My (Carol's) parents were our first breakfast participants although they didn't join us for the ride. They were celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary.

We started the day with a yummy pancake breakfast ala Sean, he also had sausages and orange juice. The cool temperature in the house was good for fostering conversation but we still were eager to ride and were on the road perhaps a bit ahead of schedule. We had read that it was to be a scorcher of a day.

Ryan (a legend at the end of this ride) came from Pullman with a single speed! He looked fit and trim, so although we were skeptical of the wisdom of riding a single speed, we figured he probably knew what he was doing, if not what he was in for on this day.

Soon Tamra, Dean, and Mike appeared. They were the only TRC participants besides Sean and I (chickens all, Sean says that means you Corrie, although we hear you were under the weather).

The next arrivals were mostly B&L employees, Emmett, his wife Renee (hope we spelled that correctly), Tim (a bit of a legend in his own right), Evan, Felix, and Felix's friend from his other job (research at WSU) Zach. Emmett graciously let us use his and Renee's van as a sag vehicle. It can hold 8 cycles and cyclist INSIDE. When you sell this van Emmett let TRC know we may need to purchase it! We threw a couple of coolers for extra drinks in the back and off we went.

The weather wasn't too bad heading out the Orchards with just a gradual up hill to warm up on our way to Mann's lake, the group set out at a pretty brisk pace. The down hill to Webb Ridge cut off is steep and a bit gravelly. One comment overheard was "I don't like downhills this steep." My thought was I wonder if you'll like it any better going up this afternoon?

McCormack Ridge is pretty steep at the bottom and this out of shape girl jumped in the van with Felix right away. (Debbie weren't you gonna drive the sag wagon? I hear you bailed just to kayak with Nicki? I'm sure you were much cooler and got a better work out than driving a sag wagon, but we did miss you.) As soon as it leveled off I jumped out to ride again, by then the heat was more intense or maybe it's just that it is still a climb. Before too long I got back in the van and Evan joined me a little later. We started noticing all the wildflowers alongside the road. When Renee joined us at the bottom of "THE WALL" (where the REAL climbing begins), she started telling us the names of all the flowers. It turns out she's recently had a botony class so that she'll be able to identify the plants embedded in those fossils. She tells me that the fossils she'll be studying predate flowers but she knows them anyway.

Renee was going to ride up the wall but she lost her run at it when her chain fell off right at the base of this monster hill. A friendly dog came out and watched her put her chain back on. We thought from the van that one of the guys was keeping the dog back while everyone made their initial attack on the hill. No, those cads left poor Renee on her own, but the dog was only watching out for her and wasn't a threat. We were glad to have her in the van as commentator.

We encountered a very rare sight going up "THE WALL". The first rider we came up to was Mike. Of course there were we three girls with our chauffer Felix in the van, and when I saw Mike there I knew I'd made a really wise decision, out of shape or not! We passed the others on the hill but this is a determined bunch and no one wanted to say Uncle and get in the van. We just rolled up the windows so the air conditioner would work better and shook our heads in amazement. When the group stopped in a shady spot for a well deserved break we congratulated these hearty bikers on their accomplishment. Tamra, whose face evidently doesn't get red like mine, didn't speak to us or drink for several minutes. I was a little unsure about this as she's usually pretty friendly, until she did speak. It seems she was just trying to catch her breath and couldn't even swallow without fear of choking. Damn Tamra, you don't have to work so hard! You're making us other gals look like girls or something. OK for the record Renee and Evan could've ridden the hill but I lowered the bar really early in the day and so there was no pressure. Tamra's really one of the boys I guess.

Shortly after the break we saw some nice rollers and all deserted Felix for the road. By now the weather was cooler and the people that like to climb (must be most of them) were having a pretty good time and recovering a bit from the wall. I was having a hard time though and Felix noticed my back tire was going flat so I got back in the van again.

