The 10,000 cyclists riding in the 200-mile Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic this weekend will face light clouds changing to sunny weather the whole way. Look for highs in the mid 70s on Saturday, rising to the low 80s in Portland on Sunday.
At the risk of jinxing the ride for everyone, I'll tell you there's no chance for precipitation in the forecast. You can leave that rain gear at home.
This weekend marks the 31st anniversary of the STP Bicycle Classic, the Cascade Bicycle Club's premier presentation of the year. Popularity of the ride is so high that it sold out in April this year, earlier than ever.
Route change
Cascade has made a last-minute route change on the approach to Portland this year. Instead of taking the St. John's Bridge, cyclists will be routed over the Steel Bridge.
The change is necessary because of construction on the St. John's Bridge and will be well-marked so participants won't follow their old patterns. Cascade warns that bicyclists will be sharing the lower-level walkway of the Steel Bridge with pedestrians so ride with caution. The STP route change is published here.
Some hints
There a few hardy souls who have ridden all 30 of them. I'm not one of those; not even close. I've done it three times the past 10 years. Based on my experiences, and those of folks I've talked to, here are a few things that made an impression on me:
Skip the start
— You might want to reconsider starting from the University of Washington parking lot on Saturday morning. Getting there by car is an early-morning nightmare, which will be made worse this year by construction on the viaduct. If you're itching to ride, you don't want to be stuck in the car as the sun rises over the course.
Cascade is offering a Friday Night Bag check. Members of the UW Cycling Team will be accepting bags and bikes from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday in south part of the E1 parking lot. The cost is $5 per bag (maximum of 2). That way you can ride your bicycle to the start, or enter the course in another location. I was lucky to have someone agree to drop by bag at UW one year and I left from my home on the Eastside on Saturday morning. I noticed a lot of others doing this, too.
Tacks ahead
— There is a chance that some nit-brained yahoo will get his kicks by throwing tacks on the road, usually in the vicinity of Chehalis and Centralia. There's not much you can do about this — unless you're riding bullet-proofed tires. Just make sure you have a spare tube, a patch kit, pump or CO2 cartridge and know how to change a tire.
Road rash
— I've seen a few crashes on STP, and they've all involved riders rear-ending other riders. This usually involves hooking wheels in a paceline, but also a cyclist coming to a dead stop on a hill to walk the rest of the way.
First, be careful on the pacelines that develop along the route. Some people are used to them, but others aren't. Expect the unexpected. Always announce when you take someone's wheel and common courtesy requires you to take your turn at the front.
If a hill just gets to steep or you need to stop for a mechanical or candy bar, check behind then move to the right before you stop so you knock anyone down.
Always signal your intention to turn left, right, or slow down. I'm always grateful when someone warns me they're going to blow a stop sign or a traffic light. I pass the message back.
Hydrate
— Drink before you're thirsty. Drink constantly and fill up the water bottles at the frequent rest stops. I've been on a couple of hot STP's, and it seems people have the most trouble in the last 40 miles or so into Portland.
Saddle sores
— To stay comfortable, especially for the two-day cyclists, check out “14 ways to avoid and treat saddle sores from bicycling.” There will be medical tents at the major rest stops for people who need help.
Here's hoping everyone has a safe trip.
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