2008 Reach the Beach

Hey there girls! So long story short, for the past several years I have been doing the RTB with my mom and her co-worker/cycling friend. I'm fondly known as the "Geezer herder". Anyway, this year we were trying to decide if we were going to do it or not when we found out that my brother will be visiting from his deployment in Iraq during that time. Well, our friend couldn't stand the wait and signed up for the RTB without knowing that my mom and I weren't going to do it. Now he's stuck doing the ride all by himself. :( He's a good guy, with a new fancy carbon Bianchi. He does take his time (we usually average ~14-15 mph over the 100 miles) as he has diabetes and has to check his BS all the time. His wife and daughters will meet him at the end and cheer him on but it would be nice if he had someone to ride with. Are there any DH's or TE gals who will be starting from Salem who might be willing to share some road time with him? Obviously I'm feeling a little guilty that he didn't get the message that we were bowing out this year....:o

Here's the link in case someone wants to know more. I assume you are starting in Portland due to the 100 mile length.

http://rtb.kintera.org/faf/home/defa...?ievent=256132

Do they transport bikes and riders back to the start? If so, how? I'm always leery of bike transport on such rides. That they all are just jumbled together in a big truck.

I can't do it this year, but I've been looking at the ride.

We have started in Portland every year except last year when we decided to start from Corvallis. But our buddy lives in the Salem area and since we're not doing it with him he's going to start from Salem. Makes sense eh?
As for transport, they use moving vans with blankets and pads to get the bikes back to the start, and large buses to get the folks back. I always had a great DH who came and picked us up and then drove out tired butts back home!:rolleyes:

Just waving ::::HI:::::: :D;):D

So....was this TEAM Pear Bottom girls ride you were talking about???

I guess your brother coming home (YEAAAAA Brother!) is an important event worth skipping the ride for! How long has he been in Iraq?

Hi back at cha!!! Brother is on his third :eek::eek::eek: deployment!!! He's been gone for about 6 months now and has another year(ish) to go.
This is not the Pear Bottom'd girls ride. That's the "Summit to Surf" with is for the American Diabetes Assn. at the end of July.
How're ya feeling today???

GREAT today! no lingering 'soreness' ....ANYWHERE!!! :D:D

Yesterday my right calf was tight and super sore...but after a LOT of massaging...it's A-OK today! (I need to do more stretching before and after I guess)

Wow....3rd deployment.... at this point it must be harder on you guys than it is on him huh?

:::::glass in the air:::::: Here's to your brother...& a safe return, & happy visit!

I'm doing Reach the Beach, but starting from Scholls. He's be welcome to ride with us (there are a few of us in the group) but since we're starting from different places there's probably no chance of meeting up with him.

Anyone else doing this ride??

Well Sprocket's Mom and imdeanna... so I find you here having a party amonst yourselves while I'm not looking. I have one thing to say....

Get back on your bikes girls!!! What's all this lollygagging?!

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Originally Posted by Wahine

Get back on your bikes girls!!! What's all this lollygagging?!

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It's all this stupid 'work' stuff!!! it gets in the way of all my fun!!!

I'm going to do the Mosier tunnels on Saturday, which way would you say is better....starting at HR or starting at Mosier?

I got my cleats, so I can wear my cycling shoes!! (which is the reason I want to go non traffic area to get used to being clipped in!) :)

Oh...btw Wahine...did you get my PM I sent you about the fitting time???

I did, but I've been having some trouble getting things figured out. I'm hoping this weekend will work but I need to find out when DH is working.

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Originally Posted by Wahine

I did, but I've been having some trouble getting things figured out. I'm hoping this weekend will work but I need to find out when DH is working.

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Oh no rush what so ever!! I almost didn't want to ask (out of fear of sounding demanding or pushy!!) but just wanted to make sure you got it....I'm new to this entire 'forum' thing....and thought I might have not 'sent' it correctly! :) :)

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I'm going to do the Mosier tunnels on Saturday, which way would you say is better....starting at HR or starting at Mosier?

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Either way is nice. If you want to do a long drawn out climb right off the bat, you go from Mosier and get to go down that one on your way back. WHEEEEEEE!!!! If you want to do the hill in the "middle" of the ride you go from Hood River. This is all assuming that you will go out and back. If you're gonna have a car at both ends well then, it's just a matter of whether you want to climb fairly steadily in the beginning or not.

Thanks for the cheers to my brother too. We're REALLY looking forward to having him home for good next year.:)

DeAnna - Yeah, what SM said. I would guess that you might want to start on the HR side to get used to the pedals on a steady and less steep incline. The climb from Mosier is steeper but I don't think it's worse than what we did last weekend.:D

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Originally Posted by Wahine

DeAnna - Yeah, what SM said. I would guess that you might want to start on the HR side to get used to the pedals on a steady and less steep incline. The climb from Mosier is steeper but I don't think it's worse than what we did last weekend.:D

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Yep...and getting used to the pedals is exactly what I need!! :)

You'll have to pass on to Pam that I have matching handlebars to hers now! :(

Yep...I had my first 'crash'! Last night I was trying to clip back in (on a uphill) and fell over....got myself dirty and scratched the left side of my levers :( but no body damage like Pam! (I wasn't 'technically moving' just lost balance and over I went!:eek:) lol....

That's a "standard" clipless pedal accident. The ones that really get the fond looks from the witnesses are when you're standing around looking cool :cool: keeping one foot clipped in (like at a light) and all of a sudden you seem to have shifted your weight to the side that's still clipped in!!!!:eek:
Next thing you know you and the bike are in a heap and you can't figure out how that happened....much to the enjoyment of all the pedestrians! :D

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Originally Posted by Sprocket's Mom

That's a "standard" clipless pedal accident. The ones that really get the fond looks from the witnesses are when you're standing around looking cool :cool: keeping one foot clipped in (like at a light) and all of a sudden you seem to have shifted your weight to the side that's still clipped in!!!!:eek:
Next thing you know you and the bike are in a heap and you can't figure out how that happened....much to the enjoyment of all the pedestrians! :D

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Lol...well...I pretty much had that scenerio happen Friday night! My 2nd fall now....(cept I really wasn't 'trying' to look cool!!) :)

I did have audience to this one....and the gal circled her rig around to see if I was ok and see if I wanted a ride.... ohhhh the humility!!!! :)

I declined of course...BUT I ended up with 2 nice (very pretty colored) knee/leg bruises...and a scuffed saddle :(

I also experienced my 1st A-hole driver....

I already was as far over as I could be on the street....leaving just a few inches between me and the parked cars......(on a 25 mph side street) when a mini van passed by (and I SWEAR) she was trying to get as close to me as she could w/out touching.....I seriously could have stuck my pinky out and touched her car! and there was NObody coming the other direction...there was no excuse for her to not to have given me a bit more space!

Not sure why it's so hard for people to just be decent and respectful of one another!