Mike McQuaide

THURSDAY'S SEATTLE TIMES

2008-08-20T19:11:00.000-07:00

Check out Thursday's Northwest Weekend section of the Seattle Times (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2008127969_nwwbakerride210.html) for my story on this year's Ride 542 (http://www.norkarecreation.com/) coming up Sept. 7. Charlie Heggem's added a century ride for folks itching to ride to Artist Point twice (as well as ride the Powerhouse Hill twice), and a 10K Trail Run. And, like last year, there'll be a cyclocross race at Silver Lake Park the day before the hill climb. (If they could only have the 'cross race the day after the hill climb, I'd be all over it.)

FAIR DAYS OF AUGUST

2008-08-12T14:28:00.000-07:00

Northwest Washington Fair last week. Lotsa heat, lotsa sun, lotsa Bake spinning 'round and 'round on the Sizzler. Kid next to him looks like she's holding on for dear life. Or trying to get comfortable so she can take a nap; one of the two.

Rode from Glacier to Artist Point Saturday during what passes for a heat wave here--temps in the 80s! Didn't hear from John or Scott so I headed up on my own. First time riding a big mountain since the Cayuse crack at RAMROD a few weeks ago. Felt good to get this one under my belt. Met a guy named Bob from Edmonds. (That's him below.) He was on his annual birthday ride wherein he rides twice as many miles as his age. He was doing 110 that day. From Maple Falls (I gather) to Artist Point, back to Bellingham and then Lummi Island. Kind of a cool idea. I didn't talk to him that long but he said he'd ridden the Alps, the Pyrenees, Alpe D'Huez, etc. Said he didn't do RAMROD this year b/c he was riding in Colorado and he's not doing the Mount Baker Hill Climb because he'll be in Japan. So I think he's some sort of captian of industry who spends his disposable income in the same way I would were I to have some.

CAMP MUIR - MOUNT RAINIER

2008-08-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

So intrigued was I by the big mountain during last week's RAMROD that on Wednesday past I headed down to Mount Rainier for a story I'll be writing for the Seattle Times about day-hiking to Camp Muir. It's an incredible place, the Paradise area of Mount Rainier, akin to Mount Baker's Heather Meadows-Artist Point Area. Only bigger. Much bigger. Below, a field of magenta paintbrush, which are everywhere up there right now.
From Paradise, elev. 5,420 feet, I set out for Camp Muir, elev. 10,000 feet, just a hair lower than Mount Baker's summit. Once on the Muir Snowfield (not a glacier so no crevasses to worry about), I followed boot track and wands that were still in place from earlier in the summer.
It's a strenous hike--about 5 miles with 4,700 feet of climbing one-way--but after about 3-1/2 hours I arrived at the below-pictured Camp Muir. It's base camp for most of the 10,000-plus folks who annually climb to the summit of 14,441-foot Mount Rainier.
Camp Muir is a whole village unto itself with climbing rangers (who pretty much live up there and have their own hut), a stone shelter for those who want to stay inside away from the elements (and likely wrestle with mice all night long), and several privies.
Below, check out the trail runner descending Camp Muir. I've no idea if he ran up too.

RAMROD 2008

2008-08-01T15:26:00.000-07:00

Team Unattacked attacked the big one, Mount Rainier, on Thursday as Johnny "America's Little Buttercup" Clark, Scott "Pink Boy" Young, and Mike "Cayuse Pass's Whipping Boy" McQuaide, took part in the 25th annual RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day).
At 151 miles with 9,750-feet of elevation gain, it was killer strenuous but truly spectacular. The best ride Scott and John had ever been on, they said. Above, we're about to start our journey at 5:15 a.m. under cover of semi-darkness. Below, check out the cool lenticular cloud hovering like a halo about the summit of 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. The thing grew and expanded throughout the day and at one point looked almost like the rings around Saturn.

Put on by the Redmond Cycling Club (http://www.redmondcyclingclub.org/), RAMROD is certainly one of the best events I've ever participated in. The food is good, the organization and volunteers are tops, and the course can't be beat. There're two big climbs--10 miles up to Inspiration Point and 11 miles to Cayuse Pass, both which top out at roughly 4,700 feet. In between, there's a smaller one to Backbone Ridge, which is fairly harmless.

Below, please note musicians who were up and playing for the pre-ride breakfast at 4:30 a.m. That's a tough gig. (I said to Scott, "Can you imagine having to play music at 4:30 in the morning?" To which some guy who overheard me, said: "Can you imagine having to listen to music at 4:30 in the morning?")

