This week's ride starts at the Sellwood Grand Central Bakery and goes to Eagle Fern Park via the Springwater Corridor Bike Trail and Tickle Creek - a low-traffic side road you'll not find on many bike outings.
We're meeting at 8AM. Here's a link to the route map.
Weather report for the weekend currently gives us a rather uninspiring "mostly cloudy" - but at least they're not predicting rain by the bucket.
Be sure to bring a light layer to shed any "moistly cloudy" that happens our way.....
SAG points are going to be at 30 miles (the park) and 45 miles (right before we rejoin the Springwater).
Sandy
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Watermelon makes me retain water.....
Watermelon rides - BT, DT.
Rode down to the ride - 62 miles per mapmyride.com via 99W, Hwy 18, 233, back to 99W and down to Rickreall.
Started to rain BUCKETS around 7AM as I was making my way toward Amity. I was drenched, and riding into a pretty gnarly headwind the last hour. To make matters worse I started seeing vehicles driving northbound with bikes atop - folks who'd bailed out of the ride before they even started. Wimps. (Smart wimps, but wimps nonetheless.)
Got to the start area and met more folks who were leaving, not on bikes....It took me a while to find the rest of the gang, but eventually I met up with Joe, John, and Chris from the Community Vision team. They were all signed up for the 50-mile ride, so we did that together. I made a feeble attempt to get them to do the Kings' Valley loop (second 50 of the century) instead of the first, but as it was I think we did just fine. It's just that I hate the notion of riding all the way down there and not doing Kings' Valley.
The ride around the wildlife sanctuary is always nice, and we made good time into Jefferson. One guy asked about my jacket (he wanted one for his wife, or at least that was the story he gave...) and of course I referred him to Team Estrogen for the latest and greatest in faux-fur riding splendiferousness.
The ospreys were in their usual places at the ferry, and all was right with the world. I had a very nice run of it up Corvallis-Independence Road - a feeling of being on truly "home turf" for the first time in ages.
Got back to the start/finish somewhat after noon, and could not raise any interest in going out on another loop from anyone I saw. Lacking a bailout option, I decided against setting out to KV on my own (though something tells me that the rest stop volunteers could've used the company), and headed back.
I made good time in the tailwinds, stopping only for flat tires (two! Good Grief! 0ne was a failed tube, though) and food (Amity, SW Portland). I was so depleted by the time I got to Portland city limits that I had to expand my notion of how bad a minimart deli sandwich can be and still be consumable....nasty dry white bread, vaguely slimy turkey, tough lettuce....the works. But the iron gut choked it down, and it did the trick. By that point I didn't care, much - keeping it down for a mere 45 minutes would've been victory. But of course it was fine.
My socks were still soaked when I got in the door at 5PM. Watermelon makes me retain water.
Total mileage for the day: 175.
Rode down to the ride - 62 miles per mapmyride.com via 99W, Hwy 18, 233, back to 99W and down to Rickreall.
Started to rain BUCKETS around 7AM as I was making my way toward Amity. I was drenched, and riding into a pretty gnarly headwind the last hour. To make matters worse I started seeing vehicles driving northbound with bikes atop - folks who'd bailed out of the ride before they even started. Wimps. (Smart wimps, but wimps nonetheless.)
Got to the start area and met more folks who were leaving, not on bikes....It took me a while to find the rest of the gang, but eventually I met up with Joe, John, and Chris from the Community Vision team. They were all signed up for the 50-mile ride, so we did that together. I made a feeble attempt to get them to do the Kings' Valley loop (second 50 of the century) instead of the first, but as it was I think we did just fine. It's just that I hate the notion of riding all the way down there and not doing Kings' Valley.
The ride around the wildlife sanctuary is always nice, and we made good time into Jefferson. One guy asked about my jacket (he wanted one for his wife, or at least that was the story he gave...) and of course I referred him to Team Estrogen for the latest and greatest in faux-fur riding splendiferousness.
The ospreys were in their usual places at the ferry, and all was right with the world. I had a very nice run of it up Corvallis-Independence Road - a feeling of being on truly "home turf" for the first time in ages.
Got back to the start/finish somewhat after noon, and could not raise any interest in going out on another loop from anyone I saw. Lacking a bailout option, I decided against setting out to KV on my own (though something tells me that the rest stop volunteers could've used the company), and headed back.
