Hilly Ride

Today I rode one of my favorite routes, Enumclaw to Black Diamond and back. The roads are great, the scenery fantastic, but most import there are plenty of rest stops along this route where I can refill my water bottles and take a bathroom break. At mile 15 there's the Flaming Geyser State Park, mile 21 the town of Black Diamond with their famous Bakery, the Black Diamond Bakery and Restaurant, at mile 26 Ravensdale park, mile 31 Kanaskat State Park, and finally at mile 35 Nolte State Park. So lots of opportunities for water, food, and bathrooms! Very important to a cyclist!

I began my ride at 9:30 AM. The sun was doing a great job of warming things up. At 9:30 it was already in the mid 70s. It was going to be a warm day indeed. I started slowly allowing my muscles to warm and to work out some tightness from yesterday's hard ride. Today I more or less just wanted to get out and do a more leisurely ride. Why I picked this route I don't know because it's a very hilly one! With a few STEEP climbs thrown in to add a challenge for any rider. But my legs felt pretty good and I climbed every hill easily. I stopped for lunch at 11:30 at the Black Diamond Bakery, where else, and was back on my way by noon. I stopped more than usual today to take pictures. If my hubby were with me on today's ride he would be complaining! He hates to stop except to eat, refill his water bottles, or for a bathroom break. So lucky thing he wasn't riding today because I was in a picture taking mood. I finished my ride around 1:13 PM.

What a great week so far. Two great days of riding!

Enumclaw to Mount Rainier National Park

What an absolutely beautiful day today was! This morning I met Trish, a friend from my local gym, for a bike ride. We started and ended our ride in the parking lot of Enumclaw High School. It was an out and back ride. The out was all up hill. A steady climb with some pretty steep parts. The scenery along the highway up to Mount Rainier was gorgeous. Of course there was the mountain, always our constant companion and the river and the forest. Whenever we entered a stretch of forested area the temperature would take a dramatic dip which felt wonderful when you are climbing. We stopped at mile 21 in Greenwater for a quick break. We thought when we turned around to return that it would be an easy downhill all the way back. Brother were we wrong! We didn't think we would have a strong headwind but we did! So we had to pedal constantly just to maintain our speed! If we stopped we came to a crawl! So it was a beautiful ride but it also was a very hard ride!

I only took two pictures. One in the parking lot before we left and one of Trish in Greenwater.


After our ride we were both famished! So we stopped at Taco del Mars and had the best chicken taco salads ever made!

Early Morning Road Ride

This morning I went on a 30 mile road around. I started at 9:30 AM and finished at 11:30 AM. It was hazy and humid. The morning temperature was 71 degrees when I started but when I finished it was already 83. The humidity made it feel a lot warmer.

I finally got to ride my new bike up some hills. I was worried that I would not be able to climb going from a triple chainring (and 650 wheels) to a compact/double chainring (and 700 wheels). But I had no trouble climbing the hills this morning. In fact I found them easier to ascend then on my old triple ringed road bike. Better bike? Components? Stronger legs? Who knows, all I know is that I climbed the hills today a lot faster and without any trouble. Coming down the hills was also great! My new bike flies! I love her!

Evening Mountain Bike Ride

I met six other gals this evening in the parking lot of the Black Diamond Bike Shop for a 2 hour fun mountain bike ride. We started our ride at 6:30 PM and returned to the parking lot at 8:22 PM. We rode on some sweet trails at Lake Sawyer. The woods were gorgeous. The setting evening sun streaming through the trees was surreal. We came upon an open field with shoulder high grass and daisies. I wish I had my camera because it would have been a great picture. The sort of picture you would see in a bicycling magazine or vacation bike trip brochure.

We did a little exploring and got lost but we found our way back and got 9 fun miles in!

Another Hot One!

According to this morning's weather report today was to be the hottest day of the week and once again they were correct. Hey those weather guys, and gals, are getting pretty good at predicting the weather around here lately!

Well I learned my lesson yesterday; I started today's ride a bit earlier before it got really hot. Jackie and I left for our ride at 9:30 AM with an outside temperature of 78 degrees! We got a 30 mile ride in stopping at an espresso stand about 23 miles into our ride to replenish our water bottles and enjoy a tall cold glass of iced green tea and to eat our sandwiches that we packed. We had a good ride but the sun was starting to get to us by noon. Luckily we finished before it got even hotter. We finished at 12:30 and stopped at Subways for lunch. Temperature when we finished was 92 degrees!

Low front moving in tonight bringing cooler air and I hear thunder in the distance right now!

HOT Day for a Ride!

