and the descent back to Banks.  It had quit raining; there were bits of sun.  Totally unexpected.  Conversations on books we were reading or had read.  I always come away from these rides with a list of books to read.

Potato chips in Banks, and time to finish it off.  It was not yet sunset, but we all pulled on the reflective gear and turned on some lights.  It was warm enough that I swapped the jacket for a vest and shortfinger gloves.  By now we had a quartering headwind.  This is a pretty mindless 22 miles for me.  Banks to North Plains (more lights on).  North Plains to north Hillsboro.  Seemed like a good time to eat a GU, so I did - Peppermint Stick.  Must get more of those.

north Hillsboro to Tanasbourne.  At this point, I was on a mission, not stopping.  It seemed that every driver in the Beaverton area was out on the road.  Kevin and Michal just followed along.  Tanasbourne to SW 158th.  Don't cut over to go through the Nature Park (my standard route home).  Left on Jenkins.  Right on Hocken, turn past New Seasons, left on Center, right on SW 117th...  Turning onto Center, Michal: "are we there yet?"

Finished up, Kevin gave me his card, and we headed up to my house; Kevin continuing back to Portland.  I have to wonder if he rode all the way in on that fixie.  There is an 11% grade on Pointer.

Entered the results, fed Michal, sent him on his way. Joined the spouse at a dinner party (mmm.  good food.), but had real difficulty sitting in the chair.  I finally had to stand up and walk around, and, by 11pm, make my escape.  Still pretty beat up, which I do not understand.  I suspect that I do not appear to have Sidi feet, which might be part of it.

135+ miles, all told, with a 14mph average.  Nothing to sneeze at there.

The Utilitaire 12

MG, of Chasing Mailboxes fame, and also a randonneur, created the Utilitaire 12, a winter cycling challenge.  Like any good randonneuring event, there were many rules, paperwork and documentation requirements.  Not unlike working on proficiency badges or challenges (if you remember those, you may be a Girl Scout from my era).  After a bit of thought, I realized this one was totally doable.  One rule was that a qualifying activity could not occur DURING a brevet or permanent.



It could occur BEFORE or AFTER, like riding to the start and getting some coffee.  And with that, I was off.



My life is amazingly well organized at this time.  Where I live and where I currently work are about 3 miles apart.  I bike commute most days.  And between work and home are places to eat, community meetings, a variety of stores, bike shops, and where I get my haircut!  Piece of cake.  It actually was, one night, but I didn't count that stop, as I already had my two qualifiers for the week.



Tonight, at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance MSTIP focus group (coincidentally at a pub along one route home), I completed it.



The whole Utilitaire photo set

Dairy Creek, no farm animal pictures

Susan was recruiting for a jaunt up Dairy Creek Rd and back, with a stop by Longbottoms for lunch.  If I rode to and from, with at least one optional hill climb, it would be over 60 miles.  Plus the aforementioned hill climb.

I was instructed to show up promptly at 9, for the inevitable faffing and a 9:30am departure.  Jeff and Lee were also riding.  As I left the house a bit late to work in a hill climb, I took the most direct route, and arrived promptly at 9.  Lee pulled up, we rang the doorbell.  We knocked.  Finally, the door opened :-) Then the garage door opened, and Jeff and Susan completed their pre-ride preparations.  Lee and I wondered at the absence of freshly-baked biscuits, butter and jam.  And coffee.

Munched on a ProBar (360 calories) on the way up.  Waved at Prancer the Pony.  One of these days I'll get on a first name basis with the alpacas further along.

Took a picture, but had to stop to get my glove back on, so worked hard, but didn't catch up - they made it to the turnaround a bit before I did.

Nice late winter day, jacket not required - fleece jersey, thermal vest and new gloves and I was good.  The trees are starting to leaf out, but heading north and slightly up on Dairy Creek showed that it was still winter - snow from the Meacham Rd intersection onward.  Fortunately, not on the road.





Way fun heading back - slight downgrade, and I was rocketing (avg speed 20mph) back to the intersection with Mountaindale Rd.

I was chatting with Susan - she said it looked like I needed a new saddle.  I also said I needed new shoes, the Pearl Izumis were getting soft.  Susan: "what size do you wear?".  Now, we wear the same size shoe.  We also ride pretty much the same size bicycles, and have been known to swap shoes and bikes on a ride.  To make a short story long, she had some Sidi Dominators she was no longer wearing (went for the shiny Sidi Dragons, yes she did) which needed a new home...

Practiced riding no-hands.  It is getting much easier.  I'll attribute that to my improved core strength.

From there we headed over to Longbottoms for second breakfast.  Lee broke off to go home, but got to his car and thought the better of it and joined us.

Farm plates, French toast, coffee.  Visiting.

Then back over to Jeff and Susan's where the Sidis were produced and tried on (yup), and then secured to the rack with binders twine.  Half hitches, for the knot geeks.



Time to get in the hill climb, so I headed through the park trails, ending up on Kaiser Rd, and turning right on NW Springville. 4.25 miles, 935 vertical feet, 33 minutes.  I'll have to work on improving that.  Right now I just grind up it.  Then 2.5 miles further (more up and down) and then the paycheck descent down Thompson/McDaniel/119th.




