I made good time in the tailwinds, stopping only for flat tires (two! Good Grief! 0ne was a failed tube, though) and food (Amity, SW Portland). I was so depleted by the time I got to Portland city limits that I had to expand my notion of how bad a minimart deli sandwich can be and still be consumable....nasty dry white bread, vaguely slimy turkey, tough lettuce....the works. But the iron gut choked it down, and it did the trick. By that point I didn't care, much - keeping it down for a mere 45 minutes would've been victory. But of course it was fine.
My socks were still soaked when I got in the door at 5PM. Watermelon makes me retain water.
Total mileage for the day: 175.
Saturday, June 9, 2007
True Grit
Happy Rose Festival Weekend.
I just finished a century. I rode from home out to the start of our weekly Community Vision ride, which was from Orenco Station to Hagg Lake - so I got 25 miles out of the way by 7:30, leaving me time for a quick cup of coffee before the masses assembled. OK - maybe "masses" doesn't quite describe the group when it's just Dave and Stacy and Joe W. There were a few really good excuses - for instance, being on a different continent really makes it difficult to show up; some pretty good excuses - like Rebecca's garage sale, which is a fundraiser for her trip this year; and some "Hey, it's gonna rain" excuses, which were unfortunately right on the money.
Since we were a small group, we actually got started at - get this - 7:58. It started sprinkling before we were 0.5 miles into the ride. Drat.
By the time we got to Forest Grove, Joe was peeling off to head back. Dave and Stacy made it, very bravely, all the way to the store on Old 47 and Scoggins Creek. It was about 57 degrees, and raining harder all the time, and my suggestion to them - that they would NEVER be warmer and drier than they were at that moment, until they got the heater going back at the car, was taken to heart. By Dave and Stacy. Wisely.
Foolishly, I continued on around Hagg Lake. I did discover that I was not the MOST foolish person cycling around Hagg Lake, though - there was a Team In Training triathlon event going on and there were people riding around in triathlon gear - sleeveless tops, etc in the cold rain. I wondered for a minute if they'd had to swim first, but then I realized that it really wouldn't matter - they would be totally wet and chilled within a couple of minutes of hopping on the bike anyway. Yech.
On the way back, I kept looking for excuses to bail, because it was raining still harder and the wind was starting to come up from the east, which typically means that it's going to be raining for quite some time. It also means that I'm riding into a headwind..... Heck, I'd meant to ride a century, and I was actually making decent time, all things considered. At one point I thought about taking a bus home, until I realized that any bus or MAX route that could help me would take me through downtown and the soggy denouement of the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade....it would be faster to claw my way along with my fingernails, and considerably less painful. So bike it was.
I was mainly being fueled by that cup of coffee (okay, and a 'breakfast cookie') at the Orenco Starbucks and a couple of Clif Shot Bloks (Margarita flavor, the only one that I like and neither Nancy nor Bill does, so they stay around the house a while...). It wasn't enough (Duh, sports fans, duh). I
managed to ooze in to the Beaverton Bakery, took a number(!), waited my turn, and managed to gasp, "Bear Claaaawwwwwww....." before I was totally consumed by hunger. I think I said "Please", too, but I don't really remember. It was GOOD. Repeat after me: FOOD IS GOOD.
Clif Bloks are good -
but Bear Claws RULE.
I did make it home. Really. It took a while, and traffic was really surly on the bridge, and I kept thinking, recreationally, about ways to wimp out...winning the lottery and hiring a limousine, perhaps, or being struck by lightning - just a little, around the edges - and being life-flighted to a warm, dry hospital. There was no lightning, so I just RTFB, hauled my soggy self in the door, and started peeling layers.
This is the point where I realized that this had been - quite literally - a gritty ride for me. I was covered in the stuff! There was grit on my legs, arms and hands. When I took off more layers, it was apparent that that there was significantly more grit than I'd thought - that grit had penetrated to the innermost recesses - that there was grit where Nature clearly intended no grit to be. Yeck.
While washing the grit off, another sad fact of life became apparent. Due to the cool NW riding conditions, I have spouted a slight case of knickertan - a faint, but distinct, melanized stripe between calf and ankle. Now, I've had a farmer's tan , and Mickey Mouse tan (white hands where your gloves block the sun), but the knickertan is a real headscratcher. I think we need more summer, soon, so I can get over it.
Also - wool socks rule.
