RUSA 203 Hood Canal Loop

Sunny and 71 in late October. It was a great day to be out on the bike. Steve Davis, Albert Meerscheidt, Thai Nguyen, Eamon Stanley and I got up well before the roosters crowed and caught the 6:10 AM ferry to Bainbridge to do the Hood Canal Loop.

Billed as a ride to control the symptoms that have led to several mid-week sick-day rides for ailing SIR members, I for one can state it was succesful. I did not realize however, that my symptoms would be replaced by sore, tired legs brought on by a sub-9 hour ride. While the five of us rode together for the first stretch of the ride to Suquamish, shortly thereafter we split into two groups. Eamon must have had a burr on his saddle, as he was riding fast. Thai seemed to have no trouble keeping up, but I kept dropping off the back. Fortunately a few construction zones, with stops by the flaggers provided me the opportunity to catch up. However, by Shelton, I was done. After a quick stop, Eamon went on while Thai and I took the opportunity to refuel with a bite to eat.

We did catch up with Eamon neear the Grapeview info control ... which was no longer there. So I came up with a new question for the next riders.

While it was cold to start and there was fog along the Hood Canal Bridge, the rest of the ride was clear and sunny, with temperatures quite comfortable. Although the reading was a bit suspect, the sign in Belfair read 71 as we rode by in the middle of the afternoon.

Thai, Eamon, and I reached the end by 3:40, with time to enjoy a sausage & beer at Fritz' before the 4:15 ferry. Alfred and Steve had a more sane ride and caught the 6:40 ferry.

RUSA 085 Three Rivers Cruise

A gorgeous fall day, great riding companions, and a wonderful bike route! Could one ask for more? Why? It was even a leisurely start. Don Boothby had sent out a notice for a Sat ride of the Three Rivers Cruise with a 8:00 AM start at the Haggen store in Arlington. Don, Thai Nguyen, Chris Heg, Mike Richeson, new RUSA member Pam Creighton, and I hit the road right at 8:00. Shan Perera got a few extra minutes of sleep and caught up with us on the road.

There was a bit of fog to start off with, but the sun was blazing through the clouds before we were able to make to Darrington. Darrington ... at 575 feet we had reached the summit of our ride ... pretty tough riding :) ... well, a good enough reason to stop and refuel. Soon we were off ... except Thai stayed to wait for Shan.


From Darrington the ride was picture perfect ... a crisp fall morning with lots of sun. The gentle downhill made for nice riding and we soon made it to Marblemount. We took the back way to Marblemount ... exploring a minor route adjustment to avoid the out & back section on 20 ... and it received favorable reviews!

Also receiving good reviews were the soups at lunch. A couple of miles west of Marblemount we stopped for lunch - soup & pie. I had chile & onions. It hit the spot.
Now for that after lunch siesta ... well, maybe next time.

The ride from Marblemount to Concrete on SR-20 was generally pretty nice. Most of the time the rumble strips were a nice addition, but there were a few instances where the construction crews must have been asleep on the machine. To the right was one example where there is no way that this could be within specifications. Arghh!

Well, once we got past Concrete the rumble strips were behind us and it was chip seal instead. It actually wasn't too bad as it was fairly old so it had been packed down. Still, the riding surface on SR-9 was a welcome change. Mike and I rode ahead of the others at this point. Towards the south end of Big Lake there was a serious accident ... two fire trucks, two aid cars, and a rescue truck were all at the scene. As we past, a police unit arrived and must have closed the road. Don, Pam, Chris, Shan, and Thai all had to backtrack and ride around the other side of the lake. Six bonus miles! Mike and I reached the end at 5 ... we had a tailgate party waiting for the others to pull in shortly after 6.

A nice day!

