The weather forecast for Saturday is:

Seattle: High: 81° / Low: 62°
Portland: High: 86° / Low: 63°

Personally, I prefer temps in the low to mid 70s, but as long as it doesn't rain, and there's no hellacious headwind, it'll all be fine.

There should be 9k+ people out there - almost everybody I know who is riding failed to get a ticket before they sold out, so they'll be poaching the ride.

I'll be on the Cervelo, and probably starting late, as usual. :rolleyes: I hope my new Garmin lasts the whole ride.

Only 4 more days.

A garmin lasting the length of STP? Ha! Not likely. :)

Since my plans to do the Cascade Classic unwound, I've been recruited to join the flotilla of S-bibs, leaving at about 5:30 am saturday and arriving in Portland hopefully in the early evening. Should be a nice, relaxing ride, instead of a crazy race in the desert heat.

Oh, well... :)

I did buy one of those USB charger thingies that you load with AA batteries. I haven't tried it yet, but I hope it's enough to keep the Edge going. Maybe I should bring some extra batteries.....

oh, well that might help.

It's not as though the edge USES that much power, it just doesn't have much. PS, unless you are really interested in that data, you can save power by not using the HR function...

Will you be riding it on your Varsity? That would be awesom-o.

P.S. I didn't know what a geek you were until you threw the number 32768 around in a post.

I really, really THOUGHT about it.

But, no. I'm going to be riding in a train with my team, and we're trying to get there pretty quickly, so I'll be expected to do a reasonable amount of work. Also, I want to hang out and do some of my favorite portland-area climbs.

Though the next week would probably be 2/3 of my mileage for the Varsity right there!

I can't remember what post I used 32768 in, but I like to hyperbolize that way. For instance, today, it's about 131072 degrees out.

It was from your blog: "I’ve got 32,768 things to write about, and only one space.". Perhaps it was just pure coincidence that you would pick that, but the number 32768 has special meaning to computer nerds.

So - who else here will be doing the mass-pileup-waiting-to-happen on Saturday? Or are we all too BikeBourgeoisie to ride our carbon in an event with commoners and commuters?

Nah, it's 15 bit, I meant that...

bib #762 with scott's cycle & sports from hermiston, oregon.

cole

Nine thousand riders? Wow, that is a lot.. It sounds like a bunch of fun.

From out here in the Gorge, it's some major windshield time to Seattle, and I have enough of that schedualed to make the races I've planned the rest of the summer, so I have to pass, but you lucky "few"..enjoy! An epic ride, that.
Don Hanson

Hey, on the Garmin Edge..Get one of the 12v adapter plugs. Goes into a car's power outlet or cigar lighter socket and puts a charge on the battery in about 15 mins..I am sure you could find a vehicle at one or two of your rest stops to plug into while you pig out.....er, restore your glycogen level(?)..Also, turn it off when you stop. I had mine go almost 7 continous hours, with the HR and cadence functions on last winter on an epic Palomar Mt. loop we did in Caliifornia...So if you pedal hard, yours should last..hee hee.
Don Hanson

Nine thousand riders? Wow, that is a lot.. It sounds like a bunch of fun.

It will probably be closer to 10,000 when you count all the poachers.

It is like a gigantic 200 mile obstacle course.

I don't know why I love it, but I do this thing every year. Probably because there's such a festive vibe the whole way down.

I didn't register in time and was concerned about my fitness level after my injury. Currently, not planning on being one of the poachers :)

Was able to get a registration -- #110. Not as pumped for this one as I was for the previous 4. Not expecting to get much sleep Friday night.

Have a safe ride folks

Jerry

Hey Guys,
I'm in. You will all smoke past me as I'm doing it in 2 days this year on an old Motobecane Grand Jubilee fixed gear. I'm pretty psyched about that option, for I just wanted to do something different.

Argent, you do realize that not all of us could blast there in a day and get there early enough to do some of our favorite hills? Love the Varsity reports BTW. For a few summers of my life I bolted a Varsity together every 50 minutes for fame and glory.

Have a good time, and stay upright!

Ride report to follow. Take some pics, and we can dump them into a report thread.

According to mr. weatherman, Sunday now looks like tain, so two-dayers may get wet.

But then, when has mr. weatherman ever been right?

I'm planning on one day, but will have to wait and see how some health issues turn out during the ride.

