The Sunday before last I did the Providence Bridge Pedal (also referred to as the Rose Pedal) with my boss Greg. Considering that this was the second moderately long ride that I had gone on since I bought my bike I think I did rather well.

Bridge 1: Hawthorne Bridge

This bridge was the first one that we crossed over and I can honestly say that it was the one that I was most scared riding on. The part that they had us biking on is normally steel grated but they had wood board covering them. However, with that being said you could still see past some cracks and down into the water, that kinda threw me for a loop but it was a short jaunt.

This is also where my boss took off like he was possessed by Lance Armstrong.

Bridge 2: Ross Island Bridge

For some reason, while I was riding on it, I thought that it was the Marquam. I finally realized that I had crossed the Ross Island Bridge when I got to the end of it. I think that I was still trying to pay attention to the people that were EVERYWHERE (15,000 people showed up for this mess). At times I would have to slow down as people got in my way and I was already imagining a huge horrible accident…perhaps a bit of foreshadowing.

Bridge 3: Morrison Bridge

I remember thinking, “My legs hurt” and “I wonder if I should be drinking water right now.” That one went by so quick.

Bridge 4: Marquam Bridge

The trek up the Marquam Bridge (top deck against how traffic usually runs) was pretty brutal. I kept pushing myself to make it and my legs were burning. I was thinking, “Holy shit, this is tough.” There was a band at the summit and all sorts of people hanging out and taking pictures. I would have none of that nonsense as that would put me too close to the edge. People must have gotten downhill crazy because at the bottom of the bridge one person had wrecked and was laid out on his stomach. I remember thinking, “I hope they didnt fall like that.” 100 feet past the first accident there was another man, this one older, laid out on his back. I could see a bloodied bruise on his face. That was a sobering moment. Note to self: don’t fucking go crazy downhill. From here it was a trek on 405 to the next bridge

Bridge 5: The Leviathan…I mean The Fremont Bridge

I stopped for a drink of water right before attempting this monster. I started the ride out ok and then I saw the enormous slope that this thing had. Pedaling from the wrong side of 405 (everything was closed) to the top deck of the Fremont Bridge seemed like a colossal task; and I thought Marquam was bad. I was sure that I would have to get off the bike and walk it because early on my legs were burning like there was no tomorrow. I kept looking at the slope saying to myself “No way man, no fucking way”, but somehow, I managed to take the bull by the horns and make it without stopping and without walking the bike. Of course there was a party up at the top but I would again have none of that because I could totally see myself being knocked over the tiny bars, falling into the river yelling “Thanks asshole” all the way down.

I also remembered thinking “Where the FUCK is Greg?”

Bridge 6: The Steel Bridge

A non-event except for me thinking that the guy dressed like Captain America hauling his kid was amazing. We managed to pass each other several times. Of course, he is hauling like 20-30 pounds of dead weight. After I cut off the head of the Leviathan then I wasn’t afraid of bridges anymore.

I made it to the finish line thinking “Well you did it again, you conquered another task.” Here I finally saw my boss, turns out that he was only waiting around for 5 minutes.