Little Red Riding Hood - Utah

[SadieKate]

Petunia and SK’s Big Two State Ride
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/sadiek...pjIHDBDO6oabay

Since I’m at home today with a nasty sinus infection, it appears I have plenty of time to write up a ride report. Before I go on let me thank the powers that be for pharmaceuticals and pediatric nurses. Petunia knocked me out with Tylenol PM for the flight home so she wouldn’t have to listen to me screaming as my head exploded. She displayed some fine nursing skills.

Anyhoo, it turned out that usn’s that rode the full hundred got to ride two states! So, I saw my beloved southeastern Idaho, even if only for about 15 miles. We started in Wellsville, UT (hence “The Road to Wellsville” in an earlier post) where we were mighty scared by the Big, Bad Wolf. We then snaked our way up the beautiful Cache Valley. The snaking was so consistent (north, west, north, east and repeat) that we had a small mountain range that we called our “Home Mountains” as we could tell exactly where we were in relation to them. The valley has a lot of dairy industry so Petunia was relishing the smells of her home state of Wisconsin and she got to see her first yellow-headed Blackbird which is quite spectacular compared to it’s smaller California cousin who is sans yellow.

The rest stops were well-manned as the guys provided great support, food and encouragement. One rest stop was themed “Grandma’s House” and one was a tropical oasis with the guys in grass skirts. We girls got red jersey, T-shirts and hats with the ride logo, but the crew boys had brown T-shirts with a picture of a wolf and the caption “Big and Bad.” The first leg of the ride and the first rest stop were as usual the most crowded if you count a total of 870 riders a crowd. The Bonneville Bike Club is rightfully proud of the growing popularity of this event – about 25% a year. They had a terrific turnout and really put on a good ride. We found out later that their goal for next year is 1,000 riders. This would be a terrific first organized century or just an annual event it was so pretty (it's also the route for the MS150 ride).

The route itself just wound itself northward through the valley with only a few minor bumps in and out of drainages but we found out that a co-worker of Petunia’s hubby had it right about the wind. Due to the shape of the valley, the changing temps, weather pattern, something, we had head- or crosswinds almost the entire time. It wasn’t too bad going north but once we turned south it was pretty much a battle the entire way. We just found a speed we could maintain and spun along, with periodic gusts bouncing us across the road. At one point we were riding the same pace as the tractor tilling the field next to us. Fortunately, the traffic was so light we could ride side by side almost the entire way and chat so we could keep each other inspired. Since there were no ups, there were no gravity-assisted breaks and we had to power through the whole ride.

When we rode into Idaho there were no “Welcome to Spud-land” signs but we finally found the Fairview, Idaho sign (population 5?) and took the required tourist pics. Then as we crossing back into Utah we did find two fancier signs at the same intersection. Some other riders had stopped there and we asked one if she had time to take our picture at both signs and she said her crotch said she had the time! We’ve all been there. So, she took our pic at the pretty Idaho sign and we scuttled across the intersection for the photo in front of the Utah sign. Required tourist shots! Those rain clouds up Idaho way stayed north of us for the entire ride. Whew!

Only semi-bad event of the day was the flat on my front wheel only 16 miles from the end. We’re hot, we’re tired, our butts are hurting because we’ve been mtnbiking not road riding leading up to this event, but I get the flat changed pronto and just as I’m starting to use my little frame pump wishing for a floor pump a SAG pulls up. 15 secs later I’m downing some Cytomax prior to saddling up again when a 2nd SAG pulls up. These Big and Bad guys are really GOOD!

Petunia finished up with photos of the pass out of the Cache Valley as we drove home. All the mountains still had snow on them and everything was incredibly green due to the wet spring.

The last pic is of us at lunch with my MIL (who will be a 95 next month and going strong) before we headed for the airport. Terrific trip, lucked out with the weather (stoms before and after), great scenery, people, etc., etc., etc.

Note to self: remember to put pedal wrench in check-through baggage next time as the TSA believes it can be used as a weapon.

[SadieKate]

I forgot to mention that our VeloBella jerseys were a big hit and a bunch of people volunteered "Did you get those from Team Estrogen?" When one women heard we were from California she said "are you guys cool or what?" They were really pleased that someone would make the effort to come to their neck of the woods for the ride.

I probably saw a half dozen Hill Slug jerseys also.

Nice to see and hear the TE recognition.

[yellow]

Nice pictures! Your jerseys match the "welcome to Idaho" sign!