Today the weather report was accurate. It was HOT just as they predicted. And I went for a bike ride during the hottest part of the day. What was I thinking? Apparently I was not thinking! I left the house at 2:30 PM with an outside temperature of 92 degrees. How I rode 30 miles without passing out is a miracle. I did hydrate, drinking every single drop of water in my two water bottles and replenshing the water at an espresso stand I passed. Even so the sun took it's toll. I have been having severe leg cramps since I got back home hours ago. I think I'll go and have another big drink of water now. Better yet a nice big glass of powerade!

First Ride On My New Bike!

Last night my local bike shop called to tell me that my new bike was in. Joe and I drove to the shop to pick her up! She is beautiful! Peter, the bike shop owner, gave me a great bike fitting. My bike feels like it's a part of me. I couldn't wait to ride her.

This morning I woke up and Joe took a picture of Ruby, my name for her, and me. Finally around 3:30 I was able to get my ride with Ruby in. And it was a wonderful ride too. I left my front door and took off! I cruised around my neighborhood and then around Lake Tapps. Here are some pictures of Ruby and me on our ride this afternoon:

This is Ruby. She is a Specialized Ruby Expert Compact.

Ruby with Mount Rainier in the background.
Mount Rainier overlooking Lake Tapps.




Boat launch on lake.
The local news truck pulled into the boat launch area just as I arrived. I guess they are doing a feature on the lake and this beautiful day! The boat launch was busy. The line for the launch was long!

Ruby and I did 17 miles this afternoon. She rides so smooth and sweet. I love her!

Mountain Bike Ride With the Gals!

I rode with the Lunachixs this evening at Lake Sawyer. We met at the Black Diamond Bike Shop's parking lot and from there entered the woods of Lake Sawyer. The ride was great. The trails were sweet, winding, swooping, and dry. The late afternoon sun was beautiful. The woods were surreal with the sun streaming through the forest trees. We rode for 2 hours. Everyone had a great time. I signed up for the next Lunachix ride on Tuesday, July 1st! We got 9 miles in. They were awesome miles too!

Bought a New Bike Today!

All day yesterday Joe and I went from bike shop to bike shop while test rode bikes. Yes it was time for a new road bike for me! I narrowed it down yesterday to two. The Women's Cannondale Synapse Femine 3 Compact or the Women's Specialized Ruby Expert Compact. Today Joe and I returned to the one bike shop that had both the Cannondale and the Specialized. I test rode both bikes again and finally decided that I liked the Specialized a bit more. My lbs owner placed the order and said my bike would be here by the end of the week! I can't wait. I will post a picture of her when she arrives!

Summer Solstice . . . Warm Day . . . Hot Ride!

Jackie and I began our ride this morning at 11:30 AM. It was already a very warm 78 degrees. The sun was high overhead and beating down on us. The shaded parts of our ride felt wonderful. Jackie and I were enjoying the scenery, the ride, and the beautiful hot weather when half way into our bike ride Jackie got a flat. We stopped along the road on a shady section and I had her tire fixed in less than 5 minutes. I must admit that, thanks to my hubby Joe, I am pretty good at fixing flats. Joe made me practice years ago until I had it nailed.

After I fixed Jackie's flat tire we got back on our bikes and pedaled for about 5 minutes and came upon an espresso stand. Our water bottles were almost empty and we were in need of food and liquids and a rest too so we stopped. We both ordered iced tea, large bottles of water, and cookies. We sat at one of the espresso stand's tables which had a nice big umbrella, which was perfect for keeping the sun off our faces. After 10 or 15 minutes and feeling much better, we felt recovered enough to continue our ride. On our way back we ran into a strong headwind. Trying to stay positive regarding the headwind on the last part of our ride I kept telling myself winds help stengthen legs. My daughter was not seeing it that way. We finally finished at 2:30 PM with a temperature of 82 degrees. Hot for us here in the Seattle area after weeks of 40-50 degree weather.

On our way home we stopped at Starbucks for an iced venti three splenda green tea. It was wonderful!

We got 30 miles in and averaged 13.67 mph.

First Day of Summer Break

Yesterday was my last day of work. No more work until after Labor Day. One of the benefits of working for a school are great summer breaks!

This morning I woke up at 5:30 AM. By the time I begin sleeping in until 9:00 it will be time to go back to work! Oh well! Anyway, as I was saying I woke up at 5:30 AM and came downstairs and started my coffee. Starbuck's Sumatra. Bold and delicious! While my coffee was brewing I started my laptop on the kitchen table and checked my emails and my scrabble game with my good friend Cookie. Hmmm nothing from Cookie yet. She must be enjoying her summer break too. My good friend lives back east and also works in a school. Every summer we read half a dozen books together and discuss them through email. Our kick off for this summer is called "Bridge of Sighs". I haven't started reading the book yet. Cookie claims it is a pretty good story. She does pick some good books, a few duds now and then but usually her choices are good. I will begin reading Bridge of Sighs tomorrow.