Home just before 3pm.  Would have been a few minutes sooner, but I stopped to chat with my neighbor.

The Snow was a Nice Touch...

Foraging around for a ride this weekend.  The Portland Velo ride was a 47 miles loop in the flats.  I had no other plans.  Looked at the weather forecast(!)

Soooooo.  Up around 6:45, getting ready.  I ride to the start (10 miles), and like to get on the road an hour before the ride starts.  Foraged around for the least shredded pair of booties.  Decided to toss on another layer (nylon vest over the wool jersey and sleeveless baselayer) under the Shower Pass jacket.  Put the rain cover back on the helmet.  With all that, I found myself on the road at 8:15am.  Ooops.

Sweetpea is still set up as Commute Bike, but as long as I had stuff to fix a flat with me, it would be ok.

Heading up through my neighborhood, I passed through a band of big snowflakes.  Fun!  I knew it wouldn't stick or freeze, so I could enjoy it.

The wind was supposed to be whipping in from the WSW, 25 mph.  Fortunately it hadn't picked up yet, or I'd never have gotten to the start in time.  As it was, I rolled into the parking lot as the "fast" group (for some strange reason, not a big turnout today) was departing.  This was fine, I ride with the "less fast" group, which, today, was JRod and Dana, and for awhile Brian C.  I enjoy riding with all of them.

Headed south on the PV Southern Escape Route, with a bit of a headwind, then west along Burkhalter-Simpson-Johnson School-Tongue... with more than a bit of a headwind.  Brief stop at the golf course, where I shed the vest.

Bands of rain passing over, heavy rain, then sun, then more rain.  We all had fenders and long mudflaps (Portland Velo is very big on proper fenders/mudflaps in the wet season), so no spattering.

Heading into Forest Grove, I managed to suck down a gel at a light.  One challenge with these rides is that we are moving rather faster and in a tighter group; eating and drinking is hard.  (Yes, they made me work.  This is good.)  Another snow shower in Forest Grove.  Epic :-)

No other stops.  Heading out of Forest Grove, JRod and Dana had a conversation, and asked if I had any issues turning on Purdin, cutting about 7 miles out of the route.  By now we were headed north, with some tailwind.  After the turn onto Purdin, heading east, with a better tailwind.

Familiar return routes (randos - this is the outgoing leg for the Verboort Populaire), more rain and sun.  Heading east on Evergreen we merged with the fast group coming down Sewell.

As I had no car, I went straight to Longbottoms.  Dana, Dan ("my wife said I could stay"), and eventually Brian joined me.  I ordered the Farm Plate, and was trying to drink all their coffee.  Conversations about their planned event rides, my planned rides (mine are somewhat longer), and a long technical discussion on causes of interference with wireless bike computers.  Many cups of coffee.  Blotted my wool cap with some paper towels.  I did have dry gloves in my bag.  Should have checked for dry socks; that would have been nice.

The last 10 miles home was uneventful.  I warmed up about 5 miles into it, and had a tailwind the whole way.  One more snow/sleet/hail episode right around 185th and Evergreen, and then the sun came out and stayed out the rest of the way home.

Very hot shower, and the sad realization that eventually I'd have to turn off the water and get out...

In all 59.6 miles, 14.42 avg mph.
My fastest average this year.  It was 14.8 until the stop at Longbottoms, but I always seem to loaf that last 10 miles.

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.

Riding MY Permanent!

As perhaps mentioned elsewhere, I knew which perm *I* wanted to ride in February.  And, indeed, a week or so back, the 10 day forecast looked promising.  And it kept improving.

Michal wanted to ride, and I publicized after we settled on a date and time.  Greg, Bill, Theo and Asta joined in.  Excellent!

So, some cleaning, cooking, and preparation (ever so much easier when it isn't going to rain or be astonishingly cold); Michal arrived, a bit of visiting, and an early night.  Probably one of the earlier times I've been organized the night before.



Oatmeal, coffee, and we coasted down the hill in the dark, to be at the Starbucks by 6:30 for the 7am departure.  First Greg, then Bill arrived.  A text from Asta - they were on the MAX, and would arrive at 7:05.  We decided to wait.  We watched them ride by on Canyon to the OTHER Starbucks at Freddies, and called over to retrieve them :-)

Asta and Theo LOVE rides which start in Beaverton - the Beaverton Transit Center is only a block from the start.  Clearly, Bill and I will just have to create more of them.  I love rides which start a mere 1.4 miles from my house.

So, only 15 minutes after 7 :-) we headed out.  I had already told Michal he was the cue sheet beta tester - everyone else was local, and probably knew where they were going.  Kevin had ridden on Tuesday, and reported no issues, but I wanted to make sure.

We started out chilly, but it would eventually warm up to a pretty nice day.  Not much traffic heading west, and once we turned onto West Union from Cornelius Pass, we were out in the country.  My favorite bits of road up through Helvetia, and I found everyone at the church figuring out the info control answer.

