PERFECT DAY FOR A SKAGIT SPRING CLASSIC

Absolutely perfect day today at the Skagit Spring Classic. Headed down with Ti Cowboys John and Scott for 104 miles of whole-grain pedaling goodness. Met a real nice dude, Shawn from Vancouver, B.C., all six-foot-four of him (finally, Scott had some he could draft off of), who rode with us for the last 50 miles, sort of as an unofficial Titanium Cowboy. Interesting tidbit re: above photo. Just moments after shooting it I dropped my camera and then rode over it with my back wheel. But the camera still works! As evidenced by ...

... this post-ride shot!

Things started out chilly--perhaps 50--but soon enough we warmed up as we headed north up Chuckanut Drive. Always amazing, that one! After skirting B'ham, we headed down toward Lake Samish and Whatcom and Sedro-Woolley and well, check my Strava file below if you want the route. Along with temps that eventually climbed to the mid-70s, here're some things stick out in my mind: the rather inappropriate mile-long Grip Road hill at the 63-mile mark, the even more inappropriate Bow Hill (westbound) at mile 82 (though at least there, someone in a devil's costume provided comic distractions) and the afternoon Skagit Flat winds that wreaked havoc upon your author.

We'd been riding for five hours, hammering for the last 2-1/2 after Shawn joined us and at mile 93, I had to sit up and concede that I couldn't hold on to these 22 mile-per-hour wheels anymore. So we brought it in a little slower (thanks, guys!) and were beat but pleased with our 5:32 ride time.

B'ham's Richard James with the Devil.

We met some real nice people today including Tom from Edmonds (I think), who bought my book yesterday from a shop in Anacortes. (Thanks, Tom!) He said he's thinking of trying to ride all 75 rides this summer. That'd be cool (as well as 4,800-plus miles!). I wish I'd gotten his contact info so that I could keep tabs on his progress. So Tom, if you read this, please contact me.

FIRST HUNDRED MILER OF 2010!

The Titanium "Scott Young" Cowboy and I got out for our first hundred miler in a while on what was our first road ride since maybe last June or so. (We've been riding mountain bikes almost exclusively for a while now so it felt great to get out on our sleek elegant machines.) Super fun, super great. Weather couldn't have been any better and in fact, I think this is the first time I've ridden 100 this early in the year.

From B'ham, we headed south on Chuckanut Drive to the Skagit and over to Samish Island. Throughout the day we probably saw 50 eagles, 100 or so swans, countless great blue herons and even more countlesser daffodils and tulips. It's OK that I took photos of the purty flowers and even one of Scott in front of the flowers, innit? (See at the bottom of this post.)

From Samish Island, we continued south to La Conner--see pic of Scott drinking coffee whilst eyeing Rainbow Bridge (which is also the title of a Jimi Hendrix album I once had)--and then points inland and upland and though we tried like heck to avoid it, we eventually found ourselves climbing Bow Hill Road.

From there, up to Lake Samish, which we lapped twice because we realized we were a little short on mileage, and then back to B'ham. A hundred miles in 5:47. And now I eat. And eat.

WORDS TO FOLLOW

Friday, took me sister down to the Skagit Flats area to see snow geese by the thousands. A couple bald eagles flew by and sent the geese skyward in a tizzy. (Whereupon various hunters, unfortunately, took aim and brought down a few. Seemed a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, if you know what I mean.)

Saw a couple dozen bald eagles too, including this regal eagle high above the banks of the Skagit River.

That was Friday; Saturday Mellow Johnny, the Titanium Cowboy and I rode together for the first time since TC broke his scaphoid in the late '50s--I mean, August. Took the Interurban up to Fragrance Lake Road to Burnout Road, which boasts the best Samish Bay-San Juan Islands viewpoint on Chuckanut Mountain. (Saw our trail angels Laura Todd and Val Thompson on the way up.)

Scott turned around here, John and I continued up where things get nasty--four really, really steep pitches, the last of which is unridable now because of some huge drainage ditch-culvert thingees that've been dug into the road. Walked our bikes that last bit then had the fun, screaming descent partway down So Easy before detouring over to the Dictionary, the Lost Lake Trail and back through Arroyo Park.

Sunday, Steve "Professor" Vanderstaay joined Mellow Johnny and I for a couple hours on Galbraith, me pretending I'm hard-core by riding the single-speed. Mega-fun. (In the afternoon, Clark and I saw the Cody Rivers Show which, again, was brilliant.)

Shot of Mount Baker from the Skagit Flats.