RUSA 320 Mountain Loop Highway

Thursday ... not normally a long riding day, but the weather was going to be nice and the calendar was clear, so why not. The ride started in Snoqualmie and I took the counter-clockwise route. In retrospect, I think the clockwise approach is better, as that has the advantage of having the unpaved portion as a climb rather than a descent. I suspect that would be faster, at least for me, as I took it slow on the descent to stay in control on the dirt portion.

Not going to say much about the ride other than it was very enjoyable ... very little traffic on the Mountain Loop Highway and lots of greenery, mountains, and river views.

Mountain 600K: They're Miserable Dad!

My daughter Jessica and I helped Ryan out at the Naches overnight control on the Mountain 600K this weekend. In addition to it being a nice time together I had hoped that she would get to understand a bit of the Rando experience … my family tends to think I’m a bit nuts and thought this might help give me some slack. So after the Control closed and we were in the car, I was curious about her observations. When she said “They’re miserable, Dad!” I went into denial.

Well, yes, they’re exhausted, physically drained, and some are in pain … feet, butt, muscles – there was a run on Ibuprofen…and I suppose many appear mentally wiped … some are almost catatonic, dazed. And yes, we’ve had at least three riders taken to the hospital on long brevets this year, including one at this overnight. So perhaps they appear miserable, but they’re not really … I’m not when I ride … or am I? Are we miserable? Why do we do this to ourselves? Is it “because it feels so good when we stop (well, not right away)?.”

I don’t think so.

I ride these long brevets because of the challenge – both physical and mental – and the adventure. I ride because of the beauty I get to see. I ride because of the camaraderie – the shared experiences, such as the ditch nap or Post Office snooze. I ride because it makes me feel good – in spite of the pain. I ride because it’s fun – and being a bit miserable is probably part of that in a perverse way. So, yes, I suppose they are miserable, but loving it!

100K Mountain Populaire

The word Mountain in the name is a clue about this ride. While it doesn't really go up into the Mountains (i.e. Cascades or Olympics), it explores the "Issaquah Alps" ... the local hills such as Cougar Mountain and Tiger Mountain. There is plenty of climbing even though the maximum elevation is only about 1,200 feet. I had never ridden on a few of these roads ... they've inspired me to create a new Permanent "The 10 K" with lots of climbing over these hills and a few others.

It was a very enjoyable, albeit tiring ride!

Thanks Kent!

Mountain 600K Pre-ride: All Creatures Great and Small

I pre-rode the Mountain 600K ride this Saturday and Sunday. Jan Heine and Ryan Hamilton put together what was billed as a "fitting finale to a season that carried the motto "Return to the Mountains"" and that "will challenge all riders". Seeing the course ... up to Paradise on Mt. Rainier (5,400 feet), up to Windy Ridge on Mt. St. Helens (4,035 feet), up White Pass (4,500 feet) , and up Chinook Pass (5,438 feet) ... it was clear they were succesful. The question was, was I up to the challenge? Could I do it within the 40 hour time limit?

I left Eatonville at 4:00 AM. I was well rested, having gone to bed at 5:30 PM, getting up at 2:00 AM. It was cool, but I was well dressed. A new pair of AmFib tights had arrived Friday afternoon, just in time for the ride ... they were warm and wind/rain proof, so I didn't need to bring rain pants. They turned out to be well worth the price.

I was doing the ride solo, but 45 minutes into the ride I had company. A car rode along side with the driver, a young woman, asking me what I was doing, where I was going, etc. After a few minutes, she left, but ten - fifteen minutes later she pulled up again, wanting to know more details. She stopped the car and, after a brief conversation, I took off again. Another ten - fifteen minutes and she showed up again ... promising she wasn't stalking me! Another brief conversation and I left. Fortunately a little later the route took a side road, Mt. Tahoma Canyon Road, so if she was still looking for me she didn't find me!

The first control of the ride was at the Paradise Visitor Center - 5,400 feet up. It had been misting for the past several miles and was foggy. I rode up to the entrance and ... it was closed. It was just after 8:00 AM and the sign said they opened at 10:00. Not a good sign. I tried the door and it was open. Actually, they were open ... at least the climbing desk was ... the store/visitor center part didn't open till 10:00. That was fine with me. I was soon on my way.

