What's Chilly Hilly like?

Chilly Hilly is like this:

http://vimeo.com/37670425

and this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/awilliams53/sets/72157629097958376/

Only, colder....

Chilly Hilly 2011

42 miles, and 324 to date this year, after a Chilly Hilly that lived up to its name. It's been snowing and cold this week, causing the Learning Factory to delay classes, among other things. Still, I had committed to doing the CH again this year, bought my ticket and was going to go, come hell or high water, despite the cold and the snow.

Missed the first ferry by about 15 minutes, so waited at Colman Dock for about a half hour in the cold, and that may have been my first mistake, if the first wasn't deciding to do this! Temperature in the mid 30's, stiff south wind blowing off the water, and I tightened up plus added nasal and lung congestion to the mix, and never really got through that.

The south wind propelled us up the east side of Bainbridge, heading north, and made that part easy. There just weren't as many riders as in year's past, and the nasty weather is sure what held down the numbers. Still, it's the Chilly Hilly, so many riders were out of shape, riding several abreast, many kids and parents riding, and the Bainbridge Islanders do a good job of turning out and providing encouragement.

Once you reach the north end of the island, the route turns to the west and then heads south, directly into the cold wind, now augmented by what the weather forecasters love to label a 'wintry mix,' cold rain and snow. By the time I arrived at Battle Point Park for the Bainbridge Rope Skippers food stop, I was hacking and cold, and made the decision to take the short-cut at the next stop, the American Legion Cider Stop, cutting about ten miles off the loop.

At the ferry dock, I ran into the only other Rivendellian I saw all day, Rob with the Rambouillet from Wallingford. Rob had caught the early boat, as had been planned, but reported that he hadn't seen the others, despite all of our best intentions. Given the cold and the rain on the way back home, no one can blame them!

Can't wait for warmer weather!

Chilly Hilly 2010

Chilly Hilly on Sunday, circumnavigating Bainbridge counterclockwise with 6000 + of my closest friends, plus a few pirates from point 83 who didn't see fit to pay the CBC man. Weather was dry and spring like and while hilly, definitely not Chilly. total mileage = 55+ but I think that that Garmin included the ferry ride to and fro, so a little overstated. For February, I clocked 169 miles, down somewhat from January.

But, the Bleriot was also in the shop for a week, as I popped a derailleur cable on President's Day and decided to have the good folks at REI do a complete 'performance tune,' including washing all parts. They scratched up the rear Shimano Ultegra derailleur, so that got replaced free of charge. With the coupons from the State of Washington Health Survey, the total was quite reasonable for what now rides and shines like a brand-new bike.

Also cutting into the miles was the weekend trip to So Cal for Auntie Char-char's memorial. Since I missed three-hour tour on the White Light for Joe's service, I got another opportunity. Williams family members, shirt-tail relatives, Macdonalds from hither and yon, including France and one Invader from Mars attended on a sunny but blustery day. The cruise route took us out of Newport Harbor, passed the bell buoy populated with sea lions to a spot a few miles off shore. Poignant words, voices, ashes and flowers overboard and then a return trip that stopped at Pirate's Cove for some visual memories. Great lady with a complicated life that touched many and now gone. One last link to a past, the last of her three siblings, and now we'll see what happens to the family bonds. Those bonds were severely tested a few days after my return to Return Address Space on America's envelope when the stupid and crazy Invader from Mars chose to engage in a flame war where he managed to dis me, my family, my family's culture and our intentions, plus the memory of my father in a ridiculous email exchange that ruined my good feeling about the reconciliation that had occurred, that we had managed to create, over the previous weekend. I'm done with that one.

Back to cycling mode after family rant.

No STP - Hilly, Not Chilly

No STP for me this year. Last week's SF trip and the resulting catch-up at the Learning Factory, plus booking the Brown Dog at the Spa made that out of the question.

Instead, I got my STP fix by volunteering at the Packet Pickup at REI yesterday, after Bob made a few minor adjustments to the New Ride.

This morning, I took off for Bainbridge Island to ride an Unchilly Hilly, the same route from February but under considerably brighter skies and with much warmer temps. Spectacular scenery made me once again appreciate all that this area has to offer, especially on one of those crystal-clear North Wind summer days.

Upon the return and a refueling at Zeitgeist in Pioneer Square, I strolled through the Fire Festival, then out to the Locks and back home via BGT. 86 glorious degrees at U-Village at 530 p.m. 60.3 miles. New ride is great. Time to sell the Lemond?

Chilly Hilly 2008 Report!

As is traditional, Chilly Hilly 2008 was held on the last Sunday in February, rain or shine. This year, no rain, but the weather at the outset was definitely on the chilly side under grey skies. I caught the 7:55 a.m. ferry, along with about 1000 of my closest cycling friends!

We filled the ferry, and this year, the snack bar was open with hot coffee and Alki Bakery muffins!

Leaving the ferry dock in Winslow, you face a slight uphill, take a right, and you're off on the 31+ mile counter-clockwise course around the island. Two foods stops are on the route, one at Battle Point Park, and my favorite at the American Legion post on the island, where we are treated to hot cider and lots of homemade cookies from the local Girl Scouts, in exchange for a donation.

As we turned the corner and headed back to the ferry from the south part of Bainbridge, the sun came out and we headed into a dry, cold north wind. Nice, with great views of Seattle.

The bikes filled the ferry, and there's plenty of time to inspect other's equipment. I must have seen one Trek for every other type of bike.

More of my photos are here.

Cascade Bike Club is to be commended for another well-organized and monitored event. There are interesting comments to read on their message boards, including the pirate feud with the Point 83 crowd, plus links to many other photos on Flickr.

50+ miles, door to door. We'll put this one on the calendar again for next year!