CC'11 -Day 3

[This year's Courage Classic was so awesome, it's gonna take three posts to tell you all about it!  Part 3 of 3. - Matt]


I don't remember waking up during the night.  Instead, I slept hard and awoke a few minutes before the alarm clock was set, feeling refreshed and ready to ride. Gordon, thank you for sharing your condo!


After an early breakfast and a very impromptu team photo, I ran into Tim, rider of the singlespeed Sekai.  It sounds like there were maybe four singlespeeds this year, though we only had visual confirmation of three. I was geared the lowest by at least a few teeth.

The Chumstick Highway quickly takes you out of Leavenworth and into the country.  It's shady and chilly in the morning as we pass farms and homesteads in this narrow valley. The pace is generally relaxed on this section, although there was one bullet train of seven guys that blew by me, led by Tony from Tacoma Bike. That guy could give Superman a run for his money if Superman rode a bike. I was glad to see Gene in that paceline though: Gene rode the Courage Classic last year on a 8-speed internally-geared bike while wearing slacks, shirt and tie for all 3 days. He's a cool guy.

Jaarvis fell in love with my road bike

Neighbors: Me, Steve and Gary live within 2 blocks of each other

Prepare for climb! Remove a layer!

Switchback descent

A few of us regrouped at the first rest stop, everyone still pretty full from the pancake breakfast served up by the Leavenworth Lions Club. So, back on the road.

Sisters!

Once reconnected with Hwy 2, the main line over Steven Pass, there's another rest stop with rootbeer floats, massage tables, and a hula contest.  I was a reigning champ from last year (with the tshirt to prove it!), but I lost this contest early to Terry and the 10 year old in the middle. The kid won, making us both look like fools.  It was fun and funny. (BTW - any of the action shots with me in them were taken by the Courage Classic photographer.)

The real climbing starts after the Hawaiian rest stop.  Unlike the other two passes which are both really just one long climb with two grades (steep and steeper), the climb up Stevens is more like five separate climbs each with its own grade and little mini descent afterwards.  My teammate Joel rode the first of these main climbs with me, his pacing was perfect and we were really moving.  I was out of the saddle for much of the climb, but felt good.  Joel moved ahead on that first mini-descent as I coasted down behind him.

The next 2 parts of the climb were very much the same.  Most of the riders that I'd passed on the climb would pass me on the following downhill section, then I'd catch them on the next climb.  I pulled over to stretch and eat a snack a few times as the miles started to add up. My knees were starting to stiffen a bit, but I was still hammering away with a smile on my face as I approached the final water stop just four miles from the summit.

I stopped for water and stayed only long enough to stretch, maybe two minutes.  I must have had an adrenaline rush or something, because I really didn't want to stop.  All I could think about was getting to the summit.

I left a few teammates at the water stop who were waiting to regroup and headed into the home stretch.  The grade of the last four miles always seems significantly steeper than the other climbs, though I've always wondered if this is just because it's Day 3 and I'm getting tired.  Today it didn't really matter how steep it was because about one mile into this final climb, my knees really started to bug me.

This is where the ride started to be less fun.  I pulled over to stretch and take a long drink.  Other than muscle fatigue and burning lungs after a hard sprint, I'd never hurt like this on a bike.  Something wasn't right and I was now struggling.  I tried to mentally refocus on my technique, thinking that I should try to pull instead of push the pedals, anything for some relief.

Lori and Brian, who had been waiting at the water stop, caught up with me after my second road-side stretch session.  I gingerly got back on the bike and rode with them for a half mile or so, then feeling like the pace wasn't working for the pace I needed to pedal, I picked it up a little and climbed out of the saddle.  Not long after, I had to pull over again.  This time I just sat on the jersey barrier and massaged my knees, trying to look cool, trying to convince myself that I wasn't on the verge of some major injury.

Lori caught me again and I got back on the bike.  All I could think about was my knees and how much I wanted the summit to be around the next bend.  It wasn't.

I don't remember who passed us (Katie?), but I recall Lori pointing out my signlespeededness, boosting my spirits a bit.  Katie was riding a little faster, more the pace I needed to ride, and Lori wanted to slow for Brian.  I took Katie's wheel and tried to stay focused on something other than the pain.  "GO MATT, GO!! YOU CAN DO IT!!" yelled Lori from about 100 yards back.  I almost cried.  Instead I smiled and pedaled on.  It hurt.

