HIGHWAY 20 ROAD BIKE RIDE

Headed down to Highway 20 yesterday to ride a bit of the more-than-stunning North Cascades Highway as research (and a helluva lot of fun) for my upcoming Classic Road Rides book. Super duper incredible is all I can say. I rode from Newhalem to Mazama--60 miles with 6,319 feet of elevation gain and a profile that looks like this:

Basically, one long steady hill from mile 18 to mile 42. Not ultra steep or anything, just fairly relentless with two steep sections--the one leading to Rainy Pass at mile 38 and the one right after which climbs back up to Washington Pass four miles later. From there, it's a crazy fun descent for 18 miles into Mazama.

 

Truthfully, I'd always been afeared of that descent because it looked daunting. Like no matter what you did--even if you dragged both feet, threw out an anchor, had two flat tires, etc.--you wouldn't be able to keep from going 65 mph. Given my still-healing collarbone I liked not the prospects of that. But I can honestly say it wasn't bad at all--no worse than the Mount Baker Highway down from Artist Point or the road down from Sunrise. My top speed was only 37 mph, fairly pedestrian, but quite comfortable for me right now. (It may have helped that I had a slight headwind on the way down; this likely helped keep down my speed.)

Incredible ride and my oh my, but I do love the Methow Valley. I, and my Specialized Tarmac Pro, shall be back.

A shouts-outs to my sister Kath (and trusty dog Roy), who drove the Team Unattacked team car offering support, sunscreen, sandwiches and the like. (Kath drove, not the dog.)

MILEPOST GUIDE TO NORTH CASCADES HIGHWAY IN SEATTLE TIMES

Click here for today's Seattle Times about the stunningly beautiful North Cascades Highway, particularly the stretch from Marblemount to Winthrop.

At the top is the wide, sweeping bend at Washington Pass, kind of the pivot point between Eastern and Western Washington. Just above is the aquamarine waters of Diablo Lake below Colonial Peak. Below is some sheriff dude in Winthrop. John Clark on a cell phone too.
(Anybody know if there's anything truth to the story that Ted Bundy, as the limo driver for Governer Stevens at the 1972 opening ceremonies, was the first person to drive across the North Cascades Highway? Seems sorta urban myth-ish.)

Looking forward to riding the highway on my bike, hopefully in the next month or so if the clavicle will allow it. Definitely one for my book.

COLLARBONES, HIGHWAY 20 AND MORE

Yesterday was seven weeks since clavicle surgery and after my 42-mile Colony Road ride astride the sleek, elegant Tarma Pro, I noticed that my scar looked a tad funky. Like reddish, hot spottish, and perhaps a little infected-looking. Me liked not that. Called my surgeon's office and luckily they were able to see me earlier this morning. Alas, nothing (prolly) to worry about. Possibly just the remains of a stitch that hasn't quite melted in. Gave me some antibiotics for whatever infection might be festering there and assured me that I didn't have to cut back on my activities or anything. Right on!

"You able to get out on your bike at all?" Dr. Bergman asked me.

"Actually, quite a lot," I answered somewhat sheepishly.

"Good, good, good," he said.

I repeat: Right on!

Last weekend it was 30 road miles on Friday, 40 road miles on Saturday, and two hours of mellow Interurban Trail mountain biking on Sunday. The back-to-back-to-back rides feel like they're bringing back but quick which I kinda need. I've just started working on a road biking book of Washington State and with my quick deadline, I need to get in a lot of road rides pretty quickly. 

I've been able to run (albeit very slowly) about four times in the last 10 days. It doesn't hurt my collarbone, but I've probably felt the repetitive arm swing motion of running (in my muscles) more than anything else since I upped my activity level about three weeks ago.

Book work and Bake being off from school means I haven't gone walking with Mellow Johnny Boy Clark for a while. But he came along last week when I drove to Winthrop for a Seattle Times story I wrote and that will be in next Thursday's paper and on the website. He took the above pic of me near Washington Pass below Liberty Bell.

We saw a lot of folks riding Highway 20 that day including Mitch and Ryan Kiesler, the below father and son duo. They'd started two days earlier in Anacortes and were taking the next 65 days to ride to Connecticut. Good for them! Mitch, the dad who will turn 50 during the ride, said his bike with all the gear they were carrying, weighed 70 pounds. Weight weenie that I am, that sounds absolutely frightening. Here's the blog they're keeping following their progress.   

And of course, here's some random stuff:

A cool waterfall near Washington Pass.

Mellow Johnny sans sling near Washington Pass.

Eleven-year-old Bake McQuaide in his improv class at the Upfront Theatre.