No Tahuya for Me

The plan had been to ride the SIR 300k which is a devilish ride around Hood Canal - I know you are saying isn't that where she rode last weekend. Well yes and no - the SIR 300k includes Big Valley Road, Port Ludlow and a journey out of Deliverance though the Tahuya Hills. If your interested in reading about this years ride - check out my friend Kent Peterson's Blog and webpage. Hubby and I decided not to ride it - pretty late on Friday night - Honeywell wanted him to work for some hours this weekend which would not be possible when one is dead tired and I'm off to Arizona next weekend for PAC Tour women's week and did not want to get hurt on this ride and not have a good vacation.

We will go to Oregon next month and ride the 300k with those folks outside of Tillamok.

So what did we do this weekend - of course we rode our bicycles. We did a Lake Washington loop with a bunch of friends. The exciting thing on this ride was the borrowed Bacchetta that my friend Linda was riding. Linda - has something going on with her neck and thinks that if she is going to continue riding that its going to be on a rolling lawn chair. I've ridden with Peter Liekio who also has a Bacchetta and know that they are nice bikes - but Linda did herself proud on this thing. I would say the most difficultly she had was starting and stopping and since I screwed up and led us through downtown Bellevue instead of the bypass we did a lot of that.

Sunday - Hubby headed off to work and I went and rode with Cascade Bicycle Club. Every year they do a series of rides called Cascade Training Series to get people ramped up for STP and other events. I like and dislike the rides:
PRO: It's fun to ride with a group
CON: The groups are GIANT

I also took a trip to REI to use my 20% off coupon that they send you with your dividend. My dividend was only $10.00 with all the Kayaking Gear I bought last year that does seem impossible but its true. I was looking for something for Hubby's B-Day but alas it seems like we have it all - yes we are gear heads. The thing I did find to buy was a new on the market product - it turns your big mouth nalgene bottle into a french press coffee maker. It's called the press-Bott and its very cool. I'll probably take it to Arizona with me so I'll have some good coffee. Maybe a trip to Zoka this week is in order to stock up.

So only 80 miles this weekend - but I'm psyched for vacation and ready to go - I had time this weekend to get stuff together for the trip.

RCC Hood Canal 200k

The bike was still set up from last weeks SIR 200k so just had to add some air to the tires. I had to leave home very early in the morning to catch the 6:10 ferry to Bainbridge. I grabbed a few things before heading out the door but then managed to set down my sunglasses and pull the floor lamp into my face while trying to manuever around extra bike wheels, a wine rack and the bike pump. Ouch that hurt - maybe it is a sign just to climb back into bed and not do this ride today since it is almost the same ride I will be doing next weekend. Alas Hubby didn't get up to check on me so guess I had to ride.
Arrived downtown at the ferry terminal just in time to see the last cars loading - the toll keeper called ahead and told them one more cyclist and she is peddling fast which I did.
Upstairs on the ferry grabbed coffee, a breakfast sandwich and met up with my fellow riders. Very few unfamiliar faces and a few I didn't expect to see on this ride.
The ride quickly crosses Bainbridge Island, crosses Agate Pass and then the Hood Canal Bridge. The Hood Canal Bridge is always dreaded on these rides, we have had riders go down on it and get hurt. We took it easy across the bridge and headed onto the turn off for Quilcene. A quick stop and regroup in Quilcene at the convience store for some chocolate milk and a granola bar. I rode with my friend Tom for awhile and Tom commented that he was digesting the chimichangas from the hotcase in Quilcene. I told Tom that had been risky - he replied because this "wasn't RAMROD" he could take time and eat what he wanted instead of the Ensure some of our cohorts of the day were toating along in their camelbak pockets. Tom said he was looking forward to a Cheeseburger in Hoodsport - I said I would stick with a fish sandwich but must have french frys. One of my favorite parts of this ride is the town names, we rode through Hamma Hamma, Lilliwup, Dosewalips and then into Hoodsport. The cafe in Hoodsport was busy so I thought I would buy Tom lunch and it would be there on the table when he arrived just a few minutes after me. Tom doesn't show up - so I gave his cheeseburger to some nice folks. See there is such a thing as a free lunch - but only if you show up for it. From Hoodsport to near the finish I rode with my friend Peg. We kept a nice pace going and I spotted the Gyros and Cheesesteak restaurant so knew we were in the homestretch. At Belfair we head towards Bremerton on some nice side roads but then have to go on a Highway 3 overpass to get onto the bike lanes in Bremerton. With only 3 more miles until the ferry - my bike starts to feel funny - yep a rear flat and no time to change it unless I want to miss the ferry. I saw a bus stop with someone waiting and asked when the next bus was due and where it was headed. She said 5 minutes and the ferry terminal. So the best $1.25 I spent on a ride - I made the ferry and caught a lift home with someone who had driven to the start of the ride.

