Bicycles

Fidalgo Island – Mount Erie

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So there we were, happy toodling our way through Fidalgo Island, Paula muttering to herself about how lousy her legs were feeling. Nothing was clicking. Good day to take it easy, enjoy the sights, relax.

Hey! There’s a sign that says something about “Mount Erie” and “lookout.” Sounds pretty!  Let’s go see!! … said Paula, wanting nothing more than to take some pretty pictures on this easy ride day.

And so began our accidental ascent of Mount Erie: 1.5 miles of grueling gradient, rising 807 to 878 feet,  topping 20 percent at times and often hovering around 15 or 16 percent. The kind of climb that the poor climbers among us (and many of the good ones) plan for and look forward to (in that weird way that we have) and, perhaps, get a little freaked out about beforehand. NOT the kind of climb you’re supposed to do in an unplanned, sightseeing sort of way … though in the end, perhaps that really is the best way.

Seeing as how Paula is climbingly challenged, she’d never done a climb remotely like this. While her NYCC friends were merrily (or not so merrily) skipping up Devil’s Kitchen and Vista Maria, she’d take lower, longer way around. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to climb. It was simply that … well, falling off a bike mid-climb because you can’t turn the wheels around seems inadvisable.

And now here she is on this killer climb, thinking: “That view at the top had damn well better be worth it!”

And she survived. Basically.  OK, there was one brief ambulatory episode, near the top, when the legs and lungs collapsed simultaneously. But this still counts as a victory.

Timothy, of course, sailed up the thing.

As for the view.  You be the judge.

Chelan Century

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For our third century of June we headed to Lake Chelan and the Chelan Century — promoted by some of our Cascade friends as the most beautiful in the state and featuring a challenging climb up McNeil Canyon Road. It more than lived up to our expectations, with 103-plus miles, 8,600 feet of climbing and some drop-dead gorgeous views (not to mention that drop-dead climb).

The route is a cloverleaf design consisting of  three loops (one, two and three), each starting and ending at Don Morse Park — right across the street from our Airbnb place and, most importantly, the condo’s pool.

McNeil Canyon offers itself up in the second loop: a 7-mile chug, average 6.4 percent grade with some notable 12 percent stretches. And no shade, to speak of. Totally manageable, even for the climbing-challenged among us, but also totally exhausting.  And: totally worth it, especially when it comes to the descent back down again. Plus you can get a special KOM-like jersey commemorating the achievement, which Paula of course had to do.

The rest of the ride was as spectacular as promised — vista after vista of mountains and water, all manner of color and texture, wide open roads, happy-making descents.

And at the end, a terrific festival with local wine and beer and we made friends with a great group from the Mount Baker Bicycle Club of Bellingham — whose president, coincidentally, is the star of one of Paula’s photos from mid-ride.

Like Walla Walla, Chelan is a prime winery area so of course we made plenty of time for a few tastings on Sunday.  Recovery drinks, redux.

Ann Weatherill Cycling Classic, Walla Walla

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For our second century in June we drove four-plus hours to Walla Walla, and a climate and landscape dramatically different from that of Seattle. And all for a great cause:

The Wheatland Wheelers ride honors Ann Weatherill, a cyclist and middle school teacher in Walla Walla who was struck and killed by a motorist while on a Mother’s Day ride in 2004.

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington and the local cycling community worked together for the Ann  Weatherill Safe Passing Act, which  makes it illegal to pass another vehicle if there are bicyclists or pedestrians approaching from the opposite direction on the roadway.

For that reason alone, the ride was worth doing.

But there was a last-minute hitch before we could get going …

In Paula’s hasty packing the day before, she’d grabbed a pair of bike shoes without bothering to look at them. Turns out they were her mountain bike shoes. No way would those cleats work with the Look Keo pedals of her road bike.  The day seemed headed for disaster.

But! Amazingly and day-savingly, Allegro Cyclery in downtown Walla Walla opens at 8 a.m. on Saturdays!

So we planted ourselves in front of the store at 7:55 a.m, and promptly at 8 got some emergency Crank Brothers pedals  (cheaper and faster than buying yet another pair of shoes …) and while we were at it, a couple of jerseys.

After riding “home” to drop off the jerseys at our Airbnb cottage, we started the century some 90 minutes after most other 100-mile riders.  That put us just about last at every rest stop — which helped us get to know the fine folks of the Wheatland Wheelers really well. What a friendly and helpful group of people. And an added bonus: the daughter of one of the club members strummed her guitar at every break.

As for the route itself: a tremendous diversity of wheat and alfalfa fields, vineyards, apple,  pear and cherry orchards, a lot of windmills, and the striking Blue Mountains of Oregon and Washington.

Oh, and the bees. Lots of bees, kept on hand to help the alfalfa thrive (and to produce honey while they’re at it).  An added element of interest!

For recovery the next day, we made our way to several wine tastings, plus the Walla Walla Multicultural Festival.  Sort of like a street fair in New York. Sort of.