# STP 2011 - Who's In?



## smcnees

Since no one has started a thread about this yet, I'll take the ball and run with it. Anybody else riding this year? 3rd year in a row 1 day for me. I'm bringing along a noob who is very athletically gifted but new to cycling and didn't put in enough miles preparing IMO. I took him out for a pretty challenging 100 miler 2 weeks ago with way more climbing that we'll do this weekend and he survived so that gives me a little hope. We shall see.


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## Stratocruiser

I'm participating for the second year, but this will be my first one-day attempt.

I've trained as much as my work schedule and family life permit, but there's no way around the fact that I'm older (57) and slower than most one-day riders. It will be a long day for me, so we'll see how I do.


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## eplanajr

I'm in. Father-Son deal. My dad is flying up from Las Vegas to do the ride with me.


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## Argentius

Yours Truly's out this time. It was a fun party last year but, that is a lotta flat miles...


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## MarkZeus

According to my Polar computer profile. There are 153+ miles flat road 26 miles uphill only and 25 miles downhill grade  This will be my 5th time participation and my 4th one day ride in a row. Getting faster and faster every year. It was cold and miserable first 130 miles last year and it warmed up last 74+. Hoping for a better, warmer weather this year. Good luck to everyone participating this year!!!


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## eplanajr

looks like weather will be epic...


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## Argentius

Cold and miserable? Forget that, it was beautiful! No rain, not much wind, not too hot... 



MarkZeus said:


> According to my Polar computer profile. There are 153+ miles flat road 26 miles uphill only and 25 miles downhill grade  This will be my 5th time participation and my 4th one day ride in a row. Getting faster and faster every year. It was cold and miserable first 130 miles last year and it warmed up last 74+. Hoping for a better, warmer weather this year. Good luck to everyone participating this year!!!


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## ChilliConCarnage

I'm signed up for my 6th, but I've just come down with a painful case of Shingles. Not sure if I'll go ahead with it........


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## acg

Currently sitting in the bus headed from Portland to Seattle. 47 years old. First STP. Doing the 2 day ride and party with 3 other friends. Looks like fantastic weatrher for the event!


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## MarkZeus

Argentius said:


> Cold and miserable? Forget that, it was beautiful! No rain, not much wind, not too hot...


Well maybe I exagerated a little but it was a little cold for my skinny ass in the morning with no jacket on 

Looks like we'll get a good tail wind from the north on Saturday, YES!!!


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## Argentius

You get warmer if you ride harder, noob. 

Enjoy it!

(yours truly, 140lbs, did last year in arm warmers, shorts, jersey, base layer.)



MarkZeus said:


> Well maybe I exagerated a little but it was a little cold for my skinny ass in the morning with no jacket on
> 
> Looks like we'll get a good tail wind from the north on Saturday, YES!!!


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## bigbill

Haven't done it since 2008, not in shape to do it now although I am aerodynamic like a ford taurus. In 2008 it was ungodly hot with a tailwind which made it worse. I would have preferred a little headwind just to keep a breeze moving across me. The tailwind did help my group and I reach Oregon by noon, but during the remainder, I was downing two large bottles an hour and even stopped for a one liter coke. A cold coke fixes everything.


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## DaveT

I've done the STP twice. This year it's the RedSpoke; Redmond to Spokane in 4 days. I've done this once, quite challenging, gives a better breadth the Washington's scenery, plus the fun of overnight camping!

You STP'ers have fun this year, the weather does look epic for it.


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## MarkZeus

Argentius said:


> You get warmer if you ride harder, noob.
> 
> Enjoy it!
> 
> (yours truly, 140lbs, did last year in arm warmers, shorts, jersey, base layer.)


Thanks, pretty excited! I weigh 6 pounds more than you  This year I will definately be more prepared. I average 19.5 mph last year in a slower group and they like to take breaks alot. This year hoping to beat my pr under 10 hours or so, well see.


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## Fordy

Dude...get well soon....sorry you don't feel well.


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## dlhillius

Just finished my first! Only been riding 5 months now as my GF talked me into it last year after she did her first STP and I'm loving it. 

Didn't set any records but hey....finished it in one day and on top of that, it was both my first AND second century. Aside from the wonky knee I got from avoiding another noob doing something stupid, I'm feeling pretty good. Last 60 were tough because of that but again, I made it.

Hope everyone who rode had fun and stayed safe.


