Stealing Home

This year I was lucky to see so many lands on a bike, came back from Africa to find that I could ride a 400k North and 600K South, that's stealing home plate.
The 400k was lovely, Noel Howes one of my Roomies gave us a Samish treat. Though I have no great taste for raw oysters, there was plenty of Tabasco to make this one go down smooth. Got to see a lot of old friends; Andy Speier, Ken Carter, Kathy and Charlie White, Elaine and Don Jameson, Tom Brett, Steve Davis, Bill Gobie, Jeff Loomis, Peg Winczeski, Steve Davis and More. Much Thanks to the Organizers and Narayan For Very Witty company for most of the ride and Chris Willett for the ride home. East or West Home is Best.
I volunteered to Pre ride the 600K with the Kind Permission of Organizer Albert Meerscheidt.
I met up with Mike Richeson at the start, but for the first time this year I was to ride this Brevet solo.
Started Pedaling from the GuestHouse Motel in Auburn and soon into the warm up climb; Peasley Canyon, a clement one. Ran along the ridge to find a nice bike trail that Albert had thrown last minute into the course which was quite pleasant. Oh boy the first leaves have started falling, and I had a crescent moon.
Through Fife, I get to Tacoma, the Sunrise in Ruston is spellbinding. Then I crossed the Narrows and drop into Gig Harbor, this I have missed. Heading through Olalla towards Port Orchard Ah! I have forgotten how rude Orchard can be. Stopped at Waterman Point a little Pier and Viewpoint, I can see Bremerton and Sailboats enjoying Labor day weekend.
Up from Port Orchard towards Gorst, nice rollers after a little climb, I find the Belfair Valley road to Belfair then the Hood Canal to Purdy Cutoff then to Shelton. No! Wait! cannot blow by the farms just before Purdy Cutoff without Ice cream on a warm day.
Shelton to Matlock  to Brady, look for the Satsop Towers ominous looking. Elma to Montesano (you know the drill). Through Blue Slough to Cosmopolis, I push on toWestport, You cannot miss the Shell station its in your face but you will miss the ocean at Westport. No Worries! continue on SR-105 'cos the ocean lies this way.
By Raymond it is getting a little dark and I load up my Bags and Bladders and get into SR-6. I have been fighting a wind from the west for much of the day, hoping for a big push in the Chehalis Gap, it was not to be, the wind died down. Nothing reasonable open in Pe Ell, no Manna falling in Rainbow Falls, No problem! I was stocked, did not even check at Chehalis,
Had enough left for a night cap at the motel in Centralia. 4-5 hrs sleep, ignored the 24hrs Gas station and Subway facing the Motel, stuffed a couple of pastries from the breakfast hall into my back pockets and gulped a coffee, filled bidons with water and went out to tackle Centralia Alfa.
Now in Cascades foothills, Big meal in the Thriftway in Morton. Sustained Climb and Descent brings me to Elbe where you will meet the worst railroad tracks ever. A segment of DORMAR (reverse RAMROD) brings me to Enumclaw and yes! its Home when I an hating on the flat Green Valley that brings me to the Finish.
Mike Richeson is waiting for me what a Dude! He furnishes me with a cold one applied immediately to the palms to alleviate numbness then I sink it to instigate generalized numbness, good to be home.
Mexican dinner and a ride home what else can I wish for. Stealing Home!

Lind

I had the pleasure of the company of John Pearch and Doug Migden on the Seattle to Glacier Pre-ride.

We Departed from QFC in Mercer Island and rode up to Tully's. We decided to start the ride at Tully's instead and we were off @ 0500. Riding west across the I-90 bridge we figured the "Info Question" and rode down Seward Park to Renton where we found the Cedar river trail to take us to the Mountains. Pretty soon we were ascending as the white river was descending, our objective Chinook Pass. 

Not too many controls on this Brevet but just a good amount of services, we stopped at Cliffdell, Whistlin Jacks for refreshment, cold drizzle was ebbing and Eastern Washington weather was on.

