Portland Century 2010

On Sunday - August 22 - Bryce and I rode the Portland Century. It was the second time I had ridden it and the first for Bryce - not only that, but he had just (as in, less than 48-hours prior) returned from a month-long family trip that saw far more gin & tonics than bike rides.

We started off feeling good and riding fast. The new pavement on the Springwater is niiiiice. We got into a nice rhythm and were moving along having a great time when we were joined by some guys that I guess really wanted to get into a draft train. They wouldn't pass and kind of pushed along behind us.

We rode like that for a few minutes, with me in front, until finally there was some oncoming traffic, some confusion and I got dropped off the back. I hung back about 50 feet watching Bryce lead the train. He was hauling ass, and seeming to enjoy himself, so I didn't want to shout something like, "hey, wait for me!"

I found myself riding alongside this dude named Carl. He was a nice, outgoing guy who's buddy had bailed on him so he was talking to everyone (particularly women) that came into sight (he also was totally jacked on too many shots of espresso). We rode along talking as he cheerfully greeted everyone that we passed.

As we approached the first rest stop, there was a couple walking in our opposite direction. I was riding to Carl's left, so I slowed down to drop behind him. As I did this, I glanced down to grab my water bottle and heard Carl very cheerfully say, "Good Morning!" I looked up, checked to make sure I was clear of the couple, looked up the path toward Carl  - who was now in front of me by about 15 feet and a bit to my left - and watched as he flew up in the air and over his handlebars!

At some point, I threw my water bottle and grabbed my handlebars in order to avoid Carl, who had landed on his head directly in my path. Fifteen feet may sound like a lot, but at 15 mph it's roughly three-quarters of a second. I narrowly avoided both Carl and his bike, screeched to a stop, and hopped off my ride, expecting to be dealing with a broken collarbone or some other horrible, maimy-type injury. Instead, Carl was up and staring at the source of his problems; a steel divider post (the kind to keep cars off, but can be removed for emergency vehicles). He had clipped it with his left crank - which, along with his right brake lever, was not looking all that great.

Luckily, we were right at the very first rest stop, which had a mechanic. But no Bryce.

I wished Carl luck and got back on the road, hoping to catch Bryce - while sending him a text saying something like, "hey, wait for me!" Bryce said that he pushed along at the front of that train for a while before realizing that I was no longer in it. He said that he then rode along slowly waiting for me to catch up, and finally stopped when I sent him a text telling him about Carl's accident.

It was somewhere after the first hill, but before the second rest stop that we encountered Carl again. He said that the mechanic was able to get his bike going, and that he had a little road rash, but was feeling fine. His helmet had a nice ding in it.

We rode with Carl to the second rest stop. I think it's my favorite. They have strawberry shortcakes. But then again, maybe the one at Fireside is my favorite. They have all the fixin's for a beautiful ham & cheese sandwich on Dave's Killer Bread. Just what I needed at that point. However, the pizza at the Blue Lake rest stop was not what I needed. I thought it was, but then I walked over and saw them pulling a glistening pepperoni pizza out of the oven. At that point, I had ridden almost 75 miles. Pizza was not an option. Especially if I was going to ride another 25 miles!

The watermelon at Smith & Bybee Lakes was awesome and exactly, exactly what I needed.

So yeah. They have the foods at the rest stops pretty dialed in. In addition to the strawberry shortcakes, sandwiches and pizzas, they also had plenty of bananas and other fruits, granola bars and energy bars, as well as water and Gatorade and Heed mixes.

There was a decent amount of climbing. I think somewhere around 6,000 feet - which feels about right for 100 miles. Anything less would be flat and boring. Right?

It rained a little, enough to cool things down, but not enough to be truly wet, but enough to make roads slick. Some of the windy roads would have been fun to scream down (a little faster than I did...), but I really had to keep my speed in check. At one point, we came across a guy who had wiped out on a hairpin turn. He had about a dozen people with him and looked OK (he passed us a few miles later...) so we kept going.