That last half mile from the summit was the longest 2600 feet of my life.  I had fallen off Katie's wheel.  Why didn't I just stop and take the SAG wagon to the top? Was I too proud, too stubborn, or just too distracted?  Maybe all of those things. I know that at this point, I wanted to reach the summit on my own power in a bad way. Besides, it was all downhill after that, right?

I barely made it.  That last 200 feet, I could hardly turn the crank even while standing.  I was emotionally overwhelmed as I started thinking about my friends and how they had encouraged me and supported me so much, thinking about how I was finally to the top and how hard it had been, and thinking about how this might be my last Courage Classic - maybe not ever, but at least for a while.  I was emotionally overwhelmed by all of these thoughts, right there at the summit.  Even this last part of the ride had been awesome in its own way.

I choked it all back, not wanting anyone to see my watery eyes, not wanting my teammates to know how hard it was.  If someone had hugged me, I probably would have lost it.  I was limping quite a bit, my left knee feeling worse than the right.  I called Sarah to let her know that I'd made it and that I was going to be at the summit for a while.

We ate lunch and relaxed for close to an hour.  Several teammates had hauled tallboys the whole way up Stevens so they could celebrate the weekend (this is becoming a tradition.)  Hanging out with them made me feel better. That's what friends do.  I've listed many of them in these posts, but have left out twice as many (or more).  Camaraderie is the best reason to ride Courage Classic.

The summit lunch would be a great ending to the ride, but there's an intense descent down the west side of Stevens that can't be missed.  Before we departed, I had to limp down to the summit sign for a photo. I wasn't feeling much better, but I was surely feeling proud.  Regardless of how stupid this whole singlespeed thing may seem, I had done it.

The descent was faster than Blewitt, but still slow for me.  I had a head start on our group, but pulled over to get out of their way as they caught up.  My camera processor simply wasn't quick enough to catch them all as they passed at 40+mph.

Wait for it...

Zoom!

I coasted all the way to the entrance to the Iron Goat Trail, the most beautiful section of the ride.  I found myself riding the brakes on the trail, just to make it last a little longer.  The last few miles to the finish in Skykomish were very slow for me.  I took it as easy as possible.

One of the biggest highlights was seeing my family at the finish line, cheering me on.  My kids have only heard about the ride and never seen any part of it, so this was a uniquely special ending to the weekend.  Maybe more than anyone else, these kids understand how much I love riding bikes!

On the way home, I tell Sarah and the girls about my day as Terry nods to sleep in the backseat.  Gwen talks about how she wants to ride the Courage Classic soon, maybe on her trail-a-bike with me. And it's going to be awesome.    

Courage Classic Weekend Redux

My Courage Classic weekend actually started on Friday when I took the whole family to the weekly Frost Park Chalk-Off to do a little shameless self-promotion.  It took the rest of the day to ready the van and assemble my gear.  Getting three guys, their bikes, their camping gear and their driver into one minivan required some planning, but worked well.

DAY 1

Ready to Roll!

We rendezvoused early Saturday morning in the town of Snoqualmie, WA, with some other friends from the Harmon Bike Club.  After loading our overnight gear on the UPS delivery trucks bound for the campsite at the Suncadia Resort, we hit the road.  Just a few miles later, John had what would be the only flat of the 3-day ride.

We gradually broke up into smaller groups as we climbed through the Denny Creek area and approached the summit of Snoqualmie Pass, where the temperature was a balmy 54°F.  Gig Harbor Rotary put on an excellent spaghetti feed for lunch, then we were shuttled by coach bus and moving truck (riders and bikes, respectively) through the I-90 construction around Lake Kaches which is currently off-limits to bicycle traffic.

Denny Creek Switchback Panda

For me, the biggest change this year was that I rode a road bike instead of my 50 pound Xtracycle, which allowed me to complete each day's course about two hours faster than in previous years.  We finished Day 1 in Cle Elum around 1:30pm, giving us plenty of time to setup tents, clean-up in the mobile shower trailer, and enjoy a few cold-ones in the Redhook beer garden.  A huge buffet dinner was held later in a light rain, but those of us who weathered the heat of last year's event knew better than to complain.