Riding through Yakima reflecting on C1200 of old as we passed through fields of Hops.

After Flat and gusts of wind we made the Vernita Bridge and headed East for Othello.

Just Before Othello Best Western, I made a little detour to the right to the 24hr Burger king for Dinner.

By the time I got to BW the Boys had already gotten their pre-mailed packages and Doc was already in bed. I grabbed mine, took out the fresh shorts and wore them after a shower, then dinner.

A little overconfident I might add, after a good nights sleep we left for Lind almost at Othello closing time. Immediately hit a ten mile stretch of  fresh chip-seal and was glad that I had my Thompson 650B with Hetre's, though I had suffered one flat earlier and put on a brand new tire.

Then we hit Lind Hatten road which my Buddy's joked was a "Pre-Road" So the control at Lind is three hours and change away,  What me worry? We were determined to, and we made it. Type 2 fun Sir Hugh would call that stretch, no worries we re-routed. 

After refueling at Lind it was on to Colfax and the rolling Palouse, we pushed to make time in the bank.

Refueling at Plummer Idaho, we hooked up with the Couer D' Alene

bike trail, 55 miles of flat in the beautiful lights of the dusk.

Destination Kellogg, John and I stopped just before the GuestHouse Inn at Walmart where we find all kinds of microwaveable stuff for late Dinner

Rise and shine the last day, two hours before Kellogg closing time, we back track on the trail to the Town of Enaville.

And follow a river grade before it kicks up to Thompson Pass.

Then down to Thompson Falls where Minnies never disappoints.

After filling the bellies with good stuff, roll down the MT 200.

To Wild Horse Plains.

To catch the MT 28 to bring us to the Lovely Flathead Lake.

But it is not over yet there are some killer rollers on US 93 to Kallispell.

Geoff  "GPS" Swarts has found some ways to limit the harshness of traffic, rumble strips. and debris on the shoulder of US 93 but there is some loose gravel and a little more navigating involved and perhaps in the dark. 

We make Lakeside to find Dairy Queen closed but the gas station is open, still a little too early to start celebrating.

The Motely crew make Whitefish, morning rental car to Glacier.

Effing Monarchs!

Big Sky!

Retreating Glaciers!

Thanks Geoff for invaluable help with routes, John for immeasurable energy, photos and enthusiasm, Doc for constantly preaching safety and Kole for help with Excel.

Check out also!

http://spokesong.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-unsupported-ride.html

http://spokesong.blogspot.com/2009/06/blue-shirt-runs-through-it.html

Overnight @ Forks

Forks somewhat famous as the base for Stephenie Meyers Twilight series, will be your overnight on the "Watery" 600k. Perhaps by the time you have slogged 55k from Kalaloch you will have a taste for some blood too. Some may Flash by, do not forget to get your cards signed at the Control; The Forks Motel. Others after signing their cards may decide to push on to La Push before returning to sleep in Forks, this will cost a 5k Bonus (not really that much) if they really want to shorten Day 2.
Plan for the places you want to see in daylight, but I believe Day 2 is a little  more lumpy, something to bear in mind.
No doubt you will need Glycogenated muscles on leaving Forks no matter the plan. We Plan for Pasta and Rice. Meaty and Vegetarian Sauce, as well as the usual beverages for Dinner, a brew of  Tea, Hot Chocolate or Perhaps.... may make sleep come easier. For Breakfast, Oatmeal, Cereal, Fruit, Sausage and the B word Bacon. and certainly coffee.
Please do not hesitate to email me directly if there are any special circumstances.
vmuoneke at comcast dot net

Alplet Plus

Alplet Plus
Duwamish Curse
A human Test
Or a Masochist Quest
Eleven hills ensconced in marine mist and cloud
Like so many bosoms in a shroud

Today Hugh Kimball despite some northwest showers and a rear flat tire, fulfilled that quest single speed, now being the only rider to have completed the Alps, Alplet and Alplet plus and any combination of these 3 single speed. If a tree falls in the forest and no one observes it did it really fall?  I was there to observe these feats, just the Observer, the Knowing Body.
Congratulations Sir Hugh.
Hugh Baby!