At least you got sick AFTER the ride, yes?

(BTW...you can see yellow heads in Bridgeport at the ice cream place. Of course, that's nearly Nevada. I really appreciate those descriptive bird names...when someone says "yellow headed blackbird" I think of a black bird with a yellow head. Now "wandering tattler"...descriptive but not in a helpful kind of way! But I digress...)

Anyhoo, I guess I'll be doing that ride next year.

[SadieKate]

At least you got sick AFTER the ride, yes?
Anyhoo, I guess I'll be doing that ride next year.

Sore throat showed up at the end of the day after Petunia had used my chapstick several times and inadvertently shared my water bottle. Oops.

Next year - just be prepared to spin and spin and spin. When they said there were no major climbs they should have said there is no climbing. Almost as flat as Sacatomatoland. Training in the invisible hills of Yolo County came in handy.

[snapdragen]

Ohhh, I wanna do this one! Next year!

How far is Wellsville from SLC? I don't think I've got much family there any more, but I'd love to check out my grandparents old house.

[CorsairMac]

Loved the pixs!....thanks for the story - sounds like you had a fun day! sorry to hear you're sick now tho!

[aka_kim]

Great pix and write-up! I really like the picture of you, Petunia and the big bad wolf.

Did you fly with your bikes (so to speak) or ship them via a carrier? I've had good luck with using an Iron Case, but avoiding the baggage fee would be nice too.

So, would you do the ride again?

[SadieKate]

Yep, I think we'd both do the ride again. It's about 85 miles from SLC to Wellsville, much of it posted between 65 or 75 MPH, so it only took about 1 and 1/2 hours at most (at least from Hotel MIL). Petunia and I were armed with all kinds of maps but as soon as we got on the freeway, 5 cars loaded with women and bikes got on and we all kind of caravanned up together. We just followed the bikes in front of us! We got really terrific reports on the MS150 in the same area. We talked with a lot of women who'd down the ride before.

We shipped our bikes, out via UPS and back via Fed-Ex. Depending on the value of your bike and whether you do the packing or have a shop do it, budget between $40-70 each way for shipping. For the return we had to take our boxed bikes to a box store so we may have been charged a premium. Now that I know better, we may have been able to print labels at home ahead of time. Some bike shops will ship for you and some won't. First time out, we learned a lot.

Bicycling Mag recently printed an article on packing your own bike. The shops will charge $20-25 for this but I'm going to take a photo of my packed bike when it returns for future reference. From reading I've done, Fed-Ex and UPS are less likely to damage bikes than the airlines and have better insurance.

Yellow, what should we read into your statement about next year? Good news for you and not for us? Unless it means you can be the SLC TE Slumber Party HQ. . . .

I know there are a couple of other TE members who live in the SLC area? Were you there??

[Veronica]

How about a road trip out there next year? Beautiful Elko is about midway. We LOVE Elko! It would be a long weekend slumber party. I wish it was just a little bit later in June. It's hard for me to get the time away so close to the end of the year. But with a little planning...

V.

[SadieKate]

If we'd planned it right, some could drive and take the bikes for those who have to fly due to time constraints.

[AutumnBreez]

Wish I could have gone to this one in UT. We are still stationed away from our home sweet home, there in Salt Lake City. Maybe I will be able to make next years ride, would love to meet some of you in person as well, not just here at the forum. I may possibly be coming home for a year. Will keep you posted.

[caligurl]

i'm so JEALOUS! i wanted to do this ride so badly! (i REALLY wanted their little red riding hood jersey!) but it was just so far to drive!

you two look so happy in that pic! i can't open the other link from here (work) so will have to try it at home for the rest of the pics!!!!

thanx for letting us ride vicariously through you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SadieKate]

Bubba was just doing a little musing so I did some research. Davis to SLC via Amtrak is about 15 hrs of group partying. AAA discount makes it a $149 roundtrip fair and accomodates groups. You can take bikes (probably boxed but maybe in racks for $5-10 each way). We'd have to figure out transportation on other end.

[yellow]

How about a road trip out there next year? Beautiful Elko is about midway. We LOVE Elko! It would be a long weekend slumber party. I wish it was just a little bit later in June. It's hard for me to get the time away so close to the end of the year. But with a little planning...

V.

And it looks like in addition to hotel MIL there will be a hotel yellow

[SadieKate]

Just read your PM . . . what's the scoop? Spill the beans!