There was a downhill going into Forest and Felix after only a little arm twisting decided it was time to ride. I did warn him that he'd probably have to make that downhill up again going into Forest and I was right.

Sean shows his affection for the sag driver, Felix.

Felix waved me alongside of him and grabbed the window of the van. I asked him if he wanted to get in and he said "Sean didn't say there was more than one wall!" He wanted me to just keep driving and pick up the pace a little. When I finally got the speed just right Felix was happy to be towed up the extra wall.

The local watering hole in Forest was open. We made a dent in there potato chip stock. It seems we were craving salt in spite of the sports drink. We also filled up our gallon jugs of water and some used the facilities. We, except me, all jumped on the bikes for the four miles to Soldiers Meadows where we overtook a picnic table by the lake and ate our lunches. We were unable to nap in any grass though as the previous picnickers had left a lot of glass shards everywhere. Sean fixed my flat and although there was some very witty conversation surrounding this as he is the B&L salesman and several of the mechanics were observing him changing the flat, I can't really blog his retort. Suffice it to say, well you should've been there.

I'm not really sure who all drove the van from this point on. I think Renee started and then, maybe someone else, but Evan finished up and missed all of the downhill, more about that later, but Thanks Evan. I should say that Mike left us at this point, he prefered the more heavily trafficked gravel road to Waha and the pavement on into Lewiston rather than the final ascent into the Orchards up Web Canal Grade Road. Well, Mike does have more experience in the Valley than anyone else on a bicycle.

I can't resist the quiet Webb Ridge Road on top though. The temperature was pleasant, the road was serene, the tires were inflated, and life was good. Good company, a little friendly competition at times. It's a good part of the ride, everyone was enjoying it. We took one last scenic look at the valley below and where we were headed before we began "the screaming" downhill.

But wait, this was not really what I was expecting. As we rounded corners with the wind in our faces it began getting hotter, and hotter, and HOTTER. Who opened the oven doors? Sean and Tim raced down the hill and claim they hit 45.5 mph. It wasn't cool for them either, and they paid for it a little later. I was congratulating myself for convincing Sean we needed a sag vehicle. When we got to the highway, I watched in confusion as EVERYONE continued toward Webb Canal Grade Road. I have a new degree that says I'm not stupid, I got in the air conditioned van, and did my best to console Evan that the downhill wasn't really that great (but I'm still glad I got to ride it). We picked up Felix at the bottom of the Webb Canal road. He was standing in the middle of the road waving his arms to make sure we didn't miss him and leave him behind to ride it after all. Not to worry Felix, you bailed me out all day, I've got your back.

Renee rode the worst part of the hill and then got in the van. Sean and Tim were walking their bike with cramps (I told you they paid for their race). Dean also cramped a bit but was able to keep riding. Evan got out to ride the rest of the way but I picked up Tim for a bit until we hit the pavement again. He consumed some electolytes and water and then was able to converse coherently again. I thought he was safe to allow for a cool down ride but then he missed the turn toward our house. I was headed out to Powers to find him when he turned on 19th. I guess he knew where he was after all. Tim sprained something in his knee and hadn't ridden in a couple of weeks so he was looking like the B&L legend he is anyway.

I've not mentioned Ryan a lot because he was always out in front and I didn't see much of him except when we regrouped. He says he stopped now and then but it didn't slow him down. He had a disadvantage on the downhill with his single gear but he tucked with his chest on the seat, became very aerodynamic and managed phenomenal speed anyway. Tim claims he and Sean pedaling at one point weren't gaining on him. All helmets off to Ryan, it's mind boggling to think anyone could handle this ride, in this heat, without a geared bike.

Our garden hose became our most coveted asset when the group laid in the grass rehashing the ride in our front yard. We got a call from Mike, he'd made it in. He had to call twice though as we didn't have the energy to get up to answer the phone the first time.

On the way back to Pullman, the B&L folks thought that there should be a store ride every month, so in spite of the record heat, the Seanman's epic ride was a success. Thanks everybody for coming!