Doesn’t matter if we are sufficiently trained for this ride yet, we are going after it!
The event is posted on our calender for Saturday, May 19th.
Reach the Beach Century bike ride is next.
1 Reply
Monthly Archives: May 2007
Reach the Beach is this Saturday
OK, now the bike season is fully underway. We are well past the Monster Cookie, and Ride Around Clark County. The weather is turning nice, and it’s time to get serious. Actually the ride has snuck up on us this year. We registered late, spontaneous , oh heck why not register type of moment. No matter that is has been two years since we have done a century, and given our schedule now, no chance of doing more than 62 miles previous to it. We have jumped in and seem to be destined to give it a go this year. Slightly new starting location this year, which they promise will skirt around the steep climbing that started this ride in previous years. And, they promise better food which has always been the the number one problem with this ride in years past. Or, is the big problem the bus rides back home, I can’t decide. Anyway, we have our numbers, bus tickets, and most importantly, our T shirts. We can’t keep the shirts if we don’t do the ride, so stay tuned. This century doesn’t include a great deal of climbing which seems odd for a ride to the coast, but there are winds. Looks like maybe rain this year. In years past we have had hail. The rain can’t possibly hurt more than that. 7:00 bus reservations back home insure that we aren’t over stressed about the time. This will be my 5th Reach the Beach. And the 4th time for the Century route. Last time we did the metric century and felt so guilty about all the applause we got at the finish, we vowed to never do the short routes again. The full century to the coast feels like a great personal accomplishment. All the shorter routes just leave us unfulfilled.
70 Expert Ideas For Better CSS Coding
I seem to have a thing for Tips Lists.
There has been a lot of talk about the advantages of using CSS in your web page writing.
Smashing Magazine has put to together a great list of things I would like to try.
Commuting again.
We got to ride in to work today after a 2 week layoff. I was just getting over my cold when Honey got hers. It was a clear and chilly ride, and we had enough time to take it easy due to the layoff and the fact Honey is still coughing and tired. We agreed on a small route change along North Shore in Lake Oswego, that essentially replaces one long steep climb with several shorter steep climbs. Little easier to manage, and with good speed, you can really shorten the difficult grinding parts. I already have my bag of stuff that includes a change of clothes in the locker room, but since it has been 2 weeks since I checked on it, I took a new full set of clothes in my pannier. Getting to work, and not having clothes to wear once I get there is not going to be a good thing, hence the backup set. I have noticed that since I am still so warm after riding and having a hot shower, that the cold clothes coming out of my pannier feel really nice.
Discovery Channel 2007 Giro d’Italia lineup announced.
The 2007 Giro d’Italia Lineup
Yaroslav Popovych
Volodomyr Bileka
Steve Cummings
Pavel Padrnos
Jose Luis “Chechu†Rubiera
Tomas Vaitkus
Brian Vandborg
Jurgen Van Goolen
Matthew White
The Giro is the first three-week stage race of the year and the major event preceding the Tour de France. After the Ivan Basso resignation from the team, followed by his seemingly partial confessions to his involvement in blood doping, it would appear that this year , the squad will focus their efforts on placing team leader, Yaroslav Popovych, as high up as possible in the overall standings.
According to Sean Yates, Discovery Channel lead Sports Director for the Giro…..
“[Ivan] Basso leaving our squad was certainly a loss but is not a disaster,†said Yates. “Popo was always preparing to do a good Giro and I think he is on form. If all goes right for him I think he can be on the podium like he has been in the past.†“Aside from working for Popo we will try to win at least one stage and wear the leaders jersey too, but that can be complicated and waste energy. We have a strong group of guys with a lot of experience in grand tours and Popo will need all of their help and wisdom to get him onto the podium.â€
Typically, their Tour de France lineup includes some, but not all the riders of the Giro. And they do not select the same leader for both. Though they possibly would have with Ivan. So, what does this mean for the Tour?
Coming up next, is my prediction of the selections for the 2007 Tour de France. Continue reading
Bike/Pedestrian bridge over Clackamas is still closed.
Way back in August of 2006, a brush fire damaged the south span of what is sometimes referred to as the Park Place bridge, a bike/pedestrian bridge over the Clackamas river, near Cross Park in Gladstone. Owned by Clackamas County Service District 1, it also holds the diversion sewer pipeline between the North Clackamas sewer system and the Tri-City sewage treatment plant. It also provides the best access from Milwaukie/Gladstone to the Oregon City area, the north side of the Clackamas, and to the soon to be developed Willamette river slough at Oregon City. We ride through the park often, during training rides. The bridge is on our commuting path, and without this access, riders must ride down to, and cross over, McLoughlin Blvd, and then cross the river on the sidewalk of the Dr. John McLoughlin Memorial Bridge. Continue reading
Bike ride TO Sauvie Island.
