Crusty Cassette

25 July 2003 79.3 miles from Portland, OR to Westport, OR After leaving the library at St. Helens, OR I didn't find Chris enroute, but he was awaiting my arrival at dinner in Westport, OR. As I entered town he was starting to eat a steak, but he kept one eye opened for me! He didn't go to the RV park, but sought out a hotel. They had some adjoining property where I was able to put up my tent making us both happy! It seems Chris had a nail in his tire and didn't hear my invite to the historic site. His nail went clear through the tire also creating a small hole on the inside of the tube which he didn't notice, so he “fixed” his tire twice and took 50 minutes doing so! He also didn't hear me or see me as I was standing on the opposite side of the street jumping and screaming! Later today at the bottom of a 500 ft climb he broke his rear derailer cable and hitch-hiked over the hill and on into Clatskanie where he found a BMX shop able to fix it and thus got into town ahead of me.

26 July 2003 92.3 miles Westport OR to Seaside, OR and back to Westport riding time 7:25 Westport’s restaurant lacks much. They “close" at 8:00, so when I arrived at 7:20 they tried ignoring me, as closing seemed to mean they were done with the clean up and had the door locked by 8:00 p.m.. I insisted on ordering, so they substituted a pan fried steak for the advertised BBQ steak, and our waitress left about 7:50 after explaining the fried steak would be as good as the advertised BBQ’d steak. The outdoors cook was gone by then too. So, when this restaurant was late opening this morning, we had no hesitation in riding to Knappa Jct to the Logger Restaurant where they seemed happy to have our business and money. We stopped in Astoria for a short while as we'd often said Astoria was the goal, but Ft. Clatsop (where Lewis & Clark wintered) and Seaside, OR were still to the west and our real goals- including a photo with only the ocean as a background! Just outside Astoria we met Kress and Chris, a couple that was finishing the Trans Am that day. They invited us to supper with them to celebrate our mutual finish, but it was 4:00 p.m. before we left Seaside with 50 miles recorded, and Chris' gear was back in the motel, so we didn't have time, drats!

In Seaside the trip officially ended with 4,699 miles recorded on the original but worn out tires, and with just one flat tire for me. I did wear out 3 chains and am on my 4th!

We took Hwy 101 back to Astoria tolerating the high traffic to reduce the distance and eliminate some road construction, but once we started east, THE WIND WAS WITH US- a novel feeling after all the head winds which have been fairly consistent since crossing into MT! Chris was riding unloaded having left all his stuff in the motel and rode back faster than me. I did get ahead of him once to go to a little park, and again he was oblivious to my shouting and jumping from the other side of a quiet two lane road!

27 July 2003 Westport, OR to Corbett, OR 90.1 miles with riding time of 7:50 Chris wanted to lounge about the motel this morning (or hitch hike without hassle from me?), so we said our good-byes, and I was off alone. I met Earl (the 76 year old who turns 77 the 1st week of Aug) outside Rainier. His only complaint was the idiots who say there's no difference in the wind if cycling east or west. After the steady headwinds since we'd met him in eastern Montana, he knew he'd rather ride west to east!

Hwy 30 into Portland is generally busy with a good shoulder. The sections with 3 lanes are the only problem. Whenever they have a 3rd lane, there is no shoulder, and it seems the RV’ers still like to move far to the right to let everyone else pass them easily. The fact that a cyclist is already there has no impact on most of them. From Scappose to Portland, the road is a four lane highway with little to see. Since the north most bridge over the Willamette is still closed forcing a cross country cyclist into downtown Portland, I headed out thru the main part of town: Halsey to Troutdale where I had dinner and joined many locals for a swim in the Sandy River before cycling on up to Corbett.

28 July 2003 Corbett, OR to Deschutes Recreation Area 90.3 miles in 7:59 riding time It's amazing what can be done on a bike in a day. This morning I was camped just at the beginning of the coastal, rainy, side of the Cascades, and tonight I'm in the desert! The Deschutes provided some good swimming which is wonderful in this heat. The tail winds weren't as strong as the headwinds had been when we came through Hood River the other direction, but who can complain about any tailwind? However, by the time I got to The Dalles, the wind had picked up and it blew me on out to this campground. I saw John Stephenson, a tandem rider, again today in Hood River. He was eager to talk today, and we talked on the edge of the hot road for at least a half hour. We'd met back in Nebraska, and then we passed him again in Pomeroy where he was taking a day off as we left Lewiston. Also, today I met one of two 20 something women finishing up the L-C route. She says she'd like to ride about 20 miles per day and see everything along the route! That sounds good to me, but in the desert heat, I’d just as soon ride until early evening when it starts to cool off a bit! It's simply too hot to really enjoy touring in the desert in July!