Funny how the ride sold out this year. Last year you couldnt give tickets away .. I picked up a ticket and a bus ticket return two days before the ride for $40. I did it last year in one day but I confess this year I have been really lazy. I havent done any rides over 50 miles but I am going to pick things up and am thinking of Ramrod and "day of ride registration." The out and back of Ramrod should be different. Anyone else thinking of Ramrod.?

Really? Weird. I was off doing -- I believe it was Elkhorn at the same time -- last year. Was it the weather? This year I saw people upcharging for the sold-out race ... :S

We had a good time, cruising down in nine hours and change -- we went at a good clip, but not a crazy, all-out pace. Nice weather, a little warmer than "perfect" perhaps, but nice overall, not bad winds, either, which I was concerned about.

I'd never ridden more than 200km before, so to do 300km concerned me a bit, but the only thing that hurt was my saddle area and feet, and those not too bad. It would've been a long day on my own!

More later, but, we started "late" at 5:45 am, so we passed literally thousands of twodayers on the way in to Centralia, and then things thinned out completely. Saw a few stupid crashes, too, and some really jacktard moves. People can be such jerks!

Had a very fun ride. I was going to ride in two days on my old fixed bike, but at around 75 miles I changed gears, so to speak, and decided to go to Portland. So that was the longest fixed ride I've done. It was quite a mental shift from just puttering down to "I've got to get moving."

Oh, and I saw a guy on a skateboard finish today.

I saw on the news that somebody was hit by a car this morning on Rt 30. Hit and run, but the got the guy. DUI. Big Trouble.

Had a very fun ride. I was going to ride in two days on my old fixed bike, but at around 75 miles I changed gears, so to speak, and decided to go to Portland. So that was the longest fixed ride I've done. It was quite a mental shift from just puttering down to "I've got to get moving."

Dang. Hat's off.

Argent goes to tackle his favorite hills after riding 200 miles? You ride 200 on a fixie?...maybe I wont be tagging along with you guys up Hurry Ridge next month after all. :frown5:

Anyone else thinking of Ramrod.?

I didn't get in, but I'm thinking about the bandit thing. I know it's cheezy, but I really want to ride it because the jersey this year is drop dead nice. On the other hand, Tour De Blast really beat me up this year, so I got a bit chicken.

I'd better figure this out soon.

First of all, this was my first STP after threatening to do it numerous times. Wasn't planning to ride until Friday morning... got a ticket on Craigslist. Did the one day version... physically challenging for sure but not as hard as RAMROD. I'm glad I did it but I probably wouldn't again. Other than being with 9,000 other like-minded folks, the ride wasn't a memorable experience.

The scenery was ok but like most of western WA, the beautiful countryside is littered with too many mobile homes with a broken down car(s), a rusted out washing machine, and a brand-spanking new satellite dish in the front yard. And what's with the pickup trucks with no back window? Must have been passed by two dozen all with a kid yelling some ignorant, red neck heckle. Sorry for the rant but after living in Portland and riding in the surrounding farmlands/vineyards for many years I have high expectations. Miss Portland a lot!

With regard to the Garmin Edge battery life... please do not use an Energizer battery powered cell phone charger. Read on the Motion Based forum that this was a solution but I think it fried my Edge... it worked for a couple of charges during feed/water stops but then my Edge wouldn't turn on.

Overall, I'm glad I did the one day STP... it was a nice accomplishment.

3 comments:

1 ) I used my Edge 205 for the ride, and after the new firmware update (from May, but finally installed it) I actually was able to JUST get the whole 9-hour trek in. Impressive. It self-powered-off twice on me, but got going again immediately.

3 ) With the mobile charger thingee -- did you make sure to use the right power of charger? My motorazr cell phone charger fits the same mini-USB port, but has a much higher output, than my garmin charger, IIRC. I have had an Edge totally lock up, not respond to any buttons, but after performing the reset procedure on their website (that I also don't recall,) it worked fine again.

C) I moved from Portland to the Sound area recently, too, and, I was sadly thinking similar nostalgic thoughts. There are plenty o' rednecks in Sherwood and trailers in Gresham, but it's not nearly so bad. And, I never thought I would say "vive le Metro," but the UGB has its benefits sometimes...

you rode thru backroads america. that is what it is, and it is really wonderful. i did the two dayer - first ride this long for me and it was absolutely stunning, and slightly painful. a few idiots along the way, but what the heck, the ratio of them to polite, cheerful riders was thousands to one. it is all in how you look at it, and it you are of an elitist bent, then i guess you have never 'been there'. sorry for the rider who was seriously injured on 30, talked to an ambulance driver in st helens, and he said it would have probably been safer on I-5 in oregon than highway 30. will do the one day trip next, and elkhorns are looming.

cole #762 for this one.

