Parenting...The Long, Great Ride

Tomorrow’s a big day. T-Bone, the second-oldest in our family constellation, will be turning 19. He’s a great young man whose zest for life can hardly be contained in one human body. He’s extremely athletic, playful, sincere, and deeply devoted to his friendships. Because he’s away at college and it’s getting close to finals, we’ll have to celebrate with him from a distance. I was thinking maybe I’d put on a cheesy birthday sombrero and Skype with him. I’m sure he’ll find that meaningful.

Nat, our youngest, has been invited to some big event for outstanding young writers tomorrow. I've got a feeling that writing is somehow going to be a big part of her college and career path (of course, we've got to navigate through the teen years first). It will be fun to see her interact with authors and other great kid-writers. I usually get teary-eyed at this kind of stuff. I kind of am right now, just blogging about it.

I love getting to watch our kids become adults. Our oldest son, G, is a wonderful young man about to graduate from college and enter the next great chapter in his life, which will be 3,000 miles from home. It’s a crazy and somewhat scary process for parents watching your adult kids go have their own lives. They are their own agents in the world now, but they still need parents to be involved along the way. There’s usually a price-tag attached to that, but even the finances are overshadowed by the magnitude of just letting them grow up. Releasing them into their own independence is....ominous. And from birth, it’s what kids need from their parents.

Mrs. C is a devoted mom with lightning-quick insights about our kids. I’m amazed at how she thinks about things, and she’s always thinking. She continues to remind me that our job as parents is never going to be “over.”

What?! Never?! Can I just take a long bike ride, sit with a strong cup of coffee, and mull this over for a while?

A Blog-Worthy Blog

Here’s a shout-out to a great cycling blog I recently discovered: Richard’s Ride is written by a guy in Colorado, and his blog impresses me for three reasons:
1. He’s concise. I should learn from that.
2. Richard uses cool tools like twitter and podcasts and stuff.
3. Richard’s story inspires. It's clear that this guy's on a quest and it's way more than just bike riding. I especially like his recent solo trek from Phoenix to Denver. This guy’s got grit. I like that.

Richard found my blog before I found his. Yesterday he urged friends to visit my site, which was pretty cool. I hope you’ll visit his site, too.

Ride on, Richard!

Weekend Riding In The Valley

Steve-O came down for an afternoon ride yesterday. We used to live about 50 yards away from each other, now it’s more like 50 miles. Getting together for a ride takes a little more coordinating than it used to, but we’re figuring it out. Our spouses continue to be good friends, so while they spent the afternoon together, Steve-O and I rolled.


For our route I wanted good scenery, some distance, and some climbing. We got all that plus more: no more than a block from my house we got hit with a shot of cold, pelting rain. For the better part of the ride, headwinds and crosswinds added to the overall fun. We always manage to get a headwind when we ride together. Always.

I’m so taken by the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge that I added it to our route. It’s really a phenomenal place and I was glad to see there other folks were there, taking in the sweeping views. Our primary entertainers were several thousand canadian geese congregated on a large meadow, with hundreds more taking flight in their signature v-formations. Some nice farmlands surround the area as well. Even on a mostly cloudy day, this area is just downright purty.

Riding across the Independence Bridge, we were almost knocked over by the cross winds coming up the Willamette River. Thankfully there was no car traffic just then. After a quick break in beautiful downtown Independence, we were approaching the moment of reckoning: the West Salem hills stood there waiting for us. We chose to ascend Oak Grove and Orchard Heights Roads. Getting yourself and your bike up a steep hill can really test your toughness, your limits, and your commitment. This was not a lengthy climb but it was plenty steep. From the valley floor we climbed to over 1000 feet in a few short miles, the final mile being the hardest. The grade was steep enough to even get some groans out of Steve-O! Mission accomplished.

Since our route was going to take us past my folks house, we included a brief stop to see them. My mom and dad just always know how to be hospitable. On the kitchen counter they had chilled water bottles and electrolyte mixes ready for us. Perfect! Thanks, Mom and Dad. You’re the best.