The first climb doesn't start 'til about 60 miles in so there's lots of time to eat, drink, try to warm up (it must've been in the high 40s at the start), as well as find lots of other wheels to tuck in behind. I did RAMROD four years ago and then we road all the way to Paradise, this time they had us top out Inspiration Point, about 600 feet lower. Which I was kind of glad about; for whatever reason, I wasn't feeling super stellar. (More on that in a moment.) The following descent was ridiculously fun, fast, and most important, felt relatively safe, wrote this author who's usually a pretty conservative (not politically, er anything) descender. Smooth roads, not a whole lot of turns, zero to very few cars, and long, long straightaways where you could see far ahead of you.

"There's no amusement park ride that's as fun as that," Scott said. (All the descents were like that in fact: screamin' meamie fun.)
After Backbone Ridge came the 11-mile, 2,500-foot climb to Cayuse Pass where I partook in an involuntary reenactment of Floyd Landis's famous crack on La Toussuire during Stage 16 of the 2006 Tour de France. (That's the one that spurred his epic beer-, testosterone-, whatever the hell else-fueled comeback the following day.) At the bottom of the hill, which starts at about mile 100, I didn't feel good. A mile into it, I felt less good and a mile later, blurted out an inadvertent "Oh fudge!" (or something that sounded like "Oh fudge!") and told the guys, Sorry, but I'm cooked, cracked, knackered, and no good to nobody nowhere. I was like a balloon with the air let out; I had no power at all.

John and Scott were great, super patient and just hung with me as we conquered the hill at a blistering 7 miles per hour! Oh well, as Tony Soprano would say, What'ya'gonna do? Below, see photo of a completely spent McQ after having finally made it to the top.

After the descent, we were treated to sandwiches of our choice and the best tasting icy cold can of Coke I've had in my entire life. From there, it was about 30 miles of downhill and flat during which the indefatigable John and Scott pulled about eight of us into the finish at Enumclaw. Below, that's us at the finish. Our stats: 151 miles with 9,750 feet elevation gain. Eight hours 57 minutes of riding time, about 10 hours and 15 minutes total time. (We finished at about 3:30 p.m.)
Coming up in the next few days: the harrowing story of lost motel reservations, our new digs next door to a casino and airport, and Mike wrestles with a roll-out bed. Here's a photo to whet your appetite:

YET MORE ARTIST POINT

2008-07-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

We tried riding Bellingham to Baker and Back (BBB) back in Juneuary and were rained-, chilled-, and winded-out just past Maple Falls. (Not to mention that John didn't have fenders so every time I rode behind him I'd get a faceful of water; great for a moisturizing my skin but otherwise quite unpleasant.) Recently though, we've had nothing but glorious weather for about three weeks straight, so last Wednesday we got 'er done. An added bonus: we were able to ride all the way to Artist Point. Total ride stats: 120 miles with 7,600-plus feet elevation gain. Photo below is of Artist Point with Mount Shuksan in the background. (Not sure what to make of my somewhat defiant-seeming posture and expression. ) Above, a short vid of John on the final three-mile stretch.

Had another one of those funny (albeit a tad uncomfortable) happenins at Graham's in Glacier where, for whatever reason, they seem to hate cyclists. (Or just us; I'm not quite sure.) On our way up the mountain, John handed the clerk a five dollar bill to which she said, "Y'know, nobody wants your sweaty money. A plastic bag would be nice." She then made a great show of placing the bill in her till as if she were disposing of a dead mouse.

It's not the first time we've earned their ire. And believe me, we wouldn't spend our money there if it weren't the only game in town. (And perhaps some of the folks there wouldn't be so surly if they had a little competition.) But Glacier's got Graham's and Milano's--a great Italian restaurant--and that's it. As it was, we had to stop there on the way back and reload. (I was seein' spots and needed to eat.) Luckily, the dude working there this time was fine.

Finally, my Tour de France prediction made on Monday, the final rest day: Menchov first, Evans second, Van deVelde third.

We're off to New Jersey for family function to say good-bye to me da who passed away in May. (Take it easy, PJ!)

ARTIST POINT ABOUT TO OPEN

2008-07-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Above, Bake and I sumo wrestling. (No explanation needed.)
On Saturday, I made it to Artist Point for the first time this year. The road is clear, not yet for cars, but good enough for me and the dozens of walkers I saw taking advantage of the stunning weather we've been having lately. (I assume the road will be clear for cars by next weekend, about a week earlier than last year. Kinda surprising given this rainy, damp spring and Juneuary we whined about just weeks ago.)

Below see bulldozer poised to doze some of Artist Point's 10-foot snowpiles. It was important to get in some big mountain climbing; RAMROD--Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day--beckons in little more than two weeks.Our lovely sis Kath was here for a visit and of course we took her up the Mount Baker Highway. (Not on a bike, mind you; this photo is about five days previous.) It was a wonderful visit; as usual, way too short, but long enough for her to get hooked on the Tour de France and "Deadliest Catch," and also to look at a few neighborhoods if she decides to relocate out here.
The boy Baker--he of skateboarding fame--and I have been riding lots to Galbraith and the back trails at Padden.
Here he descends Padden ...
... and here he finishes off climbing the Wall at Galbraith which, if you can climb that, you can pretty much climb anything there. Good job, boyo!

