STP, anyone?

**kfergos** · 07-08-2008, 05:27 AM

Anybody here doing the Seattle to Portland this weekend?

This will be my first time -- I'm flying in from Boston area (please, please let my bike make it on the plane OK!) -- and I'm game for any last-minute advice from experienced STP riders.

**Susan126** · 07-08-2008, 06:06 AM

Have fun kfergos! And let us know how it went. It looks like you are going to have a nice weekend for the ride!

Be careful at the start! Are you doing it in 2 days?

**kfergos** · 07-08-2008, 06:17 AM

Yep, I'm gonna take my time and have fun.

Sounds like it's not supposed to be too hot, but what should I do for leg warmth in the morning? I don't want to carry long pants with me, I don't have leg warmers, and it's supposed to be in the low 50s. I'm also debating about arm warmers and a vest -- I'd hate to carry those 100 miles with me, too.

**lauraelmore1033** · 07-08-2008, 08:08 AM

I am, I am!!

2 day, pokey rider, actually doing STP as a training ride for RSVP.

**oxysback** · 07-08-2008, 08:14 AM

I'm riding this year, too. Going to attemp the one day, but we'll see how I feel after Centralia.

**ttaylor508** · 07-08-2008, 08:20 AM

I'll be there! Hoping to leave in the first wave at 4:30am. I wouldn't worry about leg warmers, you will warm up pretty quick once you start peddling. I would bring either a jacket (or wear the one you get in your packet) or arm warmers. There is usually a huge line to get into the parking lot no matter what time you get there so be patient. Start line can be crazy...think 9,000+ riders trying to park, unload bikes, get luggage on the right truck etc. There is no food or water at the start line, so eat something before you get there and fill your water too. Take it easy the first few miles as there will be tons of people and I have seen more crashes in the first 15 miles than anywhere else on the course. And most of all....HAVE FUN!!!!!

**Shiraz** · 07-08-2008, 02:24 PM

Have a safe and fun ride ladies!! I rode 2 years ago. TTaylor is right. The start is crazy and dangerous. LOTS of wrecks before people even leave the parking lot. I felt the ride overall was very well supported, organized and with lots of food and water at the rest stops. You warm up fast and really don't even need a jacket after a mile. Lots of bikes both days and plan for 2 lanes of bike traffic. It was fun. Have a great time and let us know how your rides go.

**ibcycling** · 07-08-2008, 03:56 PM

I was hoping too but not this year.

I will be in Seattle for a soccer tournament though. Next year the kid has to find her own ride to the tourney if it conflicts!

Have fun, be save, and good luck everyone!

**auntiebobo** · 07-08-2008, 07:23 PM

I'm doing it to for the first time. Another 2-dayer. I went through a time a month or so ago when I was just dreading it and really resenting all the time it was taking to prepare. Now, I'm genuinely excited and looking forward to it!

**salsabike** · 07-08-2008, 08:13 PM

Auntiebobo, it's so much fun! You'll love it. It's a total pageant and a hoot.

Have a great time, everyone!

**ttaylor508** · 07-14-2008, 06:24 PM

Hi Everyone...just curious, how was your ride?

We started at 4:55 am. I only got about 2 hours of sleep on Friday night. I am just not used to going to bed at 8 pm and getting up at 3:00 am and I think anxiety got the best of me. First 100 miles was great, wonderful tail wind made for really good time despite 3 terrible crashes that happened right in front of us. Probably the worst year out of the 6 times I have done this ride for crashes.

The heat made the last 104 miles really tough. Longview bridge was a pressure cooker!!!! There was two nice ladies in St. Helen's who bought popcycles and were handing them out to riders as we came into the rest stop. That was the highlight of the ride for me. Lots of people suffering from heat exhaustion the last 30 miles. I have heard there were a few that did not finish and many that came in on Saturday after the finish line had closed.

We made it to Portland around 6:30 pm and the cold beer at the end was excellent!!!! Got on the second bus out and back to Seattle at midnight.

I hope everyone made it okay.

**mimitabby** · 07-14-2008, 06:42 PM

my DH Raleighdon did it in less than 10 hours this year. The weather was absolutely perfect, he rode the wind all the way.

He was jubilant, and the only casualty was he rubbed a seam on his backside and got a bit of a sore.

**ttaylor508** · 07-14-2008, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by mimitabby

my DH Raleighdon did it in less than 10 hours this year. The weather was absolutely perfect, he rode the wind all the way.

He was jubilant, and the only casualty was he rubbed a seam on his backside and got a bit of a sore.

That is awesome Mimi. Tell him congrats! Our final ride time was 10 hours 45 minutes which was pretty amazing considering my DH was suffering from heat exhaustion the last 30 miles and we had to slow the pace way down until he recovered. We took a lot longer breaks this year because of the heat, but I was still surprised our ride time was under 11 hours.

**mimitabby** · 07-14-2008, 07:03 PM

he rode with heat exhaustion?!??!

wow!

you guys did great too. Was that on a tandem?

**ttaylor508** · 07-14-2008, 07:49 PM

Nope, not on a tandem although I stick to his wheel so we might as well be on a tandem. He is a very strong rider and pulled a group of us at around 24 mph the first 100. He simply did not drink enough water and take enough electrolytes throughout the day and it finally caught up with him. It was really scary and I didn't know if he would be able to shake it off. We stopped about 20 miles before we got to Portland and got him something cold to drink and threw some electrolytes down him and then I pulled for a while and he slowly came back around. Poor guy was even too sick at the end to finish his beer in the beer garden. That is when I knew he was feeling bad!!! Being the good wife I am, I finished his beer for him

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