This looks like an awesome ride and an awesome route. Is it in my future? I LOVED RTB Oregon….
Team F5 is the first team out of the start line chute!
Lance invited me to join team F5 with him and his fellow work buddies. I rode Bike MS Washington once before and decided I would only do it again with a team. Well, being part of team F5 made it better than ever. F5 went above and beyond as a host. I felt welcome, cozy, and well-appointed. One of the team captains commutes to work from near where I live. The other team caption made his famous “loaf”. This “loaf” comprised of some 15 or more boxes of rice crispies, cocoa crispies, chocolate chips and a year’s supply of marshmallows. It sat in a large plastic tub, bigger than you would wash your dishes in. One sliced off what they wanted with a long knife. The treat was both delicious and strangely satisfying. He also made tasty (and strong) margs’ for everyone. Many F5’ers rode with their teenage children. Three other riders had white Specialized Roubaix’, just like mine.
Starting the ride first, as an award for being on the “number 1 fundraising team”. Hearing all the cheers and the Harley’s roaring for us.
The cheerful cheerleaders at the Deception Pass stop, “5-6-7-8-who do we appreciate-THE BIKERS-THE BIKERS”
The really friendly “Disney VoluntEAR” wearing Minnie Mouse ears who told us all about the route for the rest of the day in pro tour-guide fashion.
Watching birds crack open clamshells by dropping them on the bike path right in front of me.
Riding through crops with identifying signage; potatoes, wheat, cover crop.
The cornfield that advertised, “We have big EARS” and pictures of Alfred E. Neuman’s bastard children.
The lone beer drinkin’ dude on a truck at the Chuckanut Brewery’s nuthouse cheering us on.
The couples sitting out on their porch overlooking Padilla Bay and waving Pennsylvania style.
Aussie Bites at the rest stops.
The numerous volunteers who watched traffic for us and were fun and cheerful
The chapter president met us and remembered my name.
The large number of other white Roubaix bikes like mine.
That massive flock of birds that took flight right as we passed, turning the sky all around us black for a moment.
Stopping traffic to cross the Deception Pass Bridge, creating a massive backup and nobody went road-rage about it.
The flocks of people cheering their brains out at the finish line. This is how the rides should be!
Watching cyclists do the “I Ride with MS Victory Lap” and not turning into a sobbing mass. Although someone was cutting onions nearby.
The coolest SAG wagon; a federation starfleet jeep.
Riding past Lake Erie. I was born in Lake Erie. Who knew I was a west coast native?!
The forecast called for 75 degrees and overcast, in line with the weather the whole week leading up to the ride. I felt pretty confident we would be treated with the same pleasant temperatures. It was the last minute that I decided to toss in a rain jacket and a fender. I didn’t bring and sleeves, legs, or any of my numerous warm weather gear. Murphy’s Law, perhaps? I could have easily worn more. Temps barely rode above 65 Saturday, and the waterfront routes ensured it felt cooler than it was. It wasn’t too cold by any means, it just could have been warmer. I wore my rain jacket the second day, mostly for warmth. Turns out I felt plenty warm, and the heavens blessed us by making the rain part of the jacket unnecessary. The best treat of the trip was the lightning and thunder storm. Lance and I got to enjoy the storm of the century from the comfort of my van. Lightning and thunder- an unusual display for the Seattle area, lit up the skies for hours Saturday night. Other Bike MS campers oohed and awwwwed at each magnificent flash. The soft rain puttering on the roof put us right to sleep. Then the magnificent bright flashes woke us up again.
Seattle lightning credit: reddit.com
None! Can you believe it! Lance rode his ebike and it performed like a dream! My bike gave me no complaints. It may have helped that a certain live-in-barista cleaned my bike up for me before the ride.
This ride showed us unique roadkill, especially for Washington state. I rarely see any roadside death here: Opossum, rabbit, frog (belly up!)
I wanted to go to the Viking Festival in Poulsbo for so long, and I am so glad I finally did it. Street fair, parade, live music, historic scenery, donut eating and lutefisk eating contest, farmer’s marker and bike ride. All kinds of fun. There was also several things I didn’t do, like attend the amusement park. Super fun time!
