Headwaters Century

[East Hill]

For those of you who didn't get to the MS 150...

Mr. East Hill and I went for the century on the Headwaters Ride in Enumclaw. My organised rides are pretty much limited to those which are on Sundays, because I work Friday nights, getting off on Saturday mornings :( .

At any rate, I had a great time, even though we did not manage to do the full century (explanation to follow).

We started off at Enumclaw High School. The century riders headed off to do a 14.1 mile loop of Mud Mountain. This was a decent climb, with a great fast descent along the back side into Enumclaw. I was trying to get a photo of a big tom turkey, but was interrupted by a screaming paceline. A few minutes later I came across the same paceline, no longer moving, but examing a wheel belonging to one of the members :p . The loop brought us back into Enumclaw HS, where I took advantage of real flush toilets and hot and cold running water :D .

The next segment, 15.7 miles, was ridden by all riders--essentially flat, but scenic farmland:

Can't get much better than this for scenery:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_1293.jpg

Not quite as scenic, but displaying my highly distinctive jersey (yes, it's the 2006 Cinderella Jersey, which I did not ride, but love the jersey so much that I purchase one when I found out a few were still available, so all of you who've actually ridden the ride will have to forgive me):

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_1294.jpg

First rest stop was at Flaming Geyser--never did have time to find the geyser for a photo:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_1297.jpg

The third segment of the ride, 18.1 miles, was another segment just for century riders. This took us along Green Valley Road (with a fierce headwind the entire way), back up Auburn-Black Diamond Road, snaking up to Covington-Sawyer Road back over to Highway 169. Mr. East Hill was getting noticeably tired at this point, and having leg cramps. I was getting ahead of him constantly, and then coming back around to make certain he was all right.

Back on Highway 169, we headed up the 5.2 mile section of Black Diamond-Ravensdale Road. This bit almost did in poor Mr. East Hill. He actually had started to wander into the gravel on the side of the shoulder a couple of times and I was getting quite worried. But we were closing in on the second rest stop, and he thought he could make it there, at least.

We did make it to the second rest stop, in Ravensdale Park. Mr. East Hill was pretty exhausted, but a few cookies and a PB bagel made him feel better. I got asked about my jersey again. Did I mention it's a real beauty?

We decided that Mr. East Hill was not going to be able to manage the entire century if we included the 20.1 mile loop which headed north to Maple Valley and all the way out to where we board our cats (!). We know from riding the area that there are some big hills out that way.

So, after Mr. East Hill assured me that he would be able to manage the final 18.7 miles back to Enumclaw HS, we set off. Mr. East Hill had to stop and walk the bike up some of the hills. At one point, I had circled back to make sure he was all right, and he had slowed down to let me pass just as a car was on my right hand side. I yelled at him 'Don't slow down', which apparently confused him, and he almost ran into a ditch, narrowly escaping. Good thing the Schwinn LeTour has wider tyres than a new bike :eek: .

Mr. East Hill cruises in at the finish:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_1304.jpg

Yeah, he had a hard day:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_1305.jpg

Total mileage for Mr. East Hill was around 80 miles.

I could have made the entire 102.6 miles, but I did not want to abandon Mr. East Hill at the end. I was quite worried about him...

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k317/East_Hill/IMG_1306.jpg

Next time I think we will either not try the century, or I will try to get Mr. East Hill some more training. Either way, it was a great ride, and we'll be doing this one again next year :) .

East Hill

[teigyr]

Poor guy :D Look at the bike though, had he been training on that bike? How's the gearing as compared to the mtn bike? Could be that's it...and the different positioning. I'm impressed in the bike choice!

Looks beautiful though! I'm glad you had fun and I think it's better that you stayed with the Mr. He looked pretty jovial at the end, all things considered.

Beautiful pictures!!!! And you looked perky enough to go another 80 miles!

[lauraelmore1033]

Dh and I were at the Headwaters too. I think I saw you and your hubby at the last rest stop. Things were wrapping up by then. Maybe you were the couple asking the volunteers if there were many hills for the last 20 miles and deciding if he could finish? The volunteer said there were only a couple of rollers left. I remember grumbling about that couple of rollers remark as I counted at least 7 grannie gear (for me) hills to the end. We were going to do the century too, but I was having an episode of cable stretch problems and my rear derailer kept skipping gears (AGAIN!). We bypassed the loop on black diamond road and went to the rest stop where, luckily, there was a mechanic who fixed the problem. We only managed 80 miles too. It really was a beautiful day and a beautiful course, but I was in the foulest of moods because of the bike problems. Too bad, really. We were both exhausted when we finished. It's funny, but I thought that strawberry shortcake at the end was the most exquisitely delicious thing I had ever tasted in my life!

[East Hill]

Yup, that was us! Dang! I was wearing that beautiful jersey--I figured anyone who saw that would probably remember me, if not by face :D . Glad to meet you, though!

Mr. East Hill was getting a bit desperate by the end--in answer to teigyr's question, no it's not geared at all like the MTB, but it rolls a lot smoother than those knobbies. He would would have been good for the 65 miles, just wasn't quite there for the century.


East Hill

[lauraelmore1033]

oh, I did remember the beautiful jersey, and I did kinda recognize the face from your pictures. You are usually grinning from ear to ear in the photos, though, but your smile was a quite a bit more subdued at the rest stop, so you looked a little different.

[East Hill]

Yes, I was pretty worried about poor Mr. East Hill. He told me today that he was still stiff from from the ride, and that when he got to the second rest stop he really thought he would have to get SAGged out. It was slow going the last 18 odd miles, but we did manage to get well past his goal of 65 miles, and he was quite pleased.

By the way, he remembers you too :) .

East Hill

[lauraelmore1033]

I hope he doesn't remember me because he saw me spewing abuse at my bike:eek:

[East Hill]

No, but as soon as I showed him your photo he instantly said, 'I remember her'!

East Hill