A beautiful day, and a reality check

I rode today with a group that identifies themselves as the "Sunday Irregulars". There is the saying "If you can't run with the big dogs stay on the porch". Luckily, they didn't pay attention to that else they would have made me stay at the start today. It's a little early in the season for me to try to hold an 18-20 mph pace and I struggled. They were very polite about it, but there was little doubt, I was in over my head! That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger.......... I'll be back to ride with them again! It was refreshing to ride with folks who had good cycling skills.... good steady riding, pointing out hazards, calling out stops and slowing, not lapping wheels, signaling turns, safe lane usage..... all the good stuff.

We started at Longbottom Coffee near Hillsboro Stadium with a total of 6 riders.


I kept up reasonably well the first 10 miles or so. Here we are riding through the roundabouts near Verboort.

After passing through Verboort we made our way to Thatcher Rd and the base of the first hills of the Coast Range. We skirted along the hills and past the famous antlers on Love's barn, then headed east. We went through the little town of Roy then on to North Plains. At North Plains 4 of us headed up Pumpkin Ridge Rd. It's a steady grade of about 7 miles back up into the hills. 2 chose to avoid the climb and headed back towards Hillsboro. For better or worse, I chose to climb the hill. Here's a photo of Washington Grange situated about half way up the climb and 30 miles into our ride.

The girls showed us just how you are supposed to ride a bike, riding clear to the snow! Charlie and I stopped about 1 mile short, deciding that we were just too old to enjoy playing in snow!

Before long Sarah and Alanna came whizzing back down the hill so it was time to put the jacket back on and follow them back down the long downhill run to North Plains.
The fun of that easterly run was tempered by a headwind that was picking up. It easily cost us 5-7 mph.

Once on the flats we headed towards Hillsboro, again into a very noticeable wind.
I finally straggled into the Longbottom Coffee parking lot where the others were already "de-biked" and waiting.

I ended up with 44 miles. Some had more, some had less depending on how far up the hill we went.

We finished up with a warm drink and visit at Longbottoms.

Great folks, great ride, great day!

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...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles YTD
Today...........44 ...............0
YTD............229.....+........576....=.........805

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