My wonderful aunt recently purchased a house in downtown Yachats. She bestowed it Sweet Haven. She decorated it in greens and purples with mermaids all around. She was kind enough to let my mother and I stay there for a summer vacation. I took the opportunity to ride around. I haven’t been feeling very well, and biking has been tough. I gave it all I had the first day. But the beauty at every turn inspired me. I only wanted to ride more. The next day I went all out and it felt fantastic. Riding from Yachats to Newport was the best day of riding I’ve had all year. I had to cut the third day short for time, so I left wanting more. It’s on my list of priorities to get back there. Soon.
Bike Ms Colorado is happening again. Heather is already planning it with a few of her friends. It’s been several years since I’ve ridden in Colorado, and I am looking forward to riding it again in 2020. Time to shake things up!
Lance invited me to join Team F5 as they ride Bike MS Deception Pass this year! It’s going to be AWEOME!!! It will be here before you know it, I have some work to do!
At the start line in 2014
Will I be able to ride 169 miles and 7000+ feet elevation? Only time will tell. I have to start training!
Scenes from 2014
Scenes from 2014
Scenes from 2014
I rode Bike MS Deception Pass back in 2014. It was a spectacular and varied route. I am excited to ride it again and looking forward to being part of an awesome team.
At the finish!
Buena Vista Park
I sat under the Team Slugfish tent with my face nose-deep in berry cobbler and ice cream. I tried to chat with another team member when a high-pitched voice on loudspeaker told us the evening program would be delayed due to a rider still out on the route. Then she urged us to go to the finish line so we could cheer her in. People gathered at the finish line, not far from our tent. I looked at my watch. It was nearly 6:30. The course maps made very clear that the route closed at 5pm and that there’d be no support afterwards. I shrugged at all the people passing me. I’ll just politely cheer from my table, thank you very much. I rode so slowly my first several MS rides that I wanted to paste a sign on my back that said, “Yes I’m ok, I’m just slow.” I remember those final hours: smelling the truck exhaust from vehicles waiting for me to pass so they could pack up the rest stops. No one cheered my finish when I came in so late. I’d just roll into a quiet road with a few volunteers taking down decorations. But then someone urged me to get up, so I did. I guess there’s no reason to deny this finisher cheers just because I’m tired and bitter! As I folded into the crowd, I began to feel the energy. OK, so this last person out on the route is riding her very first century. OK, it makes sense now. The first century is the hardest. It was a hot and humid day out. The weather got pretty miserable in the afternoon, but she didn’t give up. Her first century. Then they tell us that this woman riding her first century is also a rider with MS. That’s what we are all about. I glanced around at the crowd. “She’s 3 minutes away,” the loudspeaker announced. Even though many faces showed the tired we all felt after riding a long, hard, hot, emotional route, there was still this unmistakable anticipation. We felt the combined urgency to share the joy steeping underneath the tired. “OK!” the voice on the loudspeaker prompted, “she’s probably getting close, let’s start cheering so she hears us as she comes around the corner!” The claps started, along with the bells, whistles, cheers, hoots and hollers. The entire River Village group stood there, cheering. I started to feel moved. It felt good to clap. But then we kept clapping. And clapping. And she never came. No one stopped, but some people started to look at each other, questioningly. Did we miss her? Did she make a wrong turn? Everyone kept clapping and cheering. I don’t think anyone knew what to do, but no one wanted to be the first to stop. Then. We see a bike turning the corner. The crowd exploded! I saw that she wasn’t alone. A small group of people pedaled down the chute, in a protective, supportive clump. That’s when I lost it. She wasn’t alone. Tears streamed down my face as I clapped. The people around me jumped and screamed like she was a rockstar. As they pedaled in, I expected her to smile from all the cheering. I’ve never heard so much cheering at an MS ride in all my 20 years. But her gaze was fixed forward, he glance unwavering. The determination was still on her face, she needed every last bit. She looked like she could vomit. Her expression brought all the feelings back. All those rides I did where muscles, energy, lungs had long gone and sheer determination was the only thing left pushing you forward. I don’t mean to sound melodramatic or overly severe; it’s hard to capture this amazing feeling in writing. We’ve all been through unsurmountable challenges and came out ahead. It’s the beauty of pain like this. There is some pain that really does make you stronger. No, stronger isn’t the right word. There is some pain that makes you better. Perseverance. Stamina. Bike MS taught me a lot over the years, and I am a better person for it.
