Monster Cookie Ride - 65 Mile Success!

Pace Line (from back: Christa, Melvin, Jay, Sean & Sally)

This week's team ride was an organized event by the Salem Bicycle Club, called the Monster Cookie Ride. Salem (for those of you who don't know), is Oregon's capital and smack dab in the heart of the Willamette Valley...translation = VERY FLAT!!

There were really no hills to speak of. There was a lot of wind, so a lot of people formed pacelines to help cut through the wind. Sean rode with the guys at a pace that I could not maintain for the first 30 miles, and I formed a paceline with 2 other riders, one was my mentor, the other was just another guy out on the course.

The second half of the course went even faster. Again, I couldn't sustain the speed, but once the group dropped it from 21 mph to 19 mph, I was able to hang on and take my turns at the front.

The sun was out in full blazing glory. We actually have tans on our arms now. At the end of the ride, they gave everyone a monster cookie. The cookies weren't so good, but the riding was spectacular.

Estacada Illusion - 50 miles

This week's ride was a strange one. We started in Estacada, about 20 miles from Portland in the Foothills of Mt. Hood. We knew that during the first 25 miles we would be climbing about 1100 ft. Not too bad over 25 miles. The first hill started right out of the parking lot. 3.5 miles up a 6% incline. Without a warm up, that was a rough one. The descent was great (as usual) and as we got to the bottom, we settled in for the next 15 miles of steadily climbing.

At times, the road looked like it was downhill. You could swear that you were pointed down, but your legs and your speed were telling a completely different story. I couldn't stay with Sean, and got to the turnaround about 10 minutes after he did.

The trip back was great. All downhill (except for that last climb up a 7% grade for 3 miles).

We made great time, and for a change...it didn't start raining until we got BACK to the car.

Rain, hills ands flats (tires that is)

Today's ride was a 53 mile haul over many rolling hills and up a few long ones and one very short, steep hill that we actually rode about 5 weeks ago...I walked it that time, this time I made it all the way up every hill. Hopefully, and I'm knocking wood here, my days of walking up the hills are over.

It started to pour as soon as we all got ready to leave, and it didn't stop until about 12 miles from the finish. Then the sun came out and dried a few of the great downhill sections. Dry roads on a downhill make for very fast descents.

Sean got a flat about 12 miles out. Our coach was driving Sag for us today (driving his van up and down the ride route to make sure that everyone had enough to eat and drink, if someone needs to quit, they can get in the van, or even just ride for a while to take a break). He was a life-saver with his big floor pump. We had our hand pump, but the bigger pumps make blowing up the tire so much better. We got back on the road and after about 4 miles, Sean had another flat. We checked the tire again, and finally found a very tiny, but persistently sharp piece of glass in Sean tire. As he rode, it just kept popping his tube. So, Andy showed up again with the pump and within a few minutes we were off.

We caught up to a few folks at a bathroom turn around, then we were off on our own again, chasing the leaders who had passed us with the first flat. At about mile 24, we passed under 6 sets of massive power lines feeding power into the city. The rain was still coming down and the lines were humming like a rushing river. It was very cool, but a bit disturbing at the same time. I hit a rough patch at about 26 miles. My legs were not cooperating with me at all. After a few miles, I got my cadence back and we were back to 19-22 miles an hour over the rollers.

We started up another long hill, and Coach Andy stopped to make sure we were still doing all right, then he went up to see how far ahead the lead group was. On his way back, he told us they were at the top of the hill just as we started our climb. Within a few miles, we should catch up.

And we did, on the next hill. Well, Sean caught up, I caught up when they all took a break at the top of the hill. At this point, we were about 12 miles from our cars, and the sun came out. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful. Except for when the kid in a car in downtown Oregon City yelled, "Go Lance Go" as Sean rode past leading the rest of us home. That was pretty funny.

Overall - a great ride. But I sure will be glad when the rain decides to pick a different morning each week to come down. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays - pretty much any other day would be fine for it to rain - just not Saturdays...

North Plains to NW Portland and back...in the rain

Another rainy day today. The Weather guessers on TV were calling for sunny and warm, low 70s, but at 11PM last night, they all changed their minds and we woke at 6:00AM to a steady rain. It was relatively warm, so we didn't have to layer up, but we were soaked within the first 3 miles...with 43 left to go!

We did a very similar route 5 weeks ago from NW Portland to Beaverton and then back -- this time we reversed it and added 10 miles.

The best part about today's ride was how well we did...despite the rain. On both of our climbs, I didn't have to stop and get off the bike, not once. My average pace on the climb us Springville Rd. was between 1 and 1.5 MPH faster than it was last time we climbed this hill. I was ecstatic.

As we got to NW Portland, about halfway through out ride, I got a flat. As we pulled over to fix it, Sean's tire was also leaking, so, after 2 tire changes, we were off. Back up through the Rose Garden, past the Oregon Zoo and the Arboretum and back up to Skyline. Again, 5 weeks ago, I struggled up these hills. I wouldn't say it was easy today, but I didn't have to stop and rest.

The downhill section would have been fantastic, but the driving rain made it a bit treacherous, so we didn't reach the speeds we generally do.

All in all, even though we were completely soaked and covered with road grime and dirt from head to toe, we did better today than on any past ride.

I'm not sore (anywhere) and though I will sleep very soundly tonight, I didn't need to take a nap today. I'm starting to get very excited about our ride, and love getting on my bike a couple times a week. I'm even starting to think I may look good in spandex...is that wrong?