Into the rain

I missed the Saturday post due to our getting turned around in downtown Portland and crossing five of the seven bridges across the Willamette River. It was fun to see so much of downtown, revisiting places I can remember walking with my dad as a boy and with friends from when I worked for Willamette Industries.

Before heading for downtwon, we hung out at Washington Square Mall and found Chipotle for lunch. After going to Washington Square, we drove up the 217 to the 26 and headed towards downtown. Right after we got on the 26, I recognized the area in Beaverton. We stopped in at the cemetery where my sister was buried. It had been some years since I had been there and the first time for Cassie, Craig, and Colin. It was a moving experience for all of us. Maybe it is seeing your last name on a headstone that cause some deep reflection.

On another note, I am in Accounting on Wednesday and my phone rings. It is the Hogg who is on the climb up Sierra Road for the TdC. Yes, jealousy, sing it. Then, on Saturday I watch stage 6 up Balcolm Canyon and through Moorpark, right where I would have been if we were still in Cali. It was a great Tour. Stage 6 was incredible with all of the attacks and intensity. Watching Stage 5, the time trial in Solvang, I could only think about the ride in two weeks. It is going to be an experience. Here are the roads that the pros rode on in the TdC and Team Discovery rides on. Challenging, yes. Rewarding, definitely.

With all of this cycling, I have been motivated to be on the bike. It has been a lot more time in the garage due to the rains but tonight, I got out ... in the rain. Although it was only an hour, it was an intense hour of up and rain. The up was great. The down was white knuckles. I hope I am ready in two weeks for Solvang, the first century of the eight for this year. There will be no 5 hour century this time but it is coming. It is all in due time and Solvang is part of this goal.

Until the sun shines again, it will be into the rain...and on to Solvang.