JUNEUARY NO MORE

2008-06-29T16:17:00.000-07:00

Summer came to Bellingham this weekend and this time it seems like it's here to stay. John Clark, America's Sweetheart, and I took advantage and headed up the Mount Baker Highway as far as it's plowed, just past the upper ski lodge. (See video above.) It was John's first time up with his compact crank, which I ask him about, and as I pull ahead I make some unintelligable comment about how he better get used to this view.

Here, the boy Baker flies high at the Burlington Skatepark, about 25 minutes south of B'ham. Nice blue sky, huh? We've had it for a few days now and I think we've got two more coming. Last week, the McQuaides welcomed a new addition to the family: a Specialized Tarmac Pro delivered via craigslist. That's me (the proud papa) below trying to nudge John out of the photo opp. Up at the ski area, we went around the gate and kept riding for as far as we could. As you can see the snow banks are still pretty high. Great day. Great ride. About 45 miles with 4,400 feet climbing. Felt pretty darn hot, actually, which isn't too common out these parts. We saw many riders just heading up as we were finishing and we didn't envy them at all.

It won't be our last time up. We've got RAMROD in about a month so we've got to get some big mountain mileage in our legs.

MAILBOX PEAK STORY DELIVERED

2008-06-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Check out today's Northwest Weekend section of the Seattle Times for my story and photos about the trailwork and our recent hike to Mailbox Peak, just east of North Bend. Steepest, toughest trail around though thankfully not that long. (Climbs 3,900 feet in 2.5 miles.) That's Lace Thornberg above, of Washington Trails Association getting to the root of the problem. (That's supposed to be humorous b/c of all the roots you can see. Ahem.)
There's a Mailbox up top and from time to time assorted other kookiness, like the fire hydrant you see above. Here's the story here via the Worldwide International GoogleWeb thing: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2008016454_nwwmailboxpeak260.html

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

2008-06-15T10:31:00.000-07:00

There's me and me da' in the above photo, circa 1967, I believe. (I'm the small one.) Today's Seattle Times' Pacific NW magazine contains a story I wrote about he and I searching for birds among other things. Check it out at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw/2004468939_pacificperson15.html.

WENATCHEE CENTURY, MINI-GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

2008-06-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Headed over to Wenatchee for Saturday's Apple Century Ride. That's a hunnert miles for those varmits who maght not know otherwise. (Watched "3:10 to Yuma" last night, thus the Old West-speak. Wow, what a good movie.) Anyway, this being Juneuary, it wasn't quite the 80s and sunny one hoped for but rather about 60 and partly sunny. But, I'll take it.

I'm an early riser and with rides such as this (which aren't races) you can leave whenever you want. The forecast called for gusty afternoon winds so I figured the earlier the start the better. I was pedaling at 6:15 a.m. Thing is, I was in the minority. I saw three other riders about 10 miles in, another two at 40 miles and that was it. It was a solo 100-mile ride. At the 50-mile aid station, four or five riders came in after me and I thought good, pretty soon we'll all bunch up together and can help push through this wind together (more on that in a second). But it never happened. I never saw anybody again. I know I could've waited but, along with being an early riser, I am the boy who does not like to wait, and I really expected and hoped to turn around at some point and see a train of club riders that I could just latch onto.
Before I continue, let me interject some comments about the above two photos. The top one is from last month's Mount Constitution Hill Climb. As I think you'd understand, I make my son where a helmet at all bicycle time trials. (That's me in the background just about to start.) The photo just above is the drawers and cabinet door of our Wentatchee Avenue Motel kitchenette. They seem to be a tad askew, wouldn't you say. The word catawampus comes to mind. Back to the ride ...

I've done this century twice before. You ride north along the east side of the Columbia, cross over into Chelan, ride along Lake Chelan for about 10 miles, then turn around and after climbing out of the lake basin, return to Wenatchee on the west side of the river. It's beautiful, the river is stunning (and might mighty) and usually the return is straight into a headwind.

This year the wind was seriously schizophrenic, especially on that final stretch. Thirty miles an hour in your face, round a bend and it's a 30 m.p.h. tailwind, round another bend and its from the side and you felt like someone was trying to shake the bike out from under you. Between the giant gorge that the river sits in and the many canyons on either side of it, the wind was whipping up and down, in and out all morning.

At the 75-mile aid station no one came in whilst I was there (not even the two dudes on the lust-worthy S-Works Tarmacs) so I decided wind or not, no one was going to catch me the rest of the way. I finished a little before noon, 5:30 of riding time, totally solo. At the post-ride dinner, some 50-miler riders were there but it wasn't the crush of riders I've seen in previous events. (I know I left early, but one year I left even earlier.) I imagine $4.30-cent gas scared away a lot of folks from other parts of the state who usually do this ride.

