ONC New Year's at Black Butte trip - Dec. 28-31, 2012

Leslie and I joined Pam Rigor on her ONC trip to Black Butte.  We have been having heavy snow in the Cascades and Santiam Pass was packed snow but not too bad. 

The trip members were Pam Rigor and Bob Breivogel, Jim Edwards and Janice Morgan, Inga Fisher Williams, Patti Thompson, Cristel (Christian - 8 months) Brown and Leslie and me.

Saturday we drove to Ray Benson Sno-park and skied the North Loop up to the North Blowout Shelter.  The snow was excellent...deep and dry plus a beautiful blue sky.  After lunch and a warm up in the shelter we skied the Circle Lake trail to the Brandenburg Butte Shelter.  All in all, we did about 8.7 miles.

Sunday we drove to Camp Sherman and then skied along the Metolius River.  It was a bit icy but still a nice tour.  The Head of the Metolius view point was interesting.

Monday (New Year's Eve) we drove back to Sisters and then 10 miles south to the Three Creeks Lake Sno-park.  The conditions were still great and we skied to the Jeff View Shelter.
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Oldman Pass - 23 Dec. 2012

Oldman Pass 23 Dec 2012, Leslie/Tony and Bruce/Teri

We got a heavy dumping of snow in the last week and conditions were great for skiing.  They are not plowing out Oldman Pass Sno-park this year so we parked at the tubing hill.  We skiied clockwise on the Oldman trail to the Scenic Route cut-off.  There was enough snow to make the downhill through the trees manageable.

We Need More Guns

Woman killed after car, motorized wheelchair bump

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20121205/US.Gas.Station.Shooting/

Father shoots, kill son 7, at Pa. gun store

http://www.kgw.com/news/Police-Boy-7-shot-to-death-at-Pa-gun-store-182683031.html

Cooper Spur hike - Oct. 3, 2012

I took a vacation day and joined David Kern on his day off.  We decided to check out Cooper's Spur and especially the area where the Timberline Trail was wiped out in a flood in 2006.  We drove up to Cloud Cap campground but were dismayed and awestruck at how the Dollar Fire had burned out the area.  The Cloud Cap cabin and above were spared but the whole area has a completely different look to it.

Ramona Falls Hike - Sept 16, 2012

  We're having a glorious, warm and bright Fall and today was a perfect day for a nice hike.David, Greer, Jim, Bruce and Rufus joined Leslie and I for the 7.1 mile hike to Ramona Falls.  The temporary bridge across the Sandy River was still in place and the smoke from the Mt. Adams fires wasn't too bad.

  

High Pass Challenge - Packwood, WA 9/9/2012

High Pass Challenge - 110 miles, TZ=3:56

Bruce Allan and I drove up to Packwood, WA on Saturday afternoon.   We took Bruce's trailer which was a good idea because we had thunder, lightening and rain for most of the night.

    Sunday morning dawned misty and with light rain.  The route was modified a bit because the road between Cascade Peaks viewpoint and Windy Ridge is being worked on.  The original route was 114 miles and 7500 ft but the modified route ended up at 110 miles but less elevation.

   The route is beautiful with lots of trees, little traffic, lots of climbing(including a sustained climb of 25 miles) and the stark landscape of Windy Ridge.  I didn't take an images because it was a pretty gray day and there weren't too many vistas.

   I broke a chain but thankfully had a repair link and then right before the top I had a flat tire.  But I still made it back before the cut-off.

Vista Ridge from Parkdale 2 Sept 2012

39 mi. +4716 (at least)  TZ=60" Ride time about 4 hours.

Bruce/Teri, Sharon, Leslie and I rode Vista Ridge from Parkdale.  The weather and temperature were perfect, sunny but not too warm.  NEW PAVEMENT OVERLAY going up Lost Lake Road!!!.  The only wrinkle was that they had been cutting brush all along the downhill section and left the sticks and logs in the road which kind of took the fun out of your downhill.  Next time we'll start at Dee Mill and do it clockwise to maximize the downhill on Lost Lake Rd and use the bad pavement for the uphill.

Beers at Solera in Parkdale afterwards.  The Hedonist IPA is ok but Sharon(our resident beer critic) only gave it a 4 out 10.

Bruce+Teri w/Mt. Hood somewhere in the background

Mt. Hood from Vista Ridge

Mt. Adams from Vista Ridge

McNeil Point Hike - 26 August 2012

Hiked McNeil Point with Bruce & Teri Allan and Leslie.
13.5 miles and 3300ft elevation gain.

Morgan Family Reunion- Livingston, MT July 27-29, 2012

Rachel Wrigley organized the Morgan Family in Livingston Mt.

Seattle-Portland - July 14, 2012

Seattle to Portland - July 14, 2012 204 miles.

Tony Ackerman, Petra St. John, Matt Clark and Aaron McGrath

Leslie's Hill Ride - 6/17/2012

Tony, Leslie, Petra, Aaron and Sharon

 40 miles, 4400 ft

Leslie led us up Old Germantown to Skyline to Moorland and down to Jackson Quarry.  Then up Logie Trail to Beck and down NW Elliot and Old Rock Creek.  The legs were a bit tired from the Astoria trip but it was probably good that I got out for ride.

