March 2008 200km

I write these to help remember the rides. The picture above is a good case in point. It's what you see to the South of Hwy410 between Greenwater and Enumclaw - a deeply mossy forest. The first two times I went by this I didn't notice. It was back in 2001/2 on the Ramrod - towards the end of the ride and I was hunkered into a paceline, holding on as best I could while working right at my physical limits. We blew by this stretch. Now I try better to remember.

It also helps that a lot of folks document. Here and here are some good pictures, and there will be multiple ride reports - here's the first I've seen. Wait, another.

First organized ride for me this season - a big ouch and solid evidence that 'training' has been inadequate - but, another great ride. Overall impressions:

• Set out too fast and finished slow - can't help it, fast is fun too but can only hold on with the quicker riders for awhile, and then I'm left recovering. Ran into more than just a food issue - some muscle soreness as well.
  
• That was a cold cold rain. Really cold.
• Having designated card-signers was a brilliant solution to having 100 or so riders locust in on a small convenience store or bakery. The obvious joke: Bob was going to be there to sign my card at every control - and that wouldn't look suspicious at all...
• The chili event was great - got to meet a few more people, chat with some I already knew, and have some great recovery food.
  

We arrived too early at the start - and eventually started. The route was the same as last year, so I more less followed folks and/or remembered the way. It's a nice ride through town on a Saturday morning, and then up the hill that's between Kent and Puget Sound. Eventually you get some nice views of the Sound and then head back the other way. The highlight is the Green River Valley. Traffic's light and I fall in with a group - and play some more. There's a hill on the other side, and I know I'll go slowly up that. We get there eventually and I do. And then the bakery - another card signing outside - and then I look for water. I find it nearby.

I ride alone the next segment - mostly because I've neglected food. People whoosh by. So, I eat a little more for a hour and by the time I'm to the intersection of Mud Mountain Rd and Hwy410 I'm more or less back to normal, and keep riding up. The picture above is one of a few that I took at an impromptu stopping point. Across the road was clearcut. No photos. Finished the ride to Greenwater. I'm up for coffee and Fritos. Here's the store:


Peg rides up and I decide to wait - to finish this particular ride with. So, we do with a small group including Theresa. The sun was out for this last part. It took awhile to finish - a little over three hours. I was glad to be done.

So, I'm at Greg's house and get cleaned up, have a seat and eat veggie chili over rice. More people cycle through the food area, and I get to chat with them. Some discussion of photography and questions about whether a camera had died (I'm guessing yes), some of WSU and a ride from Richland to Pullman, discussions about the cold and clothing, and an actual statistics question. A little over an hour later, Nat arrives. We make a signing ceremony out of it. It was a challenging ride.


Equipment notes:

• The camelback would have been useful - there are some good distances between convenience stores, and carrying more water means less stops.
• The handlebar bag worked fine enough - better water resistance. Less size though.
• I was cold and now about ready to break down and try a wool jersey.