My son finally woke up at 8:30 AM. We planned to do a mother son day today. And Aaron wanted to go to Frys. So when Aaron was ready we left the house for Fry's Electronics. He is looking for a CS3 Adobe program and a new computer desk. He found a nice desk at Fry's but they did not have CS3. So we drove to Best Buys to see if they had a copy. No luck. It appears Aaron will have to order his CS3 from an online store. What did we do before the internet?

Before driving home we stopped and had lunch together. After lunch I dropped Aaron and his desk off at home while I ran to the grocery store. When I returned Aaron had his desk assembled and his computer and two monitors running. I asked Aaron if it would be okay if I left him for a few hours to ride my bike. He said that would be fine so I quickly put away my groceries, got into my biking atire, pumped air into my tires, lubed my chain, filled my water bottles and off I went. It was a beautiful day, a little windy but sunny and warm. I had a great ride. There were a lot of other cyclist out and they seemed to be having a good day too.

I got 64.3 miles in and averaged 14.84 mph. Not bad considering the hellacious headwind I had on my return ride. I didn't get back home until 6:30 PM. Lucky thing I took something quick and easy out this morning for dinner. I made my famous pork fried rice and it was delicious. It's amazing how hungry a bike ride can make you!

Monday After Work Ride

This is my last week of work. Actually my last day is Wednesday. School will be out for the summer and I will be off until the fall! When I got off work today the sun was shining brightly. It was in the upper 70s and just a gorgeous day. Too beautiful not to ride. So my daughter and I went for a bike ride on the Orting Trail. We got 30 miles in. We stopped at Starbucks about 25 miles into our ride for a break. Jackie had a peanut butter cookie and I had an oatmeal raisin cookie. We gobbled them up with large glasses of water. Refreshed we set off to finish our ride. We saw a coyote in a field next to the trail. He was just trotting along minding his own business, thank goodness. Our pace was good; averaging 14.37 mph. These are the days you live for! It was totally the best!

Father's Day Mountain Biking and Microbrew Festival

On Father's Day Joe and I joined some of our mountain bike friends at St. Edwards State Park in Kenmore for a ride. The day was beautiful. Sunny, warm, and just gorgeous! Jackie and Aaron came along too. They did not ride with us but enjoyed a run on the trails and then relaxed while they waited for us to finish our ride. We started at 10 AM and finished just before noon. After we locked our bikes into the truck we all walked over to the annual microbrew festival that is held there annually every Father's Day weekend.

It was a great day! We got 9 miles in and then enjoyed some good beer, food, and music.

Sunday Ride With Joe

Today Joe and I went on a ride together. It was cloudy and cool, 51 degrees, but when we finished four and a half hours later the sun finally broke through the heavy gray cloud layers and the temperature was a balmy 61 degrees!

We had a great ride. We almost didn't go but I'm happy that we did.

Memorial Day Ride

Jackie and I did a 30 mile ride this morning. We started at 10:30 AM and finished just before 1:00 PM. We stopped half way for a snack and bathroom break. The weather was cloudy and humid. It was in the mid 60s. Jackie and I both felt great on today’s ride. After the ride we both agreed we could have done 60 miles easily but we had a barbecue to go to this afternoon so we did the 30 and headed home.

This Sunday, June 1st is the Tacoma Wheelmen’s annual Peninsula Metric in Gig Harbor. Jackie and I plan to do the 44 mile loop. The peninsula is very hilly. We will need our climbing legs for the Peninsula Metric! It's a very hard course because of all the steep rolling hills.

Start of Memorial Day Weekend

This morning when I woke up I was greeted with blue skies and sunshine. A good sign that today was going to be a nice day. And it was!

I was up at 6:00 AM. I started the coffee and within ten minutes Joe and Jackie were up and walking into the kitchen. We sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed our first cup of coffee together. We talked about where we should ride. I wanted to do a long 60+ mile ride but Jackie had afternoon plans with friends so we decided to do a 30 mile ride and save our long ride for Monday. I made breakfast while Joe got the bikes ready. We were out the door at 9:00 AM. It was a glorious morning. All mornings should be like the one we had today. The sun was warming the air up nicely and within a few minutes we were sweating.

We rode by rivers, meadows, and fields listening to the late morning early afternoon sounds. We passed a park where we saw children playing. The sounds of their laughter carried on the air. They were also enjoying this gorgeous day. After riding for 18 miles we stopped at an espresso stand where I ordered a cold lemonade, made with freshly squeezed REAL lemons and strawberries while Joe and Jackie just sipped on ice cold bottles of water. Refreshed we continued on our ride. We finished at 11:00 just before it got really hot.