Astoria half of a Double Century - 6/15/2012

Petra and Tony 100 miles, TZ=?? but at least 2-3 hours

Petra and I were the only ones that could make the Astoria-and-back Double Century this year. I had a complete computer failure on my Polar CS200 so I went without speed, cadence or HRM. We left the house about 9 am under a clear and warm sky. A very pleasant ride to Banks and then to Vernonia on the Linear Park. Lunch at the Blue House and back on Hwy 47 to Hwy 202. It was a beautiful ride with very little traffic. Past Jewel Elk refuge and then climb and nice decent into Olney where the now traditional chocolate milk was very refreshing. We were doing a victory lap around the Astoria Column by 5 pm. Leslie met us at the Comfort Suites hotel on the river front. After showers we headed to Fort George Brewpub for sausage and Vortex IPA.

Saturday morning we decided that a day of rest was going to be more beneficial to our training than 6 more hours in the saddle. So we drove back to Portland with Leslie and planned to rest and ride again on Sunday.

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PWTC Pioneer Century - Canby, OR 6/2/2012

102.4 miles TZ=4:49
Tony, Leslie and Petra

 Tony, Petra and Leslie did the 55 Mile Loop Avg=14.7 Tony and Petra also did the 45 mile loop Avg=16.6 For the 55 mile loop, the weather was cool and looked like it might rain with dark clouds forming on the horizon. But it held off and we enjoyed the Chris King fajitas once again. After lunch the weather improved and the second loop was sunny but with a strong headwind from the south (most of the time). The 45 mile loop was different this year and I think that I like it better. This ride is always dicey weather-size but its a beautiful route and always fun.

Ashland Mtn Lakes ride (well, we tried) May 25-28, 2012

5/26/2012 Bear Creek Greenway from Ashland to Medford 40 miles 5/27/2012 Mtn Lakes Loop from Ashland to Green Springs to Dead Indian Memorial Highway back to Ashland - 2.7 miles Leslie and I drove down to Ashland on Friday of the Memorial Day weekend. Stayed a nice hotel on the east end of town and generally really enjoyed Ashland. Saturday the weather was cool, windy and looked like rain so we took a driving tour from Ashland through the Applegate Valley and Jacksonville. We checked out Jacksonville and the continued on the scenic drive to Grants Pass. In Grants Pass there were jet boat races and a fair in the park called Boatnik. It was basically all about God(Bible fundamentalists and survivalists warning that the end times are upon us), Guns (get your leather hostler engraved to match your bullet studded belt and 50 cal machine gun lawn ornaments) and Ganja (the hippies are nice folks here). We stayed about 15 minutes and got out of there. Once safely back in Ashland we hopped on the bikes and biked the Bear Creek Greenway almost end-to-end. Its a great paved bike trail and its about 28 miles one-way. We had a nice pasta dinner in Ashland. Sunday was much warmer and we were eager to do the 50 mile 4700ft Mtn lakes loop. We headed out Hwy 66 and I made it 2.7 miles before a spoke broke on my Roubaix Roval 322x rear wheel and I was done. We dumped off the bikes and drove the route anyway and it looks like a very nice ride. Lots of climbing but its scenic and the traffic seemed to be light. The 13 mile downhill back into Ashland would be sweet. Sunday evening we enjoyed a nice dinner at Louie's and saw the play "Animal Crackers". Monday we headed back home.

Reach the Beach-5/19/2012

103+ miles, 7:15-3:15, ride time=6:26 Avg=16.1
Tony, Bruce, Teri, Petra, Aaron and Robert 

Weather was mostly sunny but not real warm. Rode all day with arms+legs and had my jacket on for most of the day. Had dinner at the Pelican Pub and stayed the night. Petra, Aaron and Robert at Petra's friends house and Bruce, Teri and Tony in the Bambi at Cape Lookout State Park.
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St. Helens - Vernonia Loop 5/13//2012

Tony, Les, Sharon, Petra, Aaron 58 miles, 4:07 Avg=14.1 TZ=2:20

Moser tunnel to Rowena Crest - 4/29/2012

36 miles. 30" TZ
Weather was sunny and warm.  A breeze but it was light be Gorge standards.

Leslie and I started at the Mark O. Hatfield visitor center and biked up the path and through the twin tunnels. Then out to Rowena Crest Viewpoint.  We took the Marsh cut-off on the way back and then a side trip up Moser Creek Road to check it out.  For some extra miles, we rode out to Panarama Point after returning to the parking lot.

Moser Tunnel Ride 4/29/2012

Leslie & Tony 36 miles TZ=30"
Started from Mark Hatfield Park and rode through Moser Twin Tunnels out to Rowena Crest Viewpoint.  Side trip out to Panorama Point.

Banks-Vernonia LP via Timber - 4/15/2012

Leslie, Bruce, Petra and Tony 54 Miles, TZ=46"

Start at BV LP and take Cedar Canyon Rd to Hwy 6.  6 miles with traffic but a good shoulder takes you to Timber Road.

Banks-Vernonia Lollipop-4/7/2012

Leslie and I rode BV Linear park to Vernonia via our Lollipop route.
44 mi TZ=39"


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