BOOGER TOMJoined: 17 Jan 2013Posts: 594Location: Beacon Hill
Andre G. and I are intending to one-day STP this year.
I've ridden my bike to Portland a half dozen times or so but never done the actual Cascade event. Planning to leave early and ride fast to avoid the yahoos.
I was all set to register but wondering if I should take advantage of any of the transportation options or other add-ons?
Amtrak bike space is already filled for Sunday. Has anyone used Bolt Bus to get back? I've never had a problem with luggage space for the bikes but wondering if they run into issues with running out of room with so many riders returning after STP? Maybe less of an issue if one-daying?
Cascade offers bike-only transport back to Seattle for $40 or transportation for bike and rider for $70. Pretty steep.
_________________ -tom
Moira
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 2:50 pm
MoistraJoined: 28 Nov 2014Posts: 712
Quote:
Planning to leave early and ride fast to avoid the yahoos.
Good luck.
STP is terrible.
caustic meatloaf
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 2:53 pm
Joined: 06 Dec 2010Posts: 1235537Location: a hammy melange...
MurpleMan wrote:
Andre G. and I are intending to one-day STP this year.
I've ridden my bike to Portland a half dozen times or so but never done the actual Cascade event. Planning to leave early and ride fast to avoid the yahoos.
I was all set to register but wondering if I should take advantage of any of the transportation options or other add-ons?
Amtrak bike space is already filled for Sunday. Has anyone used Bolt Bus to get back? I've never had a problem with luggage space for the bikes but wondering if they run into issues with running out of room with so many riders returning after STP? Maybe less of an issue if one-daying?
Cascade offers bike-only transport back to Seattle for $40 or transportation for bike and rider for $70. Pretty steep.
I have a couple buddies who did it in a day. The only advice I can give you is to train hard now, and through June. Then, on the big day, leave early, and hitch your wheel on to any and every paceline you can find.
you could MAYBE do it with just you two swapping out lead, but expect to roll into town late.
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Drain
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:32 pm
Joined: 22 Feb 2010Posts: 902Location: Seattle
Moira wrote:
Good luck.
STP is terrible.
Same.
After training basically all spring & summer I did it in 1 day last year. Left in the first wave, only wreck I saw happen was in the first mile. Slowed down around 3pm and didn't give a fuck when I finished. Rolled in 40 minutes after they shut off the finish clock (why shut it off Cascade? Idiots). Was a mild emotional wreck when I rolled in and gave my gf a tearful hug.
Guy I rode with who HAD TO RIDE HARD the whole way was absolutely destroyed the next day and could barely walk. I felt totally fine and had fun going around Portland.
All that said, I'm never riding in 1 day again. Glad I did it, got the Strava trip and I'm done.
***
Edit: On the bright side, I did develop this Local Century route that doesn't cross itself. The least fun part is coming down into Bothell from Lynnwood but the rest was fun and you can bail at any time if you need to.
Last edited by Drain on Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:00 pm; edited 2 times in total _________________ - Ian
Bock
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 3:54 pm
Joined: 15 Aug 2014Posts: 47Location: Wallingwood
MurpleMan wrote:
Andre G. and I are intending to one-day STP this year.
I've ridden my bike to Portland a half dozen times or so but never done the actual Cascade event. Planning to leave early and ride fast to avoid the yahoos.
I was all set to register but wondering if I should take advantage of any of the transportation options or other add-ons?
Amtrak bike space is already filled for Sunday. Has anyone used Bolt Bus to get back? I've never had a problem with luggage space for the bikes but wondering if they run into issues with running out of room with so many riders returning after STP? Maybe less of an issue if one-daying?
Cascade offers bike-only transport back to Seattle for $40 or transportation for bike and rider for $70. Pretty steep.
Don't count on the bolt bus, they only allow a few bikes and a lot of people use it that weekend. Expect to wait a few buses past yours, if you try. If you can't get the train or a friend to bring you back, the cascade bus is going to be your best option.
rob
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:05 pm
Joined: 28 Jul 2007Posts: 1315Location: Columbia City
A buddy and I did this two years ago. It was awesome being able to ride to brunch in Portland in the morning, and see a bunch of people who had already been riding for 6 hours huff and puff into Portland. Then we went to Cascade Brewing and had beers and lunch with Trevor and Greg Barnes.
We got the Bolt Bus at like 2:30 in the afternoon (Sunday). We got there super early (like, 45 minutes), to be sure that we could get our bikes on. Turns out, we were the only bikes, so it wasn't an issue at all. ymmv.
rob
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 4:09 pm
Joined: 28 Jul 2007Posts: 1315Location: Columbia City
caustic meatloaf wrote:
you could MAYBE do it with just you two swapping out lead, but expect to roll into town late.
The entire one-day experience is nothing but hopping onto and out of pace lines. Everyone does it. Everyone switches out a lot. Just be careful.
Also, tandems are great to paceline with, b.c. they'll just pull and pull and pull. However, you can't help but go faster than they do on the ups, and they can't help but go faster than you on the downs.
donavanm
Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:08 pm
Joined: 14 Jun 2012Posts: 1342
Stp is lame and you shouldnt do the organized ride. That said. Amtrak will ship bikes as freight if theyre boxed. At frieght rates theyre either $30 or $50 (cant recall). Key diffs: its not a "bike ticket" for the limited space on the hooks, you dont have to go on the same train (you can drop off wheneves), and theyll hold for two days at the recieving station for free.
Drain
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:48 am
Joined: 22 Feb 2010Posts: 902Location: Seattle
The money to have Cascade ship your bike back and then hold it for an extra day was absolutely worth it.
But then again I took Amtrak back to Seattle and live in walking distance of King Street Station so ymmv.
_________________ - Ian
gsbarnes
Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 11:08 am
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
I just said fuck it and booked a 2 queen bed room in Kelso for Saturday night. Anyone who's up for a 150 mile day with a good night's sleep, followed by an easy Sunday ride into Portland, let me know and we can share the room.
As for getting home, I grabbed a bike spot on the first Amtrak Cascades Tuesday morning. Monday plan is much like Sunday afternoon plan: bike around PDX and have fun.
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derrickito
Posted: Thu Apr 20, 2017 11:18 am
now with 50 percent more EVILJoined: 22 Jul 2005Posts: 10566
i did it a few years back. started training in january. left early with first waves. pirated it (had our own support car).
loooong day. i did 13 hours end to end. had one good bonk a couple miles from finish line. you'll find a ton of huge paceline groups the first 100 miles. then you'll find you're on your own a lot more the second 100 miles.
stretch your hands, stretch your feet. took a couple days for my pinky to come back to full feeling. paul dewald ended up having hand surgery after his stint.
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
Bump. Just tightened my brakes (you mean the quick release is supposed to be closed? Who knew?) and switched helmets. Leaving at butt crack o clock on Saturday. No JBLM this year, so be sure to get out in front before the initial stretch of 507 where jackholes try to ride 6 abreast.
I'll be at Kelso Saturday night with Bill Turner, arriving leisurely at PDX around brunch time and hanging around PDX until the first train Tuesday if anyone wants to hang out. I hear they have beer and bike lanes.
Protip: pay $5 and drop off your bag Friday night. This allows you to skip the start line and the inevitable first mile crashes.
_________________ I have always thought in the back of my mind: Cheese and Onions
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