Back in Oregon

We are packed up and out the door. Stay classy San Diego!
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

After a two-day sprint up the West Coast, we have arrived back in the Portland area. The kids were super rock-stars and managed two full-days in the car with a minimum of complaints. Driving up California's Central Valley is an experience all should entertain!

We had been thinking that we'd be in Portland until Nikki's graduation next August, and were hoping to get a place in South East, but were told a few days ago that Nikki's Nov-Dec. rotation has been switched from PDX to upstate WA, so it looks like we're gypsy-lifeing it for a couple of more months.

We're staying in Hillsboro at the apartment of one of Nikki's classmate's who is gone for this rotation. It's not where we want to be, but it's only temporary.

grocery shopping by bike

Bike-lane love
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

We may be car[e]free, but that doesn't mean we can't stock-up on supplies.

The boys and I just got back from a trip to the grocery store - by bike. I'm not able to pick up the amount I could get when I have the car, but I can still get what we need. Today I got some diapers, beer, bananas, local strawberries, tortillas and charcoal. I was able to fit it into my panniers, bike bag and the Chariot.

Liam, being the big boy that he is, rides his bike alongside me (no more bike train for him)!

Being car[e]free in Hillsboro with two little boys is a challenge, but we're making it work!

Spring ride

1st day of spring ride
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Nikki was home early today (because she's a total genius and she aced her exam), so I got to go for a ride.

I went on a variation of my usual ride, the Hillsboro Hills. Spring was in the air, as tulips and daffodils were popping up everywhere and the smell of fresh manure was wafting through the freshly-turned fields

Within five minutes of starting, I was pelted by some rain and fierce winds. The rain stopped within a few minutes, but the winds stayed in my face all the way to the base of the hill. The usual, big-crank spin through the flats was an all-out grunt fest as I made my way slowly toward the climb.

I was spared the winds on my climb, as that was the leeward side of the mountain, and was even granted a nice wind at my back as I made my way home.

There are only two weeks left until the 2009 De Ronde Van Oeste Portlandia, a 47-mile ride with 5,400 feet of climbing. I'd like to say I'm planning on riding in it, but for now, it's a "we'll see" situation!

Today's ride was 20 miles with 2,200 feet of climbing, so I think I'll be able to handle it. I think....

Check out a map of my ride today (along with vertical and speed).

1st day of spring

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spring beauty

looking back
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I was able to get a ride in on Friday (March 6th). It was my first ride since getting the bike all tuned up a couple of weeks ago.

I thought I'd need a new drivetrain, but the guys at the shop said that all I needed was a new chain and a tune. (I like it when the shop-guys option is the cheapest!)

I went on my usual, Hillsboro Hills ride, and brought Nikki's iPhone with me. I had just installed the EveryTrail app and wanted to try it out.

It was a gorgeous spring day, with temperatures in the mid-60's and my bike riding like a sportscar, accelerating around corners and up hills - feeling that new-chain love!

You can see a map of my ride here (keep in mind, the ride-time and average speed are taking into account the long rests at the tops of the climbs to take in the beauty of nature - seriously, Mt,. Hood and Mt. Saint Helens were out. It was awesome!)

Hillsboro hills ride

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February ride

February ride
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I went out for a small, 15-mile road ride today. It was partly sunny with temperatures in the upper-40's. I was probably a little overdressed, with the exception of my gloves, so I ended up sweating more than I think I would have had it been in the 90's!

I've been riding my commuter bike three days a week to get to work, but that's in Portland, where I'm surrounded by fellow bike commuters and where the Department of Transportation does helpful things like clear the bike lanes of gravel (they have to; Portland has the highest rate of bicycle commuters in the nation, somewhere around 20%!).

Hillsboro, while only 13 miles west of PDX, is a completely different story. What bike lanes exist are covered in gravel, which forced me out into traffic. However, I only had one jacked-up pickup honk at me. The other jacked-up pickups and SUVs just gave me dirty looks (and no elbow room).

first ride of the new year

first ride of the new year
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

It's a beautiful, sunny day today, so I went for my first ride of 2009!

Temperatures were in the low-to-mid 50's, without a cloud in the sky. I love seeing Mt. Saint Helens covered in snow.

I wasn't the only biker on the road; I must have seen at least a dozen others, all with big grins on their faces.

December ride

clouds
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

So far, December has been pretty tame, with sunny days and mild temperatures. Certainly not the driving rain we've been told to expect! [I'm sure that will come...]

I took advantage of the weather on Saturday and went for a road ride (I guess, at some point, I may need to face facts and admit that I haven't been on my mountain bike in two seasons, but not now).

It was hovering around 50 degrees under mostly sunny skies so I took the Masi out on the Hillsboro Hills ride. It's become my standard, go-to ride. It's 22ish miles, depending upon how many warm-up and cool-down laps I ride around my neighborhood (each is 1-mile).


