CROC Ride

[Wahine]

Here are some more photos, including pics of Sprocket's Mom wringing out her socks in the rain on day 2. Yes, it was really raining that hard.

[Aint Doody]

Well, girls, y'all look like real cyclists. I, on the other hand, look like a 2-bit ???!!! It was really fun. I hate to tell y'all, but our club rode up Cabbage Hill yesterday in beautiful sunshine and 60-70 degree temperatures.

I'm so glad that the ride was fun for everybody. There was a smallish article in our local paper. You'd think they would cover it better, but that's our paper. The comment about our White Trash SAG stop was that there were 4 women there dressed in entertaining costumes! How funny! I do hope everybody will come back next year--you know you need that little 2.

Susan (aka Marlene--with Darlene, Charlene, and Karlene at the White Trash Stop)

[Grog]

WHAT A GREAT EVENT!!

Thanks to Susan and the whole CROC crew, we had a FANTASTIC time down in Pendleton. The weather was a little bit annoying on the second day but it makes for more stories to tell!!!!!

And the SAG stops were the best I have ever seen.

Thank you SO MUCH for putting that event together and for making us aware of it. It was great to visit your area and ride your routes, and of course great to meet you all!!

I wish we could make it again down there in the future!

[Aint Doody]

I've had so much fun going back and reading all the posts about last year. And guess what!!! We're taking registrations for 2009. Grog, bikerHen, Wahine, and Sprocket's Mom should all get regis. forms in the mail. (Yes, we sent one to Canada with the extra postage!) Anyway it's gonna be another great ride. We've had to up it to $150, but everything is basically the same. There's one change--the Fri. reception is at Hamley's Slickfork Saloon which is an amazing place in downtown Pendleton.

I think I'm going to be on the metric this year with my white trash sisters--Charlene, Darlene, and Marlene. We do have on-line registration--check the website at www.cyclependleton.com. There is a dinner on Sat. night, but somehow that's not mentioned in one place. Dinners on Sat. and Sun. and breakfast all 3 days.

There may be some slight variations on the routes, but I missed the last meeting and am not sure. The maps will be on the website if they aren't already.

Come on to Eastern Oregon!!!

[Grog]

It looks awesome, Susan! I would have loved to go but there is no way I could be there on May 23rd in the morning because I will probably be turning in my PhD dissertation on the 22nd, as late as the office will be open! I might spend the weekend in Portland, but getting all the way to Pendleton, especially without a car, is not going to be possible. I wish it was a bit closer to Vancouver.

I strongly encourage anyone who can make it to Pendleton, OR, to go CROC it! It was really a nicely organized three-day event with great scenery.

And your rest stop was, by far, the most memorable. Chris often says how he wishes we had taken more pictures.

[Wahine]

I will second what Grog said. This is a fantastic event and I had a wonderful time. This was one of the best events I've ever been to and I would strongly encourage anyone who can go to make it there.

Unfortunately, I'm not going to make it this year. I've commited to a 2 person mixed team for a 12 hour raod race that weekend. Darn. It was tough to give up CROC but my endurance racing habit needs to be fed.

Have fun ladies!!

[LilBolt]

Cheesy Grits!!!!! Here I come. (hmmm...my last few posts have been about food...perhaps I need to rethink why I ride...nah).

[bikerHen]

My sister and I will be coming back this year. She seems to think we need to ride up Cabbage Hill again. I disagree, but I can't let her show me up! I'm already stressing about those cattle guards. It's all about the food and good times. THAT'S why I'm going back.

Aint Doody, glad you'll be covering the metric options. That way I'll get to see ya! Have to save my strength for that dang hill! bikerHen

[LilBolt]

Everyone who did Cabbage Hill in that rain last year qualifies for gutsy in my book (we decided to go sightseeing in the rain...we were dry, but not much of a sense of accomplishment.) The cattle guards will be just a minor nuisance if we have dry weather, and I will gladly slay them.

[Aint Doody]

Bikerhen, if you could tackle that hill with the headwind in Palm Springs, you can do Cabbage again. And we'll do our best to have a sunny day. Can't wait to see all y'all!!!

[Susan Otcenas]

Susan,

I've been spending time working on my training calendar for this year, and have officially added the CROC to my schedule for the year. WooHoo! Can't wait to come out and ride it again.

It would be really fun to have a TE get-together.

Susan

[bikerHen]

You can add my sister to the list too. She is so excited about CROC she might have been your first sign-up! She's a TE lurker. Maybe we can talk her into joining up. bikerHen

[Susan Otcenas]

I just wrote out my check! If you were here, you'd see me doing a little happy dance right now.

We've decided to camp. Susan, is the camping option halfway decent? Does the RV have a designated tent-camping area so that we won't be stuck next to someone's obnoxious generator roaring all night? I presume that camping gets us access to hot showers...

Susan

[Aint Doody]

Yes, it's off to the side of the RV area with some smallish trees. It's not the greatest, but it's free and away from the RV's by roughly 100 yards at least. There is access to hot showers. As I recall there is a fire pit there, too. I hear that they've added some new sod to enlarge the area.

[Sprocket's Mom]

Hey, don't worry, the camping area is perfectly nice. If you're looking for secluded forested campsites, forget it, but this is a bike ride!!! So it's a small tent city but I don't recall any loud folks at night (everyone was respectful of others the first night, and after that...well, everyone's too tired!).
Showers are available and while there might be a small wait from time to time, I don't recall having to wait very long any day.
It's really fun, and the camping (I think) adds to the experience.