We also had a fun encounter with that 1%. You know, the 1% that want to kill someone someday somehow. I was ahead of Bryce on a downhill moving along at 35-40 mph when a car passed me at what felt like a crazy-close distance. Had I been startled, I would have wiped out. Instead, I fixed my eyes on the road and kept riding. Now that I try to remember, I really can't even recall the make, model, color or even what state the car was from. I think it was a beater blue mazda - but I really don't remember. All I wanted to do was survive!

Bryce later told me that the car also passed close to him, but he didn't realize how close until it passed me. From his perspective, the car missed me by about six inches (or less) - and that's not including the dog who's head was hanging out the window. Bryce tells me that had the dog moved, he would have hit me.

Do people like that understand that making someone wipeout on a bike at 40 mph is potentially fatal? My guess is that they don't. These are the same people that get all road ragey. They have absolutely NO idea of the deadly, destructive force that they wield when they get behind the wheel of a car.

Oh well. I survived, and on we rode. Up and down. Up and down. And around.

I had a "clipless moment" in front of a crowd of about a dozen at an intersection in Troutdale. I stopped, went to clip out, couldn't, reached my had out, and actually caught myself on the sidewalk! I was then holding myself up with one arm at like a 45-degree angle, while attempting to clip out. Finally, I clipped out and was able to stand - to the applause of the crowd!

We were about 60 or 70 miles in when my right knee started to creak. And hurt. And hurt.

At around 75 miles, we ride along the mighty (windy) Columbia - and my pore knee didn't get a break. The headwind is so strong that in order to standstill, one must pedal. There is NO coasting. Bryce and I tried to draft off each other, but at some point I lost him (his knee was also hurting, but hurt less when he pedaled less hard - my hurt no matter what, so I figured that I'd get the pain over with faster if I rode as fast as I could). Luckily, a couple on a tandem dropped in behind me when I passed them, only to give me a break a few minutes later.

By the time we got to the last stop at Smith & Bybee Lakes, I was ready for beer (after inhaling three watermelon slices), but I had to make it through downtown Portland first. I've really come to love city riding over the past couple of years and even get all Kevin Bacony in it sometimes, but not when I've just ridden 90 miles, my knee hurts like hell, and I want beer. traffic lights and the pedestrians were all laughing at me as I rode through the obstacles, determined to drink all the free Widmer beer that I could.

After a weird ride along the Naito Parkway (I think I would have preferred Broadway) and up one last hill we made it across the finish. Luckily, the Widmer tent was about twenty feet away.

Four beers and a whole lot of yummy salmon and asparagus later, I was ready to head home. My super-smart wife (who rode the half-century) had brought the boys and the car. I piled in, crawled out at home, took a shower and went to bed.

The end.

p.s. I woke up Monday morning feeling a bit sore but not in any pain. By Monday evening, I was fine. Not like 2008 when I had a horrible - HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE - case of chaffing. This year Chamois Butter saved my ass (that should be their pitch-line, "Chamois Butter. It'll save your ass!").

two rides; one week - only in Portland!

steep - steep - and steeper!
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I recently rode in two rides that exemplified why Portland is such a great city for riders.

Crazy, crazy climbs!

On April 3rd, I rode in the De Ronde van Oeste Portlandia, an undergroundish-group-ride with about 600 people. It was 47 miles with over 7000 vertical feet of climbing and was probably the most challenging ride of my life.

The course zigged and zagged up and down Portland's west hills, climbing the steepest inclines I've ever attempted on a bike. There were moments when I figured I'd just quit, but I ended up riding with a great group of riders who kept encouraging each other all the way to the finish at Council Crest, Portland's highest point.

It took me alomost as long as it took me to ride 100 miles in last summer's Portland Century! 

my bunnies
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Bunny on a Bike

A little over a week later, the McLeod family joined about a hundred other Portland riders for the 5th Annual Bunny on a Bike Ride.

It was one of the funnest rides I've ever been on, as we paraded through the streets of Portland with everyone dressed as bunnies. We started the ride in southeast, where we rode through parks and down bike lanes to the Eastbank Esplanade.

Groups from northeast, northwest, southwest and north Portland met up with us at the Vera Katz statue at the riverfront, and from there we circled the waterfront, then rode through the city to Irwin Park for a teaparty potluck and easter egg hunt. It was a perfect day for a ride through the city with a bunch of bunnies!

