Two loops, two friends.

I had two invitations to join friends on bike rides today. What to do? Well, ride both rides of course!   Carol and I started at Oaks Park and rode out the Springwater Corridor to the end of the pavement then climbed up Powell Valley Rd before dropping down into the Sandy River Canyon and riding up to Chanticleer Point, the site of Women's Forum State Park.

I was running late for my second ride so I pushed a bit harder on the ride back down the Sandy River to Troutdale, then westward along Halsey Street. I would text my location every 50 blocks as I rode toward Catherine's home......running about an hour late. :-(



Catherine has a birthday coming up soon and as is tradition in our bike club, will be hosting a birthday ride to celebrate it. She wanted to ride the route to scout it for any surprises, but because of my late arrival we opted to ride only the portion that she was unfamiliar with.

I started off today with the rain bike, since the forecast called for rain.  I had leg warmers and arm warmers on, as well as goretex raingear packed.  Catherine started her ride in a short sleeved jersey and shorts.  Period.

As we neared the Columbia River it began to rain.  I knew that with arm and leg warmers on I was better equipped to pedal in rain than she was so I offered her my rain jacket.  She accepted.  I knew that as long as I kept pedaling I could stay warm, it is after all, now SUMMER. :-O

 I tried to get a photo as we crossed the river channel but was taking photos with my phone.  It is not nearly as convenient to take "on the go" photos as my digital camera. Not as pretty as the river background, but I thought I was lucky to get the above photo without dropping the phone!

Catherine had a dinner engagement this evening, and as was par for the course today, we were later than we should have been in getting her back home.  I pedaled in front of her house with 4 minutes to spare before she was to leave.  She was of course still on the bike, wet, dirt splattered, and in need of a warm shower!  Oh well, she should know that any dinner date would be second rate to a good bike ride with the Desert Coyote!  ;-)

After leaving Catherine at her door, (and getting my rain jacket back!) I pedaled another wet 40 minutes to get back to Oaks Park and the warm and dry interior of my pickup! I was ready for this ride to end today.

 ........road bike.......rollers.........mtb.....lifecycle.....total Today........84..............0..............0..........0............84
 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..........1074...............0...............0............0.....1074 YTD........4417............142............20.........46.........4600