In with the new

Thursday night I joined a few folks to ride across the old Sellwood Bridge for the last time.  Today I joined a few folks to ride across the new Sellwood Bridge for the first time. It was an out with the old and in with the new kind of few days.  As if often the case, the chosen biking route had little to do with the most direct route.  We started at Lucky Lab Brew Pub, where two different cycling Meetup groups had joined forces to put a ride together.  There were a few overnight and early morning showers that were expected to dissipate by 10 AM. As is typical with Meetup cyclists, that was enough to make about half decide not to ride.

Our group pedaled off on wet roads northward to Marine Drive where we rode the balance of Portland's 40 mile loop.  With regroups and a pesky headwind as we pedaled along the I-205 path, we weren't making good time. The plan was to take about 3 hours to cover the 25 miles to the Sellwood Bridge.  It took 30 minutes longer than that.

At least we had good weather, right on schedule the showers had stopped, and the roads dried out.  It was a nice afternoon for riding.

The group broke up as we neared the bridge with some riding home, some bypassing the bridge and continuing their way back to Lucky Lab. A few of us spent some time at the bridge's opening celebration.

This was a little more organized event than Thursday's. There were fewer people but there were marching bands, vendor booths, antique cars, and more rules ("you'll have to walk those bikes folks")

I walked by bike over the new span getting one last look at the old bridge as I made my way westward.

As I reached the west end, I noted that a parade was staging.

This car was covered in yarn.  I asked the driver if it was machine washable or had to be dry cleaned.  He just smiled.

I noted a school marching band staging.

 Having taken a long time to work my way through the crowd, I decided that parade speed on the way back sounded like a good choice. I fell into formation right behind the band, and just in front of a neighborhood association contingency.  I put on my best "parade wave" and pedaled slowly along.
I kept expecting someone semi-official to wave me out of the parade lineup, but they didn't. :-)

When I got back to the east end of the bridge I turned northward and finished our planned route back to Lucky Lab where a few of our group had gathered for a post ride debriefing.

It was a short ride, but a good day to be on a bike!

.........Road Bike.....Rollers.............MTB..........Lifecycle......Total
Today ......33...............0...................0.......................0...........33
Jan............0................0...............,...0.......................0............0
Feb..........124...............0...................0.......................0...........124

Is it Spring?

It was sunny and nearly 70 degrees today. I haven't been on a Thursday Night Ride yet this year, but with the theme being "Endless Summer Revisted", and being in town this week, I decided there was no better thing to do than take to the streets with friends.

I took the fixie out for the first time in months. I drove to Sellwood and rode out the Springwater to Cartlandia and back just for a little preride before riding to the Salmon Street Springs and the meeting point for the TNR. With the ride meeting up at 7 PM and pedaling out at 7:30 PM, it was dark as I pedaled the last few miles to join them.

There were well over 100 riders assembled.  The usual tall bikes, stretch bikes, fatties, fixies, and commuters.  One thing I did notice that has changed in my absence, is that there was a much higher percentage of riders wearing helmets.  Where there used to be just a handful wearing protective headgear, tonight the majority were.  Not sure exactly what precipitated the change.

Today was the last day that the old Sellwood Bridge was open, and at 7 PM it would close to automobile traffic and only be open to pedestrians and cyclists.  The group really wanted to take one last trip across the old bridge, so away we went. We rode down the west side of the Willamette River using a lot of pathways, very unusual for our "bikes in the streets!" gang.  It forced us into a long string of single file riders most of the time.  It was almost magical to see the long line of bike lights snaking along the river's shoreline. I didn't get any photos of that however, I was too busy riding!

As we neared the Sellwood Bridge, it became a little dicey.  We had to take the construction narrowed traffic lane and with 24 Hr flaggers, we weren't sure we'd be allowed to proceed.  I was about mid pack and didn't hear the conversation, but after some negotiation we were allowed to proceed, with the first 150 ft or so being required to walk our bikes in a narrow area behind some concrete barriers.

Once past the concrete barriers we got in the former traffic lanes.  We pedaled VERY slowly as there were well over 1000 pedestrians on the bridge taking part in a bridge closing party.