DAY 2

Rotarians at Work!

After riding this event three times, I can positively say that the ride from Suncadia to the Blewitt Pass summit is my favorite part.  You break camp and ride a few miles into Cle Elum, eat a great breakfast at the Sunrise Cafe, then traverse the countryside with the sun coming up over the mountains.  It's a quiet and breathtakingly beautiful ride with very little traffic, other than your fellow riders.  I always linger at the Tacoma North Rotary rest stop because it seems everyone is always there.  I spend time catching up with riders and volunteers I've met in years past, and meeting plenty of new folks as well.  It's great to see so many people having fun together.

The Blewitt Paceline Crew

As a group of us left the rest stop, someone shouted out "9:03!" and we soon realized that there was a friendly time-trial taking place en route to the summit.  We charged our five-man pace-line up the mountain at a strong clip and stayed together for most of the 7 mile climb, each finishing about 1 minute apart.  It was awesome!  I enjoyed a light brunch of tomato basil soup, a turkey sandwich, and fresh fruit.  The food stops are great, especially when you consider that these Rotarians are feeding nearly 800 riders and volunteers every meal and snack.

Once camped in Leavenworth, we headed for the Icicle River to soak our legs before a bbq dinner in the park.  Too much fun was had in Redhook beer garden, where DJ Shelda played some great tunes and we all enjoyed each others company.

DAY 3

Are we having fun yet?
Photo courtesy of Kimi. Taken by one
of the many enthusiastic Rotarians.

Monday brings the longest climbing route of the weekend.  After a brisk ride along the Chumstick Highway to the first rest stop in Plain, WA, the route hooks up with WA-2 and heads up Stevens Pass.  There are actually 4 or 5 separate climbs on the way to the summit, each with its own small descent, necessitating that the dessert stop (that is reserved for after lunch on Days 1 and 2) needs to be located pre-lunch.  It's Hawaiian themed and features root beer floats, Oreos, fig bars, beef jerkey, organic bunny grahams, and a hula hoop competition.  I bested three others with the hoop and won a sweet "Rotary Rest-Stop Survivor" t-shirt that I'm sporting as I type.  

Iron Goat Trail

All of this food and fun prepares you mentally and physically for the last 10-15 challenging miles of climbing.  Even so, the potato bar at the summit was exactly what I needed to perk me back up for the descent down the west side of Stevens.  The low clouds and damp wind combined for a fast and freezing run down the mountain.  The main highway portion of the descent is a nailbiter at high speed and lots of crosswinds, but near the bottom is the turn-off for the Iron Goat Trail, a refurbished section of the Old Stevens Highway that is smooth, lively, stunning, and magical.  My friend Mike, a Courage Classic rookie, said that "it might be the best 15 minutes I've ever spent on a bike."     

The finish line was busy, but still full of all the amenities we'd seen along the way: snacks, showers, massage tables, smiling Rotarians, and even a piece of commemorative hardware.  I've heard many folks joke about how it's very possible to gain weight on this ride, despite all of the miles and elevation.  After my fourth or fifth slice of bread pudding at the Day 1 dinner, I can understand why some would think that.  This year, I weighed myself before and after.  The result: -1 pound.  Maybe I didn't drink my fair share of ESB?  I promise to try harder next year!

There simply aren't many supported rides out there that leave you feeling like you've been on a vacation rather than just a bike ride.  If you're thinking about doing your first organized tour, I'd certainly recommend that you start with this one.  Helping a great cause while having a great time?  It's hard to top that.

Thanks again to everyone who sponsored me and my ride to Stop the Cycle of Child Abuse!

I'm keeping this swag!

Bike to the Ballpark AND More Swag!

We took the whole family to the Harmon Bike Club's Bike to Ballpark event over the weekend.  About 25 people biked with us and enjoyed a great game by the Tacoma Rainiers.

In honor of the event, I'm adding this brand new, limited edition Tacoma Rainiers jersey to my Courage Classic Swag Bag Prize Pack which you can enter to win by donating just $5 here* and help the Child Abuse Intervention Department at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital.  I need your help if I'm going to reach my $1000 fundraising goal!  Who's with me?  Donate today!

