Crusty Cassette

Dark, dense, clouds cling low over the Lewiston Valley off to my right. Tell-tale vertical streaks suggest rain. The sun almost shines on me, however. I'm approaching MacIntosh having just come up Lindsay Creek with a bit of north wind to help. The weather's fine thank you.

Not so true at 9 this morning, though. Nicki called to report snowflakes in the Orchards. "But Debbie and I are going anyway," she says. And I assert my intention to join them. The sky is dark, gloomy but I see no snowflakes and I've eagerly anticipated this ride which usually brings out a number of folks from the valley as well as a few who meet us in UnionTown from the Palouse.

Doug and Jen and I did this ride on Wednesday leaving my legs pretty tired but I'm anxious to try them again on a long hill.

At 9:30 Linda comes back from her run saying "it's snowing." Sure enough the flakes are coming down, leaving the road wet. We decide to skip it. When the snowflakes fly, Linda says, there's no easy does it ride. We call Nicki and Scancel. She threatens me with a blog. Do your worst,Nicki.

10 am finds both Linda and I at Helen's. Quilting and her new TV are on our agenda. Now the snowflakes are really falling and we're glad to be inside. By 10:30, however, the snow has stopped and the sun's trying to shine. Still cold and windy--not biking weather.

It's after 12 before I get a chance to go out. I put on the wool socks and scull cap but bring only the summer weight longfingered gloves. I figure to do 40 miles around Lindsay Creek and Evans in a figure eight. But as I climb Lindsay, jacket rolled in my back pocket, sweat band replacing my skull cap, the number 50 starts nagging at the corners of my mind. From my house Sage BAkery is closer to 50 than 40. I could add Peola road at the top of Evans. I consider ten miles of Peola and doubt I'd actually do it. I could go over Web Ridge and around Lapwai. That'd be closer to 60. I have time and light, but it is cold.

What about Waha? I wanted to do a climb today? Spiral is 8. I've done 5 on Lindsay Creek. I don't usually like the Climb up Waha but this gives me the ability to control my distance so I arrive at home without having to add more miles. I figure I'll need to get to 25 miles even though I'll be returning by Tammany--a bit shorter but not by much.

Mistake!

The climb was fine. I've lost 20 pounds and felt good on the mostly 5 percent climb. Even after the first steep section, the road though appearing flat continues to climb at 3% before finally dipping down into a flat before the trees and the real climbing.

I call Linda. "What's the weather doing?" I ask. I'm guessng I'll likely get wet before I get home. "It's dark," she says but no, it is not raining.

I'm actually enjoying myself. I know the wind will be in my face when I turn North but it will be downhill. I'm not worried. Should have been. Maybe the fact that I could see my breath should have been a hint. I put the jacket back on and the skull cap and head down.

Not long and I'm holding one gloved hand under my armpit, then switching off. My toes are cold and I'm glad for those wool socks. At Web Ridge intersection, I stop and blow on my fingers, put them under my shirt. It isn't just he cold either. For some reason riding into the wind always makes me feel as though the rear tire is flat. Every bump feels like the rim is on the road. It is unsettling and so is the roar of the wind. For a time I'm in my own world, cold, noisy, disorienting. I can't hear traffic which shakes me when it roars around unexpected. I stop again at McIntosh to warm my fingers.

Tammany is lower and warmer but the wind is now coming from the West. I can't catch a break. Back on the bike trail at Hell's Gate the wind is out of the south and I'm comfortable again. I ride clear to the boat launch before turning around to make sure I'll hit the magic 50 miles.

Suddenly my bike is making a squeak with every pedal? Dry chain. I have to believe so though I've lubed recently. I stop, adjust my pump which has slid down and is affecting my shifting. I think perhaps the pedal is squeaking against the foot of the pump but it isn't. I'm no longer tired. I'm focused on the noise and figuring out what's wrong. I'd thought to clean the chain in the morning, but now I know I'll put the bike on the stand immediately.

The sun has come out. I remove the jacket and cap for the ride up Peasly and enjoy the last 2 miles home. My toes and fingers have forgotten the cold. I've seen no snow nor rain. But yes, I'm a wimp. I don't mind 'cause the squeak was just the pedal.

For the ride of it.

Corrie wimps out!

Read the Full Story

Snow in the Waha's persuaded me the Winchester Century was probably not a good idea. Steve lost another relative and was coming to town for a funeral at 2, but wanted to ride.

So I gave up my plan for Winchester and called for Reverse Lapwai with Garden Gulch added. That was over 60 miles and meant starting early--7 am early. Steve will tell you we are all lazy here in Lewiston as compared with the virtuous inhabitants of Boise who don't mind getting up before dawn and putting on cold weather gear when you know full well that the day is going to be warm enough for shirt sleeves.

Dave Tibbals did the Boise thing and drove down from Moscow. He was swilling coffee at the boat launch when I arrived.

Carol rode down Lindsay Creek to join us for the least pretty section, the 18 miles on 12 to Arrow Bridge and then into Lapwai. Sean and Carol were taking turns with grandparent duty. Sean joined us in Lapwai for the best section of the ride up Garden Gulch and then back to CuldeSac on Cottonwood creek road. Low traffic allowed us to pair off and own the road. The trees aren't yet blooming nor the has the grass started greening yet, but it is still a pretty draw. Lost in conversation the gently climb was done and we found ourselves headed down to Culdesac about 10:30.

We'd had a stout headwind out to arrowbridge and that wind still had a bite to it.

Sean left us at McIntosh and Steve pulled off just before Southway. Dave and I, however, had other plans. The day was just warming up and we weren't ready to get off the bikes. We crossed the blue bridge, had lunch at Taco Time and headed south toward Buffalo Eddy. Dave needed 38 more miles for a century so we didn't quite get to the petroglyphs, but almost. We had to stop for me to change my flat rear tire. Couldn't find a puncture weed or cut but at least my replacement tube didn't go flat immediately.

The weather for Devil's Slide will seem hot if it really gets near 80. This afternoon was nearly perfect. Up river the wind actually favored us a bit and was nothing like as strong as it was once we got back to the green belt trail.

I ended up with 105 miles. My computer insists it was really 106.5 but I'll go with the GPS.

Dave and I are thinking about the Lilac Century. I think Roy and Jim McCracken are interested. If the weather looks good the end of April, that should be a fun ride.

For the ride of it.