This was to have been Steve's adventure. Climb Coyote Grade on fat tire bikes to Genessee, on into Moscow for lunch, and back down new roads to Julietta. But the fat tire guys were all at work: Sean, Mike, John Arland? With Steve's return uncertain, Debbie asked for a long road ride. After all, if you're going to do the Apple Century, you'd better log some miles.

The plan was good. Ride to Pullman for lunch, down Wawawai canyon and back to Lewiston with west winds pushing us. We had lots of interest: Nicky and Debbie, Linda and Helen, Dave Tibbals, Lance, Chandler.

But the weather looked worse as the week wore on. I reminded myself that 30per cent chance of rain here meant a drop or two probably on the otherside of the valley. The winds scared me more than the chance of rain.

By Friday Nicky had found sufficient cause to pass. Steve was definitely a no show. Dave had become a maybe. Chandler emailed his interest Friday night, but I didn't get the mail until Saturday. I called him from Arby's in Pullman but got the machine.

By 7 drops of rain moistened my deck. Dark clouds swelled in the East but the winds remained mild. I suspected few would come on such a poor morning. Chris called but he hasn't been making the trip down. He complained of rain in Moscow. I didn't expect him to show.

I put on a jacket and headed to Southway. Linda took the pickup. She was setting up her bike and chatting wtih Debbie when I arrived. It was one of those mornings: Linda had lost her mirror. Debbie had forgotten hers. Linda's brakes were rubbing. I thought we'd never leave the valley.

The jackets soon came off. High humidity and cool breezes confused us on the grade. One direction we'd be sweltering. We'd work up a nice perspiration glow, then turn the corner into a chill breeze. A bend or two up I noticed a rider closing on us. Turned out to be Chris. Said it was too wet to ride in Moscow. Now we were four!

Chris makes a cameo appearance

This was pretty much a cameo appearance by Chris. He stayed with Debbie up the grade and waited patiently for us at the top and again in Uniontown, abd joined us for lunch. But the rest of the time he was so far out in front, we couldn't see him. By Wawawai he had given up on us and hammered on. He had someone's furniture to move, he said.

Linda wanted to bail on the full loop as she climbed the grade. I told her to make her decision in Pullman.

Helen had driven up and was joining us. She planned to do the loop back to Clarkston and then get a ride back to her car. The wind had been at our backs but rain began to fall as we dropped down to Uniontown. We put out jackets back on. This gave us another chance to marvel at Lance's magic Pack.

Lance's Magic back pack has one of everything!

Lance had joined us at the top of the grade. Claims he had to cook breakfast for a crowd. He had Jan bring him up. He was right on time as I had estimated we'd make the top about 9:30. Given the three helpings of biscuits and gravy he claims to have eaten, it was a good thing he didn't try to ride the grade. Food, How does Lance love thee? Let me count the ways:

1. biscuits and gravy, that's new 2. desert before the main course, of course 3. raw cookie dough 4. and oh, fishwich and milkshake too.

That's right while the rest of the club ate at Arby's, Lance made a run to McDonald's next door for a fishwhich which he brought back. He shared his fries all around. Not really hungry after that breakfast, he said, sucking his milkshake.

Chris shook his head. "Not milkshake weather," he thought.

Chris was right. We hadn't gone into Pullman to avoid the graduation day traffic. Now we faced heading back into the wind that had pushed us from the grade. We would head toward Spokane and take a left at the road to Wawawai. I was already chill despite my jacket. I had no leggings and the day hadn't gotten any warmer.

Even worse, the wind didn't lesson as we turned toward Spokane. We knew we'd fight a stiff wind heading toward Wawawai Canyon. Linda and Debbie had thought about returning along 395. Not a good idea. We expected a nice tail wind on the river.

The winds were stiff but the road angled often enough to keep us out of the worst of it. Down the canyon was the worst. Lance said he slowed to 15 when he wasn't pedaling. We stopped at the park to use the rest rooms. The sun was out now and we were protected from the wind and expecting tail winds. The jackets and leggings came off for good.

We crossed the tracks and to our dismay found the winds from the east. My heat sank. This was going to be a struggle for Linda. Lance suggested we paceline and by the time we passed the climbing rock, the winds were at our backs just where the were supposed to be. We cruised at 22 mph much of the way and the rest between 16 and 19 under blue skies and amidst the espostulations of "beautiful day" from Linda and Helen.

Still 85 miles is a long way. Linda opted for the boat launch rather than riding home. I had considered adding miles for my century back to the pickup, but now was faced with a quandry. Ride home and end up with 95 miles or face a growing storm in the West. What would Steve have done? Yep, I headed for Asotin. Critchfield is not my ideal route home at the end of a century but that was my future.

Rain began to fall as I crossed the bridge. I had to duck under cover in the park on the green belt trail for a few minutes. An elderly couple fed geese and talked ignoring me as I munched my last Nature Valley Bar. At Asotin I turned up Clemens and climbed home turning 100 miles at the county garage.

We'll have to do that Coytoe Grade ride another day Steve. But this was a great ride. Helen's, Lance's, and Linda's longest of the year.

Nicky, you should'a been there. How often can you have tailwinds from the grade to Pullman and from Wawawai back to town on the same day?

Join Lance tomorrw at 2 at Barley Hoppers for the Lewiston Loop and an after the ride libation. Sorry. I'm committed to Mother's Day doings. Lance, you'll have to blog this one yourself.

For the Ride of It.