*Raffle Rules:
1. For every $5 that you donate to my online Courage Classic fund-raising effort, you will have your name entered one time into a drawing to win. (Example: You make one online donation of $25, and I place five separate entries into the hat, each bearing your name.)  If you've already donated, you are already entered.

2. For the purpose of this raffle, all donations must be made by 4 pm PDT on August 9.  My daughter will randomly draw one winning entry from the hat that evening and I will announce the winner on August 10 here on TBR. I will contact the winner by email, so make sure you enter a valid email address when you donate.

3. I will pay to ship the hat and swag to the winner via USPS Priority mail to anywhere in the US.

4. DONATE HERE! Online donations through firstgiving.com are easy and secure. Plus, the hospital is a registered 501c(3) non-profit organization, for you tax-deduction seekers.

Bike to the Ballpark

We'll be bringing the whole family to this awesome event.  It's another fundraiser for Courage Classic.  Ride there if you can, but even if you drive, walk, or bus, this is a great deal and helps a great cause.

I'll be leading a slow ride from the 6th and Skyline P&R to Cheney Stadium at 11am.  We'll take the Scott Pierson Trail to the ballpark and go slow enough to keep the group together.  The Rainiers are arranging a special bike coral just for us!

General Notices

I'll be unplugged for a few weeks. This'll have to tide you over.

Item 1. It Might Get Loud is playing at The Grand Cinema starting Friday. I love rock'n'roll films, and this looks like a keeper.



Item 2. Tuesday Night Rides with the Harmon Bike Club continue! The train leaves The Hub at 5:30pm on Tuesdays. However, it's now DARK when we get back to the Hub afterwards, so please bring front and rear lights. Reflective anything never hurts, either. For all of you commuters, the fog makes you invisible, unless you have very bright lights or are wearing something day-glo. On foggy mornings, the kid that rides in the back seat of our bucket bike has to wear a yellow reflective vest, too. No buts!

Item 3. The MADSEN Cycles bucket bike is here to stay. I ride it almost every day and the kids still think it's cool and fun. I even got cat-called by a road construction worker yesterday: "Oouuw! That's a nice bike, [Baby]!" Plus, the guys at Bike Gallery in Portland rode one in last weeks cyclocross race, which completely validates the versatility of the bike in my mind. Read all about it here. It was a two-man team, with the passenger hopping in and out to assist with the run-ups. In the relative grand spectrum of bicycle fanatics, I think this shows I'm still just somewhere in the middle.

photo by David Anderson on Flickr

Enjoy the fantastic fall weather and ride safely.

Just Biking Around

Well, we've been biking to pre-school in the MADSEN for two weeks now and it still hasn't rained on us. The kids are anxiously awaiting a chance to get the umbrella out. There was some wishful thinking this morning with the raincoats. The rides are pretty uneventful, though they do enjoy it when other cyclists ride by, like yesterday when a UPS student rode behind us for a few blocks. The new bike lane on 21st St still hasn't been painted, but that hasn't kept me from using it on the way home. I'm hopeful that the city will complete the job before all of the temporary lane tags come loose.

On Tuesday I led the Tuesday Night Ride for the Harmon Bike Club (join us, 5:30pm at The Hub.) While we were queuing up, a gentleman came out and reminded us that the Ride4US is taking place at Point Defiance Park on Saturday. This "all-volunteer charity raises funds to purchase ultrasound machines for pregnancy centers who provide entirely free services for as long as care is needed." I'm going to take the girls in the trailer for the 5-mile ride, free pancake breakfast, and bouncy toys. We were told that the longest route (62 miles) is the toughest metric century in the South Sound. There's also a walk and a motorcycle rally - talk about covering all of the bases!

I made it home from the ride with just enough daylight left for Gwen's maiden voyage on the trail-a-bike. We traded someone two panniers for it (Chris, I think we both got a good deal!) and it works great. I can't tell you how excited she was to be pedaling with me. She was very chatty as we did a short loop around the neighborhood.

