June 25, 2005 - Cycle Oregon
My birthday Weekend

Do what you like on your birthday; it is your day for fun.

The ride was a good training ride to see if the gear was in order. As usual the food was good and everything was on time. The blue rooms were great this time, no lines. I think the dorm had something to do with that. I used a tent.

Champoeg State Park 59 miles to Western Oregon University:

It was a good ride with a few hills to tax you a little. I met a lot of people and Audrey and I rode about the same. Her bike only has two sprockets so she went faster up the hills but was kind enough to wait for me at the top. It was good to push myself and I only stopped once to drink on the hill.

At the top I said it was only a hundred yards to the top (I didn’t know - been there a thousand times - yea right) Just joking. I said it was another two miles and it was. Audrey said, “This must be the top. I can’t see any more up. (There was) We went down a little steep (45 miles hour) then up a lot more.

It is time for a break from this story “As the Shop Turns.” Us old people need our Maple bar and coffee. There is five of use that worked together and still go for coffee once a week.

The land was flat farmland with a lot of grass, a few rolling hills. Just a great day for a ride, cloud cover and cool. The showers in the college were for tall people. I had to reach to get the facets and half the water evaporated before it got to your body. That night the stars were out and not a cloud in the sky.

The second day - Western Oregon University to Coburg - 80 miles

I was up early and on the road by 7:15 a. m. It was cool and cloudy but not cold.

As usual, I was talking some one’s leg off about the walks and rides I have done. On the first stop as I was leaving here came Audrey. She found me. I was going too fast and would burn out at this pace - 18 miles an hour so I slowed to 14 miles an hour. Yes, her and her new friend pass me like I was found on road dead. At the next rest stop I had a good time giving her a bad time about being so fast. (She is a good rider.) Yes, I bored a lot of people on what I have done. (I do have bragging rights.) I was amazed on how many people have walked or road Mules to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (no bikes). One guy who was not on the ride takes unmapped trails and had done it a lot.

I was to call Ilene when I was 20 miles out and have her pick me up. I for got so I call her at 10, then 5. Yes, as I got to town she called me and said she was just leaving. She found a traffic jam. The good part was I found Carrie & Brad who cared about me and my crying and whining about my problem. Well her husband cared; she laughed. She said lets drink a beer and I said do you drink? She said, “do bears shit in the woods and when they do, do you drink a beer? We had a great time and the time passed quickly. They left by bus and being on my second beer I was lit. People would think of ways to get rid of me. They were nice and now that I am sober and think about it I would have done the same thing.

Ilene finally got here and it was a long ride home. I think with my eyelids over my eyes it still seemed long. As I am thinking did I really ride this far? It is good. (Don’t break my bubble.) It was a great ride and I met a lot of real good people. Bikers are the best and friendliest people.

I hope to see you out there on a bike or walking. I would like to Byranize you. Don’t say next year. Make it this year. You will be older next year and it well be harder.