Tomorrow we hope to do another ride and on Monday, Memorial Day, we hope to do our 60 mile ride. I hope the weather will cooperate and be as nice as it was today.

A Much Cooler Ride

Yesterday was HOT! But last night the winds picked up and brought with them a wonderful cold front. Mother Nature’s air conditioning! It felt wonderful after the hot day we had yesterday! Remember we broke a record; we saw 91 degrees yesterday! So believe me when I say the cold air coming in last night was a Godsend. I took full advantage of its coolness and opened all the windows in the house. As the evening wore on the temperature inside the house began to come down to a more comfortable range. Sleeping last night was great! There’s nothing like a cool breeze coming through your bedroom window to make sleeping heavenly.

This morning Joe and I decided to go for an early morning ride. We had breakfast at 7 AM and we were on our bikes by 9 AM. It was chilly at the start but after a few miles we warmed up nicely. We did our country/back roads and farmland ride. Normally there is very little traffic on these roads but on Sundays there is practically zero traffic. We were lucky if we saw two cars on our ride this morning. We did see a lot of cows and calves, horses, sheep, dogs, and 4 dead possums. Of course our constant companion on our ride, Mount Rainier, was out this morning sporting a nice white cap today. It’s always a pleasure seeing the mountain. I never get tired of that magnificent view!

Joe and I got a nice 25 mile ride in. We finished in 1 hour and 37 minutes. It was a nice short ride. I wanted to do a much longer ride today but Joe and I had to go to our daughter’s Honors Ceremony at three this afternoon. So we had to cut it short on this perfect day. On the bright side, I rode on Thursday, Friday, Saturday (hot hot day), and today Sunday. Four straight days in a row! This coming weekend I definitely want to do a long ride. Joe and I plan on doing the 65 mile Headwater Century loop. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. I think it will! I truly believe that our nice weather has finally arrived.

Tomorrow is Monday. I do so hate Mondays. Joe and I have decided to go to the gym tomorrow instead of ride. I do need to work on my upper body strengthening. Believe me I need it! I’ve never seen such weak pathetic arms!

The day is coming to an end but there is still a few hours left before calling it a day; so I think I will go and relax with Joe and watch some Sunday night TV.

Evening Ride

Today was a very hot day. We set a record reaching 91 degrees! I could tell it was going to be a HOT day the moment I woke up this morning at 7 AM and saw that the outside temperature was already 78 degrees! Joe had some things to do in the morning so we planned an afternoon ride. He left around 8 AM and returned home at noon. The temperature was 89 degrees when he walked through the door! We canned the afternoon ride and decided to do an early evening ride instead. It was definitely way too hot for a ride in the middle of the day.

So I did laundry and cleaned the house up a bit. I started dinner early, around three so that we could eat before our ride. At 6 PM we decided to get ready for our ride. The temperature had begun to drop and just like the weather report predicted a cold front was moving in. Of course that meant there would be wind on our ride this evening but that was okay with us. We just wanted to get out and ride. We were on the road at 6:30. The sun was still up but not directly overhead. Big difference! The winds were picking up and the temperature was dropping. It was 84 when we started our ride.

We followed the Carbon River for about 10 miles. Allowing the wind to blow off the chilly glacier fed river and cool us off. It felt wonderful! At mile 15 we left the river and headed inland. The slowly setting sun cast long shadows. We entered a wooded tree lined road and the scene was surreal. We past pastures saw great views of Mount Rainier, and sparkling sunlight dancing off the river. We got 30 miles in and finished our ride around 8:30. It was still light out (I love this time of the year with the long days) and arrived home happy that we got a ride in on this hot day.

A Beautiful Friday

This morning I woke up to another beautiful day. The sun was out, the sky was clear and blue, and the temperature at 7 AM was already in the 60s. Excited about a second beautiful day I called in to work and told them I would not be in. I just could not help myself. I rarely do anything so impulsive and selfish but today I just could not help myself. It had been a long cold, wet, miserable winter and spring. My spirits have been so low but with this gorgeous sunshine and the opportunity to ride my bike again my spirit meter has risen to extremely happy! So with my call to work out of the way I started my coffee and popped an English muffin into the toaster. After breakfast I changed, got my bike ready, and was on my way. I initially was going to ride the 45 mile Enumclaw to Black Diamond loop but at the last minute changed my mind. Instead I drove to the trail head of the Orting Trail in Puyallup next to the tulip farm. From the trail head to South Prairie it’s 15 miles. So out and back makes it a 30 mile ride.

