# Seattle 300K Chickie Takes A Ride



## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Just got back from the 300k. It started at 7:00 in Lacey, WA which is about 65 miles south of Seattle. I think about 60 people came out. Here is the usual assortment of yellow reflective gear. Still low-light before we rolled out.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

My kid, AKA Munchkinhead, is out of town visiting grandma and grandpa. She was very proud of sewing this little chick animal a few weeks ago, and she left if for me when I dropped her at the airport. She said it's so I can think of her while she is away. 

Chickie doesn't weigh much, and I already had the kitchen sink with me, so I decided chickie was going for a ride and I would e-mail her the pictures as I went. 

Here is chickie on the saddle all ready to go.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

This ride was scheduled to go last weekend, but it was postponed due to a ton of snow and ice. It's really hard to forecast weather here, but yesterday they got it right. It was supposed to start off dry and turn to rain as the day went on. That it did. 

The organizers picked out a fantastic route. I think they found every hill in the area. 95% of the roads were new to me. Here we are on a beautiful narrow road called d-line road before the rain.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Here we are at one of the controls. I'm still sorting out food/hydration/etc on this sort of ride. 

Novice Mistake: If a pint of chocolate milk is a great choice and all the fast guys cleaned out all the pints, don't buy a quart and think that more is better. I hit a real low after this stop, and it took a couple of hours (or 3) to bounce back.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

As soon as we pulled out of this control, it pretty much started dumping. And we rode into the wind for hours as we went south.

Another novice mistake: If you start feeling really strong, you may have made a wrong turn so that you have a killer tailwind. 7 bonus miles. 

Along the way, there were a ton of dogs. Most bark and want to say hello. One huge one almost got me. Instant energy!


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## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

Whoo, I know about that more not being better thing. My first century I went nuts at the food stop. Boy was I sorry.

I like the chicken pix.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

It was pretty cold, but I stayed comfortable. Here's a spot where I stopped to warm up. This "tourist attraction" really cracked me up. If I were coherent when I took the picture, I could have made chickie sit on the egg.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Now we enter hours without pictures. Lot's of night time miles. I'm pretty slow, and I knew this would be tough, so I went slow. It was scheduled to be about 188 miles, but with my "bonus" I finished up with around 195. The claim going in was about 7000 feet, but there was talk that it may have been a bit more. I'm curious, and I suspect someone with a GPS will let us know. I am loaded up more than I need to be right now, but the weather this time of year is tough, and we are in some pretty remote places at night, so for now, I'm going heavy. 

The ride started at 7:00 AM on Saturday, and I arrived at the last control close to 1:00 AM. 

The world at night in remote areas on a bike is odd. I was much happier when I hooked up with a tandem. Crazy screaming drunks on forest service land, a boy-racer in a GTI, and an attack bunny are what I remember. And who knew there were so many frogs? 

You couldn't ask for a more welcoming group of guys. The fast guys are amazing, and they totally encourage the newbies. The support was fantastic. It's really cool to hear yells of support at 11:00 at night as you finish a climb.

The 400K is in a few weeks. Chickie needs a week of "rando-amnesia" before signing up.


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## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

*Reminds me of a 300k I did*

a few years back. It POURED for hours and hours and hours. I would say a couple of weeks later in the year. Friend of mine I was with gave up after his sixth flat or something. Must say though, better than the snow on a 400k I did the same year (and that would be in June - pesky mountain passes). Have you thought about trying the Rocky Mountain 1200 the BC randonneurs are doing this year?

Link:

http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/rocky/rm1200.html


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

oarsman said:


> Have you thought about trying the Rocky Mountain 1200 the BC randonneurs are doing this year?
> 
> Well I think the 1200 would be a bit of a reach! I would be happy with a series.Heck the way I feel right now I am happy with a 300.  I have thought of riding some of the shorter distances with the BC folk at some point.


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## Cervelo-er (Apr 10, 2004)

Holy shizzle...you rode to Winlock?

I grew up in Kelso and used to do a "touch the egg" ride in high school riding up there and back after school...sweet.


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## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

JP said:


> Well I think the 1200 would be a bit of a reach! I would be happy with a series.Heck the way I feel right now I am happy with a 300.  I have thought of riding some of the shorter distances with the BC folk at some point.


I have never gone more than a 400. Many riders _claim_ that the 400 is harder than the 600: I remain unconvinced. 

I gave up on Randonees a few years back - riding all day and night in the pouring rain lost its appeal somehow. I am giving some thought to doing them again this year, but the rides are all on Saturdays, which is a rowing day for me. The first 200 is in a couple of weeks and I might do that one (now that I am feeling a bit better, I have been pretty sick ever since I got back from holidays).


