Riders of the 2009 Monster Cookie line up at the registration in front of the Oregon Capitol building. Chilly morning...

It was a weekend full of riding and racing for the entire PacificPedaling.com team in one way or another!

Tyler took on the WOU Sprint + Triathlon on Saturday, finishing 19th in his division, and putting his whole body through the paces of not only cycling, but swimming and running as well. He took a breather on Sunday from riding, but was out in full team support in the temporary BMW SAG vehicle, laying down the familiar TJ encouragement we all know and love.

Pat and Ellen were both up in the 26 degree weather, with new snow on the ground at the Bear Springs Trap Cross Country and Short Track events. Once I can get a complete report together, I’ll put it up here, but while out on the Cookie, James got a text that essentially said Ellen had knocked out her THIRD victory in a row for the year! Again, details are shaky until I can get some confirmation, but the intial report rocks!

James, Martha, and myself skipped the racing and took the casual route of riding the Monster Cookie out to Champoeg park and back. Friends of PacificPedaling – Darrell, Kim (father of James) and Kurt (husaband of Martha) also joined us along the ride. Actually, Kurt and Martha took off a bit later, but we saw them at the lunch break, and later heard they had a great ride. James, Kim, Darrell and myself hoofed out the 62 miles together on a steady but comfortable pace, and talked and laughed the entire way. (Watch out, that laughter can be dangerous….enough said!)

Speaking of dangerous, I hadn’t heard any reports of incidents along the ride until today, when my good friend Trish emailed in a report that her buddy and riding partner had gone down around the 35th and Quinaby corner and eventually was taken away in an ambulance. Another rider also went down in the commotion, but was able to get back up and continue on. Trish’s friend ended up with a dislocated shoulder, and will need some PT, but overall is doing much better today.

For the most part, the Cookie went down without incident. It was cold all day long, but the company was fantastic, the ride was good, and I’m always happy to say I threw down 70 miles in a day. After the ride we hit Breakpoint coffee for some final chats and drinks and then headed home. Good times, good times! A few random photos from the day from the iPhone:

James laid his bike on the side of the ditch, next thing you know, he'd started a new craze. When we saw someone knock down a bike on the rack, we opted for the ditch all day long.

Some of the riders at the lunch stop at Champoeg park

Bikes and riders all over the place at lunch.

Lunch. Bagel with peanut butter and jam. And Macaroons...good gosh, Macaroons....

Nate on the Monster Cookie...one gear.

2008 was full of great memories out on two wheels. I got to spend a decent amount of time with my wife out on our bikes — from relaxing rides down to the Saturday Market on our single speeds,  to her first rides of any real distance on a road bike. It was also the year I decided to build up my own road bike from the frame up after buying a Cinelli Spirit frame off of Ebay to learn a little than just how to change a flat. Somewhere in the midst of all the riding and tinkering, I also took the plunge and put my name on the waiting list for an Ira Ryan frame, which I should be getting early in 2009 sometime.

But I think the story I love to tell the most from 2008 is when my buddy Nate decided to ride the 62 mile Monster Cookie ride with me back in April. You can click that link to read the full report, but in case you missed it, here are the nuts and bolts. Nate is a mountain bike rider, mostly getting all nutty out at Black Rock. He’d never been on a road bike before…ever. I suggested he just ride his mountain bike, as it was going to be flat, and we didn’t have to set any land speed records, but he said he’d rather not, and would do it if I had an extra road bike. At that time I didn’t have anything extra, except for my 925 single speed.

Keep in mind, we’re talking about the ride, literally the night before the ride. I mention the single speed to Nate on the drive back home from dinner in Portland and he decides he wants to ride it when we get home. He hops on it, rips up and down the street a couple times and says, “I’m in.” So the next day, Nate goes out and does 62 miles, with one gear, without ever having been on road bike before…and made it. His butt was a little sore around mile 40, but he lived to tell.

I’m looking forward to 2009! Big things, big things! Happy New Year to All!