Stp

[climbingbiker]

Salsabike - Thanks for the trip report. I had heard rumors about a car-bike incident. I hope that was the only one.

Mimitabby - I understand your son's girlfriend's pain. Read on...

My STP experience was overall pretty good. First, I'll start with an apology. I am new to the group riding thing and I didn't know all of the "rules": hand gesters for slowing, pointing out road obstacles, yelling out "car back" or "slowing", etc. If any of you saw me, I hope I didn't make you too mad. By the second day, I was pro

Our goal was to get into the parking lot by 5:30am. Since this was our first STP and my first organized ride, we had no clue what 9000 riders really means. It took us 30 minutes to get into the parking lot. We started in the 6:20am wave.

I really love the ride down through the Arboretum and along the Lake, so the morning was super fun. The REI mini-stop was crazy busy! That's when I realized how huge this ride is. The "big hill" wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Luckily, there was room for 2-3 deep riders, so everyone could go their own pace.

Things starting breaking down for me at around mile 75. That's when it felt like I was growing new bones in my butt. Then I bonked at mile 85. We dropped from 19mph-ish down to 15mph. I couldn't ride any faster. After the Centralia stop, my energy recovered in time for the Napavine hill. Wow - that will hit you hard in the gut. For the ride between Centralia and Vader, it was a mental game for me. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it to the full extent like Salsabike. We pulled into Vader at 4:30pm and we were very happy to be done for the day.

We stayed at the Vader Lions Club and camped outside. The ladies who run the fundraiser there are very nice. They provided us plenty of food and good showers. I'm sure I was fully zonked out by 8:30pm. My only complaint about Vader is that there are trains that run through all night long.

We were on the road by 7:30am on Sunday. I absolutely loved the ride between Vader and Castle Rock. It was a nice morning and the rollers were fun on fresh legs. I was having a great time.

The Longview bridge is when things starting going a little sour for me. The Longview bridge was great, though. We were at the back of our wave and it was so cool to see a huge sea of riders going across the bridge. The rest of the ride - yuck! That constant uphill grade on the highway was no good. At about mile 180, I was very glad to have stayed in Vader rather than Centralia. I believe I would have had difficulty talking myself through to the end had it been a 100+ mile day.

We pulled into Portland at 1:30pm and it was neat to see all the people cheering. The organizations that put the ride on did such a great job! I definitely liked riding in an organized ride - very little route finding. It's nice just to ride and not have to constantly route find.

I do have a ton of questions now - I have to go post in the other forums. Thanks again everyone for the support after my crash. I had no problems with the knee during the ride.

[mimitabby]

I have heard that the guy who rode the whole way on his big wheel plastic bike finished, as did the guy on the skateboard!!!

[salsabike]

Climbingbiker! Glad it went as well for you as it did. We did it on the tandem in two days last year and I also found that crossing the Longview Bridge in a sea of riders was just such PAGEANTRY; it was really cool. I am really delighted you got to go. Looked kind of warm Sunday afternoon, though, so glad I was done by then, being the heat wimp that I am.

Mimi, I think they now keep people in the park until midnight Sat. for handing out the one-day badges. Mercifully. It must be really hard to do a one day, and get in too late to get the badge. I WANTED THAT BADGE, BY GOD. Thanks for being part of the cheering squad at any time! It actually is really nice. Although I am not sure I will ever be able to smile for the Marathon cameras when all I'm thinking is, "Please let me get my A** off this bike!"

Still hungry, still tired. But the spa massage and bath thing this morning sure was a good idea!

[salsabike]

AND, so it says on the Cascade boards, a guy with one arm. No legs. One arm.

BTW, mimitabby, seen the weather forecast for this weekend here? ugh. They might as well stay in the southwest this weekend.

[Eden]

I saw the guy with one arm only, not this year, but last year so I can confirm that he has done it. Last year there were two big wheel guys, but I only saw one this year, plus a skate board, a scooter, and at least one unicycle. At the place where we stay on Saturday was a family that rides a 3 person bike.

[salsabike]

Last year at the Finish Line Festival, we saw a five-person bike! It was a sight to behold. And the unicycles! Amazing.

[Bike Goddess]

Well, I didn't see any of you who have reported in so far, but I sure had a good time with the Bent Riders at the end!

6 of us from the Bay Area did this ride. (5 from Napa- the Eagles- and me)

It did take forever to get into the parking lot. We had planned to start around 6:30 ish, but plans changed the night before due to our SAG person needing to get to I-5 from the U (not easy). She was going to drop off 4 riders somewhere on the course. I went with Cheryl, the 6th rider, to the parking lot. We didn't leave until about 7:30ish- amongst the last to go.

After making sure Cheryl made it to the first rest stop on Lake Washington, I ramped it up and hustled over to the REI rest stop to see if I could find the other 4 riders ( I had no idea where they were on the course). Just before the REI stop, I encountered a bike accident. Evidently a rider had gotten caught in the RR tracks. I heard he was pretty seriously injured. I'm glad I didn't see that happen. (I understand there were a few more accidents along the way both Sat and Sun but I didn't see them)

Since the other 4 weren't at the REI stop, I grabbed the last of the food (it was getting late and they were closing up) and hit the road. I finally saw them at the lunch stop. Now at least I knew our group was on the road and safe! The best parts of Saturday's ride were: the bike trail-fab, Tenino food, and the banana bread ladies in Napavine! Yum yum!

We stayed at the church in Vader. The kids did bike valet, and helped me with my bags. I slept outside (yes, near the trains, but I have trains across the river from me at home, so I am used to them).

The food at the church in Vader is the best of the best! We had spaghetti dinner, salad, bread. Two tables of homemade desserts are what gives this place its reputation! Fresh fruit pies, pastries, brownies, you name it. I went around and took a sampling of all the different pies. What a treat after a long day!

Sunday morning our breakfast was the usual eggs and bacon, etc. AND homemade cinnamon rolls- no icing- just yummy and fresh! What a way to start Day 2!

Left Vader around 7:30ish and made a dash for the bridge. After I got into Oregon, pretty much drafted with a few others the whole way. That was lots of fun! Got to Portland at 12:45.

Day 1- 127.99 miles
16.2 MPH
Day 2- 76.23
17.7 MPH

My best double metric and metric times ever!!! Yahoo!

[Eden]

Well, I didn't see any of you who have reported in so far, but I sure had a good time with the Bent Riders at the end!

We left a bit earlier than you on Sat - but I did see some other Bent Brigaders down on Lake Washington Blvd.

Just before the REI stop, I encountered a bike accident. Evidently a rider had gotten caught in the RR tracks. I heard he was pretty seriously injured. I'm glad I didn't see that happen. (I understand there were a few more accidents along the way both Sat and Sun but I didn't see them)

He's OK - theres a posting on the Cascade board. His front wheel came out of the dropouts over the tracks so he took a pretty nasty header. Knocked out a tooth and got numerous cuts on his face, plus some road rash, but it wasn't as bad as it looked at first - I guess he was knocked cold and then had some convulsions when coming to -scary, but he's alright now.

Left Vader around 7:30ish and made a dash for the bridge. After I got into Oregon, pretty much drafted with a few others the whole way. That was lots of fun! Got to Portland at 12:45.

We may have passed you sometime out on the road (or were at one of the food stops around the same time). We left Chehalis around 6:30 ish and got to Portland right around noon.

[mimitabby]

they sure picked the right weekend for STP this year!