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| "Semper Fi" |
Saturday was a good day. It's as simple as that. Some times I
feel like that's all that really needs to be said after a good bike
ride surrounded by good company. I mean really, can I even begin to
touch on all the fine details. As life would have it though, people
enjoy hearing about the fine details, such as: a bee that somehow flew
UNDER my sunglasses while I was descending the White Bird Grade cruising
at a speed of about 32mph or the fact that I have a pretty killer
spandex tan line, I'm sure you all wanted to know that.
This
was the first time I've done the White Bird hill climb in a few
years, it's been at least four or five since I last rode in it. My
previous time for the ride was right under an hour at 59 minutes and
some change. I had two goals in mind when I lined up Saturday morning to
begin the ride: I wanted to beat my previous time and finish in the top
five. Well, I got one of them.
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| At the end of the ride |
The ride begins on a
gravel road for about 3/4 of a mile and while we were riding the last 20
feet of gravel I just about went down hard due to some serious slippage
in the deep stuff. Recovering my dignity and getting back in the pace
line I continued down the road. When the hill really started to unveil its
ugly 2300 foot face I began to wonder why in the world I was doing
this, FOR FUN on a Saturday? To be frank, I don't have an answer that
would make much sense to you. If I had to put into words it would go
something like this, because I think it is fun to make my muscles hurt
bad and get sweat in my eyes. Something about it revs my engine....or
pedals my cranks...
The actual hill is about 10 miles long and contains 23 gnarly switchbacks. It's a big enough hill that some people's cars aren't fit to make it to the top, and here I am on a bicycle. Awesome. In reality, riding up a big hill on a bicycle is just like riding up a small hill, just doing it several times over. You put your head down, spin fast, don't look too far ahead, and enjoy the scenery. I think that everyone should try something like it at least once in their life, maybe even twice. You never know where you might find happiness and fulfillment.
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| This sculpture was made from junk pulled from the salmon river. Good use of trash I'd say! |
The last mile and a half of the ride I decided that I really really wanted to beat my time so I should sprint to the finish. It was a great feeling to cross the line knowing that I had given every last ounce of energy that I could muster to beat my time. When it was all said and done I was the sixth person to cross the end and my time was two and a half minutes behind the first finisher at 53 minutes and 33 seconds. Not only did I beat my time, I destroyed it. Like I said, it was a good day.
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| There are four people to be seen in this sculpture: a rafter, hunter, fisherman, and a jet boat driver. Do you see them? |
