Crusty Cassette

Lunch at Cous Creek
See more pics at Doug's May 4th Ride

I never ask to ride my age in miles 'cause I know those numbers aren't getting any smaller. Seems like a bad precedent.

But I'll gladly ride your age for ice cream. I started with Dave's ice cream and brownies and they persuaded me to have Chris's. I never got to my own.

Sorry neither Dave nor Chris could be with us. With Bloomsday in progress we also missed Linda and Debbie. Mike pointed out that would leave more ice cream for us, but then Doug and Scott and Jen and Helen showed up. I had to share.

The best cycling day of the spring, we left in shorts and short sleeves and actually broke a sweat riding toward Buffalo Eddy. Nicki wanted 29 miles before turning around but no more. I don't think any of us really wanted to go the extra two miles or so to the eddy. I was concerned for the safety of the ice cream.

We had a head wind going north--what else is new? But it wasn't bad. We got into a pace line and made Helen spin to keep up. She did great but looked a bit played out back at Hell's Gate. And then she didn't eat any ice cream. What is wrong with some people?

Next Sunday, I think, Nick wants to do the Kendrick route starting again at 10. It's beginning to look as thought the Sunday, 1pm may be short-lived. Good to have some longer groups rides though.

For the ride of it.--Corrie

"I've had enough of that for today," Dave T. complained rolling his bent bike to a stop at the top of the Cottonwood Creek Climb on Saturday.

He dismounted, then leaned over the bike as though he were about to empty his stomach into the seat. "If that didn't make my head explode, nothing will." Dave had surgery to correct an anorism like clot in his brain over Christmas. But he's back on his bike now and doing tough centuries like Saturday's.

Cold weather kept me from riding the Winchester Century in April. The forecast for Saturday looked as good so I called for my favorite local ride thinking only Dave would join me. Instead we had a crowed. Chris showed up for an 8 am ride--way early for him. And Bill Arnold, who completed his first ever century only a few weeks ago, wrote to say he'd be joining me even though his two weeks in Mexico had kept him off a bike. And Sean, free on a Saturday because of the cancelled Weiser River ride, called to say he'd join us on Tammany and Carol would start over in the Lapwai Valley. Only Jim McCracken couldn't make it being in Spokane.

Carol drove by us on our way to Culdesac and started up the hill before we arrived. She didn't want to hold us up. Sometimes a little hold up is a good thing. Like stopping to take pictures. Sadly my camera quit before I got any good shots. (Amazon, reading my mind, sent me offers for new cameras just this morning. ) So you will have to imagine the lush, soft, green fields on the lower slopes. Higher up, the fields had not yet greened up. Wild flowers were in full display from tiny little blue ones I'd have never seen except that I was kneeling to take a picture of the bright yellows ones. The overcast left the valley looking hazy and gray but now a blue clearing appeared to the north. To the south over Winchester itself the clouds took on a bit more shape and darkness. But with the sun out and sheltered from the wind the day took on an almost summery feel especially after we dropped down Magpie.

Because Carol needed to return to her car and because we've put this route into our new Bite the Bullet Day Tour, we decided not to ride out to highway 12 avoiding that scary 4 miles to Arrow Bridge. Cottonwood Creek is a hidden valley with a small stream, lots of flowering trees, and green green grass. The runs 5 or 6 miles at a 1 to 2 percent grade toward Culdesac before it begins to climb seriously. Most of this is really only 5 or 6 percent but it is quite long and you end up grinding. I saw 10 to 11 percent on my GPS at a couple of points but missed checking as the hill steepens just at the top. Sorry, Dave, I can't tell you how steep that was, but I'm glad you ruled out any attempt at going back over Web Ridge. That would have been a hill too far. My GPS says I did 6685 feet of climbing and 111 total miles yesterday. Looks like returning by Cottonwood creek adds not only time, but distance. May 5 or 6 miles.

So, the Bite the Bullet Day Tour will not be a ride for beginners. But neither is the Huckleberry Ride. Leanne, Dave's wife, has agreed to drive sag for us. That means we'll have access to food and water on the long stretch between Winchester over Reuben-Gifford road back to Lapwai. It doesn't mean you can count on getting a ride up the steep part of Cottonwood Creek. The new route is 68 miles long starting in Lapwai and has a little over 4,000 feet of climbing. It is a demanding ride but almost entirely free of traffic and covering beautiful country. Just be sure you're fit for this one. Put it on your calendar for Sunday, June 29th.