My White Bicycle at Buena Vista Park
Sweaty Selfies…
I never would have predicted this years’ ride after last years’ ride. Last year I reached a new personal physical peak. I felt stronger and healthier than I ever had before. This year has been met with a lot of fatigue and an undefined feeling of ick and sluggishness. Perhaps Slugfish is finally a fitting name, except the “f” is a “g” for me. I rode less in July than I had since….since before 2002. I opted to ride the shorter 85 miles ride for Saturday. When the sticky humidity rendered my entire body sweaty after just 20 minutes, I knew I made the right choice. I rode well. But that night I ate too much food and overslept by some 5 or 6 hours.
Bigfoot!
Shoes!
Participation was down by half. The ride had a generic feel to it. The decorations all had this 80’s motif that felt like “the 80’s package” from a corporate party planner store. I loved the days when the Harley riders had Alf and other decor covering their hogs. I loved all the SAG wagons adorned with signs and streamers and honkers and cheering volunteers. Now they are slow driving white vans that make you feel like you are surrounded by the CIA. I loved the decoration contests that each team and rest area participated in. I loved the sandwich lady, who had her own sandwich making assembly line every year. Sure, the catered food is more exotic and classy now, but it doesn’t have the same honorable grass roots feel. I loved the days when each rest area had is own unique array of snacks, usually promoting local brands and foods. I loved the ride-specific jerseys with their awesome designs. However, I did find bigfoot this year! I also rode by fence of shoes, so there is still a little bit of “Oregon” left in the Oregon ride!
My white bicycle is 15 years old this year, which I guess is pretty old for a bike. I remember when I got her, it was spring of 2004, probably this month. I rode a lot that summer, and got a lot of compliments on my bike. Before I bought this bike, I got a lot of guffaws and comments to the tune of, “how and why are you riding that?!” In reference to my heavy mountain bike. I assumed this is just how nice bikes got treated, but after a few years, the compliments stopped. I guess she got old. The resale value on my bike is about 5% what I bought her for. One would think it’s time I get a new bike. But my white bicycle is perfect. I gave her a bath yesterday, and she still glimmers and shines when cared for. Sure, she has dents and dings and scratches galore, but she still rides light and nimble and smooth. I still feel better on this bike than I do anywhere else. I project her taking me where I want to go for at least another 5 years without a hitch.
Seriously…how did it get to me May already? I’m not sure, but apparently it’s bike month. So, let’s see how I do!
Map from Bike MS Washington
So…I a friend is thinking about doing this ride with his work team. I did this ride once, and was nonplussed doing it as a solo rider. The ride had such a corporate preference that a solo rider had nowhere to fit in. But…if I could join a corporate team….well, that temps me like you’d never believe! Let’s do this!
I hear about this ride years ago, and always had a little interest in doing it. It never seemed like quite as exciting as it should be. But, I have a van now and I can camp wherever, whenever. Suddenly, the Viking Tour sounds like a lot more fun. Well, this year it’s going to happen! Stay tuned for the ride report.
I went to the bike Expo and got this awesome amazing “Hectic Helmet Hair.” This was a sort of wiggly, rubbery hat that turns your helmet into a Koosh ball! I eagerly got it home only to realize that the sporty aerodynamic point of my helmet didn’t fit under the hair. It seemed the hair was designed to work with the rounded Nutcase style helmets; the kind favored by urban riders and fixies. So, I saved my helmet hair until some day when I would have a rounded helmet of my own. A few year later, I finally came upon a nice, rounded helmet for a tiny amount of money. It seemed smart not to spend too much given that I was buying a helmet just to put a cover on it. I excitedly pulled my Hectic Helmet Hair out of storage and - - - OH NO! IT MELTED! Somehow the rubber must have come into contact with some sort of solvent. The hair had melted, and now longer in a hat shape, couldn’t be worn with any sort of helmet. Sad , sad day. I never got a chance to enjoy what was surely the coolest helmet topper that ever existed.
Garmin’s Default Zones
Personalized Zones
I recently had a performance test (VO2 Max and maximal heart rate). The physiologists assigned personalized heart rate zones using the results of this test. I decided to compare my new zones with my “old” zones. My old zones were assigned by Garmin Connect. Garmin uses a lot of information to create your zones, but can only estimate VO2 Max based on other data. The charts above represent 2 bikes rides. Both rides were with the same riding group, in similar areas north of Seattle. Both rides were very similar in distance, elevation, time and effort. Really only things different are the times spent in each heart rate zone. Even the average heart rates are practically identical! Garmin has me spending a little time in zone 2 and 5 and nearly the whole ride in zones 3 and 4. My personalized zones have me spending most of my time in zone 2. I also spent 30 minutes in zone 1 and no time in zones 4 and 5.
