My second time doing this.
You can find last year's on Storify.
This post is mainly going to be tweets and photos with little bits of other things here and there.
More after the break…
Day 1
I left home at about 04:15, with a rack bag containing gear and a small amount of food, as well as two large panniers and a sleeping bag that were meant for the support trucks. I saw a number of cyclists around the BGT between home and Wallingford, but none once I got past the trail detour. I did see some on Stevens Way in UW, though.
Didn't see too many people on the BGT to get here.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
Riding on the drops to avoid tree branches. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
Woo. (@ STP STARTING LINE w/ 6 others) http://t.co/BvzUQfBUG1
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
"Keep right except to pass" is what I follow. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
Since I don't clip in until after I get going, I'm faster than most others here when starting up. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
25% the way to Portland. (@ Spanaway Junior High School w/ 16 others) http://t.co/uuqNzb4x2q pic.twitter.com/i48RMRKb5f
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
One guy is doing the #bikestp on a skateboard.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
I was starting to feel a bit sore at this point, but after thinking about it more after I got home the following Wednesday, it was probably because my cadence was a little too slow.
Stopped for ibuprofen in Spanaway since I left mine at home.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
I managed to shift the pain from my toes to the ball of my foot, which is better, but still not ideal. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
The foot pain also goes away with the more balanced pedal stroke that comes with a faster cadence.
I started feeling pretty sick at some point past Spanaway. When I stopped for seltzer water at a gas station, the clerk recommended that I instead get ginger ale.
Got some ginger ale to settle my upset stomach. (@ Texaco Station Rainier) http://t.co/oTYvbk9A1G
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
In reality, it was probably because of dehydration. I know I've had to carry Pepto-Bismol on my rides because of illness, and I really think dehydration is the root of the problem.
Still a bit more left. (@ Centralia College w/ 17 others) http://t.co/KTXroEnwlA pic.twitter.com/pfnKYRAAg3
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
It started getting very hot in the afternoon.
I think my earlier issues stemmed from dehydration, so I'm slamming more water than I feel like I need.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
Some guys were riding cruisers.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 12, 2014
A bunch of locals had hoses and sprinklers spraying over the road to cool us cyclists down in the heatwave.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
When I got to Toledo, I didn't see any sign of activity at the fire station (my midpoint lodging), so I walked across the street to a wine tasting to ask them about the public number for the station. I didn't know if I could just go in. The guy I called right as I entered the station and went down the foyer after someone said that the station's foyer is probably public. Everything in the main room was as expected.
Toledo
I got here at about 16:30 last night. (@ Toledo Fire Department) http://t.co/3AXD9rg6Pd
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
Everyone else who had arrived earlier was napping. The fire station was air conditioned so it was a lot more comfortable than outside. Going out, however, was like hitting a wall of hot air.
I didn't have any reception in the building, but found 2G in the men's room on the morning of the second day of the STP (and later also found it on the outside of the fire station on the same side).
I wandered around the area to check out town while waiting for dinner.
There had been a parade earlier in the day, and there was also a beer festival going on in addition to a wine and cheese festival.
And inside the Napa Auto Parts was a cafe and convenience store.
The town is right on the Cowlitz River.
I get very poor mobile phone reception out here. Had to go into the bathroom to find any.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
They fed us a big dinner with the choice of lasagna or broccoli alfredo, and either brownies, Jello cake, or peanut butter pie. Breakfast was eggs, pancakes (blueberry or regular), sausage, and fruit.
The folks hosting us here are really nice.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
A group got here really late after being trucked in from Winlock.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
I feel like I'm the only one here with a kickstand or a dynamo.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
The next morning, I left at about 06:00. I would've loved to leave earlier, but nobody else wanted to eat any earlier.
Day 2
I took what I think was the old route of US 99 from Toledo to Castle Rock, which was significantly hillier than the STP route itself. It paralleled I-5.
If I stay in Toledo next year, I'm probably going to take I-5 from Jackson Highway instead.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
There's apparently a multi-use trail here in Castle Rock, but I don't care.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
Castle Rock itself seemed to have had a downtown renovation relatively recently.
At Castle Rock, I rejoined the STP route on the West Side Highway.
I've gotten the hang of "downshift and spin" for passing. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
Pacelining with random strangers is fun.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
I really pacelined with random groups on both days, but I did it even more on this day.
Even before I imbibed in anything, I was still keeping a very good pace with a faster cadence than I've used on most rides before the caffeine-fueled speed runs at the ends of them.
Why is everyone so slow this morning?
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
I did stop for a triple mocha in St. Helens. I only had a cup of drip coffee last year, but I really wanted to feel it this year.
Gettin' coffee. (@ City of Saint Helens) http://t.co/rbRXycjGBQ
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
After that, I was passing everyone like mad. According to Endomondo, I set the following records for myself, with everything but the 100 km one being on US 30 in Oregon:
- One hour: 29.57 km
- 10 miles: 32m:13s
- 20 km: 40m:20s
- 50 km: 1h:44m:58s
- 50 miles: 2h:57m:05s
- 100 km: 3h:49m:11s
The 100 km one was from the big support stop in Lexington to the finish line.
I ran into one of my former coworkers.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
This coworker was surprised to see me catch up to and pass him in the last few miles before the finish line.
Just like last year, I blasted past group after group in Portland. (@ Stp Finish Line) http://t.co/HNs6ZZFYzH
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 13, 2014
So just like last year, I ended up going out in a blaze of glory…except my super-fast cadence prevented my legs from getting sore or even stiff, so I was feeling good enough the next morning to do some fun riding in Portland.
And also like last year, I stayed in Portland for a bit, but with a bicycle this time.
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