Not my Best.
While the ti bike was awaiting its shifterectomy, I rode the Madone 5.2 Pro. The weather was nice enough, so I didn't feel too bad about taking it out and flogging it. It wasn't like I was going to twist the carbon molecules' structure with my quads of steel.
I decided to head out to the Hillside to do a little climbing. By a little, I mean just that. Most of my riding has been on long, shallow grinds or short, punchy hills. Nothing you'd really call "climbing"... unless you were as fat and out of shape as I am.
As I got to the bike path I use as a connector to avoid major roads, I was greeted with a "trail closed" sign. It wasn't closed for trail repairs, because that had been completed months ago. No, it was closed because they were building a new gas station at the top of the hill.
As far as gas stations go, I usually don't think about them much. However, this one has me puzzled. I think it's being built by the Fred Meyers across the street. The gas station that sits in front of the Fred Meyers is a Chevron, diagonally across from the new gas station. A block down the street on the same side of the road as the new gas station is a Holiday gas station. A couple miles in either direction are more gas stations. You could say this particular locale is not lacking for fuel outlets.
What's more, they had to build out the ledge it sits on to accommodate the pumps and whatnot required for such a venture. All of this required closing down the bike trail, which was re-routed down the sidewalk. Then they closed down the sidewalk...
This ledge sits about 50 yards uphill from Campbell Creek, a salmon-bearing stream. Any runoff from this venture will end up in the waterway. I'm sure they have all sorts of plans to mitigate this risk, but I have absolutely zero faith they will amount to much over the long-term. There will be contamination from this project.
If you twist my arm, I'd admit that I'm really only pissed because they blocked the trail. All of that other stuff is just junk I thought of as I took yet another detour on my way to ride up a hill that I was in no shape to climb.
Eventually I got to Potter Valley. I decided to ride it as easily and slowly as possible. A third of the way up, I decided to stop at the Lower Potter finish. I wasn't into it. My hip made it difficult to put much pressure into the pedal, so my ride mostly sounded like a rhythmic series of short, pained intakes of air and a chain that was sorely lacking lubrication. Another bike successfully abused!
The ride down was more enjoyable. No, Joey, I did not cross the yellow line. I was a little more tentative than the last time I was up there, but it was fast enough given my mental and physical condition. I had nothing to gain by going fast, especially this late in the season.
On the way home I passed other riders who were likely headed out to climb Potter, only faster. A slight tailwind aided my return, and a different route avoided any gas station-induced detours.
Not a bad ride at all, just not my best.
I'll take it.
I decided to head out to the Hillside to do a little climbing. By a little, I mean just that. Most of my riding has been on long, shallow grinds or short, punchy hills. Nothing you'd really call "climbing"... unless you were as fat and out of shape as I am.
As I got to the bike path I use as a connector to avoid major roads, I was greeted with a "trail closed" sign. It wasn't closed for trail repairs, because that had been completed months ago. No, it was closed because they were building a new gas station at the top of the hill.
As far as gas stations go, I usually don't think about them much. However, this one has me puzzled. I think it's being built by the Fred Meyers across the street. The gas station that sits in front of the Fred Meyers is a Chevron, diagonally across from the new gas station. A block down the street on the same side of the road as the new gas station is a Holiday gas station. A couple miles in either direction are more gas stations. You could say this particular locale is not lacking for fuel outlets.
What's more, they had to build out the ledge it sits on to accommodate the pumps and whatnot required for such a venture. All of this required closing down the bike trail, which was re-routed down the sidewalk. Then they closed down the sidewalk...
This ledge sits about 50 yards uphill from Campbell Creek, a salmon-bearing stream. Any runoff from this venture will end up in the waterway. I'm sure they have all sorts of plans to mitigate this risk, but I have absolutely zero faith they will amount to much over the long-term. There will be contamination from this project.
If you twist my arm, I'd admit that I'm really only pissed because they blocked the trail. All of that other stuff is just junk I thought of as I took yet another detour on my way to ride up a hill that I was in no shape to climb.
Eventually I got to Potter Valley. I decided to ride it as easily and slowly as possible. A third of the way up, I decided to stop at the Lower Potter finish. I wasn't into it. My hip made it difficult to put much pressure into the pedal, so my ride mostly sounded like a rhythmic series of short, pained intakes of air and a chain that was sorely lacking lubrication. Another bike successfully abused!
The ride down was more enjoyable. No, Joey, I did not cross the yellow line. I was a little more tentative than the last time I was up there, but it was fast enough given my mental and physical condition. I had nothing to gain by going fast, especially this late in the season.
On the way home I passed other riders who were likely headed out to climb Potter, only faster. A slight tailwind aided my return, and a different route avoided any gas station-induced detours.
Not a bad ride at all, just not my best.
I'll take it.
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