Check out the map of the De Ronde van Oeste Portlandia

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).

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).


View Larger Map

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.

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.

Back in the saddle

me and my Masi
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

My first ride since my "incident" a week-and-a-half ago. This time I stuck to my normal, low-traffic route.

I took my beloved Masi into the Hillsboro Bike n' Hike last week before my trip to NH, thinking that I'd have to leave it there for an extended repair. Instead, the guys in the shop performed an on-the-spot "post-crash" checkup for me (check the frame's integrity, as well as the fork, handlebars, etc.).

They had to bend the derailleur hanger back into place, as well as the right shifter on my handlebar. They also made some quick adjustments to the derailleur - but that was it, and all it cost me was a twelve-pack!

Of course, the whole drivetrain needs to be replaced, but that can wait (until I have a job, maybe...). For now, my beloved bike is rideable, and I'm back on the saddle.

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...

Portland Century

I rode in the Portland Century ride on Sunday, and the swelling in my ass (thank you Boudreaux's Butt Paste!) has now gone down enough to allow me to sit and write about my experience.

For those of you that don't know, a century ride is an organized, fully-supported (rest stops with supplies, support vehicles, and marked courses) 100-mile ride.

It was my second century (but not the second time I've ridden 100 miles in a day. I've done that several times, but not with support). The last one I rode was the Tri-State Seacoast Century in 2003. My total time (including rests) was 7 hours, 15 minutes. My ride time (the time spent in the saddle, chaffing my ass to bits) was 6 hours, 35 minutes.

It was a perfect day for riding; cool, and slightly overcast. I started the ride at 7:30 at PSU in downtown Portland. The ride goes across the Willamette and hops onto the Springwater Corridor for most of the first twenty miles. I hopped in behind a guy that I'm pretty sure was a pro rider (he was totally decked out in Hammer jersey, shorts and socks, had a sweet ride, and crazy sculpted legs). I drafted behind him (we were moving at about 25 mph; I could feel him pulling me along. If I fell too far behind, I'd have to pedal like mad to catch back up, but then could rest once I was back in his slipstream) for most of the length of the Springwater until we reached a cluster of riders that he was able to deftly maneuver around. I was not so lucky.

We started to climb at about mile twenty, and then dropped down a fun descent around mile twenty-five (see the map and elevation profile to the right, or here. Thanks to Matt Haughey). This is where all of the riding in the Hillsboro Hills this summer came in handy. I blew by people huffing their way up to the second rest stop (I skipped the first one) at Eagle Fern Park. I pulled into Eagle Fern Park to re-fill my water bottles, eat strawberry shortcake, a peanut butter sandwich, a banana, and a Hammer bar.

As I was leaving the rest stop, a guy was entering and screaming at someone in a acr. I couldn't really hear what his problem was, but I did hear him ask the driver if he wanted to get out of car and discuss it (this was no hot-head, young rider; he was easily in his 60's). The driver did not take him up on his offer and drove away. I, and everyone around me assumed that the driver had not given the biker enough room on the road.

About a half hour later, while riding a narrow, winding road, this same biker came upon a group of us riding together. Everytime a car would approach from behind, someone would yell "car back" and we would all get a in a single file line to allow the car to pass. Not this guy. He would ride out into the middle of the road to block the cars. At one point, someone yelled, "hey man, car back. Get into single file!" To which, he responded, "fuck them. They need to learn to share the road." I guess he didn't get the irony in his statement.

It's riders like that that piss off people in cars, and make them hate the biking community.

At mile fifty, I went to hop off my bike for a moment, but my right pedal wouldn't clip-out, so I fell on my side and bent my derailler. It made it so that I couldn't utilize my lowest three gears. A total bummer on the hills I was dealing with at the moment! Luckily, there was mechanical support at the Fireside Retreat rest stop at mile 58 (of course, that was the end of the climbing).

The mechanics got my bike all fixed up (sort of.... I think I need a whole new drivetrain) so I could finish the ride.

The ride from the Fireside Retreat rest stop to the next stop at Blue Lake Park was mostly downhill and brought us along the Historic Columbia Highway and through Troutdale and it's lovely outlet malls. I was feeling a little tired, but still pretty good.