SIR 200K BREVET

Yesterday we rode the SIR 200K. The ride started in Kent at our friend Greg Cox's house we loaded up the carless riders Tom and Dr. K. from our neighborhood into hubbys 1990 Chevrolet Beauville Van. A drive to Kent, with just time to unload, sign in and hit the road.
The ride went to Dash Point a stretch of road I had yet to explore and I really enjoyed it beautiful views of the Sound and quiet roads. We stopped at Town Center Foods (control) to strip down and get some coffee (Starbucks Double Shot - canned coffee) From there we headed to Black Diamond for a stop at the Black Diamond Bakery for a yummy coconut doughnut and some chocolate milk. I was with John Vincent at this pont and looked like he could have been pushed over with a feather when I ordered the chocolate milk. I don't think he had ever considered that as riding fuel. I talked to him for awhile about his riding plans for the upcoming season - he plans on riding the California Triple Crown which consists of three double centuries and if you complete all three you can purchase a very cool jersey that shows you are a studly finisher of the Triple Crown. From Black Diamond the route took us on back roads to Enumclaw (with a secret control run by Mark Thomas and Peter Mckay) I made a quick stop at Charlie's restaurant in Enumclaw when I came out I spotted Dr. K. in front of me. Up the grind to Greenwater with being an out and back one gets to see the riders coming back for the home stretch. Lots of snow and slush on the side of the road but great weather - a refueling stop at the Greenwater (Control) convience store included some more lovely rando food (buddig turkey and string cheese) then down the hill. I spotted hubby riding up the hill with a rider wearing an extremely bright orange vest. Back in Enumclaw a quick stop at the Circle K (Control) found us at a regroup before heading out for the last stretch. The Circle K facilities get a gold star - a scent machine, bathroom rugs, a table with tablecloth and even fake flowers. Up one last hill - and then back to Greg's for a Chili feed and a chance to visit with fellow riders. I finished with the rider in the orange vest - he turned out to be Albert - the ride leader of the month from Cascade - it was strange to go home and read the courier and hey there is that guy we both rode with.

Rollercoaster - 60 Miles of Fun Fun Fun

Rollercoaster is one of our club rides that we do several times a year. It starts with catching the ferry from West Seattle to Southworth. Much of the route follows the course for the Peninsula Metric Century that is put on by the Tacoma Wheelmen. From Southworth a nice ride to Port Orchard for a potty stop and quick shove of a power bar down the gullet. Continue on for 30 hilly miles with incredible views of the Puget Sound and Bremerton. Once we reach Gig Harbor we go to this great soup and sandwich place called Susannah's and then a quick ride back to Southworth the catch the ferry back to West Seattle. Yesterdays ride quickly splintered into several groupos out front and with the slower riders like me bringing up the rear. We thought we were going to be late for lunch so took a short cut up Rosedale road which ended up not being too much of a shortcut it added hills but maybe only cut 2 miles. After a most excellent lunch at Susannah's it was time to head out for the ferry. I made the ferry with the rest of the group and my hubby didn't. There was quite the discussion on if I should have waited for him and if the situation had been reversed he should have waited no questions asked. If it was on a brevet neither one of us would have waited for the other if we had the possibility of a dnf. He had the car keys and the house keys so I was not leaving him stranded in West Seattle. I just went and hung out at a friend's house for a few hours until he got home. He had a good afternoon talking on the cell phone and telling motorcyclists about his cool speed blend tires. The motorcyclist all want to know where they can get a pair.