May The Road Rise To Meet You...

Folks are gearing up for the holiday weekend.

Lots of drivers and riders will be sharing the roads--be safe, everybody!

Whether you're riding, driving, taking time to remember a loved one...

...This seems like a good time to offer you an Irish blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back;

The sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields;

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Mrs. C And Me, Then And Now.

Sunglass fashionistas.

It Just Wasn't That Long Ago

I remember this bike trip to the San Juans with our sons.  Gosh, that was four years ago already.  T-Bone wasn’t even driving a car yet, and we were about to send G on a plane, ready to start college 2000 miles away. I just needed a little more father-son time with my boys before that happened. This was one of those moments you know you should frame in your memory, a significant point in time, the kind you’ll come back to again and again.  I suppose that’s what I’m doing right now.

I remember how glad I was to have taken them to the San Juans. Cycling and camping on three different islands gave us lots of opportunities to ride and laugh and play. We indulged in sea kayaking, eating and hanging out at the campfire, and of course riding our bikes. I remember how they both scampered up Mt. Constitution without difficulty. They climbed so fast while I paced myself, watching them disappear up the hill ahead of me. At the top, the view went forever. There were the boys, already looking like kings on the top of their mountain.

Fast forward to the present time, both sons are in college now. One is graduating on Sunday, the other will become a sophomore. Our family will be together for a long weekend, and then the young kings will leave us again for their next great adventures, many miles away. I have to remind myself that these are the days we’ve been waiting for. Time to let them scale their new mountains and become kings, all over again.  

See you at the top, sons.

Confession Time...Again.

It’s time that I reveal another truth about the real me.  Give me a minute, this is kind of a big deal.

...c’mon, Kelly, you gotta tell ‘em.  Stop keeping this to yourself...

        i ride a stationary bike.  

...Kelly, you’re still holding back.  The whole truth this time...

       i ride a stationary bike...in a group.

There, I said it. It’s who I am, it’s what I do, and I’m proud of it.  So, hate on me if you want, but at least it’s out there now.

Yes, it’s true that on a stationary bike, you work and work and never get anywhere.  

     -I ask you, is that not also true in other aspects of life?

It’s also true that you’re not out enjoying the scenery and nature and stuff.  

     -True enough, but we’ve also had one of the rainiest springs on record;

     yesterday I saw some animals heading two-by-two somewhere.

And I know that cyclists should be, you know, on two wheels. With a stationary bike, I’m only on one and it doesn’t even touch the ground.

     -Guilty as charged.

Here’s how I’ve justified it to myself:

• You never coast on a stationary bike.  It’s constant work, so it’s a very efficient way to train.
• High-intensity cardio tends to happen better for me when I’m being pushed by somebody else.
• It fits my work schedule.
• I’m noticing when I’m cycling out on the road, I’m lighter and faster.
• Mrs. C kinda likes the new me.

‘nuff said.

Meanwhile, Back At The Refuge

I’m still so taken by the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge; it's so peaceful. A perfect place to gather yourself and get a little perspective.  I found myself out there on a bike again last weekend. It’s out just south of Salem, and west of I-5. I wanted to take some more pictures and some video clips, but wasn’t quite sure why. Anyway, I put the pictures and clips together in a short movie, in case you’d like to see it.

Sorry about the quality of the video clips. I don’t have a movie camera, just the little “video” setting on my still camera.  You’ll notice there’s a big difference between the video and the still picture quality.

Anyway, if you can only get out this way once all summer, come out to Ankeny.  It’s a very easy loop to ride, and the views will absolutely stun you.



 Mr. Coppolla, you probably don't need to worry about me. Clearly, I'm no threat!

Yea, Though I Ride In The Valley Of Hay Fever

Look at all the pretty yellow on the hillside. That’s called “scotch broom.” The latin name is sneezimus wheezimus.  It makes lots of folks have watery eyes, runny noses, and scratchy throats. This stuff is nasty, and it’s in full regalia right now. Cyclists get a full dose of this stuff, and Lord have mercy on those with allergies.  

A non-native species, it is slowly and persistently staking its claim along the hillsides all through the valley. The seeds like to hitchhike on the soles of people’s shoes, vehicle tires, etc.  Apparently the birds and the ants are conspiring to spread the seeds around as well.  Once the seeds sprout, up pops another stubborn plant. Sure, it’s pretty to look at and all, but I don’t know too many folks who wouldn’t be happy to see it gone.  Today.

So how did scotch broom get here?  You guessed it, it was those darned European settlers. I think we should send all the Europeans home, and they can take all the scotch broom with them.   :)   Truth is, this valley is not an easy place if you've got allergies to pollens and such. So much grass, hay, you name it, it grows well here.  We get a lot of practice saying "gehzundheit" to each other.

I’m not sure why I’m not sneezing more than I am right now.  This stuff used to do be my kryptonite when I was a kid.  I could lose days of playing outside when this stuff was in bloom.  Maybe I'm just not as sensitive as I used to be.

That could be open to several interpretations.