Many bicyclists love to ride on Sauvie Island. We are not one of them. Yes, the area is rural and flat, but we find the shoulderless roads and inconsiderate drivers a very bad combination. I ride TO Sauvies Island. Just to look at the bridge. The new bridge construction is now underway, directly next to the old span. Pictures are posted on the GoLiNiel Bridge pictures page.
Some highlights of last Saturdays 47 mile ride.
- The water level of Oaks Bottom is very low, and it seems to be filling with more vegetation than I remember from past years.
- Huge used car sales day has taken over Oaks Park.
- Stumbled upon the new Sauvie Island Bridge span being built at Port of Portland Terminal 2
- Cinco de Mayo festival has taken over Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
- Took many more pictures of the work on the new bridge. They should be posted soon on the GoLiNiel Bridge pictures page.
- The “Bridge Diner†constructed as an old time diner, as a movie set for Untraceable, under the Morrison Bridge is completely gone. No visible trace it was ever there.
- Heading back down front spotted the old beat up looking Dockside Inn, a little restaurant that almost looks abandoned from the outside, but was clearly packed with a lunchtime rush. On sunday there was an article in the Oregonian about that restaurant. Wierd.
133rd Kentucky Derby Results
First off, gotta say 2 hours of TV coverage for a race that lasted 2:02.17, seems a little excessive if you are not a horse lover. However, Tivo makes at all bearable, giving us the ability to zoom past the endless pointless interviews to get to the heart of the matter, the final results. Those results are:
7, Street Sense, Borel, 11.80, 6.40, 4.60
8, Hard Spun, Pino, 9.80, 7.00
2, Curlin, Albarado, 5.60
Those results did not match up with my picks, though IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY did finish 4th, just out of the money. And this after being dead last at the halfway point of the race. Maybe next year……
The Kentucky Derby is just about to start.
It’s Derby weekend in Louisville. I have been to Churchill Downs, but not during the derby. It is a great place to see, with lots of obvious history and tradition. Pretty cool museum with 260 degree theater. And last time I was there I picked up an awesome necktie with the twin spires. OK maybe not so awesome if you don’t get what it is all about. Honey was in the infield one year. An experience she doesn’t seem eager to repeat. My brother-in-law works security there and has crazy stories. I am not a horse person, and know virtually nothing about it other than what I see on the TV, but, here are my picks for this 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby.
With my first bet, I am betting on Sedgefield. Picked in the number 1, inside slot, technically it has a shorter route to the finish. The jockey has a nice pink “silk”. (They call it silk, every other sport on the planet calls them jerseys.) And, he is the long shot at 50-1. Gotta go with the underdog.
My second bet is going on “IMAWILDANDCRAZYGUY” he also is a very long shot, but he is a pretty color, and ……well I admit, he gets my pick on name alone.
So, now I wonder if I can place a bet somewhere?
43 Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid
In designing websites, and improving skills in website design, we learn in a variety of ways. One way is the learn by trying, or the just poking around method. That is the ‘what does this button do’ approach. This method can be further enhanced by the, ‘I know what I want to do, I just need to figure it out’ method. Another method we often use is to just look at what other people are doing and to learn from what is already being done. And, there is the more traditional reading & research method. Today we use the latter method, in referring to ’43 Web Design Mistakes You Should Avoid’ list provided by Pro Blogger Tips. To view those mistakes…. Continue reading
The RACC is Saturday, May 5th.
The Ride Around Clark County, hosted by Vancouver Bicycle Club, is a great ride. And not just because they consistently put out the best ride T-shirts. (………….. except Cycle Oregon, or………. maybe Reach the Beach.)
For more on The Ride Around Clark County
The RACC
The Ride Around Clark County – Hosted by Vancouver Bicycle Club.
The ride is set for May 5, 2007.
This should be my 6th RACC.
In past years, this ride was on the Saturday before the Monster Cookie ride that is on Sunday. It made for a good back-to-back training weekend. Lately the rides have split by a weekend, likely to benefit the more riders that prefer to have them split. Guess that’s ok too.
All distances start and finish at Clark College on Fort Vancouver Way. The climb at Felida comes very late in the ride and is very steep and challenging. If you take care not to get stuck behind a slower rider that is caught unaware you should then be ok.
18-MILE LOOP: This loop travels east through Cascade Park and back.
34-MILE LOOP: This loop travels east around Lacamas Lake and back to Clark College. (1,000 ft. elevation gain)
65-MILE LOOP: Loop travels east, around Lacamas Lake, then north through the hills of Hockinson, through Battle Ground, to Daybreak Park, west through Ridgefield, then south through Felida and back to the finish at Clark College. (3,000 ft. elevation gain)
100-MILE LOOP: Loop travels east, around Lacamas Lake, then north through the Hockinson hills to Battle Ground, continuing north to Yacolt & Amboy. Riders then head west on a new route through the scenic Cedar Creek / Lewis River area, and south through La Center (revised route for safety) to Daybreak Park. Riders proceed west toward Ridgefield, then south through Felida and back to the finish at Clark College. (4,800 ft. elevation gain)