After a big climb and a quick water break, there’s really nothing better than hopping back on the saddle, heading downhill, and hanging onto the handlebars for dear life! Rippin’ down the hill was so much fun, and we earned every mph of it. Our speedometers saw numbers we’ve not seen before. Sorry, I can’t divulge them publicly because I’d be incriminating myself and Steve-O. :)

Our 50-miler was just what we had hoped. Of course, just as we got back to my house, the wind stopped.

Reason to Ride Salem #4: Downtown.

I was wrong, Salem, and you deserve my apology. When our family moved from Portland to come here for my job, I was sure I was coming to cycling purgatory. I didn't give you much of a chance. I imagined all kinds of problems with your city streets and how cars interact with bikes, and I pictured that I would just avoid riding your downtown core as much as possible. I was wrong to think that way about you. I mean, we all know what kind of attention Portland gets when it comes to city riding, right? Not so for Salem. But it’s only because folks don’t know what they don’t know. Well, I am among the reformed. Those of us who have learned your streets from the handlebars have reason to love it here. We have all got to start saying it loudly on your behalf, Salem. For that reason, today, I stand before you and all 19 of my readers to proclaim: Salem, you ARE a bike town!

You’ve got good signage for bike routes, your lanes are well marked, and things are very accessible to cyclists. Your bike shops are really quite amazing, especially the people who work in them. Sure, on weekdays the traffic can get congested, so yeah, that’s an area where you could improve. Weekends here? Wow. Cyclists should feel like royalty. I rode your downtown streets a couple of times this weekend, and both times were great!

On Saturday I took the road bike for a spin, and after a morning meeting I took a squiggly route back home. I had a few minutes to poke around downtown before the return trip, so I just took random rights and lefts until I ended up at Saturday Market. It’s only April, so there’s not much produce being sold there yet, but lots of folks were out enjoying the first almost-warmish day together. I met some nice people just visiting here from Louisiana. They say it’s already hot there and getting hotter. We’re spoiled in this corner of the country when it comes to the weather. I continued on my ride through town and got to snap off a few pics of the Willamette University campus in its springtime color. The students there looked especially happy to have the sunshine.



Today Mrs. C and I had a delightful Sunday. After an early church service we zipped home and changed, then spent the next few hours ambling around town on our bikes. We kept a pace that was comfortable for both of us, and criss-crossed around the downtown area with ease. I took the blue beast so we could pack a few things along with us; Mrs. C's hybrid bike is a perfect match for city riding and it made me happy to see her happy. There are so few cars downtown on Sunday morning, you have your pick of lanes for blocks in either direction. That made the riding more casual and fun for both of us. We did indeed ride bikes and then drink coffee! Found a coffee shop and a little patch of sunshine on the corner of State and Commercial. Across the street were some spandex-donned cyclists doing the very same thing at another coffee establishment. I’m tellin’ ya, bikes and coffee pair very well together here in Oregon!

Cyclists, whether you’re passing through or stopping to enjoy what the center of Salem has to offer, don’t just ride the edges of this town. Go through the middle.

Recommended Clicks

In the quest to reach the end of the internet, you run across some really great stuff people have shared online. I'll recommend links to other folks' work that relate to this blog, which is turning out to be mostly about cycling, occasionally about coffee. :)

I'm a big fan of Grant McOmie. He has this "aw shucks" approach that has always drawn me in to whatever story he wants to tell about things in the Pacific Northwest. His recent piece on the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway was especially good at capturing the cycling phenomenon in this area. Pay special attention to how much information he packs into a short clip. He mentions Ride Oregon Ride, the Oregon Scenic Bikeway Project, Olson's Bike Shop in Forest Grove, and a special reference to Team in Training, a wonderful way to add purpose to your pedals. While you're clicking, check out the Travel Oregon Blog. It has a pretty impressive group of writers, topics, and video clips.

Hats off to Grant McOmie for yet another A+ effort.

Don't Just Take My Word For It....

