The Randominum of Notes: Post Xmas Bike Rides, The Carridice Fairy, Pedals (yet again), and the Photomat of Memories

It's the fifth day of Christmas, right? So do I get Five Golden Toques?

Monday December 26th, April and I went on a group bike ride that I sort of led. I say "sort of" because while our friend Ryan was the technical organizer of the ride, I was the one that picked the route. We met up at Ye Olde Bi-Partisan Cafe at SE 79th and Stark and rode across the Columbia into the depths of Clark County, Washington. We used the I-205 (Glenn Jackson) Bridge to cross. And just like the (next to) last time I crossed this bridge, I got a flat. The bridge has it out for me. Thankfully like the last one it was a front flat, since I hate dealing with rear flats. (How did I go 4,000 miles on tour without a front flat, but have got two since I got back?)

Anyways, we rode east on Old Evergreen Highway (the old Route 14) to Camas where we had coffee and then turned around. Old Evergreen is quiet since most traffic is on the new highway, and moderately scenic. But man, it's got some of the worst pavement in the area. Don't think they bother re-paving it since the new highway opened up! I can make a list of all the things that came off or loose from the Long Haul Trucker, but it would be too long. 

It was 16 miles (25 km) one-way, so by the time we got back to town we were ready to eat and have a few beers. And beers and food at Laurelwood we had.

*****

I forgot to mention* that when Todd dropped off the Rudge last week he dropped off not one but two Carradice saddle bags! I got these two bags in trade for some illustration work. They are both older bags that Todd somehow obtained through his mysterious ways. Both black, both longflaps. The larger one I believe is a Nelson longflap, the smaller one I can't really tell. The Nelson longflap went on the Long Haul Trucker, replacing the green Pendle. The smaller longflap was a Christmas gift to April and it will go on her Raleigh Sports. The green Pendle was gifted to Keith the Raving Bike Fiend. He's using it on his Raleigh Twenty while in town, and will be used most likely on one of his other Raleighs when he returns to Edmonton. Carradices for all!

*****
Meanwhile, in more pedal news, I did my seasonal swap of pedals on the Long Haul Trucker. In the winter I like removing the Powergrips*** and replacing them with my grippy BMX-styled pedals to allow boots and bulky shoes.

*****
And if you are either interested or bored this tween-holiday season**, feel free to check out my flickr photostream. I've been adding a lot of photos from tours over the past few years. If anything, summery scenes will help you deal with gloomy winter. (If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, of course.)

*Lie. I did not mention this because I did not want to ruin the surprise.
**Meaning "between the holiday", not a holiday for tweens. Well, I guess Christmas is better enjoyed if you are a tween...
***Yes, I know, I use Powergrips instead of SPDs. I am a "woos".