The rest stop at Blue Lake Park was at mile 73. After that, we rode on the bike path that goes along the Columbia River. That part was the worst. I was starting to get tired and had to deal with some pretty high winds coming off the "Mighty Columbia" as well as families out for rides and walks on the bike trail.

By the time I reached mile 90, I was pretty sure my ass had fallen off, but realized I was now only 10 miles from the beer. The ride through the wastewater treatment center was almost enough to dissuade me from my longing for the beer. Almost.

The last few miles were through downtown Portland, which was kind of fun, but difficult due to a combination of the traffic, my low energy levels and traffic lights (the constant stopping, unclipping, starting, clipping back in... repeat... was pretty hard). I just kept thinking to myself, "beer... beer..."

As I approached the finish I saw Nikki and the boys. Liam was jumping up and down, and Camper was pointing at me yelling, "dadda, bike! Dadda, bike!"

It was a wonderful finish; I had my family there to greet me, free beer, an incredible salmon dinner, more free beer, and a great goodie bag that included beer and coffee.

Bald Peak Ride

somewhere
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

In need of a different route, today I rode up and over Fern Hill and around the other side of Spring and Iowa Hills, passing through Gaston and Laurelwood before climbing up to Bald Peak State Park.

The route was 36 miles, with a little over 2600 feet of climbing and descending (click the "Elevation Profile" under the "Show" tab).

I've ridden much of the route before when I went around Hagg Lake. The scenery is beautiful, rolling wheat fields, nurseries and open space. The majority of the ride is big crank spinning, with speeds averaging about 20 mph.

The climb up and over Fern Hill is relatively easy, with a fun, winding downhill. The climb up to Bald Peak out of Laurelwood is one of the toughest I've ever encountered. My bike computer tells me that the road incline in some places was a 22% grade! For the most part, however, it's a sustained 12% grade for two miles, with a vertical gain of over a thousand feet.


View Larger Map

The view from the top of Bald Peak is amazing, with views of Mt. Ranier, Mt. Saint Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson.

Providence Bridge Pedal

Fremont Bridge
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

This week's Sunday family ride was the Providence Bridge Pedal. We rode the 6-bridge, 14 mile, family ride, along with thousands of other riders.

It was estimated that there were over 17,000 participants.

We had a blast and didn't experience any of the congestion that has marred the event in past years. There were only two spots where traffic moved so slowly we had to walk our bikes.

It was so cool being able to ride over bridges that are normally highway bridges reserved for cars. It was fun just being up on the Marquam and Fremont Bridges with all my fellow bikers.

Like all gatherings of humans, 90% of the people were great, and fun to be with, 5% were kinda moody, 4% were idiots, and 1% were just plain assholes. That's life.

After the ride, we went into the Bite of Oregon and enjoyed some good beer (so deserved), fine food and fun music.

Another successful McLeod family Sunday Ride!

Check out all my pictures here.

PDX to Oxbow Park

sandy river amusements
Originally uploaded by Nikki McLeod

Bryce, his cousin-in-law Adam and myself rode from downtown Portland to Oxbow park. The route we took was something like this but with about 15 more miles added on.

The ride took us out the length of the Springwater Trail to Gresham, and from there, we zigged and we zagged through farmland (mainly huge nurseries; next time you're at Home Depot and wonder where all the little trees come from, wonder no more; they most likely come from all around Portland) until we finally found Oxbow Park (yeah... we got a little lost).

The park is on the shores of the Sandy River. Our wonderful wives and kids met us there with all sorts of yummy food (but no beer - we were dying for beer). After a nice picnic, we made our way down to the water for some swimming and rolling naked in the sand.

It was a great way to spend a day.

a bicycle built for four

bicycle built for four
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Liam has been eying the tandem for a while, wondering when we'd turn it into the engine for the McLeod family bike-train.

Well, people, today was that day!

We hooked the tandem up to Liam's trail-a-bike, which, in turn was hooked up to Camper's Chariot, and took it for a ride around the farmlands of Hillsboro.

We had a blast, and will be taking the train out again in the near future - maybe for the Providence Bridge Pedal!

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!

