July 14 & 15
Once again it was STP time.
STP = Seattle to Portland bicycle classic
202 miles in 2 days.
This is my 3rd year riding it.
No matter how many times you do it, it is still a killer ride.
This year I did it with my cousin Wes.
Denny again got up early and drove us to Seattle.
As you can see I was an eager-beaver and signed up really early, in fact it was the same hour the registration opened up for club members, I got an awesome number "317" out of 10,000 riders.
People that ride this bike ride always want a low number.
Everyone takes off in bunches of a couple hundred riders.
The start line opens at 4:45 am for the people that do the whole 206 miles in 1 day,
it stays open until 7:30am for anyone else that is riding.
This is our group ready to take off.
We took off at 7:18am
Off we went...
I was a little nervous about all the bikers again this year,
so I didn't take that many pictures.
After we got the first couple of hills under our belts, I was feeling better.
Wes got ahead of me and for several miles I felt like I was riding this by myself.
I got to the first food stop and thought I would find Wes waiting there for me,
so I went in and walked all the way round and guess what, yup that's right NO Wes.
I even texted him and called and yup, still nothing.
So I got back on the road.
After another couple of miles my phone rang and guess what it was Wes.
He's like "where are you" LOL
He was waiting for me to get caught up to him. I told him I glad I didn't get a flat tire.
(sshhh... I still don't know how to change a flat)
But I got kinda even with him leaving me behind, because he had
fallen and got a bloody leg.
That's what happens when you take the wrong foot out of the peg when you stop. LOL
This is a bunch of us waiting for a train right outside of Puyallup.
Saturday we were riding to my house.
My house is on the STP route, it goes right past my house.
It is cool, it is the 1/2 way point between Seattle and Portland, so I get to
sleep in my own bed.
The surrounding area fills up with cyclist and the support people,
all the hotels are full and all the parks are full of tents and people everywhere.
I couldn't imagine riding a 100 miles on a bike then sleeping in
a tent on the ground, that would suck.
We got to the Tenino/Yelm trail and we had ridden that route lots, so we were feeling
really good and only had about 35 miles until we had a beer in our hands.
When we were on the trail, I saw in my mirror a gal behind me fall and crash,
Wes was back there so he stopped to see if he could help.
He said she was ok but holding her elbow like it was broken or sprained it.
Either way glad she wasn't hurt more.
When Wes caught up to me, he some how had hurt himself again.
Poor guy.
We finally got to my house about 4:15.
Denny, Meghan, Chris, Zack. Anthony, Lily & Chloe were all waiting for us
as we were coming down the road.
Love the support we had waiting for us.
We did it,
First day down.
Beer and dinner time.
Denny & Meghan had made us a great dinner.
Day 2
We got up and took off at 6am.
Day 2 is harder then day one, it has more hills and the Longview bridge.
I totally hate that bridge, but everyone waits in line and in a big group,
traffic is stopped and a motorcycle escort helps us get across the bridge safely.
It started out a little wet in the morning.
I was thinking how hard it would be to go up hill, but ever worse
think about him going down hill.
There are some hills you can get to 30 miles an hour.
That would scare the crap out of me.
This is the line waiting to go across the bridge.
My stomach is aching right now, totally hate this bridge.
But we made it.
This was so funny, Wes is in the porta-pottie and look at the
line waiting for him to get out. LOL
I even texted him after awhile to make sure he was still alive.
I wasn't going in there to check. LOL
Back on the road.
50 miles to go.
Now it was starting to get a little harder, my body was getting
tired but most of all my butt was ready to be off that bike.
There were several more hills and then it was flat land for
awhile until we got to the St. John's bridge.
That has a big ass hill to go up to get onto the bridge.
But once you get to the top then it is really beautiful.
Now only about 10 more miles.
For the last 30 miles I would tell Wes that we are almost there.
He doesn't trust me anymore. LOL
Well this time was true.
We rolled into Portland around 4pm.
Denny, Meghan and girls and one of Wes & Meghan's friends
were all there to welcome us.
Great job Wes.
Thanks for agreeing to ride this crazy ride with me.
I think you are hooked now.
After a beer in the beer garden we were off to our traditional after STP spot,
Papa Pete for pizza and beer.
Thanks to my husband again for all the hard work you have to do
in order for me to be able to do all the stuff I do.
I love you tons...
I got all my official photo's from the STP.