3 comments:

1 ) I used my Edge 205 for the ride, and after the new firmware update (from May, but finally installed it) I actually was able to JUST get the whole 9-hour trek in. Impressive. It self-powered-off twice on me, but got going again immediately.

3 ) With the mobile charger thingee -- did you make sure to use the right power of charger? My motorazr cell phone charger fits the same mini-USB port, but has a much higher output, than my garmin charger, IIRC. I have had an Edge totally lock up, not respond to any buttons, but after performing the reset procedure on their website (that I also don't recall,) it worked fine again.

C) I moved from Portland to the Sound area recently, too, and, I was sadly thinking similar nostalgic thoughts. There are plenty o' rednecks in Sherwood and trailers in Gresham, but it's not nearly so bad. And, I never thought I would say "vive le Metro," but the UGB has its benefits sometimes...


I probably screwed up and used a charger outputting to much power (it does power my Razr) Haven't tried the hard reset, hopefully this will work.

Yeah, Portland certainly has it's share of rednecks. I used to ride in the Stafford/Canby/Champoeg/Carlton areas... absoultely awesome riding! For whatever reason, the people in these small communities take more pride in their property than those in similiar commnuties in WA (Carnation/Duval/North Bend).

I live in Sammamish and do mostly "City" riding... I think the riding in Seattle metro is very good (Sammamish River Trail, Burke-Gilman, bike lanes, etc.). My main ride is Marymour to Woodinville, around Lake WA to Mercer Island, up through Bellevue to Kirkland, and over Juanita back to Marymour (about 70 miles, 80 if you add a Mercer Island loop). The ride is mostly on non-motorized trails or well defined bike lanes.... I actually feel safer riding in the city.

I thinking about joining everyone for the Hurricane Ridge ride if schedule permits.

Sound like you were really movin Argentius. I think the record down to Portland is under eight hours. I was scooting along last year and made it down in total time of 11.5 hours. Its kind of funny how you can leave at 515 or so and not break out of the "pack" until Tukwilla. I saw a couple of crashes last year. When you pulled into the Park in Portland their probably werent a whole lot of rider in front of you. I am still thinking of Ramrod. The out and back nature of the ride eliminate the "Dormar" ride-Ramrod in reverse.

I was there for the one day ride. There in the dark, the announcer 5, 4 3 2 1

Everyone starts off, then one lady just in front of us starts wobbling wobbling and over she goes right into the barrier, right at the start line.

The announcer states over the PA that "we have had our first crash" With as packed as it was I'm sure she would have to have waited until all the riders cleared out. I tried not to look or laugh, but it was hard. I hope the rest of her ride when better than the first 10 feet.

Funny how the ride sold out this year. Last year you couldnt give tickets away ..

If I remember corectly, they've sold out every year since 2004.

My Garmin did in fact last the whole way, with the help of my "Datex" battery pack. What pissed me off though, is that when I tried to download all the data, all I got were the totals - no graphs for heart rate, cadence, etc. where did all the info go???!

But I did average 21.3 mph, which is my pr for the stp. The guys I was with are all on a professional advernture race team, so they're all big guys in good shape - the perfect people to draft off of.

Did the STP in 2-days this year - sixth time but the first since 1998. Averaged a full mph better this time than when I did it in my 30s, so that was cool.

Going shopping for a road bike this weekend in prep for a one-day ride next year (six times on a '92 Diamondback Ascent EX MTB is enough). I think I'll probably wait until the fall to see if I can get a better price, but I've got the itch for a new bike so we'll see how long I last. It'll be nice to shed 10-12 pounds in the rollers after Winlock!

The stretch by Fort Lewis is the worst. The snoozer bumps they put in on the fog line made it insane through there. My riding buddy and I fortunately tagged on to a line that was passing everything in sight (23-25mph flat road is not pretty on MTBs), so it wasn't too bad as long as everyone paid really close attention to hitting the bike-length-sized gaps in the snoozer bumps when heading back to the right of the fog line.

FWIW, I did 95% of my training this year on the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish Trail. It's 70 miles round trip from Marymoor to Golden Gardens park in Seattle, with only about 5 miles on the road. I didn't have time to get in many intervals this year so my hill-legs weren't where I wanted them to be but I was OK otherwise. I ride from my front door so I get to end the ride up NE 95th from the park on the lake, which did help the hills some.