Portland, OR to Troutdale OR

Clark, Barbara M, Kathie, and Virginia

Breakfast at WomanTours

Mileage: 26.8
Climbing: 453 feet

Pam and I woke up early this morning and started talking right away. It is fun to have such a love of cycling in common. Breakfast, my favorite steel cut oats and all the toppings was served at 7:30 and we were off for the Salmon St. Fountain for our picture. I left a little early for the park since I knew that Edna and Dave might be there. Their recumbents were very distinctive and they greeted me like a long lost friend. I was so excited to meet them in person. Both of them managed to handle about 6 cameras each and took lots of photos. There should be at least one good one! Thanks to much to both of you, if you are reading this, for all your help! Everyone was thrilled to get her own camera pictures!

Edna and Dave came to see us off with their recumbents

Nancy N's son Matt came to see her off

From there, we were off for Troutdale, OR but first we had to get out of the city. The cue sheets were spot on and even with a few wrong turns we made it out of the city and onto the River bike path without too much trouble.

Homes on the Willamette River in Portland


We got lots of “looks” as the 27 of us rode out of town. The ride along the Columbia River (when we finally made it out there) was gorgeous. It was not as hot this morning, though it certainly was later in the day. Since the ride was only 22 miles today (though I actually rode 26 including side trips) we had only one SAG (support and gear) stop and it was more of a gathering place for us than a true stop for water and food.

Troutdale is a tiny town on the Columbia, barely out of Portland, and more of a suburb of the city. Its claim to fame is McMenamins Edgefield. This is a set of buildings east of the town center a few miles. The main lodge was a Georgian style building, built as a dormitory/rooming house for those down on their luck as well as some of those recuperating at a local nursing home. This was back in the early 1900’s. There are now guest rooms, several restaurants, a brewery, gardens, a pool hall, a glass blowing shop, a water tower (no longer used) but has hops growing on it in the summer. There was also an ice house, a potter studio, a distillery, vineyards, and a large amphitheater for concerts. Indeed, there was a huge concert last night which was the reason we could not get into our hotel early!

Ramsey and Hille at McMeniman's Garden

We ate a delicious lunch there, toured the grounds and headed for the town of Troutdale where there was supposed to be a farmer’s market and craft fair. We arrived there about 1 PM and there were about 4 vendors but I managed to buy a pound of delicious cherries, which are in high season here! Later we rode to the hotel and settled in to pass the very hot afternoon.

Several of the women ventured to the local outlet mall or to Walmart to pick up forgotten necessities. We are already settling into the routine of the ride. Tomorrow is supposed to be wonderfully scenic as we start our ride up the Columbia River Gorge, with is locks, waterfalls, and fascinating geology. I have had a smile on my face all day and am so very happy to be out here. Thank you so much, Ben!

Dinner was on our trusty white plastic chairs and the dinner, as usual, was wonderful, with salads, pasta, bread and dessert, everything needed to ride tomorrow. Oh..and chocolate, too, brownie pie. The regular map meeting, going over the ride for tomorrow, was held right after dinner. There will be a fair bit of climbing, too. We are off to bed now, as the start is early tomorrow....on the road by 7. Again, I will have to post pictures later. It is really tough to do all I have to do and get the photos up. I will do my best, or you will have to wait until my rest day in a few days.