Robert O
Well-Known Member
I was out yesterday for an 82 mile ride, as one of the Brisk pace ride leaders in Cascade Bike Club's training series. The route we rode was one we'd done the past few years during the series. I woke up Saturday, and I just wasn't feeling it. I was watching the weather, and almost hoping it'd pour and we'd scrap the ride. Although it was raining hard on my end of the county a couple of hours pre-ride, the forecast up north was looking just iffy. So, I packed up the V20 and headed into Seattle.
Sure enough, ride time it was just threatening, not raining where we were. Off we went, heading north up the west side of Lake Washington. 13 miles in was the first big hill, a mile and a half to climb out of Woodinville and up onto the ridge between the Sammamish and Snoqualmie valleys. I hung near the back of the group for about half the hill, and then started passing people up. I hit the top thinking, "that wasn't as bad as I remember".
Next challenge was out around mile 36, where we took a turn off of Old Owen Road out of Monroe. Last year, I had really had to fight my RWD high racer up that hill, and in previous years, I had to pedal stand my carbon fiber Squadra Team DF bike up that thing. I'm not a big guy, and I've had problems with my front wheel spinning out on steeper climbs, so I drifted to the back with a buddy of mine as we approached the climb. We started up the hill, and in about 15 seconds I was calling "passing on your left, Mike", as I burned past him. As I continued upslope, I passed a number of other riders, and I got to the top thinking how different the climb was from my memories of prior years.
I knew there was one more steep climb, though. As we came back in from Sultan, we were going to climb Fales Road in mile 61. Fales and the long climb up Downes Road beyond had been more pedal standing territory in previous years on the Squadra, and I knew that I'd be lucky to get up the hill still mounted. There's a stop sign on Elliott Road at the turn onto Fales, so there's no momentum to be had at all. We hit that turn, and I took a wide turn to get around the high crown of the intersection. Next thing I knew, I was cranking past other riders on the way up Downes, as if it was just some gentle slope.
As we were hauling back on the flat to get down to the start point, everyone was talking about what a tough day it had been. Me? I was trying to figure out what had kicked my butt all those previous times. And, I was definitely not the ride leader complaining about how uncomfortable his saddle was!
Sure enough, ride time it was just threatening, not raining where we were. Off we went, heading north up the west side of Lake Washington. 13 miles in was the first big hill, a mile and a half to climb out of Woodinville and up onto the ridge between the Sammamish and Snoqualmie valleys. I hung near the back of the group for about half the hill, and then started passing people up. I hit the top thinking, "that wasn't as bad as I remember".
Next challenge was out around mile 36, where we took a turn off of Old Owen Road out of Monroe. Last year, I had really had to fight my RWD high racer up that hill, and in previous years, I had to pedal stand my carbon fiber Squadra Team DF bike up that thing. I'm not a big guy, and I've had problems with my front wheel spinning out on steeper climbs, so I drifted to the back with a buddy of mine as we approached the climb. We started up the hill, and in about 15 seconds I was calling "passing on your left, Mike", as I burned past him. As I continued upslope, I passed a number of other riders, and I got to the top thinking how different the climb was from my memories of prior years.
I knew there was one more steep climb, though. As we came back in from Sultan, we were going to climb Fales Road in mile 61. Fales and the long climb up Downes Road beyond had been more pedal standing territory in previous years on the Squadra, and I knew that I'd be lucky to get up the hill still mounted. There's a stop sign on Elliott Road at the turn onto Fales, so there's no momentum to be had at all. We hit that turn, and I took a wide turn to get around the high crown of the intersection. Next thing I knew, I was cranking past other riders on the way up Downes, as if it was just some gentle slope.
As we were hauling back on the flat to get down to the start point, everyone was talking about what a tough day it had been. Me? I was trying to figure out what had kicked my butt all those previous times. And, I was definitely not the ride leader complaining about how uncomfortable his saddle was!
