2013 Seattle To Portland Ride By Flightless Pelicans

[jyl]

Okay guys and gals. Many of you are cyclists. Some of you are participating in the 2013 PPOT Weight Loss And Fitness Challenge. A few of you simply have nothing planned for the weekend of July 13-14, 2013.

Which is when 10,000 hardy and not-so-hardy folks will ride the 2013 Seattle To Portland Bicycle Classic. Including . . . some flightless Pelicans?

I rode the STP last year for the first time. It was a fun time, a great experience, and I thought it would be even more fun to return the following year with a group. What better excuse to all get custom Pelicans Ride jerseys?

In a nutshell, this is a fully supported and extremely well organized 205 mile group ride. Your bag will be carried by a truck, you're never more than 12 miles from a food stop and mechanics' station, usually never out of sight of dozens of other riders, and the Highway Patrol escorts you over the one dicey bridge. The route is almost entirely flat and if you can pedal a bike for seven hours, you can make it to Portland. The ride starts at dawn on Saturday in Seattle, at the University of Washington, where there is dormitory housing should anyone want the very shortest distance from morning coffee to start line. For two-day riders - that'd be us - you have a choice of overnight stops, the biggest and funnest being the 100 mile point at Centralia College where there will be showers, cool grassy campsites, beer gardens, bottomless pasta feeds, music, and several thousand happy cyclists. You'll get there shortly after noon. On Sunday you do the second 100 miles, ending up in Portland where I will personally buy all the beers for any Pelican who drags him or herself the whole distance.

Rest assured, it isn't all that hard. There is lots of training advice out there, but basically I found a 50 mile route in my area and rode it four times on four successive weekends, aiming for a higher average speed each time. Do a 18 mph avg awithout being particularly pooped, and you're good to go. IMHO and YMMV.

I will also say, having the STP coming in July will do wonders for your focus and resolve, should you have just started a weight loss and fitness challenge. I think I was at my fittest shortly after the ride.

Here is the official website.
https://shop.cascade.org/content/events/stp

Here is my thread about the 2012 ride.
Seattle To Portland 2012

Any interest? We have some Seattlelites and some Portlandians here, but really, the STP is just a cheap flight away for most of us. Especially you guys on the West coast.

Let's discuss.

[vash]

Mmm. Strong possibility. Is it all lonely on the ride or do folks stick together? Never done 200 before.

[vash]

You bused it to Seattle right?

[Scooter]

I am riding with my wife this year. We are planning on riding with some of her family members, but I am not confident this will happen. If things change, I will let you know. If you don't have a group on your own, you are more than welcome to ride with us. Even if we don't ride together, we can still get together for beers.

[jyl]

Originally Posted by vash

Mmm. Strong possibility. Is it all lonely on the ride or do folks stick together? Never done 200 before.

Some ride solo, others ride in loose groups sticking together but not in any tight formation, and there are the military pacelines going 25 mph. I rode solo last year, with some 10 and 20 mile stints working w/ others or tagging on the back of an organized group. This year, I'd like to be in a loose group.

I took the Portland Wheelmen bus from Portland to Seattle, they transport your bike too.

The ride will sell out around March or April, but you can cancel up to 30 days prior and get a 75% refund, so some spaces usually come available in the last month before the ride. I'm registering myself now, and encourage anyone who might be interested to do the same - again, you can get a 75% refund up to mid-June, and registration only costs about $110 anyway. In total I think it cost me about $350 last year - registration, bus PDX->SEA, dorm room for Friday night, food and beer on Saturday (camping is free).

Scooter, keep us posted - thanks.

Just started looking at custom jerseys. I don't really want head-to-toe racer kit, but am thinking a nice Merino wool jersey like Portland Cyclewear - highest quality & best prices on merino wool cycling jerseys Maybe Wayne would permit us to use the "Pelican" name and font.

[cantdrv55]

I would have to train big time. I've done a couple of centuries but that was at least 5 years, 25 lb and type II diabetes ago. I'm struggling to log 100 mi/wk now but put me down for a maybe. Thanks for the invite, John!

[lowyder993s]

Hmmmm.....interesting...just what I need.

[jyl]

Cantdrv, if you're doing 100 miles/wk then you're probably doing 20 mile rides? You can definitely be more than ready by July. Probably take 20 lbs off in the process. Hope you join us!

