On to day 2. July 17, 2004.
The link above is a picture of the Lewis and Clark bridge. It is imposing enough for a car, let alone a solitary man on a bicycle! More on that later.
I woke up. I felt like I had had the worst spanking of my life. My poor backside was not too happy. I took another sunburn avoiding shower, Geared up, then went and had the Continental breakfast. I went back to the room and said sayonara to the family. I think I left sometime around 7:30. (Had to make sure I kept ahead of the pack that was leaving Seattle this morning. :)) I saw the route marker at the first traffic light next to the hotel, and rode on. It was much cooler today. Granted, it was early morning, but there was more cloud cover today. The route was very windy (Not like the wind, but curvy). It circled around a bit and went past a golf course, and then through Chehalis, a very similar city to Centralia. I rode past where the Ministop was and saw that nothing was set up yet. I guess they werent expecting anybody yet for some strange reason! I had to wind around a bit to get through this town. I followed I-5 for a while, then cut under it as the route went west a bit. There were some more rolling hills, and some more beautiful scenery.
Napavine was a small town which was getting ready for lots of riders today. There were a bunch of people setting up food booths, and I saw a lot of honey buckets. I wasnt quite as comfortable in the saddle today, but pressed on regardless. About 5 miles out of Napavine, I took a wrong turn. I was watching the mini map I had closely, and thought I had missed a turn-off. I started down a side street, but felt uncomfortable about going that way. (hmmmmmm, a stupor of thought maybe? :)) I turned back as a lady drove by in a truck. She must have noticed that I looked confused, and she stopped. I asked her if I was going the right way for the STP. She told me that if I wanted to go the LONG way, that that was the way I should go, otherwise, I should turn back. She was very nice and wished me luck. I thanked her and turned back on the main road. A few blocks further on I saw the Dan Henry marker and thanked her (and my intuition) again.
The next town, at mile 120, was Winlock. The map said something about "The World's largest Egg" I looked all over while riding through, but sure didnt see it. It was a very pretty town-- so green and peaceful. I thought it would be a nice place to live-- but since I am not a logger, not too practical for me. I saw a bunch of people out in their yards and waved. Some had put out lawn chairs and I think they were setting up to watch the spectacle that would come by their doorsteps later on. I remember another couple of nasty hills outside of this town.
Vader. Cool place that was another food/ministop. Nothing ready quite yet, but as I got to the top of the town, there were some honeybuckets setup and I was looking for some relief-- yes, last nights chili was coming back to haunt me! I spent some precious moments there, and when I finished there were some STP volunteer ladies setting up outside of the school that was there. I told them my spiel, and they offered me some food, but I was fine. I still had yesterdays Snickers in my pack and ate that instead. I called LeAnn from here and found out that they were about 20 miles behind me. They would be passing me somewhere within the while. The next ten miles were hilly again. I remember thinking that every car that came by me might be my family's and it was quite exciting. I think just being out there in the boondocks and having them coming up behind me and honking and waving to me, while cheering me on, really lifted my spirits. It was very foresty here, and still nice and cool.
Castle Rock. Stopped at the mini stop here. Still hadnt seen LeAnn. I called her again, she said the kids needed a potty/play break and they had stopped at a park. The lady at the food stop was a bit snooty when I walked up. She said, "We dont habe to have anything ready until noon." I told her I just wanted to find out where the route picked up again. Sheesh. I got back on it. I was still expecting the family at any time. I rode over a bridge out of town, up another hill, and then it leveled out for a bit. Another 7 miles and I was in Kelso. I blinked and this town was gone.
I started down main street here, and then heard the toot toot toot of a horn. This one sounded friendly-- so I knew it was my family. They had the windows open and I could hear Autumn, Austin and Jaylin yelling for their dad. Such a great feeling. My cheering section had finally arrived! I pulled over in a hotel parking lot and LeAnn pulled in behind me. She wouldnt hug me for some (what am I sweaty and disgusting?) reason. She gave me some grapes and filled up my CamelbaK. It was great icewater. My other water had heated up a bit and wasnt so nice anymore. We chatted for a couple of minutes, and the kids got out for a bit. Then it was forward HO! The next place we planned on meeting up was at the finish line.
