First Seattle To Portland Ride!

[Bike Goddess]

Well, I guess it's my turn! Since you have all heard about the route from 3 others, I'll give you my version of all the snafus that can happen when you plan a ride a year in advance!

When I got back from the STP last year, I vowed that if I ever did it again, I'd do it with others. While I ride a lot by myself, it is nice to have company from time to time and the STP is a loooong ride on your own!

So lo and behold, 2 people from my home town, Joe and Barbara Wood, indicate that they want to do the ride in 2005. Joe starts talking about it in September 2004 nonstop. He registers as soon as it opens and then makes vacation plans with his girlfriend around the ride. Barbara, as it turns out, has relatives that want to do the ride as well. Since they live on Bainbridge Island (not far from Seattle)it would be easy for them to join her. Another bike pal who left our club in December to move back to Seattle said he'd meet us in his hometown which happens to be on the route to Portland. So, that meant 4 of us from the club would be going. Joe also found another guy, Galen, on a ride this past spring who also indicated he would come too. The list grows!

I finally got myself registered in May and found a room at the Seattle Hostel. Things looked good. Barbara and I planned to ride up together, I only needed to find a way back as she was planning to stay in the Northwest longer than I. Fortunately, thanks to the TE forum, I discovered that Hill Slug was doing this ride with her TNT group from Sacramento. I quickly emailed her and discovered that she was coming home the day after the ride and that yes I could have a ride back to Sacto.

Well, as we all know, things never turn out as you expect especially if you plan ahead, like well ahead! First Barbara tells me that she wants to go up sooner and I should find another ride up. Back to the email and Hill Slug. Bless her heart, Yes, I could go up with them as well. So transportation problem solved. The catch- drive to her place in Sacto. No problem.

Meanwhile, our friend Neil, seems unreachable. The phone number we have for him doesn't work and the email I had keeps getting returned. So, Joe and I begin to question whether or not he is going to show up.

After some conversations with Hill Slug, I discover that they are planning to stay overnight at a friends house which is north west of Portland. I call my Thursday night host and let them know that I would need a ride up the road from their place on Friday instead of a ride to Portland. No problem!

Thursday, 2 days before the ride, I arrive at Hill Slug's house (she's also a Nancy). The three of us (Hill Slug, her partner, and myself) manage to leave Sacto area around 10:15 or so. All well and good.

As we near the Portland area, I call my hosts and make arrangements to have us meet them in downtown Portland. On this call I am told that they are going south to California first thing Friday morning and will not be able to drive me to the prearranged destination. This meant that my current ride would have to back track some 25 miles to pick me up in Portland. The first snafu has arrived!

Friday comes, the ladies kindly pick me up along the road, and we head up to Seattle. Rain, Rain, Rain. How hard can it rain anyway! We all hoped that the next day, Saturday, would be nice and sunny. At least the weather report said this current front would be moving on and just a few chances of showers over the weekend.

Hill Slug and Alann (her partner) left me at the hostel around 2:30PM. "See you Monday in Portland," was the last word. I was glad to have extra time to get settled and get ready for the next day.

About 3:30 Joe's girlfriend, Barbara, calls and tells me the Joe is so sick he can't even get to the phone. He's been sick for the past 2 days, she says, and the prognosis doesn't look good. Headache and nausea. Not interested in eating, etc. Well, one down for a riding partner plus Neil who never responded to new email address before I left. No one knew where Galen was and Joe certainly wasn't looking for him!

Didn't have Barbara Wood's cell phone- we ahd figured we'd see her at Castle Rock- 137 miles away Saturday night. Since Joe and I are quite a bit faster, that was fine.

Barbara, bless her heart, volunteers to pick me up at 6:00AM Saturday AM. It had been the original plan, but with Joe sick, I figured all bets were off! Anyway we finally arrive at the start around 6:45 or so (traffic terrible getting there due one main street for all of the cars dropping people off). I leave my possessions on the Castle Rock truck and leave around 7:15AM.

Along the way I rode with a few fellows here and there. I looked for Hill Slug and for Barbara Wood figuring I might catch up to them as they had started earlier. It was fun, I met lots of new people- mostly from Seattle or Portland area. One couple on a tandem recumbent was from Montana! At the lunch stop, just as I was ready to leave, I came across Barbara W. She said she was doing fine and I'd see her in Castle Rock.

About 100 miles into the ride (just before Centralia) I passed a fellow from the Bike Journal (Slo Joe Recumbo) who had said on one of their forums that he was going to do the STP. He told me what to look for, and lo and behold, I did find him out of some 8000 riders. Not too shabby, huh? We rode together off and on until his evening stop- Vader. Then I was on my own again to Castle Rock. I was pleased with my time- average speed- 16.2MPH for 137 miles. It was cooler than last year and I was in much better shape and had slept fairly well the night before.

I like to get to Castle Rock, but I don't like the food! For $7.00 you get a plate of spaghetti, a roll, and a small salad. No dessert, no drink. Not much for a hungry cyclist. The original plan had Joe and I going out to eat with Barbara who would be coming down in the car. (Castle Rock has a population of about 1200- no wonderful restaurants in town-we would have gone down to Longview about 10 miles south) So, I again endured the food,(even saw Barbara w.who arrived about an hour later) had some of my own stuff and hit the sack.

