Wind and Wine in Walla Walla

I did my first stage race of 2011 this past weekend, the Tour of Walla Walla.  One of the biggest regional races, this show has usually drawn a very competitive field across all categories.  This year was no exception for the Women Cat 4 field- most of the top ladies from the local races were there, along with some really fast ladies from Eastern Washington and Canada. 

Our races included a Saturday morning 9.3 mile time trial, a 25 minute criterium or "crit" in the afternoon, and the rather hilly Kellogg Hollow Road Race Sunday morning (37 miles, five moderate climbs for about 1900 feet of climbing total). I've been loosely following a training plan which has me peaking in time for July's criterium races, so I came into this race planning on using it mostly as training.

Here's a stage-by-stage account...

Grit and Gloom- Olympic View from the back

It was 42 degrees and raining.  I was soaking wet and covered in road grime, my feet were blocks of ice, and the sunblock I'd put on my face that morning had been streaming into my eyes for the better part of two hours, adding a nice sting to my already itchy eyes, inflamed from some serious seasonal allergies which had kept me up most of the night. I was running on roughly three hours of sleep, a bowl of oatmeal, a peanut butter clif bar, and enough ibuprofin to keep the menstrual cramps at bay.  As I grunted and struggled to turn my pedals over a few more times to get to the top of the hill, the other two ladies I was chasing - Susanne from Blue Rooster and Jackie from Bikesale, both 15 years senior to me- looked over their shoulders at me from the top of the hill. 

"Meghan, let's make a pact right now.  We will wait for you, but you can't come around us at the finish and sprint to beat us, ok?  We don't want to see any front-of-the-pack tactics..."

Bike Works Auction- People Powered Awesomeness!

Last night was the annual Bike Works auction. Bike Works, based in Columbia City, educates and empowers youth through teaching them about bikes (riding and fixing!).  They offer a wide array of adult programming too- from drop in Volunteer Repair Parties (VRP) every Thursday, where you can improve your bike mechanic skills while drinking beer and conspiring with other bike addicts, to more formal bicycle repair classes (including the ABC and DEF series), as well as some fun social bike events.  I've been a regular VRP volunteer for just over a year, and I've also assisted Bike Works staff with teaching both the ABC and DEF bike repair classes.  Last year I volunteered at the annual Bike Works auction, and I had such a blast that I volunteered to be on this year's auction committee.

The theme of this year's event was "People Powered," and the venue, Herban Feast's SODO Park, was decorated with a comic book superhero theme. "People powered" also describes the manner in which this event was pulled together.... a mighty army of Bike Works staffers, board members and volunteers put lots of time and love into making the evening fabulous.  Here are some shots of the space, and a little taste of the decor: 

Loving the lofted ceilings and old growth wood

Aren't the red, blue and yellow table linens awesome?!

Note the comic book bubbles as centerpieces... and the flaming Baked Alaska, a coveted prize during the Dessert Dash portion of the evening.  

Somehow the auction theme and colors matched perfectly with the Seattle Sugarplum elves' newest costumes, Elf Superheros!

Stripes, Calamity, Pumpkin, and me (Schprintzel)

Review: Swrve Softshell Knickers

 I'd been looking for a long time for a pair of commuting knickers that offered a comfortable, stylish alternative to my team kit for daily commuting and other urban bike adventures. It should be noted that I'm definitely not anti-lycra.  For racing and training, touring, or really any long day in the saddle, it is hard to beat the comfort afforded by a pair of cycling shorts with a well made chamois.  That being said, I don't always feel comfortable wearing my racing kit into the grocery store on my way home, nor do I enjoy wearing it to meet friends for beers on any given Saturday night.

Anyhow, my hubby gave me a pair of Swrve Softshell Knickers for my birthday.  I immediately put them to the test through a chilly and wet commuting season in January and February.  Simple one word review:  Love!!