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## danielc

I didn't do the ride (did the death ride instead) but heard that somebody threw out 2 miles of tacks on highway 30 which caused lots of flats and crashes...did anybody see this?


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## dlhillius

About 10 miles outside of Tenino on a slight downhill, I rode past a guy who'd crashed. Two support vehicles and an ambulance were treating him along side of a few riders. It was a quick peek as I passed but as I saw his face and bike, it looked as though he went over the top. Quite a bit of blood on his face. Very sad.

Lots of flats along the way but heard nothing about tacks. Did have an inbred ******* scream out the window of his POS Chevy PU about getting off the road but figured he was just late for his KKK meeting or Springer was on and he needed to get home quick. Other then that, it was smooth sailing.

Sidenote: As I'm just a noob and discovering what my strengths and weaknesses are, I'm finding I want to ride faster and a little harder then my GF is capable of. Love her to death but want to push it a bit and find what I'm able to do. A few weeks ago, We rode the Two County Double metric. Ended up only doing the short course as we started late but with about 25 miles to go, my GF told me she was fading and that she'd catch up as I had a lot of energy. I averaged over 20 that whole time and would like to find someone/a group that can ride once and a while who will push me. Don't want to be a party crasher but would interested if anyone wouldn't mind me tagging along sometime. Thanks


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## cparrish

Made it in one for my first try but damn the oregon stretch was boring, didn't help that my stomach gave out around 180 and refused any fluids after that.


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## acg

Please pray for this guy:

http://www.lewiscountysirens.com/?p=7371


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## mcsqueak

I'd like to do the STP some day, but all in one day. I'm certainly not up for that yet... my "long rides" right now are 60-70 miles. I could probably push myself to 100, but I wouldn't feel good for the last portion of the ride. I'd like to do someday just to say I've done it.

I was driving over the St. Johns bridge on Saturday at around 4 pm and saw a few hardy souls crossing that were doing the one-day ride... the looks on their faces didn't make it seem like they were having much fun. 

I thought about yelling "allez allez!" as I drove by but I didn't want to scare them, heh.


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## dlhillius

acg said:


> Please pray for this guy:
> 
> http://www.lewiscountysirens.com/?p=7371




Such a sad sad thing. Prayers are definitely in order...


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## dlhillius

mcsqueak said:


> I'd like to do the STP some day, but all in one day. I'm certainly not up for that yet... my "long rides" right now are 60-70 miles. I could probably push myself to 100, but I wouldn't feel good for the last portion of the ride. I'd like to do someday just to say I've done it.
> 
> I was driving over the St. Johns bridge on Saturday at around 4 pm and saw a few hardy souls crossing that were doing the one-day ride... the looks on their faces didn't make it seem like they were having much fun.
> 
> I thought about yelling "allez allez!" as I drove by but I didn't want to scare them, heh.



Man....If you'd have yelled one word to me on ANY of those bridges, I'd have gone "Code Brown" right there. 

I'm a total Nancy when it comes to heights and bridges are the worst.:cryin:

Hopefully you'll make it next year :thumbsup:


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## MarkZeus

mcsqueak said:


> I'd like to do the STP some day, but all in one day. I'm certainly not up for that yet... my "long rides" right now are 60-70 miles. I could probably push myself to 100, but I wouldn't feel good for the last portion of the ride. I'd like to do someday just to say I've done it.
> 
> I was driving over the St. Johns bridge on Saturday at around 4 pm and saw a few hardy souls crossing that were doing the one-day ride... the looks on their faces didn't make it seem like they were having much fun.
> 
> I thought about yelling "allez allez!" as I drove by but I didn't want to scare them, heh.


You can do it! first 100 miles seems like a 50 miler, it's mostly flat, just one big hill. The next 50 miles is the toughest with rolling hills boring as hell and farmlands. Once you cross the Oregon border your almost home free with 50 miles to go headwind around the area and your mental toughness comes to play. Also proper hydration and timing your food intake is key.

I was crossing St. John Bridge just after 4 pm on Saturday. At the time I was halucinating and getting dehydrated and the height, sights and sound didn't seem to bother me. I rode with a friend at mile 140 he was fading fast and he let me go ahead and I was by myself the whole time up to the end. That was tough with a mild head wind. I was passing single rider or two that was running out of steam every 2-5 miles no group of riders to hook up. I started just after 5 AM I made it to Portland at 4:25 PM. On the saddle I did it in 9:49 and average 20.5 mph, a new PR for me. Yeay!


