Sunday, January 29, 2012

Cold and Chanticleer!


"I know it's raining. You want me to do what?" Noah asked.



Broadway Starbucks was the first stop before Chanticleer Point - better known as Women's Forum which helped Rocky Rabbit get 50 without climbing TOO much in the rain.


Rainy Sabbath travelers rambled into the brambles just beyond the Sweetbriar neighborhood of Troutdale .



Brave were the souls who climbed east up the Market/Mill street bike path to Gresham.

Rain came down mercilessly for the first hour. Only when the rural farm lands appeared did the precipitation ball up and slow down. Fog made descents slippery through fields of arm chair agriculture as the old road serpentined to the Stark Street Bridge and then over the Sandy River.
Speeding into town, we stopped at the "Country Store" after Greg Miranda sprinted and won at the Silverdale City Limits sign.




The "Student Special" was a popular item as three were ordered thanks to a charitable gift from the Jean and Dallas Rydick Fund for the Humanities.

Meat eaters ate bite size bits of burger. Vegetarians ate fries. Gu and Ketchup packs were passed around equally.


Peter Smith actually bought and enjoyed potato chips.

"My gloves are wet, but I'm okay!" says Dallas.

"I just need to sit in the car for a second," said everyone else except Pete.


On the roots of Larch Mountain Pete Smith was perpetually on the lay for an escape off the front, and the terrain became another invitation.



After a photo and the turn around, it was an epic team descent. Big rollers Tim Miller and Dey Shaun Lee turned some big speed. Keegan and Greg reeled in all moves while tending gently to the six people fighting to stay on their wheel.

Everyone showed great strength and skill all the way to Keegan's big victory at the Troutdale City Limits sign.

Rolling, arms in the air, languishing in a long yoga pose almost off the back of his bike, Keegan let thousands of imaginary fans cheer his success.


Then Greg Miranda pushed folks home.

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