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Some great news about cycling in Oregon just came across the optic fiber highway this morning! Bicycling.com announced the top 50 bike-friendly cities in the U.S. 3 cities in Oregon are in the top 20! They are:
...drum roll, please....
Portland (2), Eugene (5), and Salem (19)!!!
Then they list the best small cities (population under 100,000) and there's Corvallis!
The results were based on things such as dedicated bike lanes and boulevards in town, a bike culture, and savvy bike shops.

I concur.

Bravo!

Reason To Ride Salem #5: Refuge.

Liberty Road lived up to its name yesterday. Heading south from Salem, every mile was liberating me with the chance to roll on some country roads. This kind of ride is my favorite: long, winding two-lane roads with little traffic and generous scenery. The views in this part of Oregon stack up pretty well against any other place in the Pacific Northwest. This is a destination ride that is worth your time to get here and experience it for yourself.

In exchange for a tiny bit of climbing on Liberty Road, you're at the top; prepare yourself for a view that astounds you. At that point the road takes a long, easy descent down to the valley floor. Right now you'll see a combination of lush green textures dotting the whole area. Wetlands, farmlands, vineyards, large stands of oaks, maples, pines, and firs. Just beyond are the foothills of the Cascade and Coast Ranges, each with a new coating of spring snow that will help keep this basin green through the summer months. One of the most important aspects of this part of the valley is the role it has in supporting the wildlife that migrate in and through this area.

At the bottom of Liberty Road you’ll be at the edge of the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge. It’s one of three protected areas in what is called the Willamette Valley National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which hosts all kinds of critters, some who live here all year, and others who are just passing through. Today I was one of the vagabond critters, just visiting, before making the rest of my journey. Just like the other travelers that belong to the animal kingdom, I will return here. This place is indeed...a refuge.

Reason To Ride Salem #6: The Thrill Rides!

If you picture Salem as a town that sits on the “floor” of the valley you don’t have the complete picture. Do a mental tour to downtown Salem, somewhere near the capitol building with the golden statue guy (does anybody else see an uncanny resemblance to Phil Knight?). Now that you’re in the middle of town, start out in any direction except maybe North. In minutes, you’ll find out you’re not in Kansas anymore! If you’ve made the effort to come and ride in the Salem area, you owe it to yourself to try some of these golden little hills that surround town. The climbs will not only reward you with the satisfaction of a good effort, but also provide some beautiful views across the valley. And the downhills...pure adrenaline!

Before we start out on our hilly adventures, let’s do a reality check...we all know about hills, right?

They can hurt you.

If you’re on a fast bike on a steep drop, you will be up over 35 mph in a blink. Steering and braking become much more limited the faster you go. Remember that you’re not in a car! Tight curves can sneak up on you, and can easily kick you out into the oncoming lane if your approach is too fast. Lots of folks find out too late that they can’t turn at all, and their rides usually end badly with that realization. Do us all a favor and judiciously squeeze that little lever next to the handlebar. It’s the brake, and it could save you an ambulance ride. Anticipate the contours of the road and give yourself room to make a turn. Bottom line, after a good descent you still want to have all your teeth.

Following are a few routes well known to the Salem crowd, some of whom were kind enough to share some of their favorite hilly routes. Now, onto our pedals, folks. It's climb time.

Croisan Creek
Start at Sprague High School, on Kuebler Road. Turn right on Kuebler Road and enjoy 2 miles of gentle, uninterrupted, easy riding. You’ll end up on River Road; turn right and head toward town. Stop in at Minto-Brown Island Park and drink in a little shot of environmental happiness. Here’s a little movie I made holding a camera while I rode my bike down Croisan Creek. Kinda goofy, but I enjoyed putting it together.

Gibson
After an 800-foot elevation gain over four miles up Orchard Heights and Eagle Crest, enjoy the fast descent down Gibson. For the next two miles you’ll be a kid again. Why? Because you just wet your pants!
For an ill-advised variation on this ride, with a death-wish steep descent, go straight on Eagle Crest down to Zena Road. Good luck with that one!