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The first 10 miles are mostly big-ring spinning by berry farms and nurseries, then a pretty decent climb to the top of SW Iowa Hill Road (it's a great view from the top, looking over the valley, straight at Mt. Hood). The drop off the top is steep and straight drop (with the exception of a crazy-weird, but fun "s-curve" in the middle of the downhill - in an earlier post, I referred to it as the Unger Drop and Twist...) into the valley and another 10-or-so miles back to Hillsboro.

It was an incredible day for a ride. I had just watched Obama's weekly radio address (I love saying that... watched a radio address... who woulda thunk?! ... oh and Obama. President. Let me say that again. President Obama). In it, he spelled out his plan for economic recovery; a new New Deal, if you will. I've been doing some work for a GIS firm in Portland, and one thing that pretty much every single one of these programs that the President-elect is proposing will need some form of GIS.

The warm sun and green fields (seriously - green fields in December!) combined with the words of a thoughtful (intelligent!) president(-elect) got my brain all roiling with good thoughts of change.

Yes we can.

My Unemployed in Oregon line may be changing soon, but the geek riding his bike part won't stop.

Shortly after arriving home, I was awed by this sunset.

spin class blues

spin class
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I went to a spin class last night. About two minutes into it I remembered something; I really don't like spin classes. The bikes are nothing like real bikes, the room smells horrible, and you don't go anywhere!

On top of that, the instructor played The Who, The Beatles, The Who, The Beatles, The Who.... for an hour (the only non Beatles or Who song was that ode to rednecks by Lynard Skynard - Sweet Home Alambama - one of THE WORST songs ever)! I'm a fan of both bands (and I HATE Lynard Skynard), but.... come on! Variety is good. Monotony is bad.

In the instructor's defense, he was playing to the crowd; a bunch of 50 and 60 year-olds that I guess did not appreciate the hip-hop he had been playing lately.

The Bikes
Spin class bikes feel nothing like a real bike. The one I was lucky enough to get had wobbly handlebars and a jiggly saddle (which also pointed down making me slide off of it every 10 seconds or so). The pedals had either cages - which I find annoying - or SPF clips that I don't have cleats for. Also, they didn't spin in a circular motion, more like an oval, which was incredibly disconcerting and somewhat uncomfortable (but frankly, not as bad as it sounds). And what's up with the shifting/friction thingie?! There must be a better way.

The Music
As I already stated, this class played nothing but The Beatles and The Who with a horrific redneck song thrown in just to make me freak out.

I imagine that this is the hardest part for an instructor. Not everyone will like every song you play. I've been to a few dozen spin classes in my life (there was a time in Concord when I went a few times a week for a few months) and only liked every song played in about 4 or 5 classes.

The Instructor
That was the big bright spot to this class. This guy was nice and even humble, a trait uncommon in the spin class instructors I've met. Generally, I've found them to be a miserable lot who think rather highly of themselves.

In Conclusion
I'd like to buy a trainer. That way I can pick my music (or watch TV).

However
I got to ride next to Nikki, and I always like that (she is my best friend, after all!). Then, after the class, we went swimming with the boys in the amazing pools at the SHARC. The "warm water pool" is a shallow pool that starts at 0 inches deep and goes to 4 feet. In the middle, there's a big gadget that dumps water onto the kids (and adults) that wander beneath it.

Liam showed us what he learned in his swim classes, and Camper, fearless as he is, repeatedly jumped in (at first we caught him, but as he grew more bold, we just stood by and watched as he'd jump in, land on the bottom, and jump up). At one point, the lifeguards turned on the waterslide into the big pool, so Liam and I went for a few runs.

Meanwhile, in the outdoor pool, the high school team was hosting a swim meet.

So yeah, I'll be back for more spin classes and more fun in the pool. Maybe there'll be better music next time - or maybe I'll bring my iPod (with big-ass headphones)!

fall family ride

fall family ride
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

It was a sunny, beautiful autumn day today so we took the McLeod family bike-train for a ride. It was close to 60 degrees out, so I wore shorts and a long-sleeve jersey, while the rest of the crew was a little more bundled up.

Basically, we rode out to the base of the hills that surround Hillsboro (out to Forest Hills Golf Course) and back via Rood Bridge Road (which brings us by another golf course - I guess you could call this route the Golf Course).


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The mostly flat route takes us through farmland and nurseries, with great views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams (the sun glowing off the new snow on the peak was creating a gorgeous alpenglow!), Mt. Saint Helens, and a glimpse of Mt. Rainier.

We saw cows, horses, chickens, llamas (OK, OK, alpacas!), geese, and goats - to which, Liam and Camper would shout a greeting. At one point Liam even yelled a greeting to a farmer ("hello farmer!"), who politely - and graciously - gave us a wave.