Longview. Almost 3/4 of the way to my destination--150 miles in. I got confused in this town too. There was a lot of traffic, and I was wishing there were more Dan Henrys around. I thought I had missed a turn, and backtracked a bit. I was supposed to be nearing the infamous Longview bridge. I looked around and sure didnt see it. I think I lost about 10 minutes before I figured I should follow traffic. I went about a mile down this busy street and saw the signs pointing toward the Lewis and Clark (Longview) bridge. I stopped with traffic in the left turn lane. One lady pulled up and asked me for directions. I told her I was from Seattle and was probably more lost than she was! Then another guy pulled up-- still waiting at the light-- and asked me if I knew where I was going. I told him I hoped so, that I was doing the STP. He said he had saw me further back when I had gotten turned around, but that now I was going the right direction. PHEW! The light turned, and I headed toward the huge bridge. It was very intimidating. There was a small shoulder for bikes, but major traffic going over. This is the bridge that connects Washington and Oregon and crosses the Columbia river. Steep and Deep. There were lots of wood chips and the metal plates on the bridge had big gaps between them. Not very smooth going. Here is what the route map says: "Special Note concerning the Lewis & Clark Bridge: Extreme caution should be taken while crossing this bridge from Washington into Oregon. You may encounter crosswinds and heavy traffic." GREAT!-
NOT!. It was quite nerve-racking going up, and hard on the knees. After hitting the summit, it was a quick ride down the other side. At the bottom, there was a circular turn around to US hwy 30, which I would ride for the next 50 miles.
Welcome to Oregon!
A moment of trepidation as I looked for the Dan Henry markers again. If I made the wrong turn here, I could end up on the coast! I found it and moved on. I started seeing more riders here. I didnt see any that had the STP bib numbers listed so I figured I was still ahead of the pack a bit. I passed a couple of guys that were fixing a flat and asked them if they were alright. They said yes, and I moved on. At about mile 160, I saw a bunch of riders in front of me again. I eventually caught up with them and saw that it was my buddys from the Franklin High football team. However, this time there were only about 6 of them. Apparently, half of them decided getting to Centralia was far enough for them. We were all going up a hill at this time, and as I rode by I yelled: "Go Frankilin High!" A couple of the guys said YEAH!" and then I passed who might have been one of their coaches and I told him good job and we'll see you at the finish line.
Now it started to drizzle a bit. Nothing too uncomfortable though. I was also getting very tired and sore at this point. Each mile was taking longer and longer it seemed. It was all getting quite redundant. I wasnt appreciating the scenery so much anymore. It might have been because it was more developed here, and there was constant traffic along the highway. I was looking forward to getting to St. Helens, where there was another food/rest stop at the high school there. I really needed a break. The last five miles to mile 176 at the stop were very loooooooooooong. I finally made it and got off my bike. This was the first stop I had been at where they were officially ready for the riders. As I pulled in, one lady said, you are officially the first rider in. I told them that I had OFFICIALLY left yesterday, so I shouldnt be congratulated to much, but she said "We wont tell anyone!" It was funny. I had a Peanut butter/jelly sandwich there, and refilled my water. I also had a plum and a banana. I took another "comfort break" and grabbed a CLIF bar on my way out. They had some jars for donations (their high school band was providing support there) and I put a few dollars in. One of them yelled out to me as I left-- Have fun! I yelled back that "Its not so fun anymore"--and it wasnt. It was nice to stop for 15 minutes, but the pain wasnt going away. My knee was holding up pretty well, and wasnt swelling too badly. My backside was a different story. I found myself standing up more frequently, and that darn chili was still killing me!
Only 30 miles to go. At this point I was pretty much numb. I had some other riders pass me over the next 15-20 miles, but I dont think there were any STPers. One guy just flew by me. I was doing about 16 mph, and he must have been going close to 30! Ahhh to have a 5 thousand dollar bike and to weigh 150. This one other guy would pass me, then about 5 miles later I saw him at a bus stop! I looked strangely at him as I rode by, and he waved. Then I saw him riding his bike in front of me about 20 minutes later. Thats one way to get around town I guess.
I could see the city skyline now. I had about 10 miles to go until I got to Portland. I was almost to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! I finally came to the city limits, and realized that although I was finally in Portland, I still had 11 miles to the finish line. UGH! It was very strange riding through Portland. They had you turning all over the city and there were lots of traffic lights to contend with. I had to cross a couple of bridges, go through the downtown area, all the while thinking I must surely almost be there. Then there started to be more signs pointing the way. Here is the last direction that I followed-- Kinda crazy:

202.4 BR Exit ramp, “NW Thurman St.” sign
202.42 cs Continue straight down exit ramp to NW 19th Ave. [DON’T take short Thurman St. exit lane on the right]
202.8 RIGHT NW 19th Ave.
203.5 LEFT NW Everett St. (sl) [Heavy Auto Traffic]
204.4 LEFT NW Naito Pkwy. / Front Ave. (keep right), in one block...
204.5 RIGHT Steel Bridge, lower-level pedestrian walkway [Extreme Caution, SLOW !!! - Pedestrians will be on this walkway]
204.6 ! Ascend switchback ramp [Pedestrians may be on this sidewalk / ramp as well]
204.7 RIGHT NE Oregon St.
204.8 LEFT NE 1st Ave. (sl)
204.9 RT NE Multnomah St. (sl)
205.3 x, cs NE 9th Ave. (sl), in one block...