The next night we started a little earlier and went for a 3 mile ride in our matching reflective vests. She takes being "a real bike rider" very seriously, we even had to stop so she could stretch. However, for someone who used to yell at me for going more than about 10 mph on our Xtracycle, she now loves going fast on the down-hills.


The positive experience with the trail-a-bike gives me hope that we may one day go on an epic family bike tour, like this family that was featured in today's News Tribune. They took their 9-year old son on a 4000+ mile ride from Shelton, WA, to Washington, D.C.

Until then, we'll keep pushing the pedals around town.

A Courageous Weekend

Phew! Sarah, Blaine (BFF from CO), and I safely completed the Courage Classic Bicycle Tour on Monday. We all rode on the Harmon Bike Club/Rotary Riders team, which was 61 riders strong and raised over $61,000 for the cause. And we had one of the hottest looking team jerseys!

The ride started in Snoqualmie, WA, where we checked-in, loaded our over-night gear on a UPS truck (what a great event sponsor!), then hit the road en route to lunch at Snoqualmie Pass.



The ride follows the main interstate highway for most of the climb and part of the descent, which can be a little nerve racking. Blaine had two flats on the way up, the second within a stones throw of the first, which cost us enough time that we didn't reach the summit until noon. It was 86°F and rising when we headed down the east side of the mountains.


When we reached the campsite at the Suncadia resort, the Xtracycle was a handy bike for hauling our gear from the UPS truck to our tent spot across the field.


In an attempt to beat the higher forcasted temperatures on Day 2, we left Suncadia at 0610 and skipped the big breakfast in town. The rolling pastures were visually stunning as the sun rose over the mountains.




The Tacoma North Rotary ran the food stop on the way up Blewett Pass. It was a great place to refuel and stretch before the final 8 mile climb to the top. This climb seems to be a favorite for many riders, as we saw at least three people turn around before the check-in at the summit and head back down for a second climb. We felt good just making it up the hill once!


The ride down the north side of Blewett was pretty fast, but by the time we reached the water stop at the bottom, the temperature was nearing 100°F. Despite sno-cones and spray bottles of cold water at the rest stop, the last 13 miles into Leavenworth were brutal in the heat. I heard reports that temps hit 109°F on the outskirts of town. Once we finally made it to camp and had the tent up, we biked down to the Icicle River for a much needed soak in the chilly water.

The heat of Day 2 was so overwhelming that everyone collectively voted to move the Day 3 breakfast from 0630 to 0530 so that we could all get an even earlier start. I have to commend the Leavenworth Lions Club for so graciously accommodating this request.

In fact, this would be a good time to point out that the Courage Classic is such a fun and unique ride because of the amazing volunteer support from the Pierce County Rotarians, mechanics from Old Town Bicycle, medics from Rural Metro, support car drivers, and many others. It takes an enormous collective effort to make an event like this run so smoothly, and I'd like to offer my thanks to everyone who volunteered for not only helping, but for doing it with a smile on their face day in and day out.

Nearly our entire team was present for our team photo at 0545 and ready to hit the road soon thereafter. We reached the first rest stop in Plain with the sun barely above the horizon.


We followed the old Chumstick Highway up to Highway 2, where we had a chance to relax with a root beer float before the real climbing began. Our trio was one of the slowest groups each day, but we had finally learned how to work as a team by Day 3. With me out front pacing, Sarah and Blaine fell in line and we picked up other riders the whole way up. By the time we reached the last critical water stop, our pace line was seven riders long and we were working together like a well oiled machine. It was critical for morale and helped push some of us to a new level of cycling. Blaine and Sarah had never ridden in a big group like that before, and neither had ever climbed a road that steep for that long a distance. The strength of such a team effort is truly inspiring.


The last four miles of the climb are pretty steep. I ended up getting a flat about half-way through it, then rode the last bit in the heat of the day in the lowest gear of the Xtracycle. It may have been the most grueling section of road riding I've ever done. The reward for pedaling this beastly machine up the mountains is that you get to ride it down. I slide off of the saddle and sit on the Snapdeck for the descents and Stevens is the fastest of them all. Even with a stiff headwind this year, I'm sure I hit 50mph. Fat tires and disc brakes are the way to go on a free-fall like that!