Oly 300K pre-ride

Organizer Rick Blacker, Mark Thomas, Millison Fambles and I pre-rode the course for the Olympia 300K yesterday, to put final touches on the work done by previous riders who helped develop the course. It was a pleasure to ride with strong riders with an intimate knowledge of the local roads.
Someone must have ordered the weather, no fjording of rivers, and surprise! no gravel.
The parking situation at the start, at the Safeway on Cleveland street in Tumwater was of concern, we thought it best to park if you arrive by motorcar at the Motel 6 in Tumwater and ride 2 miles to the start at Safeway.
Leaving a little after our start time of 0700 we headed out eastward for the first control at the Town of Rainier, there are a few conveniences there, mostly gas stations, that early in the ride little else was needed, most likely there will be someone there to sign cards.We followed the bike trail and relatively quiet roads to Centralia where there will be all kinds of services available. Fill up and head for the Iconic Centralia Alpha road, there will be no more local services until Mossyrock.
Centralia-Alpha will present the first significant Climb and a series of deep rollers, great vistas on a pretty day. Do not miss the Info Control as you  continue East on the WA 508, a right turn at this point will take you to the Scenic Ike Kinswa State Park and quiet fishing on Mayfield Lake. A little climb from the park will take you across US 12 into Mossyrock.
I picked a Burger, Fries and Shake at one of several establishments, for quicker "on the fly" service there is a gas station right at the crossing of US 12 and there is a grocery store in town.
Refreshed we set out to hunt down our next Info control answer, climbing up to a ridge and then descending back into US 12.
On the Highway just a little climb due West out of the Cowlitz River Valley, then quite expeditiously we get off the highway and continue West on quieter local roads albeit a bit lumpy. Eventually we cross I-5 on an overpass and join WA 506 to the town of Vader, the Control is at the J&G Grocery, there is and associated restaurant that will let you use the bathrooms.
There will be two notable climbs and descents to bring you from Vader to Pe Ell, concentrate on the scenery and if you find, like we did some buzzards on this stretch they are not waiting for you.
Control and Rest stop at  PE-Ell, by now we were all eager now to decaffeinate the ride.
As Millison intuited a gentle push from the West by Mother Nature in the Chehalis gap produced the fastest segment of the course (in Paceline). After a quick control stop in Centralia, headed north to Finish at the Motel 6 in Tumwater.
This was a relaxing 300K I started off a little woody in the legs and drifting in the mind but got more and more into it. It took us well under 15hrs including a sit down meal and two moderate rest stops.
My VDO records 6500ft. cumulative ascent.
Have a great Ride out there and see you on the road.

Vinny

eek!

Each week, I seek

To get a slightly different peek

At what's weak

Blew up on Lavers peak

At the Zoo between a raptors beak

Tragedies somewhat Greek

Coasting with no paddle down shit's creek

Be meek, but don't freak

Words to myself I speak

Reach out for the inner geek

They say wool don't reek

Do not be afraid to tweak

Come ready to patch any leak

Loose all you need to be sleek

Grow hard as African Teak

The Great Southern Debacle

I heard somewhere that success has a thousand fathers and that failure is an orphan.

I accept this child, to whom I sing this rendition of the Andrew Lloyd Webber song performed so memorably by Yvonne Eliman.

I don't know how to take things?

I don't see why it so moves me?

It's a ride, just a ride.

And I've done so many rides before

In very many ways

It's just one more

Should I put it down? 

Should I scream and shout?

Should I speak of fear?

Let my feelings out?

I never thought I'd come to this

Whats it all about??????

Thanks Audax Australia