Finding the Northwest Passage

[pardes]

fastdogs how wonderful...another determined finder of paths! The two major paths really do have STRAIGHT DOWN drops far too ambitious for me or the hybrid bike. BUT there is a lesser path to the left of those two that I plan to investigate over the weekend.

Yes, the satellite photo makes it look SOOOOO easy but it was taken at least a year ago and things have grown up a lot. Also, the big complex to the left is MBNA that they have things fenced and locked up tighter than a hatband. Also, there are two gates on Continental Drive that will be problematic if I can't squeeze by on the left or the right....that is if I find the Northwest Passage down into the monster ravine and out the over side.

BTW, did you know that Lewis and Clark took a dog with them on their trip. Can you imagine the safety hazards for a dog on such a trip in those days when dogs were just dogs? The dog was kidnapped by the indians with plans to probably eat it but Lewis and Clark got it back and believe it or not, the dog survived the entire trip and came back with them. Amazing.

Maybe Magdalene is up for finding our Northwest Passage.

Are you kidding, Mom? I don't do dirt and I don't do singletracks.

[bikerchic]

LMAO @ Pardes!

I absolutely loved the read and I admit living in the Northwest I was sorta hoping for something more of a local adventure but got the drift and enjoyed your picturesque tale.

I often think of trees as being male, my house is surrounded by 40+ stately cedar trees and I think of them as guards to my house. Course I'm sure 50 plus years ago when they were planted that's what they were for to parcel off the property with surrounding farmland. They also remind me of the walking trees in LOR, scary!

Anyway I nearly lost it when I came to the picture of the darling wiener dog, totally did not expect that! LOL

[boy in a kilt]

I learned a very important lesson tonight about using google maps to plan routes.

The story is a bunch of my friends and I decided to attend a baseball game tonight. More as a social function than out of any real love for the game. Rather than drive the measly 12 miles downtown, I opted to ride my bike. No gas, no parking and I could get a nice ride in to boot.

I need to add at this point that I grew up in and started cycling in the Portland Metro area. I know the east side of the area quite well and have probably cycled nearly every road at least twice.

But, I don't live on the east side now. I live on the west side. There is an important piece of topography that had never really figured into my thinking before: the West Hills. From downtown to the top of Council Crest (highest point) is about 1000 feet of elevation.

So, I'm on a side of town I don't know really well. So, I spend some time gazing at Google Maps and figure out the shortest route.

About half way over the hills, I realize that 1) I'm fat and out of shape and 2) I don't have the gears to make it the rest of the way up. So, I start taking side roads until I find a way into downtown that doesn't require a belay.

I took a slightly different (and easier) way home. While I'm cooling down from the ride, I decide to have a look at the terrain profile on Google Maps.

Holy-frigging-monkeys. If I had chosen that route for a ruck march in OCS, my instructors would have smacked me upside the head and asked why I was doing that to my patrol.

So. The key piece of info here. If you are using Google maps to find a route and are of dubious climbing ability, take a second to hit "Terrain" and see what you are getting yourself into. Lots of lines close together is bad.

Oh, and we develop that tone of voice early on.

[pardes]

I learned a very important lesson tonight about using google maps to plan routes.
----
About half way over the hills, I realize that 1) I'm fat and out of shape and 2) I don't have the gears to make it the rest of the way up. So, I start taking side roads until I find a way into downtown that doesn't require a belay.
----
Holy-frigging-monkeys. If I had chosen that route for a ruck march in OCS, my instructors would have smacked me upside the head and asked why I was doing that to my patrol.
---
Oh, and we develop that tone of voice early on.

I shall forever now think of a boy in a kilt belaying up a mountain with a bicycle dangling in the air behind him. It makes me laugh out loud just thinking about it.

You are a HOOT!

[Flur]

Pardes, I love reading your stories. Do you keep a blog?

[pardes]

Pardes, I love reading your stories. Do you keep a blog?

Yes, I do; however, I haven't entered anything there for a few months. I'm going to revive it with more of a Baby Boomer Bicyclist theme that will be about puttering around and noticing things. The url is listed in my profile here.

[fastdogs]

pardes, go to bikeforums and find the folding bike section, then the thread called "the pootle thread" or something like that. It's mostly photos taken during rides, without so much of your wonderful stories, but kinda reminds me of these travel posts.
keep it up!! wish I was closer, we'd find a path somehow.
vickie

[Grog]

Can the blog be called "Rocket Lady?" Please??

[Trek420]

Pardes, as always I enjoyed your post and photos.

One never knows what one will do in the same situation. I like to think I would have offered help the boy, even if to hear a person yell "do you need help?"

It's sad that those he called did not help him. I like to think I would have asked.

[mimitabby]

yes, you need to keep blogging!! I don't miss any of your posts. Now, off to read your blog!

[wackyjacky1]

I had been thinking that there ought to be a way to archive your posts and present them as a collection, but now that I see you have a blog, maybe you could do some copying & pasting from here to there?

Please keep up the great work, Pardes. You are an inspiration to me!

[malkin]

Yay! A Pardes thread!

I hope the bike remains tell a cautionary tale to the new students or at least to their parents.

[pardes]

Mimitabby if you read the latest entry on my blog you will meet Nellie the donkey. Unfortunately the vet who owned Nellie moved away and gave Nellie to someone else and with a failing memory she can't remember who.

So somewhere within ten miles of the vet's former farm, Nellie is taking very slow Chi steps and wondering where the crazy lady with the carrots and apples went. Sigh. I spent many weekends hunting her without success and hope she is well.

WackyJacky1. Is there a WackyJacky2? Yes, I plan to repost cleaned up versions to the blog and change the theme of the blog to Baby Boomer biking stories.

As always, comments from all of you are dearly appreciated. This is a fantastic group. Funny thing is I've been a member of photo discussion groups and a zillion writing groups but there was always a one dimensional tone to the conversations. With great celebration I note that the TE discussion group is a dynamic group of VERY multi-faceted people and I have great affection and admiration for all of you.