A non group group ride.

I finally had an open day and just needed to get on my bike.  I checked the Portland Wheelmen Ride calendar.  They had one riding the Tacoma Wheelmen's  Daffodil Ride.  I didn't feel like driving all the way to Tacoma just to ride today, plus in the past when I did ride the Daffodil, I wasn't too enthralled with the local drivers, who let us know that we weren't welcome on "their" roads.  I opted instead to join a local ride, advertised as a 25-35 mile group ride, 14ish mph,  with a snack stop in the middle.  I'm usually not looking to stop in the middle of a 30ish mile ride, I'd just as soon get the ride over with, then go for a social stop.  But you take what you can get.

It was a cold morning, just 33 degrees at home at 6 AM.  The weather forecast promised near 60 degrees by afternoon, and no rain until 6 PM.

With a forecast like that, there should be no surprise that there were 35 riders at the start.

One of the regulars offered to lead a split group if the intended route could be shared.  The leader said he didn't have a route, he would make it up as we rode along.  He wasn't sure how he'd keep the group together.  He said he wouldn't regroup at stop signs, but would wait at all turns for the riders to re-group.  If anyone got dropped, he said to just go straight, and they'd find the group waiting. He mentioned that he wasn't sure how he'd figure out when all the riders where there though.  I offered to sweep and he should have no problem recognizing me (on my crazy fixed gear bike). He agreed, and we were off.

Within the first half mile a rider decided this ride wasn't for him and bailed out.  I stopped and got his name to pass onto the ride leader.  I pedaled hard and caught back up to the group.

Near the three mile mark we found ourselves in a large group of cars jockeying for parking places, and pedestrians making there way to a Palm Sunday church service.  Some private security and Portland police were doing there best to keep everyone safe.  During all this craziness, something happened with one of the tandem bikes.  I'm not sure if there was a mechanical or some altercation with one of the pedestrians. but the tandem was being walked down the sidewalk.  I got turned around and made my way back to see if I could offer any assistance.

They assured me that they were okay.  It seemed that there might have been issues between the captain and stoker.  At any rate, I took the hint, and turned around to catch my group.

I got back through the congestion, then pedaled hard to find the rest of the gang.  I rode straight down the last road I saw them riding on while visually checking side streets in case they turned.  How hard can it be to find 30+ riders in a leisurely paced ride?

Well, after I got a few miles out, I pretty much realized I wasn't going to find them.  The only indication I had of a route was a pre-ride mention of Marine Drive and Panera Bread being the likely lunch stop.  I intersected the diagonally oriented Sandy Blvd, and took it toward Marine Drive, hoping to head the group off.

Mt Hood was there, but no group of cyclists.   I decided if I was going to be on a solo ride I'd continue to Troutdale.  I got to Troutdale and noted that I had 17 miles.  If I wouldn't be in the group ride, I'd at least get the expected miles by the time I got back!

Troutdale is trying to reinvent itself as somewhat of an artist's enclave.  I noted a bronze sculpture that was being kind enough to show me the way.

I figured that no trip to Troutdale was complete without riding to the Sandy River.  Being on the fixie, and not in the best of bike shape, I quickly dashed any thoughts of continuing up to Chanticleer Point for the view eastward to Crown Point and Vista House.  Today, the historical sign about the Sandy River would have to do.

I turned around and rode back up out of the Sandy River canyon and made my way back westward along Halsey St.  When I crossed Interstate 205 I jumped over to Tillamook, knowing from my Rocky Butte Hill Repeat days, that it was one of Portland's bike friendly neighborhood greenways.

In just a short time, I was back at the starting point.  I was a bit surprised to see that all the cars related to our ride, were gone.  Not suspecting a mass theft, I figured that even with their lunch stop, they had managed to beat me back and had already left.

Oh well.  It was still a good day for a ride.  The weather gurus got this one right. I saw a time/temperature show 61 degrees, and the first drops of rain began falling long after I was done riding, at 5:55 PM.

.........Road Bike........Rollers.............MTB..........Lifecycle......Total
Today ........34................0....................0........................0..........34
Jan..............304...............15...................0......................31..........350
Feb..............0..................0....................0.......................0..............0
March.........18................0.....................0.......................0.............18
April.........50................0....................0.......................0..............50