Afterward, it was the McQuaide Family Miniature Golf Championships in Leavenworth, in which I proved unbeatable. Then, peanut butter milkshakes at the 59er Diner.

WENATCHEE WEEKEND

2008-06-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

Because lately it's been so hot and sunny in Bellingham (ALERT: An ironic tone is being employed), we are heading over to Wenatchee this weekend for (hopefully) a good ole-fashioned downpour. I'll ride the Wenatchee Century (http://www.applebikeride.com/) while Jen 'n' Bake will likely hit skateparks in Leavenworth and Apple town. Jen shant skate but will likely knit, for those of you scoring at home. Aplets and Cotlets is no doubt on their agenda as well.

Crazy weather, and by that I mean annoying (ALERT: An ironic tone is NOT being employed now), we've been having. Some have taken to calling this Juneuary, which is fitting. As we head over Stevens Pass later today, we're likely to drive through a rain-snow mix. Well 'tis the Northwest, I suppose.

Yesterday I was interviewed as a mountain-bike expert on KGMI, a local radio station. You can hear it here: (www.kgmi.com/news.asp?newsid=10971&page=hearitnow). I'm on segment 1 and 2 and what's really cool is Baker shows up a little at the end of the second segment. Kinda fun.

Back to the Apple Century ride. I've done it twice before. It's beautiful; you ride along the east side of the mighty Columbia River north to Chelan, climb a big hill, then return on the west side. Both times I've ridden it that return leg has been windy as heck, right in the old kisser. Tomorrow's forecast: 25-mph winds in the afternoon. Hmm, guess I'll get an early start.

Oh, and here's a story I wrote about mountain biking in Winthrop that was in The Seattle Times last week:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2004443280_nwwmethow29.html

MOUNT CONSTITUTION HILL CLIMB

2008-05-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Whilst all in Bellingham were preparing to ski to sea, the family and I woke before 4 a.m. Sunday for the drive to Anacortes to catch the 5:35 a.m. ferry to Orcas Island. Our goals: the Mount Constitution Hill Climb time trial (for me) and the dreamy Orcas Island Skatepark for Bake. For Jen: hours of sunshine and uninterupted knitting time in which she began and completed the fetching hat for the boy that you see below.

First, the hill climb. From Rosario Resort at sea level to the top of Mount Constitution at 2,409 feet in 7.8 miles. Take away maybe 3 miles of flat and downhill along Cascade Lake and along the ridge just before the summit and you have roughly 2,600 feet of climbing in about 4-and-a-half miles. Tuff stuff. Held the same day as Bellingham's Ski to Sea (which cuts the area cyclist pool by 800) and requiring a $50-and-up ferry ride to get there, the Constitution Hill climb has yet to draw a lot of riders. Only 20 showed up for this year's race, its third edition, but whatever, the less the merrier. I thought it was a great race. Low key, the islands couldn't be more beautiful, and truthfully, though it may be sacrelig for a B'hamster to say so, Ski to Sea doesn't do much for me. Fanatik's Andrew Leese was the fastest up the hill, setting a record of 36 minutes and some change. I was 43 minutes flat, finishing about 5th. (Results aren't up yet.) Above, that's Charlie Heggem (he the director-guru dude of the Mount Baker Hill Climb) and Richard West, who finished third overall and of course first (and only) in the tandem division. Later, they said they got up to 38 m.p.h. on the Cascade Lake flat. Wo!

The tough parts were right out of Rosario--just a seriously rude hill that went up and up and up for about three-quarters of a mile before leveling out. Later my family had lunch with Richard, Charlie and his wife Kelly, and Richard was saying they'd pushed it a bit on this first hill and that he was in recovery mode for quite a while after. After it leveled out, we cruised through Moran State Park where the smell of campfires and breakfast was extremely alluring. The road tilted back upwards, gradually at first until we hit the Mountain Lake entrance where it got serious. We climbed like 1,300 feet over the next 2-1/2 miles maybe (these are all estimates), the sky clearing, the temperature rising and of course, the views getting better and better. I'd wanted to pre-ride the course, but exhorbitant ferry fares kept me from justifying that. Not quite as steep as the last mile to Mount Erie, the tough Mountain Lake to summit ridge stretch I'd estimate to be about as steep as the steepest part of the Sehome Arboretum climb up at Western Washington University, but for a sustained 2-1/2, 3 miles straight.

Along the ridge at the top, where it flattens a bit before the final evil quarter-mile or so, I'd hoped to be able to really push it, ala Fabian C. time-trial fashion, but I just had no power left. I think I got up to 20 m.p.h. where it was perfectly flat but even the slightest rise gave me serious spots of bother.