After crossing the bridge we rode back northward on the east bank of the Willamette River to our favorite resupply point, Jacksons, for some picnic supplies.  We then pedaled back southward a short distance to the Hawthorne Bridge, were organizers and volunteers had spent some time building a new and improved fire pit and seating area under the bridge. It was a perfect venue for a post ride gathering.

After some time there, I rode back to my pickup in Sellwood.
With 15 miles preride, and 5 miles post ride commute, I ended up with 30 miles, just about right tonight.

.........Road Bike.....Rollers.............MTB..........Lifecycle......Total
Today ......30...............0...................0.......................0...........30
Jan............0................0...............,...0.......................0............0
Feb...........91...............0...................0.......................0...........91

Not pretty, but done

Today was my annual birthday ride.  Held on the weekend closest to my birthday, this has always been a good excuse to get out in winter and go for a bike ride with friends.  Most years this has been a walk in the park for me.  Not this year.

This was my 1st ride of 2016.  I only rode twice in December, and even while riding every day in November, for the most part they were not challenging rides.  I was going to pay dearly for my lack of cycling fitness.

My first mapping of today's route looked good.  Exactly 61 miles, and on favorable roads.  There wasn't an opportunity for resupply near the half way point however, so I went for an alternate routing that put us at a full service stop midway, at the price of busier roads and a few more hills for the last half.  I knew it would tax me, but how bad could it be?

8 of us met in the Fred Meyer parking lot in Wilsonville. I rode my fixie on last year's birthday ride, this year Joe would be the only fixed gear representative. He would keep up with the geared bikes much better than I did on mine last year.

Tess, Monica, and Kathleen

Dave

Alan

Terry

Joe

and Birdie Flores made the trip again too!

We pedaled out and entered I-5 and crossed the Willamette River.  The Boone Bridge had been swept in the last couple of days so it was a pretty nice ride across today. We took the first exit and headed south, aided by a gentle tailwind.  The weather was pretty decent!

The gang kept the pace throttled back, and I was able to mostly keep up the 15-16 mph speed.   A few of the guys went off the front as we neared our southern most point of travel.  They paid the price by missing the planned resupply stop.  We all regrouped at the small convenience store where the route turned north.

The wind wasn't really significant, but for an out of shape old guy, it was now a noticeable headwind. 

I tucked midpoint into the developing paceline.  We pedaled several miles at 16-17, my tired legs were taxed, but I was holding on.  Then Dave made his move to the front of the line and picked the speed up to 17-18.  When Alan assumed lead and brought it up to 19, I was done.  Before it was over, I heard that Terry felt his oats and brought it up to 20.  I used to be able to run with the big dogs...and then some, but not now. :-(

We regrouped in St Paul.  The guys were there waiting for me, the ladies had pedaled on ahead.

River Road was pretty busy for a Saturday, but traffic was at least not antagonistic.

We pedaled out, but it didn't take long for me to fall behind.

My "saddle interface" was feeling my lack of saddle time, my legs weren't feeling much of all.  

Any little incline slowed me down significantly.  Terry fell back and kept me company as I slogged slowly along. There were opportunities to short cut the course, but damn it, I was going to pedal this thing!

We got to Newberg and turned to follow the Willamette River on Wilsonville Rd. It is a curvy, rolling, tree lined road.  During weekday commute times it can be harrowing to ride bike along it. Weekends are normally much better.  There have been times when I've counted two vehicles passing from either direction on the entire 8 mile stretch.  Today would not be one of those days.

Again, traffic was not aggressive, but it was not enjoyable to feel so vulnerable.  As we'd ride along the Willamette we'd have to cross feeder streams, and the little "canyons" that they flowed through.

Those little 6%ish climbs dropped me to the mid single digits.  Terry was patient with my struggles and stayed back with me.  Thanks Ter!

We finally arrived at our finish point. I would have had an even 61 miles, but early in the ride I had looped around a parking lot in Woodburn to scope out a possible restroom for some who had expressed a need.

The others had already staked out a table.  My sister again joined us and brought a birthday cake.  At least she didn't try to put 61 candles on it!

61 miles, it wasn't pretty, but it was done!

.........Road Bike.....Rollers.............MTB..........Lifecycle......Total
Today ......61...............0...................0.......................0...........61
Jan............0................0...............,...0.......................0............0
Feb...........61...............0...................0.......................0...........61