Reason To Ride Salem #1: Connections.

Venturing out on a bike puts you in touch with the landscape, the history, and the people of the area you're riding in very real ways.  Even a short spin not far from home can lift you beyond your usual perspective, like a real-time multi-sensory google map. You get a different view of things from the handlebars.

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and can coast down them...Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motorcar only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle." Ernest Hemingway 

Riding here, you’ll put yourself in touch with an ever-evolving story of a place and its people. The Valley continues to be a place of natural beauty, of tremendous agriculture and industry, an ongoing struggle for economic vitality and cultural diversity.  Virtually everywhere there’s something that reveals part of the overall story: the historic places, the state and local parks, the monuments that give homage to early pioneer missionaries, settlers, and leaders. Historic churches and schools, municipal buildings and bridges tell the story as well. You can get a strong sense of all of this when you ride here, and in a very real sense you feel like a true participant in Valley life yourself. 

Inside Salem, city riding is quite accessible and nothing’s terribly far away. Head out of town and see the bigger picture: farms, orchards, wineries and wetlands will unfold in front of you in virtually every direction. Scores of bustling small towns are within easy riding distance from Salem.  There's so much to take in.

Put simply, the riding here is great.

And, when you get off of the bike, the coffee’s good, too.

Don't Be Mad At Me...I'm Just The Messenger

This is an outrage.
Have you heard about this?
May is National Bike Month.
What, we can't go out on our bikes in April, or June?  Whoa...what?  Is somebody pulling my leg?
I'm looking all over the internet and this looks legit.  Everybody seems to know about it. Could this actually be ...true?
Now wait a minute....Steve-O and I were planning to ride the Seattle-To-Portland in July.  I don't think I've ever seen him get mad about something, but this absolutely push him over the edge.  Oh geez, the STP is a 10,000 rider event.  I wonder how they'll refund everybody.  That's gonna be a big headache.  Whose idea was this "bike month," anyways?  Probably some idiot in Washington.
You know, there's just too much governmental control these days. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for change and stuff, as long as it doesn't affect me. Well, I think it's time we do something about this, people.  I think I speak for all spandex-wearing, law-abiding cyclists in this country when I say, we don't appreciate somebody deciding which month of the year we can go out and ride our bikes.  Cyclists in America have had enough and we are NOT going to take this lying down!
In fact, I have an idea...yeah, this could actually work...
Let's say we all pretend to be okay with this "National Bike Month." We'll ride our little brains out and appear to be as happy as little clams at high tide.  We will all be out there playing our parts as if we're going along with this.
You can probably see where I'm going with this plan...On June 1, we will make our statement to the world.  We roll up our garage doors, get on our bicycles, and ride.  Yes, people, ride proud and strong, and show everybody that we will NOT let Washington take away our rights to ride every other month on the calendar! And, as a sign of solidarity, we will all wear spandex!  Yes, and people will keep going out and riding every day of the whole calendar year!  We'll do this in shifts, of course.  But we'll be out there.  Oh, this could actually work!
Are you with me, people?  We can do this, but I need your help!  Spread the word!
Long live the revolution!
Somebody better call CNN.

Reason To Ride Salem #2: True Colors

It’s showtime in the Willamette Valley. Anywhere you look right now, you’ll see intense bursts of brilliant colors popping up against a backdrop of lush green vegetation. Fields of flowers, local orchards, and native varieties are all starting to strut their stuff like proud peacocks. As you ride by them on your bike, you’ll occasionally feel a warm breeze and then be overcome by the sight and scent of plants that pack a big punch.

Folks in this area understand the value of flower power: Woodburn’s Tulip Festival just ended, and Keizer is only a few days from opening their Iris Festival. Go ahead and chuckle if you’d like, but these events generate big crowds, lots of business, and big dollars.

You can also get away from the “newly introduced” agricultural plants if you pedal out of town a bit more, where farms and fields give way to wetlands and forests. Then you’ll notice more of the ancient native varieties of grasses, sedges, and wildflowers that have largely disappeared from this area over time. Note: wildflowers may just have the powerful effect of slowing your pedals down, maybe even stopping you and your bike for a while. If you look at them for too long they can produce feelings of immense pleasure, even euphoria. Gawk at them at your own risk!

Showtime goes on for months without an intermission. The valley’s colors will change almost weekly as spring turns to summer, and then to fall. Its greenery will continue to grow for the next few months until they get downright shaggy, then start their transformation as the warm days begin to cool and then crisp. They will offer up the golds, yellows, and reds that make late summer and early fall another feast for the eyes. In the fall the evergreens are upstaged by the magnificent colors of the plentiful oak, alder, and maple trees. Then, as their leaves turn and fall, they bring down the final curtain on the valley’s perennial show of colors.

Don’t worry, this year’s season has just opened. There’s really not a bad seat in the house.

Cruising In Cali

I'm attending a conference for a few days here in Long Beach California, and it's blissfully sunny, 75 degrees. Apologies to my friends back home in "The 503" who had yet another horrendous day of rain, wind, and hail. After our 25-days-of-rain April experience, and May starting off just as badly, even the most intrepid Oregonian is begging for mercy. I'll take this sunshine, thank you very much.