I awoke in the evening needing to go to the bathroom. Upon wandering around the area I noticed a sign that had been posted after we had all gone to bed. Essentially it read; "We are sorry to inform you that there will be no pancake breakfast this morning. We apologize for the inconvenience". Well reading that note wasn't the best news by any means. This meant a 10 mile+ ride to Longview in search of food . Oh well, I'd survive!

The next morning (Sunday) I awoke at 5:00AM to the sound of rain drops on my tent. Not much, mind you, but enough to make the fly wet. I quickly dressed and moved my stuff out of the tent and then proceeded to pack up the tent (by now quite wet). Fortunately the rain was just sprinkles, nothing threatening, and I could certainly cycle my way to breakfast.

I purchased coffee from the high school people who had made our dinner. I found out that we didn't get our pancake breakfast because the health department decided everyone had to have a food permit and the group that does the breakfast had not gotten one. Mystery solved.

I asked about places to eat in Longview- at 6:00AM on a Sunday morning not much is available. Also, our route goes through the industrial area of town, not exactly restaurant row!

Anyway, to make a long story short, I went through Longview, couldn't find anything, so went across the now famous bridge to Rainier. By this time it was sprinkling a little more. Fortunately I had my STP jacket which managed to keep me fairly warm and dry.

I found a wonderful coffee shop in Rainier and had a yummy breakfast. It was soooo nice to sit inside out of the wet weather and just relax. It wasn't getting any nicer outside so I hit the road about an hour later. (I had heard it was really raining in Chahalis where Hill Slug was, but she rode through it all and made it to the finish too! BRAVO for the TE group!!)

What next- well let me tell you, don't EVER think you can ride long distances in CHEAP bike shorts!!!! Dumb me, I figured it was 60 miles, my cheap REI shorts would be fine. WRONG. About 10 miles past the coffee shop I realized that I was extremely sore, like burning up, on my seat. Fortunately I had some chamois butter packets that I used asap. It helped, but didn't completely relieve the pain! Furthermore, it began to rain harder and I began to wonder if I'd make it the whole way. Stubborn that I am, I just kept plugging along. And at noon I arrived at the finish line. More sore and wet than tired! But at least I did the ride and got the reward! AND to make the finish sweeter, I found Slo Joe once more. (I'd passed him earlier before I took my breakfast break). We got some pictures, I got a ride back to my friends house and the rest is HISTORY! WHEW!!!!!

Joe is still sick- hopefully he went to the docs today as promised. I'm fine. Managed to ride lots last week despite seat pains.

THANKs for reading my version. THANKS HILL SLUG. YOU SAVED the DAY!! AND you and Alann are good travelers in my book!

Nancy

[CorsairMac]

whewwwwwww what a story Goddess! I'm worn out just reading it! How neat you got to meet SloJo - he and I are doing both virtual RAAM and a virtual Ride Across Australia (VOZ) and he's one of my biggest motivator/supporters!!
I'm sorry things just didn't work out for you - but you survived and did the ride!! good on you!!

[Bike Goddess]

CM - what is virtual RAAM and virtural VOZ? He gets around doesn't he! I've got some pics I'll figure out how to put on this site for you. Seen your name on the BJ, maybe in the chatroom or on a forum thread! Small world, eh?

[Dianyla]

Great story, BikeGoddess! I think I would have been homicidal or close to it if the much expected pancake breakfast had not manifested!!!

[CorsairMac]

CM - what is virtual RAAM and virtural VOZ? He gets around doesn't he! I've got some pics I'll figure out how to put on this site for you. Seen your name on the BJ, maybe in the chatroom or on a forum thread! Small world, eh?

On Bikejournal in Jan 13 of us decided to do the RAAM virtually. The goal was to finish it before the end of the year but other than that it was all personal goals. Well 5 of us have already ridden to "Atlantic City" and so ChrisL thought it would be fun to virtually ride from Perth to Melbourne, Aus. So now I think there's 7 of us virtually riding across Australia while 4 of us are virtually riding back across the US at the same time. Or in the case of ChrisL - he's already ridden back and is crossing the US again from west to east.

You can follow our adventures at the BJ forum under the VRC3 thread and the Virtual Ride Across Australia thread.


if I may brag for 1 moment: I was the first woman to virtually reach Atlantic City at 3046 miles!

[julbee]

I am really enjoying reading about these experiences!
I am very interested in what it's like out there for those individuals who commit to rides!

It's not likely I'll be able to attain that level of bike riding; yet, I truly enjoy learning more about it... the "experiences," the "commitment" and the "human spirit" so evident in all of the stories!

Thanks so much for taking the time to share them!

Corsair, I'd just read about your virtual ride around Austrailia on bikejournal last night! Congrats on reaching Atlantic City!

With Humble Appreciation,
Julie

[Bike Goddess]

CM- I'll look for the ride on the BJ! Good job! 3046 miles is definitely something to brag about!