3/28/09

Today I will be riding both road courses. I shaved my legs so I should be fast… or maybe just cold, but I look more like a bike rider now than a Sasquatch.

So off I went to explore some roads that I had never been on. I had my map and some spring cycling clothes on. The forecasts said rain showers here and there in the Gorge and the day before the forecast was partly cloudy, I figured it would be somewhere in between.

The first 12 miles or so were great, tail winds light to no rain and false flats, love in it, even when I hit the long climb up Emerson loop to Kelly Cut Off it was good, I was shelling clothes and listening to good tunes. There was some sort of a foot race going on out this way too. But as we made the turn for The Dalles the skys opened up and the wind was what I would imagine a friend of mine saying it’s a 5 2 day (he is a wind surfer). But hey the rain isn’t going to stay for long so we keep the pace tempo and I am warm anyway but the rain starts getting thick and the drops become heavy and painful so I head back to the hotel before the second loop (stage 4) for a quick costume change and a bite.

As I take off for the scout of the fourth stage I was still a little unsure about my legs for this stage race but the first 10 miles of stage 4 put things in to perspective… I am going to just finish this stage race. 7 mile hill is all of that and maybe a little more. The head wind and cross wind at 7 mph doesn’t exactly help with climbing either. We get to do this climb twice. The first real decision point in the race I can see happening at the second switch back of the climb. The riders will become exposed to the cross wind more and the pitch picks up a bit. If it is raining during the race like it was today the descent will be punishing. The cold shivers from this long windy decent will have anyone begging for climbing again and they won’t have much time to wait. As I passed through Mosier the climb to Rowena Crest begins and has a fair amount of false flats and some steeper sections as well. But the real challenge for the return part of the loop is the descent off of Rowena Crest, although challenging it is quite fun and if the course is dry the descent could be a decision maker on the last lap.

The ride ended with 62 miles of wet, cold, windy miles.

Of course a few minutes later it dried up and the winds calmed. But the tough rides are the ones you remember. It is really beautiful country and I look forward to the race and finishing with the bunch

The TT is false flats all the way to the turn around; the return trip will be fast and windy. Shouldn’t have to come out of the arrow bars.