Biking with Bill

Note; Please check yesterday's blog for Photos added.

This morning at 6:30 am sharp the full contingent of 64 ABB cyclists and staff jammed into the breakfast "nook" of the Best Western. The lone server had her hands full trying to keep the continental breakfast buffet table stocked with sufficient food items. We all ate, loaded our luggage onto the "box truck", and went out to the patio for a group photo on the bank of the Columbia River.

We departed smartly attired in our new ABB red, white and blue jerseys on a 69 mile trek from Astoria to St Helens, OR. The trip was entirely on route 30, "the old Oregon trail"and the path of the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Pacific. It was chilly and somewhat cloudy all day as we biked along side the Columbia River. We has 2 significant climbs today, but the total elevation gain was only some 3000 ft. In just a few days we will be facing several major climb days in the Cascades. This was an excellent "opening day" ride.

Numerous logging trucks passed us along our route. We are in the heart of pulp and paper country. The familiar odors emanating from the mills, and the sight of these smoke stacks and wood chip piles brought back memories of my many years in the industry. A photo shows the large mill complex at Longview, WA across the river from our route.

Our first SAG stop at mile 22 (see photo) was in a beautiful park setting high on a cliff overlooking the river and the mountains of Washington in the distance. I began my "eat healthier routine" at the SAG. Instead of my former standard snack of 10 Oreo cookies, I had a banana, an orange, mixed nuts, a fig newton and gatorade. I have not yet noticed a marked improvement in my riding. (Maybe I'll go back to the Oreos).

You meet remarkable people on these trips. Today riding into the SAG I talked to Don (MA) and Mike (Scotland). Don has completed 2 IronMen, 50+ marathons and 5 one hundred mile runs in under 30 hours. Incredible! Several people in their introductory comments mentioned that a long-time goal was to ride a bicycle across America. Mike said his goal was "to ride a bike AROUND THE WORLD ! He has completed the perimeter ride around Australia, the tour of Africa, and is underway across America. He plans to ride Beijing to Istanbul next. Amazing!

After a lunch stop at Richmond's Country Kitchen in Ranier, OR, we kicked up the pace for the final 20 miles into St Helens. We were told that on a clear day one can see Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, Mr Ranier and Mt Hood from this paper mill town of 10 thousand people. We are hoping for one of those clear days tomorrow.

Bill