Sharing this experience with such close friends was unbelievably rewarding. I was so proud of Sarah and Blaine for stepping forward to help raise money, training as much as they could in a short time, then putting their heads down and gritting out the pedal strokes when the road was steep and the heat was on. We're already making plans for next years ride.



Thanks to everyone who offered their support and helped get us over the mountains. Many of you have chipped in financially to the fund-raising effort, but it's not too late to contribute if you didn't. Extra thanks go to my sister for watching the kids and to my dad for loaning his bike and his truck - we could not have done this without you guys!!

The Heat Is On

I'm riding the Courage Classic this weekend with a large team made up of Harmon Bike Club members and Rotarians from various Pierce County Rotary Clubs. So far, our team has raised over $40,000.

We had a training ride tonight in the 90°F heat and had a blast. We had a chance to meet other team members and share thoughts on the big ride. We are excited to be doing this together.

I've been leading these weekly training rides since St. Patrick's Day. I've also been helping others get jerseys ordered and organizing team events. While it may not seem like much, it has been a lot of work. I'm looking forward to the payoff!

When I got home today, I took stock of what I had brought along for today's 20 mile ride.



I hauled the empty growler in the Xtracycle for 18 miles, then had it filled after our team social. I picked up the empty water bottle from the side of the road in Point Defiance Park to put in my recycle bin at home. And I received a gift from one of my weekly riders, thanking me for leading the rides. (Lisa and Matt - I love it.) These are not large things, but they are also not the sort of things that one usually hauls on group rides.

However, these are things that I would gladly haul to the moon and back if it would help me raise more money for Child Abuse Intervention. As it stands, I'll be riding a 55 pound bike over three mountain passes, while carrying plenty of gear to ensure that others have a safe and comfortable ride. Sure it will be more work that way, but it will be worth it.

If you've been reading this blog at all, you know how much I love bicycling and how much I have tried to contribute to this important cause. Please consider contributing a few dollars. This is the last time I'll ask (this year), but it certainly won't be the last time that your contribution makes a difference.

For those of you in the Tacoma area, have a safe week and stay cool as much as possible. It's supposed to break 100°F here tomorrow, which simply doesn't happen often in this land of drizzle and clouds. I'll be back after the long weekend with a full ride report.

One Winner; Many Thanks

Firstly, to everyone supporting this fundraising campaign: Thank you. Your combined efforts are helping to stop the cycle of child abuse and neglect in Pierce County. Last year, I was just one of over 600 riders in the Courage Classic, who together raised over $600,000 for the Rotary Endowment that supports the Child Abuse Intervention Department at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. The Courage Classic is the largest, single source of funding for this program. Every donor and dollar is important.

As promised, one of my generous donors will win this fabulous prize!



Each eligible donor has been allocated one raffle ticket for every $5 that they donated between July 8 and July 17. Ticket numbers were allocated sequentially in the order that donations were received (e.g. donor #1 gave $25 and holds tickets 01-05.) All of the numbered tickets were placed in the hat...

My lovely assistant, Gwen, gave the tickets a good swirl and chose the lucky winner:


Tom from bikejuju.com, you have just won a one-of-a-kind Fat Tire Ale Beer Can Hat! Congratulations! I'll be contacting you directly about how to receive your prize.

In total, you all donated $295 during this promotion, nearly doubling the amount that I had previously raised, and making this a pretty pricey piece of haberdashery. Nice work!

Keep checking back here for more fundraising updates and ride reports from the 2009 Courage Classic. I'm still trying to reach my big fundraising goal: more money than last year and I will ride my MADSEN Bucket Bike over the mountains. Let's do this!

Cheers,

Matt

Everyone's Riding Bikes

Yesterday I received a call from one of my wife's college friends. She lives in Tacoma and was exploring the interwebs for a how-to on biking with little ones. Totcycle was very helpful, she said, but they didn't have a Madsen kg271 available in her neighborhood for test-rides. Tacoma Bike Ranch did! She walked down to the ranch and took the Bucket Bike for a spin with her 2 year old. Small world, eh?

Then my cousin calls at the eleventh hour, saying he wants to join me for the Harmon Bike Club's Tuesday Night Ride*. Except I have his bike hanging in my garage and he will have to meet me at the Hub, or risk being late. No worries, says I.