The morning sun was warming the day up nicely. I did not need a jacket. To take full advantage of the sun I wore one of my sleeveless tops. First time this season! When I rode by the Carbon River the air coming off the water was cold. The river is fed with ice cold glacier melt. It felt so nice! Today I just wanted to enjoy the day, my ride, and the views. So my pace was not fast but not slow either. It was my “spinning” ride. I practiced my spinning. I did do some sprints on some really beautiful straight sections of the trail. In about an hour I was at the end of the trail. I stopped at the Jump Start Espresso and ordered a nice cold green tea ice tea. I found a nice shady spot and relaxed while I drank my tea. Refreshed I started back for the Puyallup trail head 15 miles away. I finished my ride at 11 AM. I felt great!

Joe has been out of town on business all week. He flies in today at 6 PM. I have to leave around 4:30 to pick him up at the airport. Tomorrow he and I and maybe our daughter too will be doing a ride. This will make three in a row for me! I am really taking advantage of this glorious weather.

It’s supposed to start cooling down by Monday but not bad. It will be more seasonal, in the 70s which is fine with me. Better than the 40s and 50s we had been getting these past few months.

So 30 miles this morning for me! :)

Beautiful Day, Great Ride After Work!

When I woke up this morning I thought the weather people on my local news station were wrong again. It was gray and gloomy. I was hoping to see sunshine when I woke up this morning but instead I was greeted with mist and grayness. But it did not stay this way. By the time I got off work at 2:30 the sun was shining brightly, the sky was the bluest blue, and there was not a single cloud in the sky! It had turned into a pretty awesome day after all. With this great weather waiting for me after work I did not waste any time getting home. I pulled into my garage, ran into the house and got into my cycling clothes, filled my water bottles, and out the door with my bike I went. I pedaled past Lake Tapps and headed down into the valley towards Orting where I picked up the Orting Trail. The trail ends at South Prairie. By the time I reached South Prairie I had covered 18 miles. Before jumping onto the road I stopped at Jump Start Espresso for a nice cold green tea ice tea. It hit the spot. I filled my water bottles and was ready to continue my ride.

After my rest I jumped onto the back country roads of South Prairie and Buckley. The scenery was magnificent! Mount Rainier was out in all its glory! The mountain was white from the winter snows. The pastures were green and alive with birds, cows with their new calves, horses, sheep, and farmers cutting hay. I felt wonderful! My legs felt strong and I climbed every hill with ease.

I got 35.73 miles in today. Not bad for an after work ride. I look forward to tomorrow and the weekend. The weather is supposed to be even better than it was today, if that is possible.

I took along my camera and shot a few pictures. To give you an idea of what kind of day today was just take a look at my pictures.

My bike on the Orting Trial
Mount Rainier as seen from the town of Orting
Mount Rainier
Orting Trail
My bike
Refreshing drink
St. Aloysius Church in the town of Buckley
Cows in a beautiful pasture with Mt. Rainier as a backdrop
Lake Tapps two blocks from my home

Hum Drum Day

I woke up this morning expecting to see sunshine but instead I was met with grayness and mist. So much for sunshine today. But tomorrow the sun is expected to make it's grand entrance! Temperature is predicted to get into the mid 80s and they say 90 on Friday! I have hope for tomorrow! I believe I will be on my bike tomorrow afternoon say around 3:00 PM enjoying a wonderful ride! Earlier if I skip work but I won't do that. No, I will save that option, skipping work, for Friday! But back to tomorrow's ride, I plan to write about it tomorrow evening so do check back!

Rain rain go away!

Well today is indeed a wet one! It began last night and it continues today. The rain has been coming down non stop! But according to the weather reports today is the last of it for a while. I sure hope so! Wednesday it begins to clear and Thrusday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday look phenomenal! Next week is looking pretty good too!

Will It Rain?

I can't believe that I have not been on my bike since last Sunday! This spring has been a total washout as far as weather and bike rides go. And even I myself have hindered my own riding. I have been busy with work and meetings and kids and a husband and parents. But I knew that soon, soon my time will come. The stars will align and the cosmos will come together and it will be my time. And my time finally did arrive. Or did it?

This morning the sun was out and the sky was clear. GREAT I thought, finally a nice day! So with a smile on my face I left for work knowing that when my work day ended at 2:30 I will finally get to ride my bike! 2:30 finally arrived and wouldn't you know it, clouds had rolled in. Between going to work this morning and getting off work this afternoon it went from a clear day to a cloudy one. How dare those clouds come uninvited to ruin my plans! And they were waiting for me. Waiting for me to get on my bike! Waiting until I was half way into my ride. Then they would release their droplets of cold wet rain onto me. The clouds were taunting me! A lesser cyclist would have succumbed and gone home. But not me. I decided to take a chance and go for my ride even if it meant getting a little wet. So I went on my ride. And I had a great ride! And you know what? My decision to go paid off! It did not rain! I got 15 miles in and not a drop of rain fell from those cumulonimbus browbeaters. And here it is 2 hours after my ride and it's still not raining. Those clouds are still out there, waiting to release their droplets of water but not on me; not today.