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## dlhillius

MarkZeus said:


> You can do it! first 100 miles seems like a 50 miler, it's mostly flat, just one big hill. The next 50 miles is the toughest with rolling hills boring as hell and farmlands. Once you cross the Oregon border your almost home free with 50 miles to go headwind around the area and your mental toughness comes to play. Also proper hydration and timing your food intake is key.
> 
> I was crossing St. John Bridge just after 4 pm on Saturday. At the time I was halucinating and getting dehydrated and the height, sights and sound didn't seem to bother me. I rode with a friend at mile 140 he was fading fast and he let me go ahead and I was by myself the whole time up to the end. That was tough with a mild head wind. I was passing single rider or two that was running out of steam every 2-5 miles no group of riders to hook up. I started just after 5 AM I made it to Portland at 4:25 PM. On the saddle I did it in 9:49 and average 20.5 mph, a new PR for me. Yeay!



Sick numbers Mark :thumbsup: Very impressive.

I honestly am happy I just finished. Being my first, I had virtually no idea what to expect other then spending a long time in the saddle. I just started riding a bike in February and considering I'm an old fart at almost 42, finishing is an honor.

Spent some time afterwards kind of mulling over everything and realized some serious 'flaws' in our gameplan. My GF and I actually clocked over 3 hours and 45 minutes of rest time at the stops....very stupid but 20 mins here and 20 mins there really adds up when you aren't paying attention to it. Also, our nutrition isn't totally dialed in yet. We nailed the first 100 in under 7 hours even with all the stops at REI, Spanaway, etc but ate a few things we shouldn't have and I KNOW it effected us. Live and learn though.

Again, just happy I can say I've done it, especially being so new to cycling.

Looking forward to next year and seeing really what I'm capable of. Maybe we'll hook up for a few miles next year and have a laugh or two.


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## smcnees

I had a pretty good ride.I turned 40 on the 10th, so 202.xx miles on the 9th was a good way to end my 30's. My riding partner double flatted and blew out both sidewalls 27 miles in and then I was involved in a crash on the Tenino bike path where a guy went down in front of me and I couldn't avoid him. I had a graceful get off though with no damage to him, me, or my bike. The guy I rode with just started riding this Spring and didn't some close to training enough, but he's athletic and tough. We made way too many stops that lasted way longer than I would have liked, but I think that's what it took for him to be able to finish so it was all good. Here's my Garmin data for anyone who wants to marvel (laugh) at how slow I am. 

<iframe width='465' height='548' frameborder='0' src='http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/98135562'></iframe>


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## MisterAngular

Not bad, smcnees... your saddle time & average speed are very close to what I did last year (when I was also 40 years old). I skipped the STP this year but I will probably go at it again next year and see if I can improve my time.


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## eplanajr

My old man (56) and myself (29) finished it and had a blast.. I didn't take too many photos along the way, but I feel this is one of the more important photos that I took.


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## smcnees

OMG a beer never tasted so good! I could only handle 1 though. It went straight to my head. Best $4 rush ever.


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## bismo37

Hahaha... I took the same photo. That beer was soooo good. I sat at the Beer Garden in Centralia having pizza and beer while watching the TdF. Super fun.

My wife and I did our first STP this year. Had a lot of fun. Though I'd like to do it as a 1 day ride, I had a blast in Centralia on the first day. I liked the festive atmosphere. 

My wife had never ridden a century, much less a double century, before but totally rocked it.


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## 1885

*Did it.*

3rd STP this year. 11 hours 45 . Clock time. It was an epic day!!
Ride of my life. No flats, no crashes.


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## chk

4 STP first one in more than 10 years. Got rear-ended by another rider at a stop light. I finished on Sunday. When I got back home, took the bike to the shop to discover the frame had cracked (CF). Got lucky that it did not snap in half while I was on it. Even with the crash, I had a great time and looking forward to next year.


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## 1885

chk said:


> 4 STP first one in more than 10 years. Got rear-ended by another rider at a stop light. I finished on Sunday. When I got back home, took the bike to the shop to discover the frame had cracked (CF). Got lucky that it did not snap in half while I was on it. Even with the crash, I had a great time and looking forward to next year.


What type of frame did you crack? I have a Bianchi 1885 that is showing signs or wear on the carbon. 

It will be a few years before I do STP again. I had a great time but transportation is hard to manage.


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