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Very cool. Congrats and thanks for the report. I write this from my office, where I have spent the weekend. :cryin:


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

Cervelo-er said:


> Holy shizzle...you rode to Winlock?
> 
> I grew up in Kelso and used to do a "touch the egg" ride in high school riding up there and back after school...sweet.



I think we got as far south as Vader. I just kept telling myself that would be the end of the headwind, and thankfully it was.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

rcnute said:


> Very cool. Congrats and thanks for the report. I write this from my office, where I have spent the weekend. :cryin:


Yeah, I was looking for you. At the finish, I heard some guys say the 300K "three volcanoes" later in the year is worse.  

On the good side, I see you were first with a reply to steal that saddle.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

oarsman said:


> I have never gone more than a 400. Many riders _claim_ that the 400 is harder than the 600: I remain unconvinced.
> 
> I gave up on Randonees a few years back - riding all day and night in the pouring rain lost its appeal somehow. I am giving some thought to doing them again this year, but the rides are all on Saturdays, which is a rowing day for me. The first 200 is in a couple of weeks and I might do that one (now that I am feeling a bit better, I have been pretty sick ever since I got back from holidays).


I can't imagine having the time to row and do the series. The other guys in the boat kind of frown upon not being around.


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## MTT (Oct 14, 2005)

Man that is a long ride! How long did it take? That is huge, and I am impressed, especially since I live in the Seattle area and I know how hard it is to stay in shape through these NW winters. I am going to do a meger century in a few weeks, so this post gave me inspiration.

MTT


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## oarsman (Nov 6, 2005)

JP said:


> I can't imagine having the time to row and do the series. The other guys in the boat kind of frown upon not being around.


That's true, but I was really sick on the day we did a bunch of the seat racing for the crew (and was sick for a good week after) which means I am not in the eight for the next regatta (3 May). I have to try again for the races for the end of June.


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## JP (Feb 8, 2005)

oarsman said:


> That's true, but I was really sick on the day we did a bunch of the seat racing for the crew (and was sick for a good week after) which means I am not in the eight for the next regatta (3 May). I have to try again for the races for the end of June.


Ah, that explains it. There is a fair amount of activity with the Seattle group if you feel like a trip. Heck, the border crossing is a pain, but your dollar is worth something!


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I have always thought that 300k is about the perfect distance. Around here we start in the dark so half of the riders have a good chance to finish before it gets dark again.

BTW cool (and wet) report.

BTW2 no reason you have to do an organized 300k, just head out the driveway and start riding.

BTW3 I too think that 400k can be harder than 600k although the difference is mostly in your head. For the 600k you know that you are going to sleep somewhere. Riding the 400k you know that you are going to do without sleep and that presses on your mind a bit until you have done several and realize it is no big deal-400k just isn't all that much further than 300k.


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## Dale Brigham (Aug 23, 2002)

oarsman said:


> I have never gone more than a 400. Many riders _claim_ that the 400 is harder than the 600: I remain unconvinced.QUOTE]
> 
> I think the 400 seems harder, because (at least in my case), I used to try to get done with them faster so I could start back home sooner, a 2-hour drive. On the 600, I have always done an overnight stop, so there's no real rush to get done and in the car.
> 
> ...


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## rodar y rodar (Jul 20, 2007)

I have to say the conviction and dedication to finish any of those "crazy" events really impresses me. Especially, as was mentioned, comming so early in the year with no time to get back into shape with nice weather riding. Awful interresting to look at, but I think that`s about as close as I care to get to a rando series. Congratulations.


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## soundless (Apr 8, 2008)

*wonderful report*

I was one of the guys that you kept crossing paths with. I was on the blue Independent Fabrication. You should have had dinner with us. It was nice to get out of the rain for a bit, even if it put us close to the cut off. They took FOREVER to get us our check so we could get out of there though. I hope that we see you out again soon. 
Check out my report here.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Great report!

That Barley is so stuffed it looks like a different bag.


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## PurplePasoDoble (Apr 14, 2008)

JP,

Congrats on your finish in the 300k. Great classic Raleigh -- just like one I worked many hours at McD's to buy from Kopp's Cycle circa 1980. Looks like you have a fine companion (stoker?) in Chickie. Here's a picture of me and my better half at the finish on the 2007 "The Boss" 600k --







Yes, that IS a banana in my pocket! Have fun on the 400k!

RA Purple PasoDoble


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## PurplePasoDoble (Apr 14, 2008)

I guess that photo didn't work out. Check out the photo set at http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
RA


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