Among the folks who finished ahead of me was a fellow riding a 12.67-pound Cervelo SL. Crazy light, and narrow as a shark's fin. I heard him talking afterward and he said that if he and another rider were climbing at the same speed, his power output was probably 40 or 50 watts lower because he had so much less bike to push up the hill.

At lunch, Charlie said he'd had a meeting afterward with the race's director who said that next year he plans to move it to the week before Ski to Sea. Also, Charlie would like to partner with him in the hopes of making the Constitution race part of a series with the Mount Baker Hill Climb. (Which I guess everyone else but me is now calling the Ride 542.) Other Charlie plans: a 2010 running marathon that follows the same Glacier to Artist Point course as Ride 542 and a Sehome Arboretum prologue as part of the 2009 Nooksack Omnium.

Ah yes, and here's the hat Jen finished about 24 hours after she bought the yard at the Bellingham Farmer's Market.
Below is a video of the Bake Boy at the Orcas Skatepark. At the end, I think you can see Jen knitting away.
NOTE: I am forever indebted to Charlie Heggem for at one point during lunch sticking his finger in my ear to kill a mosquito. Charlie, thanks.

SKI TO SEA WEEKEND

2008-05-24T08:14:00.001-07:00

Bellingham's Olympics--the Ski to Sea race--takes place tomorrow. Something that's pretty cool is that our John Clark is featured on one of the posters that's plastered all around our fair county. (That's him above.) I shant be doing the race; I'm headed to Orcas Island where I'll try my hand (and legs) at the Mount Constitution Hill Climb. Afterwards, Bake will skate at the cool skatepark over there and we'll all dine at Bilbo's Festivo. Should be a great day!

PITCHERS 'N' STUFF

2008-05-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Random photos and a video from recent weeks. Above, the Mount Baker Highway on the way to the Mount Baker Ski Area and Artist Point taken a couple weeks ago. (One of the most scenic stretches of the Mount Baker Hill Climb.) It was the week before Scott, John and I rode it. Below, John Clark ridin' Buck Mountain, out Winthrop way.
Below, Bake finishes up Jr. Ski to Sea--that's him in the black shirt and gunny sack hopping to ring the bell. (Teammate Peter has his hand extended for a semi-hi five.) Flowers--arrowleaf balsamroot--along the Buck Mountain trail. Here, John test rides a Kona 29er hardtail. He doesn't seem to like to too much, does he? Post Ski to Sea, Bake makes his PowerAde bottle float in mid-air.
Then lies down, exhausted.

WEEKEND HEAT

2008-05-18T19:19:00.000-07:00

Rode from the D.O.T. shed up to the upper Mount Baker ski lodge today with the venerable Scott Young and sassy John Clark, also known as "America's Sweetheart." Did it twice and Mr. Young, as is his wont, put the hammer down on the second run and it was all we could do to hang onto Mr. High-Cadence himself during the 8-mile, 2,200 foot climb.

It was a hot weekend (for Bellingham in May), a temperature record-breaker and glacial melt was turning rivers such as the Nooksack into veritable ragers. (As the above photo doesn't show at all.) Melting snow and rocks were breaking off on some of the steeper roadsides as the day wore on and Johnny boy almost got clocked by one falling rock.

Below, me (left) John and Scott pose in front of Mount Shuksan, the state's second (or third?) highest non-volcanic peak.
Below, please take note of our Team Unattacked mascot, a creepy green-haired pierrot clown-like thing that gives us inspiration when things get tough.
That was Sunday. Saturday was Jr. Ski to Sea. Check out the boy Baker sprinting away at the start of the obstacle course.

AREA BOY SURVIVES BACON-MAPLE BAR

2008-05-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Nothing quite says Breakfast of Champions like strips of bacon atop a maple bar, wouldn't you say? Bake's been eyeing this thing for weeks at Rocket Donuts but yesterday took the plunge. Today in school, he shared his experience with the class. Would he recommend it? someone asked. No, not really, he said. But at least he took a risk.

Today was a climb up Cleator Road via the 24-pound Fantom CX. Killer climb--1,700 feet (from Chuckanut and Hiline) in 3.8 miles. Subtract about a mile from that for a mostly flat stretch in the middle--1,700 in about 3 miles. Evil.
From the top, I rode (the brakes) down Fragrance Lake Road to an old forest road that lots of folks refer to as the Burnout Road. I've run down it a couple times before from the Lost Lake/Dictionary end of the world and have been meaning to CX-plore up it. Not too far up is probably the best Samish Bay-San Juan Island viewpoint around. See below. It's about a 180-degree view extending far down into Skagit and north to the San Juans and lower BC.
That prominent bump there above is Mount Erie which we rode two weeks ago and I wrote about a couple entries below.