More later,
Sandy
I just finished a century. I rode from home out to the start of our weekly Community Vision ride, which was from Orenco Station to Hagg Lake - so I got 25 miles out of the way by 7:30, leaving me time for a quick cup of coffee before the masses assembled. OK - maybe "masses" doesn't quite describe the group when it's just Dave and Stacy and Joe W. There were a few really good excuses - for instance, being on a different continent really makes it difficult to show up; some pretty good excuses - like Rebecca's garage sale, which is a fundraiser for her trip this year; and some "Hey, it's gonna rain" excuses, which were unfortunately right on the money.
Since we were a small group, we actually got started at - get this - 7:58. It started sprinkling before we were 0.5 miles into the ride. Drat.
By the time we got to Forest Grove, Joe was peeling off to head back. Dave and Stacy made it, very bravely, all the way to the store on Old 47 and Scoggins Creek. It was about 57 degrees, and raining harder all the time, and my suggestion to them - that they would NEVER be warmer and drier than they were at that moment, until they got the heater going back at the car, was taken to heart. By Dave and Stacy. Wisely.
Foolishly, I continued on around Hagg Lake. I did discover that I was not the MOST foolish person cycling around Hagg Lake, though - there was a Team In Training triathlon event going on and there were people riding around in triathlon gear - sleeveless tops, etc in the cold rain. I wondered for a minute if they'd had to swim first, but then I realized that it really wouldn't matter - they would be totally wet and chilled within a couple of minutes of hopping on the bike anyway. Yech.
On the way back, I kept looking for excuses to bail, because it was raining still harder and the wind was starting to come up from the east, which typically means that it's going to be raining for quite some time. It also means that I'm riding into a headwind..... Heck, I'd meant to ride a century, and I was actually making decent time, all things considered. At one point I thought about taking a bus home, until I realized that any bus or MAX route that could help me would take me through downtown and the soggy denouement of the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade....it would be faster to claw my way along with my fingernails, and considerably less painful. So bike it was.
I was mainly being fueled by that cup of coffee (okay, and a 'breakfast cookie') at the Orenco Starbucks and a couple of Clif Shot Bloks (Margarita flavor, the only one that I like and neither Nancy nor Bill does, so they stay around the house a while...). It wasn't enough (Duh, sports fans, duh). I
managed to ooze in to the Beaverton Bakery, took a number(!), waited my turn, and managed to gasp, "Bear Claaaawwwwwww....." before I was totally consumed by hunger. I think I said "Please", too, but I don't really remember. It was GOOD. Repeat after me: FOOD IS GOOD.
Clif Bloks are good -
but Bear Claws RULE.
I did make it home. Really. It took a while, and traffic was really surly on the bridge, and I kept thinking, recreationally, about ways to wimp out...winning the lottery and hiring a limousine, perhaps, or being struck by lightning - just a little, around the edges - and being life-flighted to a warm, dry hospital. There was no lightning, so I just RTFB, hauled my soggy self in the door, and started peeling layers.
This is the point where I realized that this had been - quite literally - a gritty ride for me. I was covered in the stuff! There was grit on my legs, arms and hands. When I took off more layers, it was apparent that that there was significantly more grit than I'd thought - that grit had penetrated to the innermost recesses - that there was grit where Nature clearly intended no grit to be. Yeck.
While washing the grit off, another sad fact of life became apparent. Due to the cool NW riding conditions, I have spouted a slight case of knickertan - a faint, but distinct, melanized stripe between calf and ankle. Now, I've had a farmer's tan , and Mickey Mouse tan (white hands where your gloves block the sun), but the knickertan is a real headscratcher. I think we need more summer, soon, so I can get over it.
Also - wool socks rule.
More later,
Sandy
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
CV ride June 2 - Eastward Ho!
Hi Gang!
Sorry I've been quiet here for a couple of weeks. My daughter came home from college and my computer time has been a little abbreviated as she hunts down her friends and a summer job.
Here's a reminder about the weather: it is likely to be pretty warm. Bring two water bottles and/or a hydration pack. We'll have sag support every 10 miles or so, but you can easily need more than one bottle in that time. We've not had much warm weather yet this season! Expect to feel slow, sweaty, and tired until we acclimate a little bit. That's normal.
Another reminder - those of you who are behind in base miles (miles spent riding the bike, specifically) should move heaven and earth to catch up as best you can. If your general fitness is in good shape (i.e. if you've been exercising and the spin classes don't leave you totally wiped), you can do wonders for your cycling by committing to a slow, short ride EVERY DAY for a couple of weeks. Start with 5 miles/day - something you can do after dinner. Doesn't have to be fast, and the idea is to do just enough at a, um, sitting that you start to toughen up without being stressed or sore.