205.4 BR into Holladay Park (sl)
205.42 !!! Finish Line! SLOW, Pedestrians are in the run-out area beyond the finish line!!!
WELCOME TO THE FINISH LINE FESTIVAL AT HOLLADAY PARK !!!

It was very surreal seeing that finish line posted at the Park. I was so looking forward to seeing LeAnn and the kids. It was just after 3:00. (I found out later LeAnn had been there for over an hour already) I rode through the line and a guy snapped a picture of me. A couple of people there were clapping for me. I just kind of sauntered through and then saw LeAnn over sitting on a bench with Jaylin. I rode over to her. She told me I forgot to call her to tell her when I was close to the finish line, so she didnt get a picture of me. I realize that I had forgotten to do that, but my head wasnt working correctly the last 20 miles, so she let it slide. Austin and Autumn then saw me and came to give me hugs.
One of the volunteer ladies then came over to give me a patch, (for completing the ride) and said; "We werent expecting anybody yet" She looked at me veeery suspicously when I rode in when I did-- until I explained about my head start. Then she almost pulled the patch back away from me when I told her I started on Friday. Reluctantly, she then gave it to me. I realized later that the reason she might not have wanted to give it to me was because it was a 'One Day Rider' patch-- they didnt have the others available on Saturday. :)
About 10 minutes later a big group of official one day riders came in. I had just barely beat them with my 100 mile head start!
They had a shower truck there, and I jumped on that. It was definitely one of the best showers I have had in my life.
It was hard to comprehend that I had completed the ride. Just over one year from the time I had had surgery to fix the ligaments devastated in my knee, I had ridden a bike 206 miles!
A long distance begins with one step-- one of the most difficult steps I had ever taken in my life.
Now, whats next?! BRING IT ON!!!

MarathonFoto - The World's Leader in Race Photography
Race: Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic, Last Name: Miller, Bib Number: 5096

This is me crossing the finish line in Portland on July 17, 2004. (Yes that is a fake smile!) I finished the 206 miles in 13 hours, 59 minutes and averaged about 15.5 miles per hour. This is the story of the ride:
LeAnn and the kids dropped me off at about 7:30 on Friday morning at the UW parking lot. I decided that I must have ridden farther than all of the other riders as we couldnt enter through the normal gate at that time. :) As noted in my last post, I left a day earlier than the other 8,000 riders so that I wouldn't have to ride on Sunday.

It was quite strange riding out on my own realizing what a spectacle the next day at the same time would be-- a bit anticlimatic. I was more nervous than I thought I would be. I followed the route the best I could with a mini route guide that I stuck under the gear wires below the handlebars. I was excited to see the first "JDan Henry", a designated route marker which is spray painted on the street, that points the direction you need to turn next. I made it through the 'U' district and across the University Bridge. It was nice and cool out at this time, and I was quite comfortable, just cruising at my own pace. One of the nicest things about riding is the scenery all around you that you would never see otherwise if you were driving by. I went through some nice neighborhoods, til I got to lake washington blvd. I then rode the next 14 miles parallel to the lake. Traffic wasnt too bad at this hour. Then came Seward Park, and the first challenging hill. I was determined to get up this one without too much trouble. I put my head down, and started cranking. Then came my first near accident. I was so focused on pumping, that I forgot to look where I was going. I came within 6 inches of crashing into a parked car! Granted, I wasnt going too fast, but it could have really wacked me! I made it to the top and then enjoyed the downhill ride. Then in Renton, at mile 17, (See map here: STP Route Map) I downshifted to late at a stop light and my chain came off. I got it back on pretty quick, but had some grimy hands for the rest of the day. Then I moved down to the Interurban trail. This is one area where I diverted from the regular route as there would be much less traffic there at 8:30 on Friday morning as opposed to riding down the West Valley Highway. Same distance though as they parallel each other. I took one comfort break at about mile 24. I only saw about 5 other people on the trail for the next 15 miles or so. Then in Algona, the trail ended and I stopped at a convenience store and got a snickers and a fruit pie. Yummy, nutritious breakfast! I had already eaten a Clif bar before we left.
I then joined up on the Valley Highway and had gone a couple of miles when I saw construction signs on the road. I thought this was odd as there would be thousands of bikers coming through the next day. Then I saw that the construction was supposed to end the 16th-- so it should be ready for the next day. I kept going though. Then I saw the project. There was a trench all of the way through the road! I sure didnt want to backtrack and go back a few miles, so I asked the workers if there was a way I could get by. One of them said (jokingly) "Yeah, go back and go on EAST valley highway!" (For future reference, dont mess with a sweaty guy who has just ridden 40 miles on his bike!) He laughed and said I could climb through the dirt piles on the side of the road. So I picked up my bike and walked over a few mounds of dirt. Then I was back on my way.
