The Up's and Down's of It...

That's about 3400 feet of ascent and a bit more in descent. Most of the ascent in the first 25 miles.

Riding in the Rain

People around Puget Sound will tell you that if you can't see 'the Mountain,' its raining. If you can see 'the Mountain,' it's going to rain. The picture at the left was taken on one of my KeyPen out-and-back rides. It would have been a beautiful picture of Mt. Rainier but for the clouds. I got really wet that day. Should've put the fenders on the bike. 

Riding in the rain is something to be expected in the Pacific Northwest. Especially around the Puget Sound. And although I've been a MossBack or WebFoot most of my life - grew up in Portland - going out in the rain isn't something that I take lightly. Old time Portlanders will tell you they are citizens not of the Rose City but of the Rain City… the city of rain coats and umbrellas. There are always at least two umbrellas in my car and two rain coats in my closet. A writer for Sport Illustrated once noted that winter sports for folks up this way were restricted to sitting under the eaves listening to the rain beat on the roof. So when I hit the streets in rain gear it has to be for something important. Yesterday was one of those days. I had to get down to the church to set up for an evening training meeting and my legs needed some time-on. But by the time I got back from my chores and a brief ride it was in the low 40's and the rain was almost at fire hose intensity. I felt like the proverbial drowned rat and looked like small animals had been climbing up my back. I put the door down on the carport, stripped off the rain gear, hung it up to drip dry and went looking for something warm and nourishing.

Today is clearer but not as clear as the day before yesterday.  It's going to be a KeyPen out-and-back day. And I'll be watching for the dark clouds and hoping for temperatures above 50°.

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Remember

Yesterday. It was my intention to post something about training, the route, things like that. But I heard news yesterday about the Giro. That the Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt died in the Giro d' Italia... I hadn't seen the race but had recorded it to watch later. And I watched it late last night. I don't know why it affected me like it did. Even now when I see the images I feel stunned...  Seeing him lying on the pavement paralyzes me... Then I feel like crying. Maybe it's because I've been hit by a car and still carry the scars. But more than that, it's the loss of life... The loss of any life is so tragic. 

I know the rest of us will just go on. And I'll go on riding.


But for now... Just for a moment... Let's just take some time to remember. Remember how wonderful life is. Remember the great opportunities we've been given in this life. Remember the people around us and how they enrich our lives.

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A View of the Ride

I must pay homage and express appreciation to Ian Mastenbrook who posted this video on YouTube.  It shows the RTB route as it winds its way through the Pacific Coast Range about 10-15 miles from the beach.  

I'm preparing to ride this annual event - more properly know as the Reach the Beach Clean Air Bicycle Challenge - a non-competitive bike ride from the Portland suburb of Beaverton to Pacific City on the Oregon coast. The ride is designed to raise awareness and funds for the American Lung Association of Oregon's education, advocacy, and research programs. 

Visit www.reachthebeach.org for more information.

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