A few weekends ago was this annual unorganized gravel ride on the Columbia an hour and a half east of town. Last year was my first and I had fun so I went and did it again.
Nothing too noteworthy to report. The weather was absolute garbage to start (high 30s and raining), but around 2/3 of the way in the sun poked through, serving to dry and warm. The midway gas station chicken tenders were key. They didn’t have a full order when I got to the register so I got a steep discount to boot. WIN. We had great team turnout, which makes a miserable day all the more palatable. Our reward was beers and burgers at Pfriem in Hood River. Nomnomnom. And no, it’s not 60 miles. [GPS]
Technical notes for my future self:
- Year 1 I learned to not use road pedals; they don’t handle mud at all.
- Year 2 I learned that CX race gearing is not great for days of long slippery climbing; was forced into a stronger than desired effort because I had to keep the cadence up.