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by vash

Mmm. Strong possibility. Is it all lonely on the ride or do folks stick together? Never done 200 before.

We used to do 150-200 mile races, in a pack or alone... Course that was 40 years ago as well!

[jyl]

Hey Joe, think your PX-10 will be ready by July?

You can train up on the mountain bike in the meantime.

[Joeaksa]

John,

I do have to work as well you know...

It is basketball season and we are very busy right now!

Joe A

[Tishabet]

Interesting... I don't own a road bike, but this may be a good excuse to acquire one!

[Laneco]

Originally Posted by jyl

Scooter, keep us posted - thanks.

Just started looking at custom jerseys. I don't really want head-to-toe racer kit, but am thinking a nice Merino wool jersey like Portland Cyclewear - highest quality & best prices on merino wool cycling jerseys Maybe Wayne would permit us to use the "Pelican" name and font.

Oh dang.... I would do STP just to have a Pelican Jersey!!! I think one done like Steve McQueen's Le Mans jacket - with a Pelican logo would be AWESOME!!!

Think that can be worked out?

I'll do STP with you this year! Steve and I were trying to remember when I did this event last and both of us think it was before our daughter was born, so that would make it in the late 80's or very early 90's. Looking forward to it. ESPECIALLY if I can buy a Pelican Jersey!

angela

[Joeaksa]

A nice jersey would be good but can do without the pelican on it. Unless its paid for that is...

[jyl]

Originally Posted by Laneco

Oh dang.... I would do STP just to have a Pelican Jersey!!! I think one done like Steve McQueen's Le Mans jacket - with a Pelican logo would be AWESOME!!!

Think that can be worked out?

I'll do STP with you this year! Steve and I were trying to remember when I did this event last and both of us think it was before our daughter was born, so that would make it in the late 80's or very early 90's. Looking forward to it. ESPECIALLY if I can buy a Pelican Jersey!

angela

Cool!

On the jersey - you mean the white leather jacket with vertical red and blue stripe on the left side body? I think that would look pretty groovy. Dunno what is feasible in custom jerseys, but I will look around.

[cantdrv55]

Umm, white is not very slimming but if that's what the group wants...

Please make sure your vendor can make it in club cut (XXL) too. I'll buy one even if I don't ride the STP unless they are made by champ-sys.com. Voler I like, Champion not so much.

[lowyder993s]

I'm in...put me down for a 2XL too.

[jyl]

On the jersey -

I haven't given done much cogitating or research on the jersey thing, but I would like to get one.

Some quick thoughts. Most cycling jerseys have raglan sleeves (sleeve panel extends to collar, diagonal seam from armpit to collar) which doesn't lend itself to a vertical stripe all the way to the shoulder. There might be some using set-in sleeves (your standard type with seam around the armhole), I will look around. Yes, we'd have to think about the color/slimming aspect, I don't want to look like a polish sausage either. We'd also want to choose between an actual cycling jersey (tight-fitting), or so-called free ride jersey (looser, like for mountain biking), or a windbreaker/top layer/light jacket thing. And if we care about the material - merino wool, wool/acrylic, or lycra/similar. I'm not a big enough fan of the cartoon pelican to want to wear it, was thinking more of "pelican" as text, subject to Wayne's permission of course. Anyone remember the pelican technical forum long-sleeved tees from forever ago? I can't seem to find mine or a pic or the thread.

Anyway, anyone who knows about or has ideas and/or strong opinions about this stuff, please either send me a PM or post, and eventually I'll get some options and prices posted here to vote on.

[Laneco]

I'm pretty flexible on the jersey idea. If the Pelican logo is out, no problem for me, same as the YUCK NOT WHITE IT MAKES ME LOOK FAT.... But if we go with lettering only, a more retro style jersey (such as the merino wool option you posted) is probably a better idea.

Within that Portland Cycling Wear shortcut you provided, seem to be quite a few nice colors, long and shot sleeve options, etc., in block colors/patterns that allow simple, classic combinations. Setup cost is very reasonable at $75 one time. If we went with one of those, I would like to see something on the sleeve, like a gear cluster, a shift pattern, something generically CAR related. Just to be different.

angela

[Laneco]

That would make a funny slogan on the on of the sleeves "will ride for beer"

So Matotkeol - are you part of a cycling club in Seattle or nearby area? Or just part of a convivial group?

angela