Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway, day 2

Day two of the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway was our return pedal to Wilsonville. Ken, Russell, and I decided on a 6:30 AM start.  I noted that the room had a microwave and planned on finding some instant oatmeal and juice to serve as a breakfast pre-ride, but did not see a market in the part of Eugene we were in. I'm sure there was one, just didn't see it, and didn't feel like pedaling all over looking for it last night when sleep was a priority.  Ken went to a nearby Starbucks for breakfast, but found it was closed yet at 6AM. So, we started off without breakfast, but with a plan to stop early and often for "ride kibble".

We had a bit of a tailwind as we started off.  The roads were a bit damp from an overnight rain shower. The sky was mostly cloudy, a welcome turn of events for those of us with pink skin from a day in the sun the day before.

About 20 miles into our ride, between Coburg and Brownville, we had the biggest hill of the route.  Yesterday we climbed this in 90 degree heat with over 100 miles on our legs, we remembered it distinctly.
Today it was much easier than we expected.  Nothing like cooler weather and relatively fresh legs to make easy work out of a hill.

As we rolled into Brownsville we stopped for chocolate milk and a "berry pie", as in Hostess high fructose corn syrup, artificially berry flavored, wrapped in sugar coated pastry".  But it was 450 badly needed calories. The chocolate milk was slightly more nutritious.

Just out of Brownsville we came back upon the bridge construction on Fayetteville Rd.  Russell decided he wasn't fond of our "cyclocross"ish remedy to the closed road, so he opted to take a self styled detour.  Ken and I figured we'd never see him again. It only added a couple of minutes for us to get us and our bikes over the construction.

As we rode today, the wind increased in intensity, and was changing direction.  Rather than the southwind (tailwind) of the early morning we were now experiencing a mostly west wind.

Just outside Albany we were surprised to see Russel standing beside the road waiting for us.  It seemed that his detour was shorter than our route!

The Three Musketeers were reunited and we pedaled into Albany together.

 Russell was tiring, most notably on the inclines.  When we neared Independence the call of his vehicle across the bridge became too strong.  He decided to call it a day, ride across the bridge, and wait for his wife, Miriam, and catch a ride back with her and Carol.
Ken and I soldiered on, because that's what we do.

The wind was really becoming an issue.  More often than not it was a headwind.  The few short stretches where we turned to have it as a tailwind we are able to determine it's speed at 20 mph.

When I planned this trip I figured I would be well into my training for Race Across Oregon, a mere month away.  But alas, as we neared this trip, I knew it would be a test for me.  As the miles clicked on, I could tell I just didn't have the power in my legs. I could pedal flat ground well, pulling in the mid 20's, until my riding partners would howl at me, but throw in a hill and I'd slow down quickly.  No more so really than the others, but the others are not doing Race Across Oregon in a month!

Even with tired legs and a pesky headwind both Ken and I noted the pretty scenery we were biking through.

We made our last food stop in Salem.  With only 35 miles to go, and having ridden this section many times, I knew this was a 2 hour run.  Well, normally a two hour run.  Today with tired legs and headwind make it nearly 3 hours!

We did arrive back in Wilsonville, tired, hungry, and pleased with our accomplishment. It was my first 300 mile weekend since last July.  It was Ken's first ever back to back centuries.

An interesting note, we spent 9 hours and 1 minute on the bike today to cover this distance, compared to 8 hours and 57 minutes yesterday to ride the same route. Pretty comparable and surprising, considering the headwinds at times today, and the effect of two long days back to back.

My average heartrate yesterday was 122 bpm, today it was 109.  I hypothesize that lower power output (due to tired legs) requires less oxygen.  Not that I wouldn't have liked to have offered a bit more oxygen in return for higher power output!

It was a good weekend on bikes!

........road bike.......rollers.........mtb.....lifecycle.....total Today.......151..............0..............0..........0...........151 Jan.........105.............34.............0..........0..........139 Feb.........428............108.............0.........24..........536 March.......809..............0.............0.........22............831 April.........1010..............0.............0..........0.........1010 May..........1000..............0.............20..........0.......1020 June...........829...............0...............0............0......829 YTD........4172............142............20.........46.........4355