We had a full day of school visits, and when we got back I squeezed in a little "alone" time on the beach as the late afternoon became a lovely Southern California evening. Being the predictable person that I am, you can guess what I did.

Intentionally, I wanted to rent a cruiser bike, because it's not what I usually ride. I was immediately reminded how the bike you're riding dictates your riding style. Road bikes are sleek machines designed for speed and efficiency. Mountain bikes are for technical moves over rugged terrain. What the heck do you do with a cruiser bike? Well, you get on and pedal. That's it. Chill and pedal, dude.

My cruiser rental bike was basically a couch with handlebars. For 12 bucks at the waterfront rental you get an hour with a cruiser bike; that's about all you'd really want. An hour was just enough time to cruise the entire length of the Long Beach Bikeway and back.

The Bikeway is a long lovely ribbon of asphalt shared by walkers, runners, skaters, and yes, even cyclists. It goes on for miles, right down the middle of the beach. It's quite invigorating, even at a slow pace. Just taking in the ocean air, the sunshine, while riding this goofy "marshmallow with pedals" was its own kind of treat.

I hear the weather's about to improve in Oregon. You know, I think I'll give it another day or two down here. Just in case.

Reason to Ride Salem #3: Small Towns

If you’re going to ride a substantial distance in the Salem area, you’re going to encounter some of the smaller neighboring mid-valley towns. They are a big part of the Mid-Valley’s allure for cyclists.

Urban cycling definitely has its appeal, but it’s not for everybody. I think most folks would say that their favorite kind of riding is when you can wind it out on the open road, and find some fun smaller towns along the way. The Mid-Valley is perfect for that kind of riding. It takes very little time to traverse Salem and get out to some great rural scenery, where little towns are positioned every few miles.

For most small town businesses, mere survival requires some creativity and lots of determination. When Steve-O and I rolled through Independence a while back (see pictures), we noticed the front window for a pizza place. It’s also where you can get your computer repaired. In Amity, you’ll find a fun little spot that offers groceries and espresso drinks...and antiques. This can-do ingenuity makes me want to walk into the local coffee shops when I’m on a ride, plop down my buck fifty on the counter, take my fresh cup o’joe, and feel like I helped stimulate the local economy. Coffee can be a stimulus, you know.

Of course, each small town has its own personality, which has developed over the past century and a half or so, when the great westward push arrived and someone said, "hey everybody, let's start a small town!" Places like Aumsville and Rickreall, Turner and Jefferson, Mt. Angel and Silverton, and others--each has an important role in the agricultural lifeblood here. Yes, that means that you might share the two-lane roads with occasional tractors and livestock trailers. It’s not like there’s ever a ton of traffic, however. Sometimes on warm summer days you can roll past a farm and almost get knocked over by the “eau d’cow” in the heavy air. Keep mooving....it usually passes in a minute or two. (Was that one bad pun, or two?)

The low, flat, straight roads on the Valley floor will treat you to some wide sweeping views of neatly ordered farms, vineyards and orchards. You’ll come to a bend or a rise in the road, and each time your view completely changes. It’s like turning a new slide on the viewmaster and you just want to keep looking deeper at the picture. On your ride, you'll eventually encounter a sign pointing the way to a small town just a few miles down the road. Whether you roll right on through it or stop for a quick break, you will know that you've arrived in the heart of the Valley.

The Best Coffee On Wheels

Rick Wilson only managed to glance my way once or twice while I snapped some pictures of his business this morning. I should have introduced myself, but he looked pretty busy. He and his three employees had lines of people waiting for their coffee. Besides, he’s probably used to seeing lots of people just like me, dumbfounded, wondering how he's done it. Cafe Velo. I stood there, wanting somebody to tell me I was seeing this correctly: Ride Bikes...Sell Coffee?

It’s a great story. Every Saturday morning when the Portland Farmers Market sets up their tents in the South Park Blocks by PSU, somebody (I presume it’s Rick) pedals the entire business into place. A heavy-duty cargo bike from Amsterdam called a "bakfiets" is all it takes to take his business wherever he wants to go. Well, that plus a whole lot of pedal power. He’s got a Flickr page worth checking out. On it he describes the business-on-wheels this way:

“Coffee gear, awning and such folds up and is stored in the box - the entire booth rolls away under pedal power at the end of the day...” 

Before you dismiss this as some kind of gimmick or an only-in-Portland-could-you-do-this novelty, let me tell you, Portlanders are too savvy and wa-a-ay too finicky about their java. Their secret to success is simple: the coffee is outstanding. Why?

“We feature a single origin drip bar - each cup is individually brewed to order in porcelain filter holders from a constantly changing selection of six Stumptown coffees. We're also making fresh French press for those who prefer fuller body press coffee.”

I would love to have talked with Rick and learned more, but I’ll have to find a time when business is slow.
That could take a while.