PDX CYCLING

Even though I detest heat, July is one of my very favorite months. That’s because I love to watch the Tour de France. Fortunately, I live in a place where I’m not alone in this regard. It is no secret that Portland is one of the very best places to ride a bike. It is also a town where people get way into pro bike racing.

When it comes to watching the Tour in Portland (or Lake Oswego) one place comes to mind — St Honore. St. Honore is a bakery/cafe that serves pastries and other delectables that even a Frenchman would be proud to eat.  And every day in July, both St. Honore locations open early so customers can watch Le Tour.

The Portland location opens at 6:00 and the Lake Oswego location opens at 7:00. Thanks to the magic of digital video recording, they are able to show every stage from start to finnish. Cycling fans can be found every day in both locations. On the weekends (or days featuring major climbs) the crowd spills out onto the sidewalk.

If you want to enjoy the excitement of this great event with fellow tifosi, this place to be. But if you want to watch this great event and blog at the same time, you had best stay home. Apparently the owner is dead set against providing Wi-Fi access.

Morry is a MAGNET!

There’s an annual three-day ride in Pendleton, Oregon that takes place on Memorial Day Weekend called the Century Ride of the Centuries and it is awesome. It is put on by a local bicycle club that either wishes to remain anonymous or forgets to promote itself on the sparse event website. No matter, whoever puts this ride on does one hell of a job.  As is the case with so many multi-day supported bike rides, the volunteers work tirelessly to pull it all together. These particular volunteers really get into the spirit of things. Each rest stop has a theme and many of the more prominent folks are in character. There was a Mexican stop, a Hawaiian stop and even a white trash wedding.

People 'round here take rodeo pretty serously

The riding itself is outstanding. Day one offers a variety of routes including what appears on paper to be a fairly easy century ride (around 3,500 feet of climbing in total). Don’t let the ride profile fool you. Severe headwinds can make it seem like there is plenty of climbing. However, the scenery — mostly rolling wheat fields — is spectacular. And, because you are in canyons much of the time, even the winds aren’t that bad for too terribly long.

Day 2 is an out-and-back route that goes up Emigrant Hill, the old highway just north of I-84. 15 miles of steady 5% followed by another 30+ miles to the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center. Those who tackle the entire course climb more than 6,500 feet. Quite a way to follow up a century.

This climb was a fine how do you do after day one

Day 3 is another out-and-back, the longest option being another 80+-mile route. I opted to hit the casino where all the rides start and finish for a little morning blackjack, but I’ve been told this day is the most scenic. The casino isn’t very scenic, but there was a lot less rain at the tables than there was on the course.

While the ride is fully-supported, the event is really geared for folks who plan on finishing what they start. The SAG vehicles consisted of cars with bike racks on them and there didn’t appear to be a whole lot of them. Riders will also want to pay close attention to their cue sheets as the course was marked with biodegradable arrows that tend to blow away in the wind and rain.

The food at the rest stops was more than adequate and featured a lot of home-baked goodies. Many of the stops also featured local baked potatoes. I’ve always heard that spuds make fine cycling fuel — and they absolutely do. The locals seemed very happy to see us. Even the (few) drivers on the road we encountered were friendly.

Had to circle the lot a few times to get to 100 -- but we did it

Pendleton itself is a great small town and there are a few really good places to eat. These include the Prodigal Son brew pub, the Main Street Diner and, if you are in the mood for something slightly upscale, Cimmiyotti’s.

If you want a more detailed report on the ride, check out this one from a fellow Portland blogger also named Dean who attended last year. His descriptions are swell and I’ve got a lot to do today.

For those interested in geology, this ride features a lot of geological stuff (I presume that’s were the ride gets its name). Since my knowledge of this subject is limited, that’s about all I can say about that. I’ll try to bone up a little more next year and, hopefully, will have something more intelligent to report.

We’ll be back to Pendleton this year with Cycle Oregon and it will be interesting to see how different the place looks in the fall. It will also be cool to see the town teeming with rodeo fans. I’m looking forward to it.

 

Portland is an awesome cycling town and has all sorts of biking events. One of the most noteworthy is the World Naked Bike Ride. Supposedly, one of the main reasons the World Naked Bike Ride exists is to increase driver awareness about bicyclists and the dangers they face. As I witnessed last year, however, the event seems like more of a party than anything else.

The Ride of Silence is another global event with a similar goal. It was created to draw attention to cyclists who have been injured or killed while riding on public roadways. And, while it might not be as much fun as riding with 5,000 naked revelers, it is probably more effective at communicating its important message.

