Riding with the Desert Coyote

I was supposed to be riding back home from Eugene today. When that all changed I decided that a good fallback would be to ride to Multnomah Falls and back from Wilsonville. The deluge that met me at morning light made me rethink that.

One of my regular blog readers posted an invitation to join her on a 25 mile loop beginning in McMinnville. Little did she know but that written comment would be the winning entry in the "Why I'd like to ride 25 miles with the Desert Coyote" essay contest. I was going to bike to McMinnville and back, which would give me an ~90 mile day, but it was just pouring. Since I don't have to ride when it's not fun anymore I loaded the rain bike and drove to McMinnville.

The rain had tapered off a bit by the time I arrived there, the contest winner informed me that it never rained really hard there.


(Essay winner Esther)

She led me on a nice route beginning from McMinnville out to the Perrydale and Whiteson areas. The route was for the most part on roads I had never ridden before.

It was a nice route with good company. We finished the ride with a stop for snacks at Alf's.

The weather was improving as the day wore on. I wasn't ready to hang the bike up for the day quite yet.

I took a few moments to look over the other essay contest entries and noted that there was a three way tie. ;-)

I called one of the other winners, only to find she had taken the day to go on a mtn bike adventure. The fine print said entrants had to be present to win so I contacted the third person on the list.

Carol jumped at the chance to ride with such a famous cyclist ;-) so off we went in search of another 25 miles.


(essay contest co-winner Carol)

Just as we started off I was challenged to a race by a local young racer. Here he is pulling out ahead of me.


Carol and I rode up into the Mountain Home area and circled back around via Scholls.


Following the ride the Desert Coyote was treated to a homemade strawberry milkshake! :-) (Thanks Carol!)

All jest aside, I was glad to enjoy these gal's company on the rides today. Fewer miles than I had hoped for, but more than I expected to get earlier in the day as the rain was falling.

........road bike.......rollers.........mtb.....lifecycle.....total
Today........50..............0.............0..........0.........50
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........797..............0.............0..........0.........797
YTD........4850..............0............37..........7........4893