A nice route today, but no peaches

Erinn emailed and suggested we ride the 100km Peach of a Century route beginning at Jefferson today. What a great call! We began our ride at noon and had really good weather. There was a noticeable wind out of the north but it just added to the workout of the first half as we pedaled mostly north. We had nice roads, low traffic, and great views. The temps were in the upper 60's and the sky had a smattering of white clouds. No threat of rain. I had 4 cameras in the pickup (if you count the cell phone as one) but didn't get any of them on the bike so you won't be bothered with photos or video today. ;-)

We rode an out and back version today, from Jefferson to Stayton then towards Salem until we got 30 miles then backtracked. Well, backtracked except for a few blocks of "exploring" in Stayton that added just a bit to our route. The return trip was a blast. What had been a bit of work into the wind turned into a speed fest on the return with a trailing wind pushing us. I rarely saw below 22 mph.

We came back to our vehicles with a good ride behind us and not exhausted. I think we both would have been up for more miles, but there will be other days.

A good day, good company....... a good ride. The only thing keeping it from being classified as a great ride was there wasn't any peach cobbler waiting for us at the end!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today...........62...............0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1406....+.......720....=.........2126

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Daffodil Classic

Dave, Laura, and I made our way to Orting Washington late yesterday in preparation for today's Daffodil Classic put on by the Tacoma Wheelmen's Bicycle Club. We couldn't resist beginning our stay up there by having dinner at "Famous Dave's BBQ" where our server's name was Ryan.... the same name as Dave's son.


The TWBC puts on a real good ride. The course was well marked, the "Dan Henry's" even showed us where the goodies were at the end of the ride! (click on the photo for a larger version)


Support was excellent throughout.

As with most of the rides in the state of Washington that I participate in, there seemed to be a LOT of chipseal. Nothing like 50+ miles of chipseal to drain you!
The scenery was nice. We had many views of Mt Rainier, and we were close. We traveled along the shores of several lakes too.


After having seen the power of mudflows from the Mt St Helen's eruption it doesn't take much imagination to see the risk to the folks in the communities we rode through today. A clear shot to Mt Rainier only 30 miles away and situated in valleys that will funnel the lahars right to their front doors...and on through to the back doors.
This picture should have been gorgeous, but alas, in my hurry I didn't take into account the shutter delay.


Here's a few photos of the Eatonville rest stop:

Here's a little video as we rode away from the rest stop.



Here we three musketeers take our chances stopping for a photo op in the gunsights of a lahar.



With a bit of a late start, the jarring ride of chipseal, and a bloated feeling it didn't take much for the bike pansy to escape from my bike bag. It crawled up on my shoulder and began the litany....... "This is far enough.", "You don't want to make Dave and Laura wait while you ride another 40 miles.", "You rode a hard ride on Friday.", "You're too old to do this!". I listened and obeyed.

We followed the last Dan Henry to the strawberry shortcake desert. :-)


The soils in the area seemed to be very rocky, there was very little traditional agriculture. The farms we did pass appeared to be cow and pasture operations that had seen better days. There were a lot of rock and gravel pits. Some were still active while others had been converted to industrial land and housing. There seemed to be a lot of growth in the housing market in the area with many subdivisions being under construction or recently built.

Dave commented that one of the things nice about going on these rides is getting to see areas that you wouldn't normally see in travels up I-5.
Sounds like a good subject for a bumper sticker........
"See the country--Ride your bike!"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today...........64...............0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1344....+.......720....=.........2064

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A good day for a bike ride!

Ah, what a day for a bike ride. 71 degrees, light breeze, nuttin' but blue! I began at McMenamin's Rock Creek Tavern on Old Cornelius Pass Road, not so much that it's a good place to start but rather it's a GREAT place to finish! ;-)

I went up Old Cornelius Pass Road to Skyline and followed Skyline to Cornell where I took a right (following the DeRonde van Oeste Portlandia route) and descended to Miller where I took a left, then another left on Brynwood. Yup, it was just as steep today as last weekend, but the weather was nicer today!

My back tire slipped a few times, but not near as often as last weekend when the road was wet. Today it was when I'd hit a bit of small gravel or sand type stuff. The problem today was that my front wheel picked up. As you'd expect, it was when I was really putting some power on. As the wheel came up (of course not going very fast) I was standing and giving it some pretty good effort. The handlebar turned because of my pulling on it to get leverage. When it came back on the ground......pointed sideways.... I went on the ground too. A little road rash to show for it, but I'll survive.

Once I hit Skyline again I took leave of the DeRonde route and made a right on Skyline following it toward the Sunset Highway. Skyline earns it's name as the views were stupendous.


It is also a popular location for broadcast towers.


When I came to the Sylvan interchange of the Sunset Hwy I crossed over to Hewett. As usual, I ended up at Council Crest.


