Banks – Vernonia Trail

Mia and I have had a pretty good week in Oregon.  Starting to adjust and looking forward to the move into our more permanent abode next weekend.  For the time being we are coping with our current place and living out of boxes and suitcases.  That will all change in just 7 days!
Friday night we went to dinner at Por Que No .  A lot of times I feel like I can duplicate restaurant recipes at home or maybe make them even better, however, there is something in the menu option of “Bryans Bowl” that I just could never be able to duplicate.  It is really fresh food and holy cow is it good!
After dinner we headed over to the Portland Track Festival to see Laurel Manville run in the 5K.  Unfortunately we got there a bit late and came in only as Laurel was just finishing.  She did run a very respectable 18:12.  The winner of her heat was a teenager who ran a 16:40!!!!!! Finally ended the  night at Huckleberry Pub for some drinks and super salty pub fries split between a few of us.  Good night and starting to feel like we kind of know the area (just a wee bit at this point).
Saturday was the Beaverton Farmer’s Market where they have strawberries galore in season.  Albion and Hood.  The hood are super perishable and very tasty.  The albion are more like we were used to in NH.  After loafing around for most of the afternoon after that we headed to Bridgeport Village to see Iron Man 3 and then found this place called.  Yogurt Land…..This place may become my favorite concept desert place for a quick snack.  They have this wall of frozen yogurt dispensing machines, you can choose any flavor(s) you want, then it has a very extensive variety of toppings and “add-ins” to create your very own concoction.  Then you just pay by weight.  It was a fairly respectable deal.  Two frozen yogurts for $7 for Mia and me.
Finally hit the Tin Shed Café Sunday morning after recommendations from Juston and Laurel.  The wait was worth it and the food was excellent, but oh my!  It was a heart attack waiting to happen.  If I ate there often, I would be a load.  So remember east coast friends, when you come out, we are taking you there!
After breakfast Mia and I headed to the Banks-Vernonia trail for a 42 mile out-and-back rail trail ride.  The parking area was PACKED and we had to finagle a place across the street in a closed business parking lot. From Banks the trail is flat for a about 3 miles and then steadily and very gradually climbs for the next 7 miles before quickly descending for about a half a mile and then gradual decent into Vernonia.  Lots of cyclists, a few runners and even some equestrians were using the trail  It showed the potential of what NH’s Northern Rail Trail  could turn into.  The #1 biggest difference was that the B-V trail is paved for the full 21 miles!

So, another fun week in Oregon.  The job is going well so far, learning a lot, but still a long ways to go.

Thanks for reading,

-Pete

Oregon – Week 1

Mia and I have now lived in Oregon for just over a week.  I started work on Thursday and am trying to develop a routine again.  I did my first road ride and run in Oregon this past week too.  My run was on the Fanno Creek Trail and my road ride was a bit of hit and miss/trial and error of exploring roads.  I did finally see Mt. Hood on this ride.  It only took a week!

May was apparently the 2nd wettest May on record for the Portland, OR area.  However, the past 3 days have been absolutely gorgeous.  Juston took me out to Gales Creek Trail in the Tillamook range.  It is like nothing I have ever ridden in New England.  We climbed for just over 7 miles before turning around and riding some super flowing and buff trail.  1:20 up and less than 40 minutes on the way down.  It was a blast!

Stupid Groundhog!

Spring officially began this past Wednesday morning at 7:02 AM according to the news.  Also a few weeks ago The Groundhog (yup, Phil) promised an early Spring this year.  Well, he was wrong, and some one is so upset they are bring Phil up on fraud charges.

We got another 11″ of snow here in Concord this past Tuesday.  It really makes the riding  outside less than ideal.

It’s going to be one of the years here in NH where we skip spring and just go straight from winter to summer.  One day it will be 35-40 and windy, next day we’ll probably have 80′s and humidity.  At least that’s what it feel like at this point.

I’ve been doing far too much of this:

Lot’s of use lately

and too little of this:

When will we be together again?

The positive side is I have only been at the gym like twice in the past 2 weeks.  No more Gerbil on the wheel I hope.  With daylight saving having kicked in the other weekend, it is now light out until almost 7pm.  That means running outside and perhaps riding some time soon.

Today was 39 degrees and windy with gusts up to 40+ mph.  Needless to say, it was a run day.

Thanks for reading

-Pete

Spring is in the air

Finally looks like we may be headed towards Spring.  The weather forecast for today was upper 40′s, turned out to be more like 56 by the end of today’s ride.

I headed out the door for 2 hours solo, then swung back in and did another 1:40 with Mia.  I think I just doubled my outside mileage for the year with today’s ride.

First outing on the road bike for 2013

I was a tad overdressed for my solo ride, so I dropped my jacket and gloves when meeting up with Mia, at this point I was just about perfect for layers.  It got a bit cool in some of the more shaded areas and out near Pillsbury Lake.

NH Spring = Crappy Roads

Mia’s first outdoor ride of 2013

Last winter spoiled me for riding outside, and this February of 2013 made me disgusted with winter.  Hopefully today’s sun and warmer temps harken to better days ahead!

Thanks for reading,

-Pete