Perrydale Hills
Want a little longer West Salem ride? Here’s a 40-miler that expands on the Gibson ride. Bring an energy bar.

Orchard Heights
Speaking of Orchard Heights, here’s a fun one. Starting out from Wallace Marine Park you’ll head out west on Salem-Dallas Highway to North Oak Grove Road. From there, get up onto Orchard Heights. It’s the unofficial home of orchards...and heights.

Doaks Ferry
Nice rollers. Unfortunately the steep drops end with abrupt, major intersections. Still worth the effort, however!

Turner/Summit Loop
This combination of hills and flat sections is...enchanting. :)

Ankeny
I’ve not ridden in this part of the valley yet, but I’ve driven this road a few times and I see why it’s such a popular route. The views are breathtaking. And the hills will take your breath, too!

Reason to Ride Salem #7: A Cookie, A Challenge, And A Peach

Fair-weather cyclists, fear not! This brief spell of wintery weather is only temporary; “cycling season” is nearly upon us. At the beginning, middle, and end of the season come three great ride events here in the Valley. The Salem Bicycle Club offers the Monster Cookie Metric Century (62 miles, mostly level) in late April, the Cycle Challenge fundraiser for Boys and Girls Club (35/75 miles) in June, and the Peach of a Century (62/75/100 miles) in late September. As far as ride events in Oregon go, these are actually quite popular and they attract over a thousand riders. What? You’ve never done a ride event before?! Well, then, it’s time you did, by golly!

Here’s why:

Event rides are designed by cyclists, for cyclists; the routes usually take you on the best roads with the best scenery possible. Riding in the Willamette Valley is some of the most idyllic, exquisite scenery you'll ever enjoy from the handlebars.

Cyclists are a generally happy lot; meeting and talking with a few of the new faces you’re riding with tends to increase your own happiness.

When these rides are events for a particular cause such as cancer research, multiple sclerosis, or the lung association, you get to ride with added purpose...that’s a very cool thing.

You feel like you’re part of something much larger than yourself, when a few hundred or a few thousand other riders are on the road with you.

You’re surrounded with a pretty good level of support, so all you have to do is ride. Usually there’s sag vehicle assistance, traffic control, pit stops, and a nifty t-shirt at the end. :)

Long rides don’t seem so long when you’re in a big group, and afterwards, you get to eat a-ny-thing you want!

So, take the plunge! Dare to don some spandex and sunscreen, and dive into an event ride. 'Tis the season.

A Quick Way To Gain Weight--Without Even Eating!

Yesterday I gained 8 pounds in just 5 seconds. And I’m not even kidding. You’re dying to know my amazing weight-gaining secret, aren’t you?

The day started off so well. I stepped onto the scale today and was immediately congratulated with a number that's lower than I've seen for over ten years! Well, I suppose I have seen that number whiz right by as the dial went screaming toward a much higher number. But I’ve been losing weight gradually and it’s beginning to feel pretty good. There was every reason to have been satisfied with that, and just step away from the scale and into the shower. But no-o-o. That's when I made a most regrettable move.

You see, a new bathroom scale showed up in our home yesterday. Buying a new one sounded like a pretty good idea at the time...turns out, I hate this new scale. Hate it. It’s digital, has a large readout, and worst of all, it’s transparent. Clearly, there are times when transparency is not a virtue and this is one of them.

Imagine my disbelief when the old-scale-to-new-scale discrepancy was eight pounds. That had to have been a mistake, so I stepped off, and back on again. Same number again, right down to the decimal. Oh, and don’t even get me started on that decimal....really? Who thought it would be a good idea to make Kelly eight pounds heavier, right down to the tenth of a pound? Dude. Not even cool.

The old scale looks tired and ready for a rest. It has held up under immense pressure (because it’s had me standing on it), and probably has just felt like it had to fudge a little on the numbers so I would feel better about myself. You have to admire a bathroom scale that would do that for you. I’ll be sad when it leaves our home, but until then... :)