Crusty Cassette

Bikes abound as sun comes out.

Linda and looked about in dismay. Not a single cyclist in site at the boat launch when we arrived.

But then Chris pledaled up saying he'd seen Doug heading for Hell's Gate. By one the four of us were ready to start. Chris and I had done Lewiston Loop three weeks in a row. I suggested Evans, Clemins, Asotin Creek which has mild climbs and 30 miles. Chris wanted to add on the Rose Garden.

Linda said she'd meet us going up Evans.

Doug took the lead up separator grade. Never let Doug lead. He has no judgment. Chris hung back. By the time I got to the top I was blowing. On the flat Chris took the lead. We were working hard the entire way. We did make a potty stop at Roosters, but no Linda.

Chris took off on highway 12 and I dropped back to ride with Doug he promptlly went around me and headed off to catch Chris. What the heck, I thought and dropped in behind to draft.

But again no Linda at Evans road. By the time we hit Clemens we had given up finding her. Surely we would have caught her by now.

It wasn't until just before the Y on Asotin Creek that we saw her yellow jacket ahead of us. Wither her was Bill. He'd missed our start watching a playoff game. At the Y Linda insisted she had too ridden up Evans. Shle headed hojme, while the guys went on to the end of the pavement, this time with Bill setting the pace.

The sun made the 45 degree temps seem warmer though on Asotin Creek in the late afternoon, we found ourselves often in chilling shade. Still Chris and I had taken off our jackets and kept them off. Doug refuses to remove anything even when he is too warm. His balaclava stayed on all day.

The beautiful day appears to have been all across the state. Gene Bisbe who writes Bicylcing Bis posted this blog with a picture of Lake Washington in the background.

For the ride of it.

"There's a biker up there," Linda said as we joined the bike path at the foot of Critchfield.

I couldn't see anyone but then I can't see any way. But soon I did spot a figure moving away quickly in the distance. Linada and I weren't going to catch him.

Helen, whose been on absentee list recently, had promised to show up but I expected no one else. The sky had been clear all morning but cold. By ride time though it had clouded up and the temperature was at a rideable 42 at my house.

Linda and I usually hit 129 to get to Southway rather than that steep twisty trail. As I passed under the bridge about to swing onto the bike trail, a cyclist came up the trail and headed across the bridge.

He was on an older bike, had one black shoe and one white--looked like a tenny runner and he had skinny legs like Mike Warnock. He foold me though since he was riding platform pedals. Turned out is was Mike on his winter bike, an old Schwinn. Still looked pretty light though.

Chris had driven down from the frozen north. Said he had five inches of fresh snow in his front yard this mroning. Chris only gets to ride when he comes to the vally but he still disappears out in front.

I suggested that Helen and Linda meet us somewhere for coffee assuming they'd ride the Clarkston Loop but Helen wanted to do Lindsay Creek. Chris, Mike and I headed up Tammany.

It wasn't long before the clouds cleared off and we found ourselves casting long dark shadows. No snow line appeared on the hill and most of the snow melted from the bed of Chris's pickup before we got back. I saw one reader board that claimed 53 degrees. It always lies though. Let's say 45 degrees. Not bad for the first week of January.

We didn't have enough light for a stop at Polar Bear and riding home so we scratched the snack.

Nice to have a crowd.

From my lazy boy I can see a dark blue spruce. It is thick and heavy. The wind does not trouble it much. In the Lazy Boy, gray kitty on my lap, book in hand, I studdied that blue Spruce this morning.

On Sunday I had thought the wind which swept those heavy blue needles not so bad until I stepped fully costumed for my ride out the front door. I lost all interest in the prospect of the 1 pm start.

I tried to gauge the force of the wind in those branches. Not so bad as Sunday, I thought. And the sun is shining stronger. But the forecast said 42 and its still onlly 35.

But I had called for the traditional New Year's ride. Perhaps someone would show up? I'll drive down and then I can come home easily if no one shows, I compromised.

That's Chris's pickup, I thought pulling into the boat launch. Guess, I'll be riding. The sun was bright and the boat launch seemed to be out of the wind. Chris was off somewhere spinning away the minutes until I arrived. I put on my helmet and test the wind. Yeah, I'd need my booties.

But the first rider I saw was Jim McCracken, not Chris. Suddenly we had a ride. When Chris pulled in, he recommended Lindsay and down Tammany. There's an east wind he reported.

Chris hasn't been on his bike since the last tme he came down sometime in early December, I think. Jim's been fishing or "casting" as he calls it. He's ridden once since Josph. The 25 miles of the Lewiston Loop were more than I had expected to do today in the wind and cold. I've been out nearly every day this week but only 15 milers. My toes scarcely have time to get cold.

Jim had on his balaclava. I opted to stick mine in a bag. I might want it coming down, Tammany I thought. Chris and Jim wore toasties; I put on the neoprene and was gald of it too.

I'd meant to bring the camera but had forgetten it and had sat for moments in the drive way trying to decide whether to go back into the house for it. Nah, no one's coming probably and if they did the picture would just show bikers in bright sunshine. Snow surrounds the valley but we had only a wet fall on Wednsday morning which dried off by 1 and let me get in a ride.

The Palouse is a different story with 195 closed for a few hours this week from Pulman to the top of the hill because of the drifting snow. The news is full of scenes of big CATs moving snow.

We had a good ride today in the sunshine though from Hell's Gate to the boat launch we faced a bitter northeast wind.

My toes were happy find the pickup waiting to take them home.