As you gain cycling-specific fitness, you may find that some of those aches and pains, especially in the upper body, start to disappear. Also, don't forget to stretch and change positions every few minutes on the bike. If you do that, you'll stay fresher, longer.
See y'all on Saturday! The map and elevation chart for the ride can be found at: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/or/portland/436618275 if you want to get a previw of what you're in for. I'll bring route sheets. We're meeting at the Sellwood Grand Central Bakery; be sure to be there early if you're expecting a pastry.
Sandy
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Sandy's Saturday Century
Another week, another century.
I turned the Community Vision training ride into a century by riding there, and riding back, with an assist to Russell for making a wrong turn that caused me to make ANOTHER wrong turn that tacked on the extra 5 miles that made it a legit century.
The AM was C-O-L-D. I didn't think I'd have to start a ride in May at 34 degrees F, but there you have it. The ride over to the start at Orenco Station was uneventful, and the coffee was welcome.
We rode to Roy via Mountaindale - not a bad jaunt overall, and everyone was in good spirits.
A few of us stayed afterwards to have lunch at Swagat which was MOST EXCELLENT. They had a lunch buffet going, so I tried a little of everything, including the curried goat. I wasn't sure how I felt about goat, but it was tasty - like lamb but with a little more....oomph.
After lunch I started pedalling home, rather gingerly due to all of the good food in my belly. I modified my goals for the return trip to: less than 2 hours total riding time, and not letting the West Portland hills (quite literally in this case) get my goat. So I decided to finally find the Highway 26 bike path, which is supposed to be a flattish way home. Plus, I've never met a bike path I didn't like, right? It took me a surprising amount of juking around to actually find the thing, which miffed me. Seems to me that it could be marked from the transit center. Once on, it was pretty well marked, though, and it dumped me out at the entrance to the zoo.
I wound through the Arboretum and found Kingston without much fuss, which Susan had told me was my route outta there, and headed down into town. I took the Burnside Bridge which kept me out of most of the 5 de Mayo crowd, and (conveniently) took me past Citibikes, where I found nothing of any particular note other than a quick break.
Just a couple blocks past Citibikes, I ran into (almost literally) a Shift2Bikes moving party. They were putting the mattress and box springs onto a bike trailer when I rode by. I stopped to ask a few questions, which of course made me look like a volunteer, which I had to politely decline on account of some accumulating goat issues (gotta get home....). But it was really cool, even though I have to say that I think that heavy hauling is what internal combustion engines ought to be reserved for.
Other than that, nothing of particular note except that I have FINALLY bowed to convention and gotten a cyclometer:
It works fine, I guess. I put it on my commute bike, which is a Fuji Absolute DX (flat bar road bike with fairly standard geometry and a carbon fork). I have discovered some things that I suppose I kinda knew....
See y'all up the road,
Sandy
I turned the Community Vision training ride into a century by riding there, and riding back, with an assist to Russell for making a wrong turn that caused me to make ANOTHER wrong turn that tacked on the extra 5 miles that made it a legit century.
The AM was C-O-L-D. I didn't think I'd have to start a ride in May at 34 degrees F, but there you have it. The ride over to the start at Orenco Station was uneventful, and the coffee was welcome.
We rode to Roy via Mountaindale - not a bad jaunt overall, and everyone was in good spirits.
A few of us stayed afterwards to have lunch at Swagat which was MOST EXCELLENT. They had a lunch buffet going, so I tried a little of everything, including the curried goat. I wasn't sure how I felt about goat, but it was tasty - like lamb but with a little more....oomph.
After lunch I started pedalling home, rather gingerly due to all of the good food in my belly. I modified my goals for the return trip to: less than 2 hours total riding time, and not letting the West Portland hills (quite literally in this case) get my goat. So I decided to finally find the Highway 26 bike path, which is supposed to be a flattish way home. Plus, I've never met a bike path I didn't like, right? It took me a surprising amount of juking around to actually find the thing, which miffed me. Seems to me that it could be marked from the transit center. Once on, it was pretty well marked, though, and it dumped me out at the entrance to the zoo.
I wound through the Arboretum and found Kingston without much fuss, which Susan had told me was my route outta there, and headed down into town. I took the Burnside Bridge which kept me out of most of the 5 de Mayo crowd, and (conveniently) took me past Citibikes, where I found nothing of any particular note other than a quick break.