What does this mean and why do I care? Zone training is a bit of a dying art in cycling these days, falling behind power training. I am a recreational rider, I don’t compete, I have nothing to gain from training beyond good cardiovascular fitness, so I see no reason for me to shell out hundreds of dollars for a power meter. Even so, I am motivated to perform at my best, so gazing at my heart rate from time to time makes sense to me. The first thing I was told when I got my zones was that the most useful thing for me to do was to avoid zone 3 (the green zone) better known as “no man’s land”. While this aerobic level is a great place to build strong endurance, apparently you build it faster by spending more time in zone 2, then pushing up to zones 4 and 5. My head sunk when I heard this “green zone” training is the most common mistake made by casual cyclists, as I knew I spent the overwhelming majority of my time in the green zone. It also seemed curious to me how much time I spent in the upper zones. I’d spend some rides almost entirely in the top 2 zones. That didn’t seem healthy. However, by adjusting zones for my real calculated VO2 max, you see that I actually spend most of my time in zone 2, like I should. However, I spent a bit of time in zone 1, which is no zone at all. Zone 1 in this case is sitting heart rate. My lab used a 4-zone method and Garmin uses 5, so my personalized zone 1 is nothing and zone 2 has a wide range encompassing both warm-up and low intensity activity. Since my tracker times out when I am stopped, I spent too much time riding my bike not working out at all. I also spent a bit of time in zone 3, but I think that’s OK for this type of ride. It was a group ride, and our goal was to ride at the same pace, so nothing really called for the higher zone use.
I think it’s pretty interesting how different the graphs look. The “accurate” graph far better reflects my perceived exertion, for what it’s worth.
I found this chart from a web search. I don’t like the “lose weight” category. From what I understand, the assumption of using zones to lose weight has been disproven. Even though it is easier and more sustainable for most people to do activity at low intensities (like walking), burning 100 calories walking or doing box jumps is the same 100 calories to your body’s caloric needs at the end of the day. That being said, I liked this chart the best out of the many out there.
I kinda can’t believe it. 2019. 2019? Really?! I am feeling really good about this year. I am fit and after a year of taking it light, I feel like I can do a lot to raise a lot of money this time around. How much will it be? What will be new this year? I’ve been doing this ride many years. I take the same route, stay overnight in the same place, ride the same pace on the same bike, get donations from the same faithful donors. This year there will be more than ever before!
The society updated their rider pages to look more like the Social Media standard. For what it’s worth, here are some screenshots of my current standing. Team SlugFish is #2. It won’t take long before we are #1. Looking forward to this!
Looks like I am headed back to Maui this March. How could I visit without riding this loop again? It was truly and experience not to be forgotten. I can’t stop thinking about doing it this next time! What will I see? How hot will it be? I hope to improve my video-recording capacity, too. Fingers are crossed!
2018 turned out to be a fantastic year for physical activity. I logged 3,750 miles total. 3,600 of those miles were logged on the bike. My past few years have looked like this:
2018: 3600
2017: 2,897
2016:2,760
2015: 2,744
2014: 1,784
2013: 3,048
I am happy about the year in so many other ways. I rocked it in the boxing gym, too. Overall, I kept pretty consistent whether it was cycling, boxing, skiing, yoga or hiking. I added a lot more meditation to my regime this year and kept great sleep hygiene. I stayed healthy with no major upsets. I managed stress well, although 2018 didn’t bless me with any severely stressful events. I feel healthier than I’ve ever felt before, and even felt like I was at my “peak” a couple of times. It’s an amazing feeling.
Last year’s Emerald City Bike ride was kinda cold and a bit of a slog. I worried another ride on the viaduct in cold February might be the same. The weather cooperated well for The Tunnel Ride, however. We stayed cool and dry. And the snow waited for everyone to get home before it started falling.
many of these photos are compliments of the lady Wooleaters. Thank you for being such great photographers! This was more a day to document history than it was a ride. What will this same spot look like in 5 years? Ten years? It won’t be the same.
It’s tomorrow! I will riding a piece of Seattle’s history. This is a thing no cyclists after me will ever be able to do. I’m fine with rain, but I hope it’s not too cold. Fingers crossed for a great time!