The Henry Hagg Half-Century

Stimpson Mill
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

I rode the longest ride I've been on in at least a year today. I'm calling it the Henry Hagg Half-Century, because its a loop out and around Henry Hagg Lake.... and it's 50 miles...

I started the ride along my usual route, but this time, instead of staying on Iowa Hill Road, I climbed over Fern Hill and down into (I think it's called) the Tualatin Valley, where I rode along Old Highway 47 and up to and around Henry Hagg Lake.

The road that goes around the lake has a lot of vertical to it it, with many, many uphills and downhills (I guess you could call it "rolling"). A loop around the lake brought me back to where I started, so I rode back down into the valley.

Instead of re-tracing my steps, I rode through Gaston, across the TV Highway (new Highway 47) and into Laurelwood. I then followed Laurelwood Road up and onto the ridge that runs between Iowa Hill and Bald Peak. The climb is crazy-steep and at times really, really hurt!

The rewards for the hurting include amazing views of Mt. Hood and a nice, long downhill down Bald Peak Road, bringing me back to the intersection of Routes 219 and 208/10 (SW Farmington Road). I followed SW Farmington Rd. to Rood Bridge Road which brings me home.

The ride was just over 50 miles, with 3331 feet of vertical, and it took me exactly four hours.

I wish I could show you examples of sections of the ride, but I created the map in Bikely, and as I've already ranted before, there are a lot of sucky aspects to their site, and this is one. Another one: I can't print my map. Hello? Can't print your own maps?!

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.

Sauvie Island family ride

hip shot
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

We went out to Sauvie Island yesterday for a family ride. It was scenic - we watched the Mt. Adams wildfire grow - but the roads are narrow with a ton of traffic. It kind of reminded me, and Nikki remarked on the same thing later, of Martha's Vineyard, but without all the houses (and the floating houses just aren't the same thing!).

I'm glad we took it in - we rode by a field that grows potatoes for Tim's Chips, and we went to a beach (that had a lot of trash strewn about - what's up with that?!) - but I don't see us headed in that direction again.

A great sunset ride in Concord

If time was running out and I needed to take maximum advantage of the dwindling daylight, I would ride a loop in East Concord that climbs Oak Hill, an eastern hill of the Merrimack Valley, and catch that last bit of daylight - a good half-hour after the sun had set in Concord.

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I start the ride the same way I start the Concord/Hopkinton Ride, but veer RIGHT at the intersection of Carter Hill Road and Lake View. This follows Penacook Lake (the Concord Reservoir) around to North State Street (Route 3).

I could have detoured the ride around the reservoir by starting on North State Street, but I avoid riding that road as much as possible.

A few hundred feet down North State, stay right onto Sewalls Falls Road and follow that to the bridge. The Sewalls Falls Bridge is an old, one-lane, steel-grid bridge. It sucks to walk across in cleats, so just ride like hell, don't try to turn, don't try to stop, and don't look down - well, actually, do look down, it's pretty crazy!

After you cross the river, you'll pass the Concord Monitor - say hello for me - and cross under the highway. Take a left at the intersection, then the first right.


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Follow Sanborn Road to the end and turn right on Hoit. Go straight at the intersection of Shaker and Old Shaker (sometimes there are Shakers there on opposite sides of the street yelling at each other), where Hoit becomes School. That is one crazy intersection...

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Ride School Street to Oak Hill Road. Much of School Street is a gradual downhill. Use that to recover from the climb up Hoit, because there's one last uphill to go. After turning onto Oak Hill, the route ascends steeply before rewarding the rider with a long downhill into Concord.

At the bottom of the hill (now called Shawmut Street), turn left onto Eastside Drive, maneuver past the vehicles attempting to enter and exit Interstate 93, and turn left onto Eastman Street (stop off at Quality Cash for some well deserved kabobs) and follow it to the end.

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At the end, take the path that parallels the highway on the highway bridge.

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Follow the path to the Tech, cross the highway on Delta Drive, and ride through the much-vaunted, answer-to-Concord's-troubles, Horseshoe Pond revitalization project (a conference center and office buildings on the old Concord Lumber site). Instead of riding up onto 393, cross the tracks and head up past Franklin Pierce's homestead, a nice way to end the ride!

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.