Sherwood - Salem

QUICK STATS	This Ride	2010 Cumulative
Distance	98 miles	1,268 miles
Elevation Gain	2,691 feet	12.93 miles
Average Moving Speed	15.7 mph	14.7 mph
Dog Bites	0	1

With all the hills we ride around here we decided to do a relatively flat century yesterday, consisting partly of the Monster Cookie route (a metric century loop between Salem and Champoeg Park) which we did last year. They just held the ride last weekend so we figured the paint markings would be fresh. Wrong. I'm pretty sure the faded Dan Henry symbols were leftover from last year. I guess they just used cue sheets this year? No biggie as we had our own cue sheets.

We started at the Garlic Onion in Wilsonville and rode along the north side of the Willamette River on Wilsonville Road. It worked out okay due to the fact that it was early on Sunday morning, but we figure any other time-of-day or day-of-the-week and there would have been too much traffic on the shoulderless road. There were thankfully only 5 or 6 cars that passed us from behind on that stretch.

It felt a lot cooler than we anticipated, probably due to the southerly wind, which was forecast. We had a headwind most of the way to Salem and a tailwind on the return, quite evident on the graphic below. Seems like it would average out, which it technically does I suppose, but the headwind really tends to sap it out of you.

Maps showing all rides: 2010 Rides • 2009 Rides • All Rides

We ended the ride by following a portion of the Harvest Century route after our second stop at Champoeg Park. This stretch included the Canby Ferry. Ferries are nice on a bike ride cuz they allow you a rest while you are still progressing as fast as possible.

The last 8 miles were significantly hillier than the previous 90. Believe it or not Amy was lagging a bit here. A long work week and that earlier headwind took its toll. Plus I think rolling hills are a bit easier for me to overcome since I'm 50% heavier - once I get my momentum on the downhill I can carry it a bit further up the hill in spite of the extra weight. One of the few advantages of being bigger.

Our average speed was 16 mph - until those last 8 miles, after which it dropped to 15.7 mph. I was hoping for a bit faster, but it is still early in the season. Plus, even though we ride together, we basically don't draft much anymore. We didn't draft on this ride. You get a better workout that way, and also a more relaxed ride. You have to really pay attention when you draft. When not drafting you get to see something besides the rider in front of you.

A quick stop at Panda Express to grab food for a late lunch with Amy's Grandma in Sherwood. All in all another good ride.