As one would expect, there will be several Ride of Silence events in Oregon. The Portland Ride is being organized by the same people who organize Butts on Bikes, which means it should be well attended.

The Portland ride starts at Holladay Park, at NE 11th and Holladay in the Lloyd District, and rolls out shortly after 7 p.m. after brief remarks by whomever wants to speak. If you can make it, you should.

Riding is fun that is amplified when shared with others. But what do you do if you are new to cycling and you don’t (yet) have any friends who ride? There are plenty of cycling clubs and group rides happening all the time, but most of these are geared more towards serious/hardcore riders.

Understandably, this might be intimidating for a lot of folks. In Portland, that’s where Northwest Butts on Bikes comes in. Butts on Bikes — or BOB for short — might just be the answer.

The coolest thing about BOB is that it is truly open to all types of riders regardless of experience, equipment or anything else. Some rides are geared toward more experienced riders and some are geared toward complete beginners. There is truly a little something for everyone. And that is pretty cool.

According to the Website, BOB exists to:

• Create a group that welcomes and supports anyone that wants to ride no matter what they wear, or what kind of gear they have, if they are a fair weather rider or the hardcore. Whatever the end goal a rider has, when it comes to riding a bike all should be welcomed!
• Create a calendar rich with events that are diverse to all levels and groups within the great cycling culture we have in the Portland area. You should never be with out something to do cycling wise! Please pass on events to be added to the calendar!
• Create a place for individuals to network with other cyclists in their local areas so if a rider is tired of riding alone, they can easily find others to ride with.

While I haven’t ridden with this group personally, I know a few people who have and they are big fans.

Most bicycle seats are black. But black is boring and there are a lot of other choices. When thinking about your options, it is important to consider other colors on your bike. For example, I like white seats and use white bar tape as do many pro racers. Another consideration is what you’ll be wearing on the bike. It is important that the bike seat color match your outfit. Some might consider this trivial. Some might not.

View from the porch of the Horizon Guest House -- not a bad spot to blog

For the past 40 years, I’ve treated my mouth as a mobile garbage disposal, and I’ve got the body to prove it. That recently changed when I finally felt the difference between working out after a few days of eating crap vs. working out after a few days of eating healthy.

I think the reason I’ve never noticed this before because I’ve probably never eaten enough consecutive healthy meals in a row to make a difference. But it’s never too late to make a change — particularly when it is so helpful for cycling (more energy and less body weight are good things).

Now that I have had this experience, I’m finding that there actually are healthy meals that genuinely taste good. Here are a few of my discoveries.

1) Oatmeal — actually, this isn’t much of a discovery. This is one food I already knew was good fuel for cycling.

2) Perfect Foods Bars — The first time I tried a Perfect Foods Bar I actually had to call my food and fitness guru friend, Shannon, to help reassure me they were healthy — seriously, they taste that good. They make a much more pleasant alternative to Power Bars or even a good meal replacement.

3) Ken’s Race Day Waffles — I’ve yet to try these as we have no waffle iron, but, when it comes to cycling, my pal, Ken, knows his stuff. Politics is another matter, but that’s a different topic for a different blog. Recipe below.

4) Coconut Water — This stuff is now packaged by a few different companies. Basically, it is the liquid found inside young, green coconuts. You find it at hippie health food stores. It is an awesome natural thirst-quencher and is LOADED with electrolytes. For some it is an acquired taste, but a taste worth acquiring. I crave it.

5) Rokit Fuel — Rokit Fuel is a cereal designed for sports performance. And it does work as advertised. I have to be truthful — this stuff can sometimes be a little hard to choke down. It tastes a bit like bird seed (or at least what I imagine bird seed might taste like) and has a similar texture. I think this is because it pretty much is bird seed. Regardless, I will continue eating it because it works.

6) Horizon Guest House Wild Rice Cereal — The Horizon Guest House is an awesome place to stay on the island of Hawaii near Kona (home of the Iron Man Triathlon). I’m sitting on the back porch overlooking the ocean and the pool as I type this. It is a ridiculously pleasant place to blog. The owner serves what seems to be a healthy cereal made of complex carbs. It does have butter and sugar in it, which is probably why it tastes so good. Definitely nicer than Rokit Fuel. I look forward to making it at home and testing its effectiveness as a cycling fuel. The recipe is below.

