Pedaling up St. Helens

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Yesterday, I completed the Tour de Blast ride, going from the town of Toutle up Mt. St. Helens to the Johnston Ridge Obervatory, which has an amazing view of the blast zone (alas, low-lying clouds prevented me from catching that view first hand, though you can see an older pic here).

The 82-mile round-trip ride was hard by any measure. The hills had a maximum grade of 6%—not as steep as hills we’ve conquered in, say, Newfoundland— but they were long. To make matters worse, I was not in good form yesterday. Whether I was too tired, fueled wrong, or catching something, the first couple of miles, which were flat, were surprisingly difficult. With frequent rest stops, many snacks, and a focus on the road in front of me, though, I was able to pick up the pace and make it to the top and back.

I felt vindicated in my decision to carry a pannier with my two jackets and warm hat, since the cloudy day meant that my body temperature went from sweating hot when pedaling uphill to shiveringly cold when coasting down. Though I was prepared with (and made use of) my own snacks, the organized rest stops were well-stocked with food—and one even had a much-appreciated bonfire!.

While there were fewer people at this ride than in last week’s Flying Wheels, riders here tended to be more fit. As much as I fancy myself a biker these days, I was humbled by the number of folks who were speeding up the mountain at higher gears than I (and would be even if I had been more energetic). In fact, between our slow pace and pausing to take in the exhibit at the observatory at the top, we pretty much closed down the course. I’ve decided that I need to ramp up my training regimen to consist of more than just commuting to work; hills and endurance would have been good preparation for this ride.

All in all, this ride was quite fun. It was a good workout, good mental practice in focusing on the present to get through the long slog, and a good exercise in focusing on my own goals and not feeling needlesly competitive. It also made it very clear to me that I don’t want to do the RAMROD this year: at my current level of training and with my current life priorities, it would not be enjoyable. In fact, I want to get back to biking with a destination: more bike touring in my future, please!