For the Ride of it.--Corrie

I'm sure Steve is crying in his beer right now, if he drank beer. Guess this trip's going to have to be rescheduled. He just doesn't have any luck.--Corrie

Scott sends this

We (Doug, Jen and I) did the down river road ride in Riggins today. (Riggins to Vinegar creek (the road runs along the salmon river until the at Vinegar creek boat ramp)) The weather was great, the temps were nice, the wind was fairly mild and we only dealt with the left overs of the in process road construction (they take sundays off YEA!!!) for about the first 4 miles (and of course the last 4 miles). The out and back ride ended up being just a little over 52 miles... Dinner at the river rock restaurant in Riggins after the ride was yummy.

Here is the news report on the snow level from that general area... at least from my perspective... Once we got up into the canyons.. the snow level on the north facing slopes seemed to be about 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the river level... I think Riggins sits roughly at 1,800 feet... so that would put the snow level around 2,800 to 3,300 feet... I think the start of the Weiser trail is in the 4,000 to 4,500 foot range... aka... I am going to guess that a good portion of it is under snow right now... I was also chatting with a couple at the rest area in Riggins, As it turns out they were from Cascade... They said they had come down to the Riggins area to visit spring as they still had a good six feet of snow at their place... I think Cascade is roughly around 5,000 feet...

The bottom line... and as much as I hate to admit it... I think Sean is right... (gawd that hurt!!) There is just to much snow this year to do the upper portions of the Weiser trail ride just yet... I would guess that by late May/early June... things should be cleared up and dried off (aka not so muddy and wet in the shady spots that see little sun light.). It does sound like an interesting ride...

That is my two cents worth on the subject.. for what it's worth.

Cheers

Scott.

I hear chimes.

I hear two chimes. Its not my watch which chimes twice on the hour though I can't spare a glance so focused am I on keeping the pedals turning. Its my GPS. I've set it to stop recording when I drop below 3 mph. It chimes politely to let me know its on the job, a kind of electronic salute.

I can see 16% grade showing on the GPS. I must have dropped below three for a second. I'm at 102 miles and climbing the last hill up from the Spokane River Centennial Trail route west of Spokane. Behind me Tibbals is just starting this climb on his recumbent with legs he claimed had been pushed too far 25 miles ago.

"The climbing's not so bad," Dave reported before we started this morning. "I used Map My Ride to map it." And he is right. This scenic ride along the Spokane River has no Spiral Highway, no Wawawai Canyon, no Old Winchester Grade. Spokane cyclists always ask if we really ride the Spiral Highway. They are impressed by the length.

The Lilac Century does include one long climb of 11 miles ending in Reardon, WA, but it is 2% to 4% rising through a twisting tree lined valley. This is a ride in the park by comparison with our climbs.

On the other hand the ride along the Spokane river rollercoasters suddenly and steeply, leaving quads quivering. Even 5,000 feet of climbing spread out over one hundred miles of short climbs can look pretty flat on an elevation map. Don't believe it.

Dave and I are pretty much dead last. That doesn't mean we are alone. The Centennial Trail along the river is only a few miles from downtown Spokane and popular with cyclists, runners, families. The river is runs wide and smooth here and offers dramatic vistas from forested slopes.

But the rest of the century riders have pretty much left us behind. We started at the back of the pack to be sure and we did average over 17 mph most of the way to Reardon. But somewhere along the line we got dropped. Recumbents don't do well on those 12% climbs and Dave's legs were played out. I stopped at the tops of the hills and then chased him on the downsides. We were having fun and didn't need no stinkin' racers anyway.

We made that 10 mile loop seeing only a single rider ahead of us. Just before the last rest stop we caught a single woman rider. She's from Colfax and I gave her a club card. She seemed tired but pulled off before us saying she'd see us when we caught her again. She was at Fort Wright when we got back. She probably found new strength trying to get away from two old men.

Once again, Linda did the 50 miler starting an hour later but not before she went to Lourdes Cathedral for a little pre-ride helping. You train your way, I"ll train mine.

I'm pleased with my ride. I felt strong the entire way though the legs complained, they never quit. Two weeks ago I wasn't sure I could do this ride. My foot was better but the only post injury century I had done was with Dave the Saturday Steve was here. The last 30 miles was flat and I was tired. The foot still troubles me walking but on the bike, its never an issue and with Lilac I've completed a century in just over six hours. Chris wouldn't be satisfied, but I am.

Is that a chime, I hear?