Through North Plains, Roy (another info control), Banks, Cedar Canyon Rd, then back on Hwy 6, up the hill, and past the plum orchards on Strohmayer Rd, which are already leafing out.



Got to hear about Asta's bike tour.  This ride was her one-year Randoversary - her first brevet was the Grab Bag 200 last February!

Upon arrival in Forest Grove, we converged on Maggie's Buns.  We had the sensible and healthy food choices table (Theo, Asta, and Greg), and the nutritionally dubious food choices (STICKY BUNS AS BIG AS YOUR HEAD!) table (Bill, Michal, and me).  Portland Velo (my other bike club) was passing by, but not really stopping and coming in.  LJ did come in, said hi and wondered if I was going to eat the whole thing.  You betcha.







By now it was really warm enough to ditch the wind vest, cap, and wool mittens, so I did.

Thus fortified, we headed out to Hagg Lake.  Perhaps a clarification on the cue sheet - the road curves right heading out of town; the route is straight.  It is signed Pacific, even though mapping programs say Ritchey.  Up and down on Old Hwy 47, passing the Lake Store and sawmill.  No elk in the field.  Patches of snow by the roadside along the lake.  Perhaps a small cue sheet issue - there are apparently two intersections of Scoggins Valley and West Shore, although the one which was intended is at least 5 miles further along.



Greg and I rode along together here, and found everyone at the info control, another question-rich environment. I think Bill is using the very same control for a populaire route he's working on.



Suggestion to put the info control up the gravel road a bit... "that'd be cruel"...



From there, finished circumnavigating the lake, and then headed south.  Theo, Asta, and Michal had pulled ahead.  We passed through Gaston and headed south on Spring Hill.  Strangely enough, we did not see them up ahead, even though we had long sight lines along several stretches.  Must have turned on the afterburners.  Through Yamhill and into Carlton.  We stopped at the little convenience market on Main; I got a Ruby Red grapefruit juice and some Kettle Chips.  I'd been munching on the bag of home baked cookies Michal gave me, plus a chocolate mint protein bar (20g!) that I'd gotten from a co-worker and had been saving for just this occasion.

Bill got a big bottle of water, and we topped up, finished our snacks, took some pictures and...there were Theo, Asta, and Michal.  They'd stopped in Gaston and we didn't see them. :-)  We offered them some water.  Michal: "we left some water for you in Gaston".



The wind had been blowing steadily from the NE all day, and I figured there would be an annoying headwind from here on out, but not so.  I didn't mind one bit.

Michal was leading the way along Hwy 240/Kuehne, and rode by the Ribbon Ridge turn.  We yelled, and he came back.  Maybe add a note to the cue sheet - "top of hill, easy to miss"?

Yet another info control at the other end of Ribbon Ridge.  There were suggestions that I add one that asked for the most unusual winery name, but that would have been a hard call.





Rode in two groups northward.  I was dropped at the bottom of the steep little s-curve hill north of Gaston; took me about 3 miles to chase back on.  It was easier riding in a pack!



We paused at the Forest Hills golf course for snacks and a pause :-)  I had a big chunk of a brownie-peanut topping confection from a co-worker.  It probably had a million calories per cubic inch, so, again, saving it for a bike ride.  Asta and Theo helped me with it.  It was really good, and not too sweet.

Pretty sunset as we rode north on Rood Bridge into Hillsboro.



One more info control on Burkhalter Rd (on Volume Three of the card), with another round of picture-taking, then off to our last on-course control.  Bought some cheesy crackers; managed to pawn some off on Greg.  Called Fitz to let him know we were about 6 miles out.



Told everyone I'd take pity on them and lead us back in, although it was pretty much a straight shot from here.  We did clump up and take the straight through lane crossing 185th, which made it really nice.  Six bikes taking up a lane is so much more authoritative than just one.  By now it was pretty mindless riding for me...

Turn onto Hocken, through the shopping center, all taking the left through lane on Hall to set up for the turn onto Center, down Center, left on 117th and yay! back at Starbucks!  The folks working there were kind enough to take our picture (with more than one camera), and told us to do more rides from their store.  Works for me!  They seem friendlier than the crew at the other store.



Learning - Izze Sparkling Clementine is really good at the end of a ride.  Then Michal and I rode back up the hill, and we fed him and sent him home.

My bike computer said 131 miles, and 6000 vertical feet, both of which are probably slightly optimistic.
11:37 total elapsed time for the permanent, 13.96 avg mph, my fastest average for the year for all my riding.

Everyone's results will be entered as soon as I get the secret handshake from the RUSA Permanista.

Pictures:

Mine
Michal's
Theo's

I'm almost ashamed to detail what I ate all day (and was just FINE, no bonks)...
oatmeal with craisins, brown sugar, walnuts, butter and milk,
coffee
a mocha,
cookies from Michal (these are really good cookies)
enormous orange sticky bun
more coffee
chocolate mint protein bar
Kettle chips
Ruby Red grapefruit juice
Chocolate-peanut brownie
a couple of blood orange segments (yum)
water
Clearly not a nutritional role model.