And good news Wednesday marks the start of a warm, sunny, weather pattern. They (weather people on my local TV station) are forecasting temperatures in the 80s! Something not seen here since last August! Oh I do hope they are right!

May Day Metric . . . Sort of!

Today was the annual May Day Metric hosted by Phil’s South Side Cyclery. I had planned on doing this ride but slept in! I had a good reason. My hubby had a 6:00 AM flight this morning. I was up at 3:30 AM to take Joe to the airport. When I got back home I thought an hours sleep would be wonderful. Well, I didn’t get up until 9:00 AM! Way too late to get to Federal Way before registration closed. So trying to make the best of this beautiful day I had my breakfast, got dressed, got on my bike and left my house to do my own ride. I headed down into Orting and caught the May Day Metric trail! I incorporated parts of the May Day Metric 70 and 100 mile routes into my ride and ended up getting 63 miles in! Not bad.

The weather was a bit cool at the start. There was cloud coverage but the sun did its work and about an hour into the ride blue sky peeked through along with the sun. I had a great ride. I tried to keep to the back roads where there is very little traffic. I had beautiful views of fields and meadows. Sadly I did not see Mt. Rainier on my ride as it was hiding behind clouds. The only clouds that seemed to resist the suns rays and the winds efforts to rid the sky of them.

Oh I did have a run in with a mean dog. I thought for sure he was going to bite me. He came charging after me snarling, with lips curled, teeth showing, and barking up a storm. I stayed calm and slowed down a bit and looked directly at him and said in the most authoritative voice I could muster, “NO! GO HOME!” and he did stop! I was so relieved. Usually Joe handles the dogs. He always tells me to show no fear and to carry my mace when I ride without him but of course I forgot my mace so I had to depend on myself. I'm glad I didn't panic and stood my ground!

In my rush to get out the door this moring I forgot my camera. But I did have my cell phone and so I took a few pictures with it. They're not as good as my camera's pictures but I think they came out okay.

About 15 miles before the end of my ride I stopped at Wally’s Drive-In restaurant in Buckley for a hamburger and lemonade. I was famished. After all I hadn't had a thing to eat since breakfast hours ago. I did stop at the Starbucks in Orting at mile 16 and had a tall mocha but nothing to eat. Needless to say that hamburger was the best hamburger I had ever eaten! I was famished! With my stomach full and a nice little rest too, I was feeling good again and ready to finish the ride. I finally rolled into my driveway exhausted but happy that I did go out for a ride on this beautiful spring day.

I got 63 miles in and my average speed was 14.3. The course had a lot of rolling hills and 4 BIG MAJOR CLIMBS! One must have been 10% I swear! I did pass people walking up these hills! But I made every single hill.



Dan Henry . . . May Day Metric
I followed the 70 and 100 mile routes.
Cows in a beautiful meadow.
Barn and silo.

After Work Ride

I went on a Tacoma Wheelmen's Bike Club ride today after work. The ride started from the Sumner Library parking lot. We rode on West Valley Highway into Auburn picking up the Interurban trail. We turned around at the Super Mall. The ride was 15.5 miles. It was a beautiful day. The views of Mt. Rainier were gorgeous. It was a good ride and I had a wonderful time. Any time I can get out on my bike is a bonus!

Great Weekend . . . Beautiful Weather!

Joe and I arrived in Leavenworth on Friday, April 25th. We met up with our friends Jim and Kathy and their little pup Bandit. The weather was absolutely beautiful! After unpacking the truck the four of us, errr make that the five us left our condo and walked into town. We browsed the shops and then stopped in at the Munchen Haus for lunch. After lunch we walked around a bit more before walking back to the condo. Around 5 o'clock we went to dinner at King Ludwigs and then walked to the Ale Fest at the Leavenworth Festhalle. Joe and Jim sampled many beers. A featured singer, Vicki Martinez and her band, were playing at the Ale Fest on Friday night. They were great! Finally around 9 PM we left the hall and headed back to the condo. After all we had a big bike ride to do tomorrow and it had an early start!
I was up at 6 AM. Joe and Jim did not get up until 7 AM! Finally around 7:30 we left for the Ale Fest Bike Ride. We stopped and had breakfast at Kristalls first. We finally arrived at the start around 9 AM. Even with the sun shining against the bluest sky it was still a very chilly morning. There was also a lot of snow still on the ground but we were very excited about the ride, the sun, and scenery! We were ready to ride!
We did pass by some gorgeous scenery as you can see from some of the pictures that I took.
This is Joe and Jim chatting at our first rest stop. We were quite warm by mile 12.5 and we were all getting into the ride! The other bikers were feeling the same. I saw many happy faces and positive chit chat going on. Everyone I spoke with agreed it was a perfect day for a bike ride!

