I left my house early this morning to I meet Jon and Greg to take on the
Providence Bridge Pedal (check out the animated map). 1 city…10 bridges…34 miles…south side to
north side.

We started at around 6:45 am from Naito Parkway and then immediately get onto our first bridge.


1: Morrison Bridge

First bridge, it was easy peasy. Didn’t look through the grating to the
river, tends to give vertigo. Woman biffs it right after crossing the
bridge and nearly takes Greg with her. We keep going (she’s all right)
down Water Avenue and then it’s a jaunt down the Springwater Trail. I’m
amazed at how fast we went through the Springwater Trail; we were at
the next bridge before I knew it. Greg and Jon still with me? Check.


2: Sellwood Bridge

Nothing much to tell about this one. Gorgeous view from the top. Greg
took a photo from the top and we continued on our way down Macadam
Avenue to the next bridge. I almost lost Jon and Greg but caught up
with them at a light downtown.


3: Hawthorne Bridge

Third bridge, still going strong and still got my peeps with me. Then
disaster hits. The Hawthorne winds us back to Water Avenue where there
was an insane amount of people. There was so much confusion and no one
telling the bikers were to go that I easily lost Jon and Greg in the
crowd. Got my front tire caught in the rail road tracks (easy fix) and
then I almost went down the Springwater Trail again but I figured out
that the people lining up (with red vests (red vest =10 bridge) were a
later 10 bridge start time). Because of my detour, I’m sure that Greg
and Jon are ahead of me. I Finally figured it out and went up a couple
of streets to the next bridge.

4: Ross Island Bridge

The had only one lane blocked off for bikers which means that it got
crowded quick. I saw some of the bikers head into the closest car lane
(but sticking close the bike lane) and I decided to get ballsy and do
the same; after all I’m trying to catch my lost cohorts. Again the
bridge ends and then the road loops around downtown and I start getting
confused as to where I’m supposed to go. I yell out (to the volunteers
on the side of the road), “Which way is 10 bridge?” They ignore me, I
hear another person ask the same question and she answers, “I don’t
know, have you seen me before?” I’m starting to see a pattern, most of
the volunteers are completely useless. Mental note: don’t pay attention
to them. Also, bike is starting to make strange clicking noise in
between 30th and 32nd gear (hrrrm….)


5: Marquam Bridge (Top Deck)

The entire top deck was closed off for bikers. At the beginning of the
race, Jon, Greg, and I said that if we got separated we would stop at
Marquam and Fremont and scope for the lost squad members. I stopped at
the River City Bicycle hut and had them check out my bike. Looks like
the tires were low (I must have a small leak because I went to RCB
yesterday and they pumped them with the compressor) and I also found
the culprit that was making the noise. Looks like part of the wire was
rubbing up against the chain but only when in those gears (the other
gears move the chain away from the wire). We crimped the wire and I
looked around for my comrades and then left. Remember, by this time I
thought that there were long gone. Off to the next bridge.


6: Burnside Bridge

Bridge is flat and uneventful except for the homeless people saying
that there was an accident at the bottom of the hill when their wasn’t.
Damn crackerjacks.


7: Broadway Bridge

This bridge was recently overhauled so the pavement was nice and
smooth. I’m still going strong, which is a good thing because the
bridge that kicked my ass last year (I’ve affectionately named it
Leviathan) is coming up. Get off the Broadway, loop around Albina 
(the uphill battle started here) then Russell and finally Kerby and off
to…


8: Fremont (Top Deck)

It threatened to kick my ass but I shrugged it off. It was a climb but
nothing like last year’s (we came from the other side this time). I’m
getting hungry and don’t want to eat my power bar. I look for the
bananas that they were handing out at Top Deck Marquam. No such luck.
CRAP! I take a few swigs of my Gatorade and I don’t even wait for Greg
and Jon. Hell, they are probably done and sipping margaritas at the
finish line. I shoot down the hill down to Vaughn. Mental Note: I
installed one of the clip pedals wrong and unless my foot is against
the far edge it starts rubbing against the pedal arm; time to get some
Shimano shoes and clippy pedals.


St. Helens Road (not a bridge but it kicked my ass)

For some reason, I thought that Vaughn (which turns into St. Helens
Road) was all downhill. Boy was I wrong. It’s all freaking UPHILL. I’m
starting to lose energy and willpower. I constantly hear other bikers
yell, “On your left!” as they pass me. Old, young, it doesn’t matter.
Everyone is passing me. I half expected to see some old people pass me
using their walkers on their way to Denny’s.

I’m starting to lose concentration and go from shifting down to the
easiest gear to shifting back up to get more torque. For the longest
time, I can’t see the next bridge, which is the St. John’s Bridge.
Finally I see it. Good lord, it looks monstrous and it’s way above
where I am at now. How the hell am I supposed to get to that!? Then I
see, it a LARGE upslope to the bridge. I steel myself for the pain, I
try to stand up and generate more torque but my quads are burning. I
sit back down and decide to ride it out in low gear. A Rubenesque black
woman passes me going up the hill. I’m not sure what she put in her gas
tank, but I think she’s got some NOS under the hood. Finally, I reach
the crest and stop. I scarf down my chocolate power bar (which is
melted) and then I have to stick the wrapper in my empty water bottle
because there are no trash cans. I wait there for a good 5 minutes
trying to recover some strength. By now, I’m sure that Jon and Greg at
the finish line.


9: St. John’s Bridge

Look at this beast. What a monster. There were a lot of people camped
out on the sides recuperating from the terrible climb up St. Helen’s
Road. I don’t stop and push on. The bridge isn’t hard, but I expended a
lot of energy before it. One more bridge to go. But before I do that, I
have to ride back down into town via Willamette Blvd, Greeley and then
Interstate. Maybe it’s because I was tired but how the hell is St.
Helen’s Road uphill and the way back is uphill too? It’s a short hop to the last bridge…


10: Steel Bridge

There was a small incline right before this and I stood up to achieve
maximum torque. There was no way that I was slowing down. I crossed the
finish line and finally got a banana from one of the volunteer girls.
As I’m eating my banana, Jon comes from behind me and zips past me. I
yell at him and he stops. I ask him where Greg is and he says, “right
behind you”. I guess they weren’t ahead of me after all. :)

There is no greater feeling than challenging yourself and succeeding. It’s a great day to be alive!