pre STP

For the last several years, after being a goal in itself, the Cascade Bicycle Club's Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP) has been just another training ride for me. A fun training ride, but just a ride on the way to bigger things. In fact, some years STP is just a week before Race Across Oregon, so as odd as it might seem to some, sometimes STP is just a tapering ride! ;-)

This year it was all fun. I've got nothing to prove, I've already done 6 one day STP's, (2005, 2006, & 2007, 2008 , 2009 ,& 2010 , already ridden 200 miles in a day this year, and with way more climbing to boot!
But STP is fun, over 10,000 other riders, a rolling party if you want it to be. I choose to save the partying for after the ride.

Today was the long bus ride to Seattle.
To start the day off I drove to a secure parking area near the bus loading location. Well, actually first I drove to the buses, unloaded bags then drove about a mile back to park. I then rode my bike back to the loading location. It would be over a half mile, but less than a mile. Rounded to the nearest mile call it "1" mile.
The only riding I would do today.

I take advantage of the Portland Wheelmen's charted bus service. Before boarding the bus we loaded our bikes in trucks that would meet us in Seattle.

It's just so easy, and so much fun to spend a few hours with other "bikey people" on the way up there.



We left Portland under blue skies but about half way to Seattle the skies darkened and we actually had a bit of rain.

Once in Seattle I got checked in to the dorm where I'd be spending the night then hurried off to lunch in the dorm's cafeteria. Later in the day I met with a few of my fellow NW BOB members for a short visit and a bite to eat.


Then retired to a WSU dorm room with a great view and called it an early night in preparation of tomorrow's fun.



........road bike.......rollers.........mtb.....lifecycle.....total
Today.........1..............0.............0..........0..........1
Jan.........474..............0............21..........7.........502
Feb.........530..............0.............0..........0.........530
March.......502..............0.............0..........0.........502
April.......524..............0.............0..........0.........524
May........1003..............0.............0..........0........1003
June.......1016..............0............10..........0........1026
July........244..............0.............0..........0.........244
YTD........4297..............0............37..........7........4340