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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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.

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.


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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.

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.

Sunday family ride

family ride
Originally uploaded by Ben McLeod

Another Sunday, another family ride. This time we rode along the bike trails on the east and west banks of the Willamette from downtown Portland into the Sellwood neighborhood (my new favorite Portland neighborhood. The more I see of PDX, the more I really like the east neighborhoods.) and back again. It was roughly 14 miles, and was highlighted with stops in the Sellwood Park and Grand Central bakery.


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The Eastbank Esplanade and Springwater trail are havens for biker families (and bikers without kids - there just happened to be A LOT of families out riding - and walkers, and rollerbladers... ) out for a Sunday ride. It was so much fun to get out and see everyone enjoying the amazing weather and each others' company.

We were joined by our friends Erica and Phillip. Nikki and Erica went to UNH together and she and Phillip have been in PDX for several years now.

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?!

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.

The Orgasmatron

... is what I would rename SW Gnos Road to. At the end, it leaves you shaking and wanting more.

It's a 3-mile out-and-back, or, in this case, up-and-down, as it ascends 600 feet in a mile and a half. It's a spur off of the Spring Hill Ride.

The first part of the ride goes straight up out of the farmland, with barely a curve.

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It may look like a field on a satellite picture, but look at the same section of land on a topo map!

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The views as you ascend are spectacular, with views of all the peaks in the Cascades. Another thing you'll notice is the brand new pavement. That's the nice thing about riding up what you'll soon be riding down; you cam scope out your line!

At the top is a commercial nursery, with rows and rows of various trees and plants.

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The road turns to gravel shortly after descending a bit off the top, so I'd recommend turning around at the top, putting your bike into it's lowest gear, and start cranking!

You start at 800 vertical feet and a mile-and-half later, you're at 200 vertical feet, and you'll see why I would rename this particular road.

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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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Concord/Hopkinton

A little short of 25 miles, this quick ride includes two decent hill climbs (and descents), as well as some great scenery, fast pavement, and a bike path.


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Start out at Dewey School - at the intersection of Centre, Liberty and Auburn Streets. Ride up Auburn Street (northwest).

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Take a left at the intersection of Lake View and Carter Hill. And climb on up Carter Hill! It's a fast uphill with two pitches. The first climbs steeply and wraps around two corners. At the top of the second corner, the terrain levels out a bit and you face the rest of the climb in one straight shot.

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At the bottom of Carter Hill, take a left and ride over the river.

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Ride for a few miles, take a left at Penacook Road, and cross the river again.

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Take a left at Gould Hill Road - and go STRAIGHT up!

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Follow Gould Hill Road down to Hopkinton Road and ride into the center of Contoocook. Follow Main Street toward Concord, into the horrible, highway-like off ramp for I-89.

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Take a right on Jewett Road, cross over the highway and take a left on Farrington Corner Road. Farrington has a long, gradual downhill that's fun to crank down at high speeds. Turn left at the stop sign (Stickney Hill Road) and ride up a gradual, straight uphill, then down a hill. At the bottom of Stickney Hill, stay right and hop onto the bike path that rides perpendicular to I-89.

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At the end of the bike path, turn left on Silk Farm Road, and ride under the highway and around the crazy corner.

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Take a right at the end of the road and ride through St. Paul's. Take a right onto Pleasant Street and ride past the hospital. Turn left onto Warren Street and ride past the high school.

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Turn left on Liberty, go two streets over, and you're back where you started!