Tag: RideReport

2021 Starting With The Bike

TWO months since the Wolverine was out and FOUR months since the Atlantis was out of the garage.

Today I left myself a note that I needed to dig through all the boxes and containers and find my winter kit.

I wanted to ride, but I am not riding, and I had nowhere in particular to go, and the bike needed air in the tires, and I couldn’t find my rear light. My mileage is limited to a Zwift trainer in the garage, even a short around the neighborhood wasn’t going to be easy after all this time not riding. And it might rain any minute, I know, I checked continuously.

I actually forgot it shifted with bar end shifters but immediately made the switch, every bike shifter is in a different spot and I soon switched to “fully aware I hadn’t been on a street in some time mode” where I don’t pedal hard or do anything but traffic and lanes.

I was on a trail when I realized my watch HR was not set to broadcast to the Wahoo and I really didn’t mind, it was so nice to be out riding.

I wiped the bike down and hung it back on the rack (pulled it off later as it was still dripping from inside the fenders) and I will need to figure out the logistics of where to hang or dry soaking wet things, where all the charger cables are for various lights are (solved as of this writing), none of which I used in August.

Nice start to 2021

Ride Celebration – Newberry Caldera / Crater Rim Trail

I tried Ride Reports, but it is too stuffy.

I rode the Crater Rim Trail: Trailforks, Bend Trails

Relive ‘Newberry Caldera Loop’

I am a bit stiff tonight, a day after the ride.

When you link sections together, and anticipate hills, the trail becomes so much more than the section you are on, it is hard to explain to me what others already get, that “flow” is so much smoother, a greater experience, more fun and worth working at. And it requires work.

I found in the attack position I always lead with the same foot and so I am beginning to practice with the other foot. Should be a hoot while this takes place.

I think rides that are “FIRSTS” should be celebrated but this part I simply don’t know how to do. So I will sit on my back porch and recount trail sections to myself. Would make a great trip report, but then, I probably have spent too long on this in any event. The silly trail mistake, followed by the monstrous ego shortcut, and the steep drop to start just makes it a ride. The gravel scree, downhills, uphills, the flow, switchbacks and endless obstacles and “features” manmade, bike made, nature made, or simply boom were pretty cool. The bike turns on a dime and climbs anything, goes down easily and it and I do struggle in really loose dusty soil with slippage, could be air pressure but I am too new to know.

What I do know. The bike on my car is not for show anymore, it is getting out there, and getting it done! Every bit of an adventure. I know there are more coming, but this one, all alone, was pretty damn cool. So it is appropriate that it is celebrated all alone, or at least OK.

Oh, that last three miles was pounding hard! Glad I went the route direction. I had no idea one could jump so many times.

Proud of myself for going and completing this ride!

Ride Report: Stoller Family Estate

So much has happened in the last month on the biking front for me.

I am out there and enjoying biking and have two new bikes and have retired THE bike. I haven’t posted much … no worries about the past, let me just plunge into this…

Ride Report, yesterday, the expected thunderstorms arrived at 6 in Portland, well after the late morning ride through the Oregon wine country starting at the Stoller Family Estate near Dayton. Great weather and a wonderful location to ride through. 95% pavement, 5% gravel and about 80/20 quiet roads and only one mean spirited driver.

Relive ‘Stoller Family 🍷’

The mid ride stop was at the Carlton Bakery which is am amazing bit of European Bakery to have and worthy of a stop whenever one is in the area. It was noted that the calories of any of the items far exceeded the ride calories…but I plunged in anyway. It is like the folks who say you waste money buying coffee, well, there is something to be said for either side and yet this is summer, and I haven’t been in Carlton in many years.

Ride Report

An old ride report from a month ago, April 20th.

I realized groups never quite go when I can and I needed to just get out and try the bike rack. Mentioned my thinking around, found someone for weekend adventures, so maybe it was a small group? 🙂 Or I am thinking #AdventureBuddies…working on thinking ….