Just a couple blocks past Citibikes, I ran into (almost literally) a Shift2Bikes moving party. They were putting the mattress and box springs onto a bike trailer when I rode by. I stopped to ask a few questions, which of course made me look like a volunteer, which I had to politely decline on account of some accumulating goat issues (gotta get home....). But it was really cool, even though I have to say that I think that heavy hauling is what internal combustion engines ought to be reserved for.
Other than that, nothing of particular note except that I have FINALLY bowed to convention and gotten a cyclometer:
It works fine, I guess. I put it on my commute bike, which is a Fuji Absolute DX (flat bar road bike with fairly standard geometry and a carbon fork). I have discovered some things that I suppose I kinda knew....- First, I go slower up hills and faster down hills. But I don't go quite as slow up hills as I'd feared, or quite as fast down them as I'd hoped.
- There are areas on my commutes that I'd thought were flat that are really slight up or downhills, and that really affects my speed, at least in the moment.
- I watch the cyclometer too much. I really suspected that I would, which is why I've been resisting. People tell me that I'll learn to tune it out.
- I ride faster when it's chiding me. I have mentally set my "where's your pride, girl???" limit at 6.0 mph going up Thompson Road, and lo-and-behold, I can deliver on that. Next month, maybe 7. Or at least 6.5.
See y'all up the road,
Sandy
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Core Training for Cyclists
I can't over-stress the importance of core strength in cycling. Your arms are for balance and steering, not for holding you up on the bike. In an ideal world, that's your core's work - keeping your trunk stable and strong on the bike so that your neck and shoulders don't get sore. For many of us, our core gets neglected. We think about lifting weights to train our arms and legs, but often we forget the vital linkages in between.
You can significantly strengthen your core over several weeks. Here's a link to a recent article in Bicycling magazine that describes a very effective abdominal workout. I've been doing it more or less faithfully for a month or so and I can vouch for it! It doesn't take much by way of equipment, other than a stability ball (if you don't have one, the two exercises that call for it can be easily modified), and it only takes about 10 minutes a day - a small investment of time for a nice payoff later.
You can significantly strengthen your core over several weeks. Here's a link to a recent article in Bicycling magazine that describes a very effective abdominal workout. I've been doing it more or less faithfully for a month or so and I can vouch for it! It doesn't take much by way of equipment, other than a stability ball (if you don't have one, the two exercises that call for it can be easily modified), and it only takes about 10 minutes a day - a small investment of time for a nice payoff later.
Weekly recap
Hi Gang!
Congrats to all Monster Cookie finishers! I had a great time. I started from the first rest stop, at about 5:30 AM - shortly before sunup - and was treated to a coyote howl-in! Moments later the local roosters took up the call, and I was outta there.
Weather was perfect - or danged close - so about 1500 people came out. Amazing variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations of bikes.
The Community Vision team rode well! Everyone has progressed SO MUCH from last year. You looked strong, and I felt proud for you.
Wednesday night we had a great spin class. If you've not been coming to these you're missing out on quite a treat. The instructor, Willie, is VERY good and totally focused on our needs as a team. Between the mid-week spin classes and the weekend rides you'll be up to speed in no time!
Speaking of mid-week - who's wanting more time in the saddle during the week? There will be a lot more opportunities to ride in the evenings coming up.
And - Reach the Beach will be here before we know it. Who's in??? We need to figure out how to arrange transportation back after this event. Let's get the wheel rolling.....
Weather outlook for Saturday keeps improving - hopefully they're right and we'll have a pleasant ride!
See you Saturday,
Sandy
Congrats to all Monster Cookie finishers! I had a great time. I started from the first rest stop, at about 5:30 AM - shortly before sunup - and was treated to a coyote howl-in! Moments later the local roosters took up the call, and I was outta there.
Weather was perfect - or danged close - so about 1500 people came out. Amazing variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations of bikes.
The Community Vision team rode well! Everyone has progressed SO MUCH from last year. You looked strong, and I felt proud for you.
Wednesday night we had a great spin class. If you've not been coming to these you're missing out on quite a treat. The instructor, Willie, is VERY good and totally focused on our needs as a team. Between the mid-week spin classes and the weekend rides you'll be up to speed in no time!
Speaking of mid-week - who's wanting more time in the saddle during the week? There will be a lot more opportunities to ride in the evenings coming up.
And - Reach the Beach will be here before we know it. Who's in??? We need to figure out how to arrange transportation back after this event. Let's get the wheel rolling.....
Weather outlook for Saturday keeps improving - hopefully they're right and we'll have a pleasant ride!
See you Saturday,
Sandy
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