RAMROD updates?

**malaholic** · 07-31-2009, 02:45 PM

My DH was riding in his Boeing Australia jersey

Oooh, then I think we did meet him! Nice guy (but you already knew that). He mentioned that he got the jersey through Boeing Australia and that it took many weeks for him to finally get it. I kind of liked the design on his version better aesthetically, though having more white was probably good on such a hot ride. DH also works at Boeing but doesn't have the jersey - he was wearing his Native Planet jersey and I was in an 09 STP jersey. I'm not sure if your husband would remember meeting us two or not; we showed up more toward the end of the conversation.

An addendum to my ride report...there were biting flies all over the place! And for some reason, every single one of the dozen or so bites I got just started to itch at the exact same moment. Urgh!

I uploaded the route information from my GPS, minus the first few miles off of Cayuse Pass when I forgot to restart it: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/10216204.

**anorange** · 07-31-2009, 08:46 PM

Great ride report Malaholic. You captured the experience of the ride very well. The only good thing about those flies were that they made me get back on my bike and keep pedaling because then they weren't quite as fierce. Today all the pain of yesterday is rapidly fading and I'm also saying "maybe next year" which is not what I was thinking yesterday.

**anorange** · 07-31-2009, 08:47 PM

PS, I'm a member of Native Planet and was also wearing my Native Planet jersey. Do you or your DH ride with Native Planet?

**teigyr** · 07-31-2009, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by anorange

Great ride report Malaholic. You captured the experience of the ride very well. The only good thing about those flies were that they made me get back on my bike and keep pedaling because then they weren't quite as fierce. Today all the pain of yesterday is rapidly fading and I'm also saying "maybe next year" which is not what I was thinking yesterday.

I am SO proud you did this ride! It sounds harsh...and I am going to be seriously intimidated if 'n when we ride again

Wow. Just wow. And for all the others who did it, I am so impressed. There's a lot of things I would do but this is not one of them.

**LilBolt** · 08-01-2009, 08:21 AM

Malaholic...DH does remember you guys. If your DH is interested in the Australia jersey, I believe they are planning to order more. PM me and I'll pass along the contact info for him.

DH also mentioned the biting flies...yikes. My favorite line he wrote to our friends in his ride report describing the climb up Cayuse: "At one point the butterflys were dancing in the air next to me. I tried to draft them but they were too strong and just floated up the road ahead of me." Apparently the heat brought out the poet in him.

**malaholic** · 08-01-2009, 12:28 PM

PS, I'm a member of Native Planet and was also wearing my Native Planet jersey. Do you or your DH ride with Native Planet?

Oh cool! DH and I just joined Native planet a couple months ago. We had never heard of the organization before but while researching rides to do for the year we came across the Native Planet Classic ride, so we researched it a little more & signed up! Everyone we met during NPC was super-nice (we saw a couple of them again while doing RAMROD) so I'd really like to do some more rides with Native Planet and get to know more folks in the club. I keep wanting to go on one of the Thurs. evening rides but I don't usually get off work til 6:30.

I'm eyeing the ride next weekend up Hurricane Ridge, and the Sunrise ride on the 23rd. I might end up having to work some Saturdays in Aug. so I'm not sure yet if I can attend but they look like great rides. Are you going to do either of those?

If your DH is interested in the Australia jersey, I believe they are planning to order more. PM me and I'll pass along the contact info for him

.

Thank you! I will let him know. I'm not sure if he'll invest in another jersey this year since he bought a few from our rides, but I will ask him. Then maybe he wouldn't feel like the odd one out while riding with the other guys.

**anorange** · 08-01-2009, 01:04 PM

I wasn't even looking at rides past RAMROD. Depends on how my knees are feeling when I start riding again. It also depends on the family and their car needs, we only have one car. I do like going on the Saturday rides though. A great bunch of people!

**Susan126** · 08-02-2009, 05:32 AM

Great reports on this year's RAMROD! Once again I did not make the lottery so I didn't ride in this year's RAMROD. I have done the RAMROD twice before. But I did ride the Native Planet Classic in June which was a great ride!

anorange and malaholic, I didn't know Native Planet had organized rides? Where do they ride or post their rides? I really LOVED riding the NPC this June! It was totally awesome! Coming down Washington Pass TWICE was worth the climbing!

**anorange** · 08-02-2009, 08:19 AM

They ride on Tuesday nights at 6:00 out of Issaquah and Thursday nights a 6 out of Log Boom Park in Kenmore. Lots of hill training, about 25-30 miles. Weekend rides vary location and distance. Check out their website: ride4areason.org. Look under 'Events Calendar' for details. We'd love to have you join us!

**Susan126** · 08-02-2009, 11:05 AM

OMG anorange . . . the listed rides are HILLY and STEEP! You guys must be in serious hill climbing shape. I may have to start off with a social/recovery ride if I do come!

Thanks for the info!

**anorange** · 08-02-2009, 12:51 PM

Susan, if you did the NPC, you can do these rides! The Thursday night rides out of Kenmore follow much the same route as the 7 Hills of Kirkland ride. Depending on how many riders show up they break into different groups depending on speed. If there's only a small group everyone basically stays together. I am the slowest of the bunch and still keep up because everyone regroups at the top of the hills.

**Susan126** · 08-03-2009, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by anorange

Susan, if you did the NPC, you can do these rides! The Thursday night rides out of Kenmore follow much the same route as the 7 Hills of Kirkland ride. Depending on how many riders show up they break into different groups depending on speed. If there's only a small group everyone basically stays together. I am the slowest of the bunch and still keep up because everyone regroups at the top of the hills.

anorange, thanks for the encouragement! I would hate to bump you from your spot as "slowest of the bunch" (which I doubt you are) . . . and I LOVED the NPC! It was the first time I did it and I had a great ride! I really didn't get enough training in before the ride and hope that next year will be better for me. Maybe next year I will find you guys and train with you!

I did make it though. Here is my ride report on my first NPC:
My Ride Report on the 2009 Native Planet Classic

**malaholic** · 08-03-2009, 11:47 AM

Susan, great ride report, thank you for posting! I don't think you & I officially met during the ride, but we must've seen you as that's me & DH in the photo of the Washington Pass rest stop by the Native Planet banner. Seeing your photos in the ride report makes me really want to get a little digital camera that will fit in my jersey pocket so that I could capture the ride like you did. I really would have liked having one going over Washington Pass....it's just so pretty out there.

Question for those of you who rode RAMROD or know someone who did...did you/they get one of the little yellow RAMROD reflector bands that wrap around a bike tube in your registration packet? One guy in our group got one in his packet but the rest of us did not. I'm wondering where/how to get one...it'd be a nice little badge of honor for my trusty bike.

**maillotpois** · 08-03-2009, 02:45 PM

This sounds like a GREAT ride - we just rode motorcycles a bit around the area (from SF to Seattle and back, and on the way back we went around Mt. Ranier) and I think it would be fabulous cycling terrain.

Well done all of you - especially with the atypically hot weather you all were having!

**anorange** · 08-03-2009, 04:10 PM

I did not get one of the little reflective RAMROD bands either. I know friends who have them from years' past. I thought they didn't do it this year as a cost saving measure. If you find out how to get one let me know.

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