The ride down from Paradise was chilly and wet. A badger (or something like that) ran across my path, yipping all the way, less than a mile from the top. After the long climb up I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't let it rip on the way down, but the scenery was so beautiful that I enjoyed it anyway.

Before I knew it, it was a little after 10:00 and I was in Packwood. Along with everyone else. They were having Packwood Days or something like that. There were booths up and down US-12 and lots of folks out for the day. One advantage of that was the Shell station had someone outside making sure no one parked there without going to the store. I made a snap decision and had him sign the card and left without getting any supplies ... the next control was only 16 miles away.

At Randle, the next control, I resupplied and prepared for the climb up to Windy Ridge on Mt. St Helens, 33 miles ahead. The past thirty miles had been basically downhill, but now the tables were turned and it was uphill. Between the change in grade and the warming of the day, it was time to take off the tights and jacket. Ten miles from the control was the turn to FR-26 ... but there was a sign saying the road was closed due to washout 14 miles ahead. Oh shucks! I knew that FR-99 (the last road to Windy Ridge) was closed to cars, but the route sheet doesn't say anything about this. I wasn't about to ride 14 miles uphill just to find out if it was passable or not. Since the planned route was to go up FR-26, join FR-99 to Windy Ridge, then come back via FR-99 and FR-25, I decided to go up FR-25 and then hopefully find a ranger or someone to find out if 26 was passable. So up I went.


While I have seen pictures of Mt. St Helens before, I had never been there. Pictures don't do it justice. The power that was unleashed to wipe out the miles and miles of trees must have been amazing. It was nice to have miles of road closed to cars, but the condition of the road precluded letting it rip on the downhills - there were periodic cracks in the road, boulders, landslides, etc. I made it to Windy Ridge by about 3:30 PM. It was windy (maybe that's where the name comes from), and there were threatening clouds, so I took a couple pictures and left.

I did run into a few bikers and asked them if 26 was passable ... they said it was, so I headed that way. They were right. I was able to make it through, but there were several patches of gravel, bushes overgrowing the already narrow road, and one complete washout. The picture shows the washout, taken towards the way the riders will be coming from. For them it will be at the bottom of a downhill, so hopefully they will take it easy on the way down so they can stop in time! After that the roads were better, albeit with a few short patches of gravel, and I was rolling down the mountain ... enjoying the scenery and the grade!

I rolled into Packwood again at 7:00 PM. I was just about half-way done ... two of the four climbs and 180 of the 380 miles done. Sunset was just before 8 and it was going to be sixty some miles over White Pass with no services until the next control. So I ate a sub sandwhich, called home to check in, prepared my second bottle of multi-hour Sustained Energy, and got ready for night time riding. Forty-five minutes later, I headed out.

A few miles outside of town I saw a pair of elk alongside the road. They stared at me as I stopped and took a picture ... which only shows a pair of eyes and an outline of the two ... oh well, it was dusk after all. Then the climbing started. On the Cascade 1200, when I climbed White Pass in the 90 degree heat, I had to stop several times. Tonight was not nearly so bad ... not as hot, for sure. It was a slow and steady climb. The sky was clear and the stars vivid. What a wonderful opportunity to be here! Several times I saw little field mice running along the road, caught in my bike light. When I finally made it to the top, while I had been comfortably warm, I soon chilled. I put on my hat, gloves, and the tights back on. Just after the top I startled a skunk ...it was less than ten feet away from me with its business end pointed at me. As we left each other's company, I sniffed ... did it spray me? If it did, it must have missed me due to the wind. That's a relief!