Here's a picture of Joe and me at the first rest stop. With snow and sunshine as our backdrop!

My Bike at the start of the ride leaning against . . . SNOW!
Our friend Jim all bundled up at the start of the ride with his bike.
A cyclist coming down the road walled in on both sides with SNOW! There was very little, almost zero traffic! The 75 mile course was cancelled because of snow. That left the 25 and 50 mile courses. Joe, Jim, and I did the 50 mile course. We had a great ride! The weekend couldn't have been more perfect! It was really hard leaving Leavenworth this afternoon to come back to the west side of the mountains. Don't you just love great weekends?! I sure do! I can't wait for the next great weekend!

Fun Weekend Coming Up!

I am so looking forward to this up coming weekend! Since January the weather,work, and the day to day routine has really gotten to me. And today at work, the day just dragged by! But finally the 2:20 dismissal bell rang and I almost cheered! My weekend had just begun with that dismissal bell. Joe and I each took a personal day. So tomorrow rather than going in to work we will be driving over to Leavenworth for the Leavenworth 2nd annual Ale Fest. They are also having an Ale Fest Bike Ride! Woo Hoo! We had initially signed up to ride the 75 mile course but received an email about a week ago from the ride director stating that the 75 mile course is cancelled because of SNOW! So we will be riding the 50 mile course. The temperature and weather for Leavenworth for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are AWESOME! I am on cloud nine at this moment. Work is over, the weather for our getaway will be beautiful and my day to day routine will be interrupted! AND I will be riding my bike! I will ride on Saturday in the Ale Fest Bike Ride but I am also going to ride tomorrow when we get into Leavenworth. Oh yea, I will first settle into our condo, maybe have lunch, unpack and then go for a ride! :-D We plan to leave EARLY for Leavenworth tomorrow morning. Probably around 9 AM. It's a 2 hour drive over so we should arrive at our condo between 11 and noon. So plenty of time and day left for a nice ride! :)

On my way home from work today I stopped at Papa Murphy's Pizza and picked up my favorite pizza, their chicken, bacon, artichoke, thin crusted pizza. I am also doing laundry and packing. I was initially on the desk top computer upstairs in our office but then I remembered that I wanted to watch Oprah today. Her guest is the family from the Learning Channel. The little people big world family, the Roloffs. So I grabbed my laptop, came downstairs, and here I sit. Watching Oprah, doing laundry, baking pizza, and typing an entry in my blog!

Well Joe should be pulling into the garage any minute now. The pizza smells wonderful and my washer just stopped. So I guess I better end this for today. Stay tuned for a report on my weekend getaway! With pictures I hope!

Cold Cold Spring!

I cannot believe the weather this spring here in the Pacific Northwest. Very unseasonably COLD! The last three days for example; that’s this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 18-20 we received rain, snow, hail, sleet, and high winds. The morning temperature all week long has been in the low 30s. Highs have been in the low 40s. Needless to say no biking was done by me all week. Last weekend I thought FINALLY spring had arrived. It was just a tease though by Mother Nature! Dang her anyway! Last Saturday it was in the mid 70s. It was sunny with very clear blue skies, warm, and just a gorgeous spring day. I actually wore shorts for my bike ride and no jacket! I was actually sweating on the ride too! Last Sunday wasn’t as warm or as nice as Saturday but it was still a decent day. I rode in the 33rd annual Daffodil Classic. It was my last ride for the week because on Monday the arctic weather moved back in. The only exercise that I did get to do on Monday – Friday of last week was at the gym. I was hoping to give up going to the gym with the arrival of April but no, spring decided to take an extended vacation.

On the brighter side, the weather report tonight looks just a tiny bit promising. If I can get a ride in tomorrow afternoon after work GREAT! If not I will be at the gym once again doing my usual workout. Sigh . . . here’s to warmer weather SOON!!!!

And here is the weather report for the week of April 21-25, 2008 by two of our local TV stations:

First from KIRO 7 TV

And from King 5 TV

Also from King 5 TV plus 5 more days

It looks like the nicer weather will not arrive until the week of April 26th! I was hoping for nice weather for the weekend of the 25th, 26th, and 27th of April. Joe and I are going to Leavenworth for the Ale Fest and we also signed up to ride in the Ale Fest Bike Ride. Stay tuned for a report on that ride! They closed the 75 mile route due to SNOW! Yep, I got an email from the people putting on the ride and the 75 mile route is closed. Can you believe it?! So Joe and I will be riding the 50 mile course. I will make sure to pack our warmies!