Now came Puyallup. I rode in and stopped to call Angela Borrowman. She works there and I figured she could come out and wave as I rode by. No answer. However, as I was stopped, a young guy on a bike rode up to me. He was probably 18 or so. He asked me where I was going, and I told him I was riding to Portland for the STP. "No you are not!" he told me. Oh, yes I am! I replied. I realized he was handicapped, and talked to him for a minute, but then I told him I had to go. I started to ride, and he said, "I am coming with you!" So I started to ride faster, and left him behind after a couple of blocks.
My next obstacle was "THE HILL" This is one that is pretty steep-- and loooooooooong. Its about a mile to the top. Toe people who had been marking the road had a good sense of humor. At the bottom, they had spray painted "Are you ready? :)) This time I kept my head down, (shouldnt be any parked cars out here. :))put the bike on the low gear for the climb, and started cranking. Yes, it was a bugger! About half-way up they had more spray paint-- "Keep Going..." , then 20 more feet, "And Going..., 20 and Going..." SO FUNNY!. NOT! Then 3/4 of the way it says, "FEEL THE BURN!", and then finally at the top, "You Made it!" It was actually a nice distraction as I found myself waiting for the next message. Never got off the bike though, so that was an accomplishment in itself.
Now I was looking forward to mile 53 in Spanaway, where I was to meet LeAnn and the kids. I think I got there at about 11;45. I was trying to call LeAnn on her cell phone and talked to her for a bit before her cell phone battery died. We did figure we would meet at a Safeway and then figure out where to go from there. I finally found them. It was so great to see my whole family there and so supportive of me. We went to Godfather's and had the buffet. I felt pretty yucky in my bike gear, and it had been pretty hot the past couple of hours. But the pizza was good. LeAnn refilled my Camelback (A water backpack that holds about 2 litres), and we went our separate ways. LeAnn was following the route, so if I did have trouble, I could call her and she could find me more easily.
I proceeded down highway 507. There were a bunch of tiny little towns along this way. Roy, Yelm, Raineer and Tenino. The next 40 miles kind of lumped themselves together. It was getting hotter and hotter. I realized I hadnt put sunscreen on. There were quite a few rolling hills, and some looooooooooooooong stretches of nothing. It was pretty enough, but the hardest part was the feeling of lonliness. Of course, there were a bunch of cars coming by, but not much human interaction. Who knew I would miss that? I would keep looking at my mileage calculator and figure out how much farther I had to go. 40, 30, 20...
I rode past a beautiful lake, McIntosh Lake, outside of Rainier-- another beautiful place I would have never seen had I not taken this ride. Then in Tenino- Mile 86, I saw some other riders. I rode past a few as I passed a city park there. Then I saw about 8 teenage boys up ahead. I caught up with them, and though they were going a bit slower than I was, I decided to stick with them. It wasnt too bad. I started talking with a couple of them and found out that they were football players from Franklin high school in Seattle. They were riding the STP as a team. Pretty cool bonding experience. I figured this was tougher than 2 a days! I rode with them for about 10 miles, then we came up on a pretty big hill. They were slowing down a bit, so I passed them. I was flying down the hill at close to 28 mph when I turned and saw one of the boys was in my slipstream! I guess he didnt want an old clydesdale leaving the young stallions in the dust. I kept up a pretty good pace to see if he would keep up with me. I was still around 21 mph when we reached a straightaway. I figured with all that I had trained, I would be able to lose him, but with the perseverance of youth, he kept up with me. All of his buddies must have been a mile or so back, because I couldnt see them anymore. I asked him if they were staying in Centralia, and he said yes. I told him good luck and we split off.
I was finally to my (Day one) destination. I was pooped. I didnt even want to think about doing the same thing tomorrow. I called LeAnn again, and she told me how to get to the hotel that we were staying at. I tried to find the street she was talking about, but missed it somewhere. I ended up going to a gas station for directions. I finally pulled in around 4:30 I believe. It was great to see the kids and LeAnn. They were in the pool when I got there. I wanted to jump straight in. But I was in too much pain. I just wanted to go lay down.--My poor heiney! I took a quick shower (OUCH that sunburn on the arms and legs!!)
Then we watched Spirit- a Disney animated show on TV, while LeAnn went to Wendy's. Reminder to self... Dont order chili the night before riding 106 miles on your bike!

Day 2 will be continued tomorrow... stay tuned!