Finally, I'll leave you with some more bacon maple goodness:

SEATTLE TIMES LONGBOARDING

2008-05-08T07:14:00.000-07:00

The Northwest Weekend section of today's Seattle Times has a story I wrote about longboarding. Here's a bunch of photos they didn't end up using, all taken at Interlaken Park in Seattle. The story features James Peters who has longboarded the last two STPs (the 204-mile Seattle to Portland bike ride) and who last weekend 'boarded 208 miles in 24 hours as a fundraiser for Livestrong.
The riders pictured here are Dennis Manougian, Shane Donogh, Sheldon Lessard, Jeremy Geier and James Peters.
Find the story here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2004398520_nwwskateboards080.html

SUNDAY RIDE

2008-05-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

Great ride on Sunday. Out to Sumas and back. For fun we threw in North Pass Road hill and Reese Hill Road (Reese Hell Road), both of which are tilted rather steep, but are not super long. Both hills were enjoyed by those who rode last year's Nooksack Omnium road race.

Above, birthday boy Scott Young, Steve Vanderstaay, and John Clark enjoy froofy espresso drinks while mesmerized by John's bike leaning against the espresso stand. Below, Steve appears to be reprimanding his bike for one reason or another.
We got in 70 miles or so with some fast rotating paceline stretches and team-time-trial wannabe behavior. I felt a little off at times. Not sure why. I had one extended pull where I couldn't really feel anything, not quite bonkish, but close. Had to look down at my computer to make sure I was riding a good speed because it was like I couldn't feel anything. Kinda odd.

Scott was manimal (part man, part animal) on the hills. But only because it was his birthday and we let him. (Yeah, right.)

MOUNT ERIE RIDE

2008-05-02T07:44:00.000-07:00

Ah yes, Mount Erie ...
... let me just say that this is probably the hardest frickin' hill I've ever ridden. (Perhaps contributing to that impression is that Scott Young, this other person, and I had already ridden 40 miles to get there, much of it into those Skagit headwinds.) Mount Erie Road climbs 900 feet in 1.7 miles, 600 of that in the last mile. And the leadup from the south climbs about 400 in probably 1-1/2 miles. Above, see Pinkboy Young doubled over the handlebars in exhaustion and me wearing an expression of a mouth-breathing goober whilst I try to catch my breath.
Afterward, Scott, the other person, and I stopped at the charming Lake Erie Grocery for refreshment. The retired gas pumps were stuck $1.45 per gallon. Below is Mount Erie, also renowned as rock climbing hotspot.

On the way back, we added a loop around Lake Samish and a mini-Donut ride out Marine Drive to total 100 miles. With 4,600 feet climbing. RAMROD, here we come!

BIZY WEEKEND

2008-04-28T06:55:00.000-07:00

It started Friday with the World Rhythm Festival at Seattle where Bake's school had a fieldtrip. Lots of drumming which was cool, Bake took a couple dance classes, and at one point, a giant chess game broke out. Which leads us to ... Saturday, and the Washington State Elementary Chess Championships held at some mega-God.com-type church in Redmond. (That's Jen during a warm-up game with Bake.) Some 1,400 players were there, grades K though 6. It was intense, exciting, and exhausting. Bake hung with his buddie Tristan with whom Bake plays on the Roosevelt Elementary Chess Club. (Cedartree Montessori doesn't have a team but Roosevelt was nice enough to invite Bake to join theres.)
It was Bake's first trip to state, but he did really well, winning three games out of five. For that he scored a trophy, thus we agreed to give him something to eat as well as a ride home. (Sly, winking-type emoticon thing goes here.)
Our hotel room, by the way, had two (counte 'em, two) huge flat-screen TVs. A tad excessive, I must say.Chess was Saturday. Sunday I went down for the Vance Creek (Masters C/D) Road Race in Elma, held in the shadows of that daunting Three-Mile Island-looking thing. Which is apparently mothballed, as I kept hearing it referred. The race had 100 riders and I was one of about seven or eight Fanatiks. It was going to be a learning experience--what's my role here?--so I was eager for that.
John Kodin and Chad Clarke were deemed the strongest and we'd try to protect them, was the plan I'd heard. I'd watch what the other Fanatiks did and try to do the same. The field was huuuge, like 100 riders, and about a mile into it we started a fast, 42-plus mph descent. With lots of gravel on the side of the road and twitchy riders here and there (myself included) it made for an exciting (that is, somewhat frightening) start.

I dun my best to stay near the front, heard the sickening sounds of a crash or two behind me and tried not to suffer too much up what was a pretty big hill. Second time through (it was a three-lap course), I was feeling like I wasn't really contributing at all. (Several of the other Fanatiks were at the very front, pulling through and taking flyers--Tim Reinholtz, Tom Fryer, etc.--but I couldn't quite get there.) As we approached the hill the second time, I wondered if it would be at all helpful for me to just attack off the front, as it were, even if it was somewhat phony baloney. I mean, wouldn't someone from another team go after me and then other Fanatiks could get on his wheel? And wouldn't that be a good thing?