29 July 2003 Deschutes Recreation Area to Umatila, OR 95.8 miles 8:05 riding time A small headwind actually fought me into breakfast at Biggs Jct, but by the time I’d eaten, the prevailing westerlies were back! I met a couple from Australia on a tandem doing the L-C route, followed by two young men 15 & 30 I’d guess. The younger man (boy) had been taken to the hospital last night from the effects of heat exhaustion although he said he felt fine when he went to bed. I asked how much water he'd drunk after the ride, and he allowed he'd drunk a full liter! Probably 3 times that amount was needed, and he hadn’t gone for a swim either! They’re doing a ride on a route they put together themselves from Whitefish, MT to Portland, OR. Anyway, that was a good reason to spend a little longer swimming in the Columbia at Umatila tonight.

30 July Umatila, OR to Waitsburg, WA 80.1 miles with riding time of 6:32 The heat continues! Fortunately, there is water at the lower portion of the rest stop at Hwy 12 (we’d only tried the upper portion on the ride West and found the drinking fountain doesn’t work), and by the time the hot part of the day had arrived I was in Walla Walla. Spend the night at cousin Pat Largent’s again.

31 July Waitsburg, WA to Lewiston, ID 83.2 miles riding time 7:29 On the bike in the morning coolness! On the edge of Waitsburg a trucker decided he wanted to run me off the road, so he did- plenty of room, but he had to express his lack of education! Reminds me of Excelsior Springs, MO, but this guy is the exception, not the rule. Took a break in Dayton, and decided to take that old gravel shortcut between Dayton and Pomeroy. Not many miles of gravel, but certainly steep! With Lemhi Pass under my belt, I knew I could do it! Stopped by to see Mark & Leslie in Pomeroy. National Guard in Boise this weekend, but I look forward to seeing lots of Twin Rivers Cyclists at the Ice Cream Ride on 5 Aug!

No flats on the way home from Seaside, and only one since leaving Chris' home in the suburbs of D.C. 5,128 miles ago!

Happy Cycling for Fun, Fitness, and Transportation!

Steve

Seven Crazy Ladies met at the Southway Boat Launch at 7:50 for an 8:00 am ride in an attempt to beat the heat! After looking and laughing at some kayak pictures and a nice photo collage (with captions) that Sandie put together from the trip, Jennifer, Joel, Sheila, Julie, Leane, Helen and our newest lady Camille Seubert headed for the blue bridge. Although we would have rather gone over the other bridge, there was so much glass on it that we feared we would all flat out. Julie intends to go fix that with a broom, although, I am not sure if she was going to use the broom on the bridge or on the bridge maintenance crew.

Hearing helicopter sounds we decided to investigate the doings along Hwy 129. The bike path was closed several places and all that was confusing, but taking Clemens road offered us a great view of the activity along the rock cliffs. Finally heading up for the peace and quiet of Asotin Creek, Jennifer (Starbucks Power!) was always in the lead…with the rest of the ladies pedaling and talking trying to keep up with Jennifer! Asotin Creek was really nice with the shade and the sound of the creek.

Returning back to the parking lot nearly three hours and 26 miles later, the ladies decided that since Leane and Ellen (the two sleepy headed ladies) were not riding on Wednesday, August 6 they would start even earlier. They will meet at (gasp!) 6:50 am and leave promptly at 7:00 am. For all those early birdies who want to ride next Wednesday, join up with the Crazy Ladies for a ride…and be sure to wish Pat a speedy recovery from a broken wrist.

Note: in an attempt to make up my ignoring Maria's very presence (I must be getting old), I post here as a main thread, Maria's reply to my White Pine Post. Sorry, Maria.

Just read the blog, I admit that I am a tad hurt that Corrie forgot I was there, never been accused of being hard to miss.... Anyway, I started late (Apparently double checking the start time would have been the smart thing to do on Saturday morning, I was up plenty early!) By hammering the first 20 or so miles (oh yeah, she's a bright one!) I caught up with Debbie, Naked Man, Corrie, Linda etc. at Harvard, skipped the rest stop and rode up the White Pine grade with them. The hip problems reminiscent of I.M.T.G. were bugging me on the way up, but Linda saved me with a couple of ibuprofen at the top! Lunch was uneventful but I think I learned a very valuable lesson about 20 minutes after getting back on my bike, bagels and peanut butter do not work for me! Boy did I hit a wall! Once I figured out what the problem was, and after I told Debbie to go on without me, I had a sugar fix and felt great (OK, well better, great would be something of an exaggeration!). Note to self, this body prefers sugar in its most trashy and candy-like form! I met up with a fellow late starter, David, about half way to Bovill and chatted with him for the rest of the ride. It was his first ever century, and I think, a potential new bike club member.

Anyway, it was a fun day, I won a Les Schwab gift certificate with an apparently fantastic poker flush! Had to run in to work, rescue a friends cat and drive to Spokane:) Spent Sunday watching the NORBA championships on Schweitzer with Aaron, I think I have found a new stupid thing to try.... downhill on a bike here I come (Aarons already pricing up the cost of a full body cast!).

At the finish line with new David!

Steve, insists on posting to the old blogger site but he usually sends me a copy giving me a headsup that he has posted. I missed seeing this post from last Friday so I have added it today. You may read it by clicking here Idaho and Washington or by following the Steve's Tour link on the navigation bar.