Most of the trees were barren, with a few still clinging to their leaves (or is it the other way around?) but the scene was almost more reminiscent of spring than fall as many of the fields are verdant with the fresh shoots of whatever was recently planted (lettuce, spinach, rye?) having just broken free of the soil.

The ride ended with a trip to the Rood Bridge playground, so everyone came away satisfied. At close to 20 miles, it was the longest ride Liam has ever ridden on his trail-a-bike - this time he even pedaled a little!

winter[riding] season begins

winter[riding] season begins
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I went out for a ride in the rain today.

The rainy season set in about a week ago and I've been dying to go out and play in it. Camper and I have been taking the Breezer/Chariot combo out for some fast laps around the neighborhood, but we haven't hit upon any serious rain - just a drizzle-or-two.

I've been wanting to take my road bike out in the wet conditions, but haven't had the chance to until today. It poured this morning, which was a little more than I was prepared for, so I waited until the clouds broke and the sun came out.

The pavement was wet, and while the sun was shining at the moment, there were still scattered showers all around. Perfect.

I put my bike stuff on, grabbed my bike and set out on my usual route.

I quickly made a discovery
Skinny bald race tires are not the best option for wet riding conditions.

Compensating for the lack of surface contact, I continued on.

As I rode toward the hills, I noticed the fact that I really couldn't see them, and the way the sun was making those low-level clouds ahead of me glow, was spectacular. I then realized that was not clouds ahead as much as it was a wall of water.

I plowed headlong into the water and was quickly consumed by the downfall. It was pouring, and all the while, the sun was pounding down on me. I had a shadow!

The sun was on one side of me, and on the other was a huge, double rainbow. One end was i a stand of trees amid a wheat field, and was making the trees glow. The other end was on the barn and silo of a farm and was lighting them up.

I rode out of the rain after a few minutes, but looking towards the hills, could see that it was raining. A fifteen-hundred foot descent on wet roads with my current tires was already discouraging. Doing it in the pouring rain was out of the question.

I detoured onto SW Johnson School Road and rode back towards Rood Bridge.

The sun was shining and I quickly dried off in the breeze (of my totally-hauling-ass speeds!). Wool is good for that. I kind of like riding in cooler temperatures. In the summer heat, it's hard to regulate your body temperature, but when it's 55 degrees out, it's easy (wool tights, long-sleeve poly shirt, wind/water resistant jacket - add a layer if it's cooler, open vents of it's warmer, etc.).

It was a good first-of-the-season ride.

Cyclocross

it's log!
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Liam and I went up to Bald Peak to watch the Pain on the Peak cyclocross race. I think I found a new obsession!

For those of you that don't know what cyclocross is, here's the Wikipedia entry on it (what did we do before Wikipedia?!).

It was hot and dusty, pretty much the opposite of the stereotypical cyclocross image, but it still looked like a lot of fun. Watching these guys race their bikes in a dusty pack, then hop off and carry their bikes across obstacles made both of us want to try it. They had a junior competition, and when Liam saw the kids go by, he looked at me and said, "I want to try that." I nearly cried.

There's a place in Portland that rents cross bikes, and a series is starting up soon. I think I'll have to give it a try!

Check out my set of pictures here.

In a ditch

Well, it had to happen.

I guess.

Given the amount of rides I go on, and the number of cars that pass me, I was bound to get driven off the road.

Into a four-foot deep gravel-lined ditch.

At 25 miles-per-hour.

The good news: I was able to walk away from it with only a few cuts, scratches, some torn skin and a sore shoulder.

The bad news: My bike is pretty fucked-up, and with my being unemployed and all, I doubt I'll have the money to fix it.

I wasn't hit, but....

I was riding along SW River Road - a route I've never ridden but I thought I'd catch it down to Route 10 - when it happened. The bike lane suddenly disappeared about a half-mile or so before, forcing me into the traffic lane. I was literally riding on the white line when a white van passed me. They didn't hit me or brush me, but were so close that it freaked me out. I swerved, was caught by the gravel (there's no shoulder here; the white line runs along the edge of the pavement, with about 4 inches of gravel before the four foot drop into the ditch) and pitched head first into the ditch.


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I'm not sure what pisses me off more, the fact that there was no oncoming traffic, so the white van had no excuse for not giving me any room (I think he was pissed because the woman driving the truck that stopped to see if I was OK drove really slowly behind me before passing me; he was stuck behind her and took his anger out on me by not giving me an inch), or the fact that there were several cars behind the van that clearly saw me fly face first into a ditch and DID NOTHING! The only person that pulled over was a woman who was driving a pickup truck two cars IN FRONT of the white van. She saw the whole thing in her rear-view mirror and turned around to see if I was OK.