So that's what I did. Pretended I was Fabian C. and went for it. It's funny you feel like you're the king of the world for maybe 30, 45 seconds, riding away--Look Ma, I'm in the lead!--and then you turn around and there's a long line behind you, and you know that in a minute or two (I had no concept of time) you're gassed. And that on this Vance Creek course, you've got a big hill coming right up. But, after I was caught and passed, a couple teammates said "Good job, Mike" and one guy on another team said, "Wo, I thought you were gone," which made me feel good. (I'll take what I can get.)

I was pretty beat starting the third lap and had trouble getting back up toward the front for a long time. Nearing the end, just after a turn, there was a mad scramble to counter the inevitable accordian effect. Just ahead on the straightaway that followed, there was again that sickening smack, someone went airborne and then a vast growing rat's nest of bikes radiating out on all sides. A huge pileup. I was kind of pushed into the gravel on the side of the road and watched as some dude ended up about 20 feet down in a ditch. And of course all the other riders who missed the crash stopped to make sure everyone was OK.

No, that's not true at all. Everyone who didn't go down took off like hell and it was a mad dash to catch up with those who'd been riding ahead of the crash and were now far in the distance. Tom Fryer was like a man possessed, a veritable freight train. I latched onto his wheel and we regained contact with the main group.

Nearing that last hill, I saw that Kodin and Clarke were still near the front and did the same thing I did on the previous lap. Kinda took a flyer for a bit, knowing I had no chance of maintaining it and that I would pay for it by probably finishing near the back of the pack. And that's what happened.

I haven't seen results but I heard Kodin might've been about 12th with Fryer just a few places behind him. Great job. My computer said 39 miles in like 1:40; average speed of 23.5 mph which, to me, just sounds fast.

Afterwards, there were many complaints about the race. Mainly about the downhill start--100 riders going 42 mph at the start of a race; many of whom, including myself, are Cat 5s--and that with such a large field, the races should've been broken up between Cs and Ds. I'm still a new enough racer that I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I will say there sure seemed to be a lot of crashes.

Lastly, here's how to ollie:

First you go like this. (See above.) Then you go like that. (See below.)
Lastly, you end up in the air like this:

CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR

2008-04-23T05:07:00.000-07:00

Huuuuge thrill. I'd written an essay about my father and read it last night during a live taping of the Chuckanut Radio Hour (http://www.thechuckanutradiohour.com/) at Bellingham's Leopold ballroom. Packed house too, like 300 people. Headed up by Chuck and Dee Robinson of Village Books fame (http://www.villagebooks.booksense.com/), the show is kind of a local rendering of "A Prairie Home Companion" complete with live music, comedy skits, readings, etc.

Doug Fine, author of "Farewell My Suburu" (http://www.dougfine.com/), a humorous tome about living green on his ranch in New Mexico, was the featured author/interviewee. Other performers being the venerable Robert Muzzy, the hilarious Alan Rhodes, the dextrous guitarist Walt Burkett and a bunch of others. It was really, really cool being onstage with so many talented local folks.

The show airs Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 9 p.m. on KRME, 102.3 FM. It's show 15, I believe, and I'm on just after the intermission, about halfway. But listen to the whole thing; the show's great! There's also a way to listen to it via the magic of the Superduper International Worldwide Innerwebber thingee but I've not figured it out. Here's that: www.shoutcast.com/directory/?s=kmre.
Big weekend coming up. Bake's school has a field trip on Friday down to the World Rhythm Festival (http://www.swps.org/) at Seattle Center. Saturday, it's the Washington State Elementary Chess Championships (http://www.chessenrichment.net/) in Redmond, and Sunday I'm hoping to do the Vance Creek Master C's race down in WayDownSouthSomewhere, Washington.

Below, apropos of almost nothing, is another video of one of my New Jersey rides from about 10 days ago.

BACK FROM NEW JERSEY

2008-04-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Bake boy and I traveled east to the Garden State for a week to visit family, in particular me ailing pa who does not do well right now. But, as fellow Jersey-ite Tony Soprano would say, What'ya'gonna do?