Today, after making the loop on Council Crest I continued on Council Crest Drive until I came to the KGON tower.

Since the road ended there I decided it was as good excuse to begin my way back as any. I dropped down on the Portland side and followed that road for a ways before taking a left and climbing up a pretty decent hill to get back to Council Crest Drive. From there I pretty much retraced my route back to Rock Creek Tavern.....but did not abuse my brake pads and rims by descending Brynwood! ;-)

Along the way I stopped at the Willamette Stone.


It was a good ride today, a nice warm up for Sunday's 100 mile Daffodil Classic.

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...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today...........40...............0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1280....+.......720....=.........2000

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lack of motivation

I just couldn't get in gear today. There were a few showers around but as the day progressed it looked like we've finally turned the corner as far as weather goes. For some unknown reason I was cold all day. The outside temperature was in the low 50's but with the bit of breeze I just couldn't get myself to hop on the bike.

So instead I took off the brake pads and thoroughly cleaned them after last weekend's grit fest. I adjusted my front wheels bearings that had just a bit of slop in them. I was running low on chainlube so I followed a suggestion to make my own. (3 parts odorless mineral spirits, 1 part synthetic motor oil) Supposedly the mineral spirits thins the oil and works as a carrier to help the oil penetrate into the places you need it to be, then evaporates leaving just the oil. I'll give it a shot and let you know how I like it. It certainly is cheaper...... I made 1 gallon of the stuff for about $14. That should last me for awhile. Hope I like it! ;-)

Tomorrow I'll get on the bike for at least 40 miles. I've got my first century of the year coming up on Sunday and I'm 40 miles short of 2000 miles for the year. Those two facts along with the improving weather are good enough reasons to get back on the bike.

Hmmmm.....maybe I should ride back up to Brynwood St and give it another shot!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today............0...............0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1240....+.......720....=.........1960

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

another LifeCycle day...........Argh!

I had a meeting in Portland all morning. I sat by a window and could see showers from time to time. By afternoon those light showers turned to torrential downpours with hail. I opted for the gym again. I repeated the "fast as I could go for 1 hour" routine, this time managing 24 "miles".

On the way back from the meeting today I drove the section of the DeRonde van Oeste Portlandia route from Cornell back up towards Pittock Mansion. This was the next big climb after the Brynwood climb. I had my helmet cam along and took some video as I drove up. I added that video to the DeRonde ride description.

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...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today............0...............24
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1240....+.......720....=.........1960

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

a real bike rider....................

...........would have been out on the bike today. A bit drippy but REAL bike riders aren't concerned with such things. Bike pansies are though.

I opted for the artificial bike, TV, and ability to be in the shower within minutes after finishing.

My natural best fit seems to be moderate paced rides for long distances. DeRonde van Oeste Portlandia showed me what I already know....... there are a LOT of riders stronger and faster than I. My Race Across Oregon team is leaning hard towards one hour pulls, so today on the artificial bike I pedaled as many "miles" as I was able to pedal in 1 hour in an attempt to recreate what I will be doing during RAO.

I'm definitely going to have to do more practice on this..... I'll have to find the balance between having too much left and burning out.

I managed to log 23 "miles" in the hour. I took a little diversion on some of the other equipment then came back for a more laid back effort and logged another 10 "miles"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today............0...............33
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1240....+.......696....=.........1936

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A lap around the lake....post DeRonde

I wasn't sore after yesterday's hill fest, but could feel that I'd worked the muscles yesterday. I opted for a ride from Forest Grove out and around Hagg Lake just to loosen up a bit. A couple of showers, but not all that bad.

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...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today...........27................0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1240....+.......663....=.........1903

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

only 47 miles today...................

........but most certainly a workout!

I joined a few folks today (about 220 by my rough count) and rode the DeRonde van Oeste Portlandia. (The Tour of West Portland) It was a tough ride as expected. Every rider came prepared in their own way. This guy set his bike up with a 20-43 if I remember his description correctly.


There were folks who had replaced the rear cog set and deraileur of their roadbikes with sets from mtn bikes and all kinds of modifications all designed to make the hills just a little more doable.

This little video was taken just a few minutes before the start. Notice near the end the guy with one arm... and only half of a traditional handlebar. A definite tip of the hat to him! I have since learned that the rider's name is Jim Henry and that he finished in an awesome 4.5 hours! Congratulations Jim!
There was also a team on a Calfee tandem that completely dispelled the notion that tandems don't climb, they finished in about 4 hours. I'll try to find their names as well.




Everybody came to ride, no pansy riders in this group!

Here's a photo taken by Dave Roth as we started out. I'm in the middle background in a bright yellow jacket. (used with permission)
You can see the rest of Dave Roth's photos HERE.

Here's the official route for this unofficial ride!