I recently took a fitness test that measured my VO2 Max, ventilatory values and lactate threshold. I went to a physiology lab at a college to take the test. Each test is sport specific, so I mimicked cross-country skiing when I did mine. I stood on a wide, sticky treadmill with ski poles. The physiologists strapped a large mask over my nose and mouth to measure my breathing and oxygen consumption. It covered so much of my face that it helped me feel more on my own, diminishing the extreme anxiety I felt being in a “test” environment. On the flip side it was hard to breathe and felt a little claustrophobic. They strapped a heart rate monitor to my chest. I wear my own monitor every day, so that was no big deal. In fact, the polar chest strap felt so comfortable that I forgot it was there. My own Wahoo strap has to be unpleasantly tight to stay on and I look forward to removing it the second I finish working out. As I started walking on the treadmill, they incrementally increased its elevation and speed. They pricked my finger every 3 minutes to measure the lactic acid in my blood. They had to keep increasing it more than they anticipated because my fitness was higher than they or I predicted.
It turns out my VO2 max is literally “off the chart” at 45.5 ml/kg/min. The chart above doesn’t have a top end, it just lists over 36.9 as superior for my age group. The chart the lab uses lists 39 to 42 as superior for my age group. Even though cardiovascular capacity decreases with age, I am still superior for any age! perused the internet a bit to learn more about these numbers, and immediately noted that every chart is a little bit different. Still, I rate as “superior” for all of them. Many sources cited that heavier weight decreases the calculation. I ate a gigantic resort omelet just before the test. Not sure if that was to blame, but I weighed in 9 pounds heavier than I do at home. Could it be that my “real” weight is less, making my “real” VO2 max even higher than the result? I also read that VO2 max decreases at altitude. Since I took the test at a significantly higher altitude than home, could it be that my “home” VO2 max is even higher still? This came to me as a massive confidence boost. Every stumble, every insult, every insignificance I felt onward from this test couldn’t dampen my spirit. Now I can simply say to myself, “well, sure I’m really bad at (fill in the blank), but I have a super high Vo2 max! For real!” This is cold, hard data, no one can disprove it.
This test also reminded me that you do improve whatever it is you put your heart into. Sure, cardiovascular health is really important to me. I started blood pressure medication as a teenager and nearly every relative I have survived a heart attack, died from a heart attack, or both. A deep drive to take out any smidge of “personal responsibility” out of any poor health conviction or disease I may have is a strong desire for me to eat and exercise responsibly. That that is just what got me going. The truth is I LOVE riding my bike. I LOVE skiing. I LOVE my boxing classes. It comes natural to spend many hours a week doing these activities. I put a lot of energy in my 20’s worrying about weight and image. My daily energy in the past decade has been more one of love, exploration, and accomplishment. I didn’t think about scoring my relative fitness once, I just did what I love and strived to be my best self. When I was younger, I LOVED drawing. I drew all the time. I probably spent as much time drawing in a day as I exercise now in a week. I got pretty good at it. I don’t draw much any more, so I am reminded that while interests change, it still matters to do what you love.
I need to acknowledge how much my life situation contributes to my fitness. I demand jobs with easy commutes. I never lasted long in any job with a drive. I had the luxury to choose jobs that meet this quirky requirement that I seem to be alone in demanding. I am incredibly lucky that I found a job and a home with an easy commute that I can do almost every day. I have a stable job that pays enough to supply me with quality gear that keeps me comfortable when I’m riding. I have a relaxed enough job that I am not too tired to exercise outside of work. I have a relaxed enough boss that it’s ok for me to start about 10 minutes later than my official start time to allow time to get dressed after my gym class ends (I make up for the lost time at the end of the day). I spent a few years going through different gyms. I just lucked out with this one. A work friend mentioned she went there, and it just hit me that I should try it too (this is a pun because it’s a boxing gym). The gym really took my fitness to the next level. I’ve always had strong thighs, ever since I played soccer in high school. I had strong arms and lats before from lifting weights. Biking gave me cut calves. But I never, ever had a strong core. The boxing gym, Title Boxing Club, gave me visible obliques and shoulder muscles.
I spent a lot of time feeling like I’m at my best, at my peak, this year. It’s a wonderful feeling. Every day, every moment, I am thankful for the gifts that help me feel this way; health, good fortune, and not having the setbacks of injury or collusion when out on the road.