Ken’s Race Day Waffles

1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup barley flour
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
4-tbsp flax seed meal
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2-tbsp brown sugar
2 cups soy milk (or regular milk, or a cup of each)
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs separated

In a medium bowl mix all the dry ingredients except for the pecans. In a large bowl beat the egg yolks, milk, oil and vanilla until blended. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Stir in the pecans. In a small bowl beat the egg whites to soft peaks (I do this by hand with a whisk but you can use a mixer). Fold the egg whites gently into the batter. Bake using your waffle irons directions. Serve with a sliced banana on top and warm maple syrup. Add bacon or eggs on the side if you’d like some protein. You can also simplify by not separating the eggs but the waffles won’t be as light.

Horizon Guest House Wild Rice Cereal

8 c water
1/2 c wild rice
1/2 c pearl barley
1/2 c steel-cut oats
1/2 c bulgar wheat
1/2 c raisins
1/2 c chopped pitted dates
1/4 c dark brown sugar
3 tbs butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 F. Butter 2 1/2 qt ovenproof dish. In prepared dish, mix wild rice with remaining ingredients. Add water [I use boiling water to shorten the bake time]. Cover with foil and bake until grains are tender, water is absorbed and cereal is creamy [about 1 1/2 hours]. *About mid-way through, I usually take it out and add more water if needed & also stir. Store in refrigerator when cool and reheat servings as needed. May be frozen.

Team Fartlek’s #2 training ride of the season was Champoeg. Along with North Plains, this is another classic early season ride. It is pretty much flat and, admittedly, it can get a little boring at times. This year we changed it up a bit by adding an option to park at the boat ramp right by where I-5 goes over the Willamette. This adds another 13 miles to the loop and changes things up, which is nice. Team Fartlek also picked up a couple of new riders who seemed to enjoy themselves.

We entertained ourselves by competing in short sprints to various sign posts, etc., This meant some of us were more tired and sore at the end of the day than expected. Regardless, it was a glorious day and a good time was had by all.

How you doin’? Donna basking in the pre-ride glow

Ready, waiting, and wondering if anyone else is ever going to show

More happy Donna and a fellow named Jeff

Even more happy Donna

Morry explains the meaning of life to Joel while Dean speaks with agent

New guy, Dave, basking in the post-ride glow

Our first official training ride of the year happened today and it was a great one. The team has grown substantially. New people and new bikes! We’ve now got a cool purple Specialized Roubaix and a bad-to-the-bone Pinarello in the peloton.

It would have been great to see the Pinarello alongside the group’s other ultra-fancy bike, but someone didn’t want to risk getting his new baby rained upon and potentially even soiled so he opted to stay home. DUDE, THIS IS OREGON — IT RAINS!

At any rate, we tackled the North Plains route with aplomb. For those who couldn’t make it (or chose not to), here’s what it looked like.

Looking good

Michele’s new hat featuring a great image of history’s most famous baby mama

Leanne willing to risk getting her brand new bike moistened by moisture

Twelve feet of biking babe

From a fitness perspective, this is probably the youngest rider on Team Fartlek

Everyone knows Portland is one of the best biking towns in the country. But not all the coolest bike shops in the metro area lie within city limits. Lakeside Bicycles is my other other favorite bike shop. Part of the reason I like it is because they carry so many cool, high-end bike brands. The shop is stacked to the rafters with sexy Cannondales, Pinarellos, De Rosas, Colnagos, and Bianchis and features the largest selection of flamed out Electra choppers and cruisers I’ve ever seen.

They’ve also got some great hand-painted Pegorettis in the mix that keep calling out to me. One, which belongs to one of the staff, is decked out in a Frank Zappa motif. That’s just not something you see every day. They’ve even got a Colnago “Forever” on display just like the one Ernesto Colagno presented to his wife on their 50th wedding anniversary (this one belongs to the owner’s wife. Look, but don’t touch).

Another part of the reason I like Lakeside is the customer service. The owner DEFINITELY went above and beyond the call of duty for me when he delivered my new spin bike to my house. The final reason I like the Lakeside it is that it just feels right when you step through the door. It looks — and even smells — like a good bike shop is supposed to. I think this is because it reminds me of the place where I got my very first 10 speed many years ago.

It is worth the trip to Lake Oswego just to check out the sweet selection of bikes. If you need a second excuse, Lakeside has group rides on Saturday and Sunday mornings starting at 9:00.

The bike messenger in this video is named Alfredo Bobe. I met him at La Vuelta. I hope to write a post about him soon. In the meantime, I wanted to get this video up on my blog because it is so friggin’ cool.

It’s Your Ride from Cinecycle on Vimeo.

Another video featuring Alfred

Puma – Messenger
Uploaded by zip2two. – Full seasons and entire episodes online.