Four blokes showed up for the ride, and the five of us went on a barn-stormer down through 5-Mile Drive in Point Defiance Park, then over towards the Narrows Bridge. The rabbit of the bunch opted for the 6th Ave hill instead of a lap over the bridge. Pints of porter and sweet potato fries helped speed us towards recovery back at the Hub.


Most of the folks on the Tuesday Night Ride are training for the Courage Classic, which I'm riding this summer for the second time. It's a fund-raising ride for the Child Abuse Intervention department at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma. Every dollar goes directly to helping these kids, and it only take a minute to donate online.

Now get out there and ride your bike!


*Tuesday Night Rides start at 5:30pm from The Hub at 203 Tacoma Ave S in Tacoma. 20-25 miles around town and anyone is welcome to tag along.

More Madsen Fun

I'm still digging on our Madsen kg271 Bucket Bike. I've made a few changes to it and have been happy with the results. It's a comfortable and stable setup with enough stopping power for the low speeds that come with hauling three toddlers around the neighborhood. I still plan to swap on a smaller chainring and a Marathon Plus tire in the back, and might try a larger brake rotor on the front.

We've become regulars at the pocket park in our neighborhood, thanks to the Madsen. It's the closest park to our house, but it's too far to walk to with the little ones, especially on a hot day. It's only a slow 5-minute ride, door to slide, with the Madsen. Other parents at the park have been very curious about the bike. The seat buckles in the bucket seem to be the one feature that makes them say, "That's great. I'd put my kids in something like that."

The bike has come in really handy for this one-car household. Last night, I picked up the kids from the baby-sitter after going on a group ride with the Harmon Bike Club. A nice slow ride with the kids was a great way to cool down.

Speaking of kids, remember that I'm riding the Courage Classic this summer and will challenge myself to ride our bucket bike if I can reach my fund-raising goal. Donate today!

Recreational Riding...

I organized a Sunday morning group ride for the Harmon Bike Club. Unfortunately, I woke up to find two inches of snow that were no where near the weather forecast for today (I was expecting a 92% chance of rain.) Well I'll be damned if I'm going to let down the one other person that might be willing to plow the slush with me this morning. I took the Xtracycle, wore my yellow rain coat (very rare occasion), lots of wool, and ski gloves. A small thermos of coffee was my back-up plan.

After two cups of coffee at The Hub, I rolled out at 10:20 by myself. Here's where I went:

View Larger Map

And here's what it looked like:


I stuck to the arterials where the cars had already plowed most of the slush off of the roads. I was already soaked when I reached Point Defiance Park, so I opted not to ride the portion of 5-Mile Drive that is closed to vehicles each weekend morning (more slush and run-off.) The 14 mile route felt more like a 20-miler, which was what I was shooting for today.

The sun peaked out on my way home. I got lots of smiles from drivers and saw one other set of bike tracks in the park. Those are very uplifting signs on a ride like this. Signs that kept me grinning the whole way.

Yeah, she bikes, too...

First off, I'd like to ring my bell at my wife for biking to work in February, four consecutive nights in a row so far. And she likes it. Yesterday she emphatically quipped, "I love how exhilarated I feel after that little bit of exercise before work." Exactly.

Back story:
Last summer, I was talking to my wife about parting with a few of my less-ridden but more sentimentally kept bicycles, in order to raise cash to buy her a new rig. She said to hold off, that her New Belgium Cruiser was getting her to work just fine. (So humble...) Days later, I won the grand prize at a Courage Classic fund-raiser raffle, held by the Harmon Bike Club: a credit toward a new Cannondale from Old Town Bicycle, my local-est bike shop. I'm lucky like that.

I went ahead and picked out the bike for her and towed it home with the Xtracycle. A Road Warrior Feminine 4, which I have since equipped with a white Wald front basket, Pletscher two-leg kickstand, and aluminum Velo Orange fenders. It's a fast, comfortable and practical bike that looks sweet, too. I borrow it often to tow the bike trailer.

We're planning to ride the Courage Classic together this year. Cheers to those braving the chill and keeping the pedals moving in the winter...spring is just around the corner...