St. Helens And Around The Horn

Date: Sunday, May 6th, 2007
Leave: 7:00AM
Return: 12:35PM
Distance: 86.7 miles
Average speed: 17.6 mph

Thankful that Ben was a work-induced DNS since he wanted to meet downtown at 6:30AM (which would have meant leaving the house by 6AM), Justin and I hooked up at the more reasonable time of 7:30AM at the base of the Broadway Bridge. After a quick cup of joe at Anna Banana's, we were off out Highway 30 towards the bustling metropolis of St. Helens, Oregon.

The ride out to St. Helens is super flat with only a couple of low rollers, so we made great time getting out there. I had just bought some new shorts and a new jersey, along with a huge vat of Cytomax, so I was enjoying my new gear. The weather was a little on the chilly side early on, but was fine once we were moving.

At one point in the ride, a huge tour bus came screaming by us, fast enough so that the mirror WHIZZED by my ear. I thought to myself, "dicks." Then, about 2 or 3 miles up the road, that very same bus was pulled over by a cop. "Ha! Dicks" I thought to myself. Another 5 miles or so, we arrived at our turn around of St. Helens, and stopped at Burgerville so I could put a small cheeseburger in my face. Turns out that tour bus was at the very same Burgerville, and they were a travelling marching band, called The Get a Life Marching Band -- a nice, portly group of aged band nerds. One guy asked me, "how far you ridin'?" I answered, "About 80 miles." To which he proceeded to tell all 30 of the other members of the band, "this guy is riding his bike 80 miles! I've never even heard of that! I can't even ride 1 mile!" to which a band mate replied, "That because you're a fat ass Chris." Funny.

The ride back on Highway 30 was nice, and I introduced Justin to the merits of drafting another rider. We parted ways after the St. John's bridge cause he had to get home or something, and I wanted to get a lap around the horn in before closing up shop. I felt pretty good all the way home, and had plenty of legs to stay in the big chainring just about the entire day. I can't wait for Cycle Oregon.