From the start at Pyramid Brewery the group rode on out to Highway 30 and headed west for a few miles at a 19-20 mph pace. That brisk pace soon fell by the wayside as we turned up Saltzman Rd. A sign at the beginning of Saltzman said "dead end".... perhaps they were trying to tell us something? Saltzman starts out as a narrow, steep, and somewhat paved residential street that "ends" at a gate....which we went around and continued on the road which now turned to packed dirt and gravel. As far as gravel goes this was good stuff. No problem riding with skinny little road tires but the recent rains and now heavy bike traffic turned it into a sloppy, muddy, mess.

Here's the group as we ascended Saltzman Road from the Willamette River to Skyline Rd, perhaps a 10% average grade for about 3 miles.


We turned left on Skyline and continued on our way. The road in this section can best be described as "undulating", no major climbs or descents. We turned right on Cornell and made our way down towards Beaverton then left on Miller Rd. Coming up to the traffic signal at Miller I had the first chance to use the brakes....with all the grit picked up on Saltzman it sounded like filing away aluminum wheels with a course rasp........ which of course it was! With the wet and gritty roads it was a sound we'd all get used to today.

We turned left onto the infamous Brynwood St. and CLIMBED back up to Skyline. From there we descended down Cornell towards Portland. After gaining some speed down Cornell (and whizzing through the tunnel!) we braked and made a right turn climbing back up a series of various roads with Vista in their names that switched back and forth up the hill. At this point The Beatle's tune "The Long and Winding Road" was going through my head. ;-) Here's a video of most of that climb taken a few days later from the comfort of my pickup.

The secondary streets we traversed were rarely smooth and add to that being wet from rain made for dicey descents. After the sometimes brutal climbs up we could rarely enjoy the fruits of our labors by letting the bikes roll down the hills. It was just too rough, too slippery, too twisty, and too many speed bumps to let the bikes fly.
There were some places so steep today that my rear wheel would spin as I put power on the pedals. Wet roads, steep roads, reasonably low gears, and rough pavement will do that. At times the route brought us tantalizingly close to our end point at Council Crest....only to turn away at the last moment and head down the hill, and then to have to climb back up again. Today was not at all about the shortest distance between two points.

If we weren't working so darn hard getting our bikes to go up the hills we would have noticed some nice views from time to time. This one is from Skyline looking west over the Westslope/Beaverton area.



I did manage to hit 42.5 mph on the descent of Burnside (and had to backtrack when I rolled past the turn up into Washington Park at the base because I couldn't stop!) Most of the day was spent MUCH slower however as I averaged 9.7 mph.

Here's another video sweep of the view from one of the high points on our route. This one overlooks downtown Portland. Who says I don't take time to stop and smell the roses? ;-) (actually catching my breath after a climb!)



Here's a photo of me as I finished at Council Crest. (thanks again to Dave Roth for reprint permission)



Congratulations to all riders today. Fast or slow, finish the entire course or not, you all deserve a big pat on the back.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today...........47................0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1213....+.......663....=.........1876

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

life

Despite the subject matter of this blog, I do have a life outside of biking.......and today it got in the way of riding. It's 63 degrees, sunny, and a very light breeze as I type this. A perfect day to be out on the bike...... but alas. We've all been in this situation before, but it doesn't make it any more tolerable knowing that.

I attended a presentation by noted bicycle attorney Ray Thomas this evening on the subject of bicyclists' rights and responsibilities. This event was sponsored by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. There were 25-30 folks in attendance. It was an overflow crowd for the space.

Ray Thomas is a great speaker and knowledgable about the subject. He wrote "Pedal Power", a book outlining rights and responsibilities of cyclists along with cites of the laws pertaining to bicycles.
He talked at length on proper lane usage and the laws concerning lane use. He also stayed after and answered any and all questions we had. If you ever get the chance to attend a presentation by Ray Thomas I highly recommend you do so. Also pick up a copy of "Pedal Power" available from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.
I have a very busy afternoon tomorrow with meetings in Salem. I hope to get out on the bike for a few hours in the morning but with the frosty mornings that will remain to be seen.

Hope you all get a chance to get out and enjoy the weather!

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...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today............0................0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1166....+.......663....=.........1829

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Blue sky, warm.....Spring Break must be over!

After a Spring Break week of snow, hail, and rain, today turned gorgeous! I rode the bike from the Lake Stop Store up to Hagg Lake and around twice and then back to the store. 55 degrees with about an 8 to 10 mph wind. Beats hail in the face any day!

This coming Saturday is De Ronde Van Oeste Portlandia........ come on out, see what you're made of! If you see me collapsed on the side of the road at least wave and give a shout out as you pass by!

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...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles
Today...........24................0
Jan total.......98.....+........402....=..........500
Feb total.....385.....+.......220....=...........605
Mar total.....659.....+........41.....=...........700
YTD...........1166....+.......663....=.........1829

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