Perhaps to distract myself from the serious nature of our visit, I borrowed a bike from Chris Kunkel, with whom I graduated Hoval some twenty-nine years ago. He's a Cat 3 racer who recently scored an Orbea Orca. (Lucky Bastard.) He leant me his steel Independant Fabrication ride, which was great fun. That's me above posing rather uncomfortably in front of the Musconetcong River. Despite what you may have heard about New Jersey, there are some really beautiful parts as hopefully these photos show. We stayed at my lovely sister Kath's house (that's how she makes us adress her, Lovely Sister Kath) in Port Murray, a bustling hub of about 6 in Warren County. It's New Jersey's Skylands, as they call it, and while maybe that's a bit hyperbolic it is hilly and mucho pretty.
The hills be not big nor is they long but they're relentless if, like me, you look for narrow, off-the-beaten-path roads. Of which there are hundreds. Many with interesting names like Foul Rift Road. (Near Belivdere on the Delaware River). Above is Guinea Hollow Road, near Cokesbury and Califon. These are tiny towns settled in the late 1600s, early 1700s and the roads I rode were probably traveled by Hessians and Revolutionary War types back in the day.
Chris's bike didn't have an odometer but I had my altimeter and as I said (did I?) I looked for hills. I climbed some 11,000 feet in the three rides I took which probably totalled 120 miles. So that's about the same as RAMROD. (Which I found out the day before I left that I got into--Woohoo!) Unlike RAMROD (http://www.redmondcyclingclub.org/), these are short and steep, not at all long and sustained. I'd be cruising along the Musconetcong at an elevation of 400, then take a right up some winding road and in not much more than a mile, I'd be at 1,000. So it was alot of that--steep ups, steep downs. (Perfect training for Western's North Shore race, which was cancelled last month because of snow.) The photo just above is Turkey Top Road near Beattystown. Did I mention that Chris's rear casette was a 12-23?

Lots of these roads are on the Hillier Than Thou Ride, a killer, hilly painfest put on each September by the Central Jersey Bicycle Club (www.cjbc.org/). One of these years I plan on coming back and riding it though I think it's usually the same day as the Mount Baker Hill Climb (http://www.norkarecreation.com/). On our last full day, Baker and I got in an awesome hike to the top of Point Mountain, which overlooks much of the Musconetcong Valley. It required a little bit of rock scrambling but boy, was it fun. To cap it off, later that night I found a deer tick on my back. Fingers be crossed that I don't succumb to the dread Lyme Disease. And of course let's redirect our hailing from Stijn Devolder to Tom Boonen who, last Sunday, took his second Paris-Roubaix! Can't wait to watch it on Sunday on Versus (www.versus.com/cyclysm).

CLAW FOOT MADNESS

2008-04-07T14:50:00.000-07:00

It all started when our friend Deb, who's a kind-of Feng Shui-Declutter Nazi, convinced Jen that she just had to have claw foot tub. Upon purchase, the tub sat in our living room for months. ...

Then a contractor dude was called in. The demo, as those dang remodel shows on HGTV call it, was next. ...
Then painting and a new floor. Here, an overeager Jen thinks the new tub has already been installed but alas, she's mistaken. ...
Floormaster John Clark was brought in to fix a misplaced hole that was cut in the marmoleum. ...
Vwala! (Voila!) Almost. ...
Here, I try to make a call on the fancy-pants plumbing fixture. ... Bake enjoys a bath in the new claw foot tub apparatus thing. Oh joy! Personally, I'm afraid to go near the thing. But maybe that's just me.
And of course, let us all hail Stijn Devolder who won yesterday's Tour of Flanders. Incredible race and great jersey too.

Speaking of cycling, Floormaster Clark, Scott Young and I have gotten out on some great rides recently. Saturday, we rode the Donut then north to Semiahmoo. Tom Fryer and Steve Vanderstay joined us. Great fun. About 60 miles in all.

Bake and I are off to New Jersey for a week to visit me da. An old high school buddy has a bike I can use so I hope to get some riding in. Should be good; Jersey's got some great rolling hills!

NORTH SHORE (AIN'T) RACE

2008-03-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Been planning for months to do the North Shore Circuit Race this morning, but woke to rain and cold weather in B'ham. No biggie. Drove out to the course where it was snowing and sticking and getting worse. It's a big collegiate race, fundraiser for Western Washington University's cycling team, but they had to cancel the time trial--four inches of snow out at Mosquito Lake Road.

I went back and forth--should I stay or should I go? Stewart thought they'd cancel. Heard a course marshall say they'd delay. Road seemed treacherous to me, especially the long descent on Y Road. So I bagged it. I wouldn't feel comfortable riding it much less racing it. Kinda disappointing but I quickly got on the phone and arranged a ride with John and Scott tomorrow.
UPDATE: All races were cancelled. Truly a bummer for WWU cycling team.

COUPLE MORE CHUCKANUT 50K PHOTOS

2008-03-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

Above left, in the glasses, is Rick Hill, a truly inspirational story from this year's 50K. Last year, a month or so before the 50K, he suffered a stroke, a kind of blood clot in his brain that luckily, doctors were able to treat in time. Thus he whimped out of running last year's race. (Kidding, Rick.)

Here's the thing: this year he runs pretty much his best time ever! (I say pretty much because over the past few years, alterations have made the course a little longer than last time he ran it.) This year's time: 5:47. Way to go, Rick!

Also, please take note of John Schick at the far right, running backwards as he shakes hands with someone on the sideline.

Below, just a perty pic of a runner ascending the Fragrance Lake Trail.