In seven miles is one of the turns that is easy to miss ... and at this point I had turned off my Garmin GPS as it was just about at the end of the regular battery life. I've made this turn before, but it wasn't dark then. I figured by watching the mileposts I could estimate where it would be and would be okay. I found it and then turned on the GPS to confirm. Dead battery, so I went to the backup battery charger ... which has to be connected while it charges, so isn't a great setup, as I don't have it charging on the bike mount, but in the bento bag. Still, I was able to use it periodically over the next twelve miles of winding roads to confirm I was on the right one. Being in the middle of the mountains, in the middle of the night, in the cold, it was very reassuring.

Soon I was back on US-12 with a clear cut route down the mountain to the next control in Naches. The question was would there be anything open? While I probably had enough food and water to go through, it would be better to resupply and would be nice to rest a bit ... it was another eighty miles or so to the next confirmed set of services in Greenwater.

I pulled into Naches just after 2 AM and there was an open Shell Station mini-mart. They even had some bananas - no chairs though. I resupplied and asked if there was a Post Office nearby ... there was just a few blocks away on 3rd street. So I headed there and went inside. Warmth! The wind was howling outside, but I was able to sit and rest for a bit on a bench. Didn't sleep, but refreshing nonetheless. Eatonville wasn't getting any closer as I sat there, so at 3 AM I decided it was time to go. I had caught myself wanting to drift off a couple of times before Naches, so I took a caffeine pill to guard against nodding off while I was riding.

The route out of town was along the back roads, and on a couple of gravel roads (which will be changed for the regular ride). The howling wind, which had helped push me the last few miles into Naches, was no help as I headed back into the mountains. It didn't stop me, but did blow me to the side a few times. Fortunately it didn't blow for all that long - ten miles or so at most - and I was able to make steady progress.

Dawn soon arrived. I made it to the Shell station at Cliffdell at 5:45 AM, but they didn't open until 6:00 AM, so I continued on. It was only 27 miles to the top of Chinook Pass, but I didn't get there till 9:00 AM. Aside from the last five miles, it was relatively easy riding - not fast, but very enjoyable. A few deer saw me and then bounded away. Wish I had their energy! The last five miles or so were tiring ... not that they were all that steep, but steeper and it was the fourth major climb and my legs let me know it. Fortunately there were only four major climbs and soon that was history! At the top there were a few snowflakes and then the descent.

After a few miles of descending I had cold rain in my face, but that only lasted twenty minutes or so and I was able to make steady progress. At Greenwater it was time (past time!) for a good breakfast, so I pulled into Buzzy's Cafe and had a great breakfast of bacon, eggs, and hash browns. Really hit the spot. Left there about 11:30.

A monsoon shower struck when I got to Buckly. What a downpour! Glad I had my new tights. It poured until I got to the next control in Wilkeson, mile 347. I stopped at the first opportunity, a gas station that is usually closed on Sundays but was open because the owner was painting. While I was there it stopped, so I headed out quickly. The route from here to 162 was one I hadn't been on before ... and turns out to be a figment in the Microsoft Streets & Trips imagination. After a mile or two of wandering unsigned, hilly, gravel and pothole laiden back roads I came to a dead-end. I was at the right place ... the gps showed the intersection, but the connecting road was down a hilly, wooded path/driveway with a security camera on it. That's why we pre-ride. This is not a route we'll take. So I got a few bonus miles.

Soon I was back on track and headed down the last 20 miles to Eatonville. I finally made the last turn off of Orville Road onto 161. I had been dreading this hill for a while ... and had decided I'd walk it. So I got off and started walking up. What a pain! So I got back on the bike and rode to the end, arriving at 5:00 PM. I had made it! 380 miles, four major climbs, in 37 hours. Yes, I was tired, but it had been well worth it.

SIR Fall 400K Revisited ... Certifiable ?

