Tuesday Morning Portland Velo (Portland; every Tuesday)

Ride distance varies between about 30 and 40 miles. Standard routes cross the I-5 Bridge into Vancouver, go through downtown, and head west for out-and-backs on the road used for the OBRA time trial races. Route is flat with a decent shoulder, low traffic (usually) and no stop signs at all until the turnaround points: short route turns around at Vancouver Lake (about 30 miles total), Frenchman’s Bar (34 miles) or the Ridgefield wildlife Refuge (38 miles). The three turnaround points are all lined up along the same road, so you can decide at any point which distance you want that day. Nice pastoral scenery including tree groves and wetlands. On the way back, there is an optional coffee/bagel stop in Vancouver, after which we roll east through Fort Vancouver, drop down and take a neat little land bridge back to I-5 for the return trip.

The goal of this ride, and the Thursday ride as well, is to provide a ride accessible to the majority of club members. Hence, we generally have two distinct groups: those who show up wanting a hard ride can go off the front; those who want a more social experience or who are on a recovery day can hang with the ride leader. The only requirements are a) that you are able to maintain 16-18 mph on the flat, b) that you show up with filled water bottle(s), spare tube and tire levers, c) that you are comfortable riding in a group setting, and d) that you obey all traffic laws, point out potholes and other road crap to the riders behind you, ride single file when “car back” is shouted out, and otherwise don’t behave like a jackass.

No one gets dropped on this ride; no one gets lost or left behind. Regroups as often as necessary.