Timing Is Everything Sometimes

Timing is everything sometimes. Like being able to leave with JRose for Portland with more than enough time to get plenty of sleep for the Kings Valley road race on Saturday. Like rolling into the Multnomah Falls parking with five minutes of light to get a shot before it's completely dark.

Like missing the fish toss over and over and... come on camera, get it together!

Like getting the shot of the seagull catching the french fry.

Like being at the parking lot just in time to see a bridge lift up (really, really fast btw).

Like snapping the Space Needle at 75mph's without getting a building in the way.

The most important timing came in the Kings Valley road race though. After being away in a four man break for 55 miles or so, my legs went from being invincible all day to cramping in the last 200 meters. When does it count to have invincible legs when it comes down to a sprint? You are absolutely correct if you answered the last 200 meters. 3rd is better than nothing, but almost all day in the break, I was sure that the legs were more than ready for their first W of the year. 75 degrees in the sun in western Oregon was amazing although the legs disagreed with that statement in the last 200 meters. The warmest they've dealt with this year until Saturday was sub-60. They'll be good next time, I just didn't bring the electrolytes that I needed. In the end, Rose got 6th and Campbell 9th. Not bad for only four of us starting! Results

As for the Brad Lewis criterium in Seattle, guess what? It rained and changed the game. A fresh sun burn gained in Oregon and then racing in a wet criterium seemed like an odd combination. Either way, that last corner never would agree with me and the results showed it. All I got to do was a bit of chasing at the end that didn't turn out to be successful.

All-in-all, a great four day trip! Boise to Portland on Friday, Portland to Kings Valley to Olympia on Saturday, Olympia to Seattle on Sunday, Seattle to Boise on Monday. Thank you to all that let us stay at their places, it is very much appriciated! It's been four years since I've had the chance to get some fresh fish on the water front in Seattle and I was definitely missing that. Without a doubt, it was great to get out of the Treasure Valley to see 21 hours of highway at 75 miles an hour. The best of all, spending four days away and having a net cost of $16! It would have cost more to stay home!

The four man break, beware of mirror like effects of cyclists who haven't had access to enough sun. If you look closely, it almost seems like I'm flipping somebody the bird. Dunno, I didn't think I was too ticked about that corner we were going into.

Wet corners, kinda sketchy when the corner is off camber.