Well, not a complete revisit of the 400K. With the Green Hornet in the shop getting checked out after my Tuesday morning upclose inspection of the bridge deck on Baker Lake Road, I didn't have the right lighting setup for extended night riding, so I couldn't do the full ride. However, I figured out I could ride to about Sedro Woolley before it got to dark. So I drove to Sedro Woolley this morning, getting there about 6:15, then rode to Arlington where I met up with the riders, then rode with them from there back to Sedro Woolley. I figure I got in about 255K of the 400K. It was a fantastic ride - at least my portion.

The forecast was for a nice day ... in the 70's ... and it didn't disappoint. Lots of blue sky, a few high clouds, warm but not hot, and a bit of a breeze. The kind of day that helps make the mountains stand out that much more ... the green greener and the snowcaps whiter. While the ride from Arlington to Darrington, then Marblemount, then Concrete was very enjoyable on the pre-ride, since we did that stretch in the dark, we missed out on the scenery. Revisiting the ride today during daylight hours would have been worth it for the scenery alone.

There was a tragic note to this part of the ride, as the road between Darrington and Rockport was closed due to a fatal traffic accident. Most of the riders were permitted to get through the closure by walking their bikes through the ditch to get around the accident scene. However, a few were diverted along the Concrete-Sauk road and ended up with adjusted routes.

I rode from Arlington to Darrington with Joe Llona. Along with Mike Richeson, we had ridden last fall's 1000K preride together, so it was nice to ride together again. From Darrington to Marblemount, I rode with Mike ... and we caught up with Matt. Aside from the accident, it was a pleasant ride.

At Marblemount, we stopped and ate a bit of lunch ... several other riders joined us ... Joe, Andy, Ole, Frank, and Sharon Stevens from Texas. We ate in the shade as it was too warm in the sun ... at least for this almost native northwesterner. Knowing what was ahead of us, we didn't want to sit too long, so Mike, Sharon, and I headed out towards Concrete.


We quickly made it to Concrete, where we turned off and headed towards ... the hill. Having ridden it earlier in the week I knew what we were in store for. However, since we had done it in the dark and fog, I didn't know what it looked like. In the daylight it was more intimidating. The one bright spot was there was less gravel - 4 more days of traffic had packed it down a bit more. My Garmin Edge 705 recorded the climb ... the initial mile or so was generally 11-13 % grade, getting up to 15/16 % occasionally ... and looking at the elevation profile afterwards was entertaining ... it looked like a wall. Nonetheless, we did finally make it to the top. Afterwards it was suggested that anyone (i.e. me) who would knowingly do this hill twice must be certifiably insane. My only defense was I had landed on my head (in part) earlier in the week.

Once we got past the hill, the rest of the way up to Baker Lake was quite enjoyable. I rode much of the way with Sharon from Texas, who was up in the Seattle area visiting her sister and mother. The scenery ... the lush, green forest, the snow caped mountains ... and the sounds ... the babbling brooks and cascading creeks, along the otherwise quiet, smooth, and shady road were definitely enjoyed. The bridge where I crashed on Tuesday was not nearly as intimidating dry and during daylight ... I wondered how I had managed to find the gap and fall in? In any case I easily avoided the gap today.

We made it to Baker Lake Resort, but I almost didn't recognize the place. 7:30 AM on Tuesday it had been almost deserted. Saturday afternoon it was packed ... practically wall-to-wall. I can understand why, as the weather was perfect as was the setting, but it was quite the contrast. As Randannours are want to do, we sat and ate ... although not for long. While there were going to be a few hills on the way back to SR-20, for the most part they were downhill!

The ride from Baker Lake to SR-20 and then Sedro Woolley was fairly easy (aside from an occasional annoying head wind on 20) and took a couple of hours. Sharon and I pulled into the AM/PM, joining Mike, Joe, Andy, Oley, and Frank. I was done, but they were soon preparing for night riding, as dusk and then night would soon be approaching. Then we were off ... they headed off towards Arlington, I went to my car. I wasn't done yet though ... it was time to find Dairy Queen ! I found one in Mt.Vernon and celebrated a great day of riding with a Cherry Blizzard.