I should have taken her up on her offer of a ride, but I was too stunned and in shock to really talk. I told her that I was OK, but after she drove away I realized that my bike was not. I'm not sure what happened, but the rear wheel doesn't spin easily when my weight is on it (it spins fine when you pick the bike up and spin the pedals). It feels like the brakes are applied, but I can't see any signs of rubbing.

Funny Irony

Before heading out on my ride today, I logged-in to our bank web site and saw that the Oregon DMV recently cashed our check for car registration. Our Share the Road plates should be arriving any day now...

first tandem ride in a while

first tandem ride in a while
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Nikki and I busted out the tandem for a road ride through the Hillsboro Hills. It was the first time we've been on it in a couple of years, due to babies and laziness.

I forgot about how much fun it can be to be riding so close. We're able to carry on conversations and work together.

I just have to remember to tune it before we take it out again - that clicking noise and the lack of gears can get annoying!

first "just the two of us" ride in a looong time

Nikki and I went for a ride this morning. She didn't have to be at school until 1:00 pm, so we dropped the kids off at school and went for a "just the two of us" ride. It was the first time in a really, really long time.... and it was fun. Now we'll have to get the tandem rolling!


We rode the Hillsboro Hills ride that I've been using as the basis for most of my rides. It's a little over twenty miles of rolling farmland - and when I say rolling, I don't mean mean gently. I can't believe how steep some the fields are!

The ride starts out fairly flat and is fun to crank through in the big ring. There are places where the road turns ninety degrees around someone's property. The nicely banked corners and little traffic make it fun to scream through these corners and pop out with some good speed.

The Iowa Hill section was a little rough on Nikki, as it was her first hill climb of the season (and maybe the fact that she had woken up early to swim laps...), but she powered her way to the top and was rewarded with a great view of Mt. Hood and the upper Willamette Valley.

Up and over the mountain

I decided to see what was over the mountain.

I rode to the other sides of Iowa and Spring Hills. The ride is roughly 34 miles, and while it's mainly smooth pavement, there are two gravel road sections that total about a mile-and-a-half. It's full of climbs and descents, and of course, incredible vistas (but I would recommend stopping for those).

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I started by ride going down SW Minter Bridge Road, but was turned back by a downed power line. I detoured over to SW Rood Bridge Road and rode that to SW Grabel, and up to SW Tongue Lane. It's the same basic ride as the Hillsboro Hills ride, but you turn onto SW Nursery Road.

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At the end of SW Nursery Road, take a right on SW Hergert. The road goes straight despite the fall line, which results in a fun roller coaster ride. I came to the top of the first rise to see two huge turkey vultures eating road kill.

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Take a left on the brand new pavement of SW Blooming Fern Road and enjoy the climb. Take a left at the bottom of a small descent and follow SW Fern Hill Road to where it ends at SW Spring Hill Road. Take a left, and follow the road.

I stayed straight at SW Hardebeck Road and ran into about a half-mile of hard-packed gravel.
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Turn left on SW Dixon Mill Road and climb straight up out of the valley. It's amazing how straight the road goes! The road has the decency to stay paved for the climb. It becomes a hard-packed (and oil-soaked in some sections) gravel road for a section that runs down a slight incline.

The pavement returns in time for some fast descents around some perfectly banked corners! Before long, you hook up with SW Unger road and drop down what I like to call, the Unger Drop and Twist ... and Drop, a a two-hundred vertical foot straight drop in a quarter mile, with a crazy "S-corner," followed by another straight shot descent into the valley. You should try it sometime!

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I then turned left on 219, and rode that to 208/10, where I took another left. I rode that back to Rood Bridge Road, and back into Hillsboro.

Spring Hill

A ride into the hills around Hillsboro. About 23 miles.

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Start by going down River Road and turning right onto Minter Bridge Road. Once you get past the "Entering Agricultural Zone" sign, you're on your own - seriously, be careful, the roads are narrow, and while they are not, in any way congested, they do tend to have rather large trucks on them!

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Turn right onto SW Grabel, and again onto Route 219. A quick ride on the wide shoulder, brings you to SW Tongue Road. Take a left. This whole area is a nice flat, big gear, crankfest. Ride Tongue Road out past the golf course.

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Left onto SW Iowa Hill Road and start to climb. Follow the road to SW Unger, drop down over the edge and hang on! The road drops a couple of hundred vertical feet in an almost straight drop, with an s-corner thrown in for good measure.

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Follow the road to Route 219. Take a right and ride to Route 10/208 (Farmington Road), and take a left.

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Left at Rood Bridge Road. This road is a blast to ride. The pavement is mostly new and smooth, and the road has a bunch of right-angle curves with perfectly banked corners.

Rood Bridge Road ends up back at River Road.

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