So, just what do I have to do to get 75km out of an east Portland loop?
When I strike the 233rd/Fairview cliff shortcut, I start getting into a reasonable distance for a saturday “morning” (I didn’t even get out of the house until 10am, so it was 12:30 before I reached the Portland Traction trail and coasted leisurely on home) outing. Taking the trail home is nice in that I know exactly how far I have to go (from Rugg Road the sections are Brickworks/Gresham City Park/Gresham west/Powell detour/Powell Butte/Lents/82nd/Ramp/Springwater/Home; each one roughly 7 minutes unless I’m feeling energetic,) but it’s not nice in that I know exactly how far I have to go, and there’s not very much new to see, so there’s not much to do except mentally tick down the minutes to home.
It must be fall, because there weren’t that many cyclists out along the river despite it being sunny and in the high fifties (and there was absolutely nobody when I dropped south along 257th to reach the end of the paved part of the trail; after that, the walkers and cyclists were thick upon the ground, so I couldn’t have gone fast even if I’d wanted to.) The next time around (tomorrow? I suppose I could always ride out to Sandy and then loop back through Boring and onto Foster) I’ll have to try to avoid the trail if I want to avoid any time and distance-saving shortcuts.
But today was 72.5km/45 miles, with one 20 minute stop at the old railroad station in Troutdale to take pictures of YAFYEs, and averaging a somewhat more sprighty 14¼ mph. And, even without the 233rd/Fairview shortcut, this was not exactly the level ride that I foolishly expect from East Portland:
The novelty factor is still pretty high here; I’ve removed the cycle computer from the Trek so I have no way of telling speed/max speed/distance until I get home and can download the waypoints from the dinky headless gps receiver I carry with me. I suspect that not having the cycle computer slows me down at the start of my trip, because I don’t have the small scowling display saying “YOU’RE NOT GOING 22 MPH, SLACKER!” but that’s made up for by still having some energy at the end of the trip, so I can still move along at non-glacial rates on the last stretch towards home.
Perhaps I’ll work up to a 100km loop next weekend.