Desperately seeking spring . . . Sue

Busy Weekend

This weekend Cascade Bicycle Club had their annual Bike Expo in Seattle. For the first time ever it was held in the Princess Cruise Lines Terminal 30 just south of Safeco Field. Joe and I went on Saturday. We had a great time browsing and looking at all the bikes, clubs, rides, gear, and accessories. We came home with a lot of fliers and brochures with great information on rides that we would love to participate in this spring, summer, and fall. I also found some bargains at the bike expo, two marked down women cycling jerseys, one of which was a Discovery Channel jersey. I always wanted one. The price yesterday at the bike expo was just too good to pass up so I scooped it up!

Today, Sunday, Joe and I had planned on riding one of our favorite routes near Black Diamond but Joe's back was bothering him. So instead of Joe and me riding our Black Diamond loop I went out alone and did one of my favorite summer time rides. I started straight from my house. I got 36.59 miles in and had a great ride. I'm glad I went. I really can't aford to miss a weekend ride. I have my big event this July and I really need to get out every weekend and increase my mileage. My weekend ride will be my long rides. My weekday rides will be my shorter rides.

Today was cloudy, with an occasional sun break but the temperature was mild. Almost 60 degrees! Perfect for riding. Tomorrow the rain is supposed to return. If so instead of an after work ride I may go to the gym and do some weights. I haven't been doing weights lately and I really need to keep up with this too.

Well that was my weekend. Oh yes one more thing, we turned our clocks ahead and I love the extra daylight at the end of the day but I am going to hate tomorrow morning when the alarm goes off for work!

Great Weekend! Two Rides!

Yesterday Joe and I went to Banner Forest and had an awesome time mountain biking. Today we enjoyed a wonderful road ride on some of the most beautiful back roads in the area. The sun was out and the temperature was in the upper 40s. The sun made it feel a lot warmer. What a weekend. Sad to see it end!

Monday Morning

I will be leaving in about 30 minutes for work. I had consider taking a sick day today when I was watching yesterday's weather report; which claimed it would be "clear and sunny" for Monday. I don't know what the weather man was on the other day but it's raining right now and instead of blue sunny skies I see gray gloomy wet clouds floating by. So one more cup of coffee and then I will be off to work . . . in my car! I guess it's the gym and spin class for me this afternoon instead of a nice after work spring bicycle ride.

Foggy Start to Sunday

It's 7:30 AM and it's foggy outside my kitchen window. But it's supposed to be nice later. The weather man promised sun breaks this afternoon. So I will wait and see if he called this one right.

It's now 10:05 PM. The weather man was right. The sun did come out and the day was a gorgeous one! But we did not ride. We both got caught up with other things. Oh well there will be more nice days as spring is only 3 weeks away. And in another week day light savings begins! It's so nice to see the days get longer again. Well with that said I think I will go and make a nice hot cup of tea and perhaps read a few chapters in my book before calling it a day.

Gorgeous Saturday!

Today the weather was beautiful. A true sign that spring is just around the corner. Joe and I left the house at 10:00 AM for a bike ride. The temperature at ten was 41 degrees fahrenheit. The first 5 minutes of our ride I must admit we were cold but the sun's rays and our pedaling soon warmed us up nicely. We rode one of our favorite routes on back roads with gorgeous views, little traffic, and perfect roads. I took along my camera and shot a few pictures. As the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words so I will say no more and just let you see some of my pictures from today's ride.

So Far . . . A Great Weekend!

This has been a great weekend because the weather finally got nice! A tad bit chilly but beautiful otherwise. Yesterday Joe and I got a nice ride in and today we got another nice ride in. When we began our ride this morning the first 10 miles were the hardest. That was because the temperature at the start was only 38 degrees fahrenheit! My face was numb and cold! But around the tenth mile I finally began to feel warm and toasty. My working muscles were putting out some heat and the ride became enjoyable. We weren't the only bicyclist out either. We saw quite a few. All like us taking advantage of the sunshine and lack of rain and wind. Tomorrow is supposed to be nice too and then on Tuesday the rain returns. I'm off tomorrow for President's Day but Joe has to work. Too bad because I would like to get one more ride in this long weekend. Maybe I can still get a ride in tomorrow. I could ride the local trail. Better than nothing.

February Soggy and Wet

This has been one of the rainiest winters! If this keeps up I may be growing fins and gills!