[ORRando] [OBRA Chat] The NEW section of the Columbia River Bike path

Mon Oct 28 12:06:28 PDT 2013

The Cascade Ale House in Cascade Locks has better food than the Char-Burger. Doesn't have the views, but the food is better and it's usually less crowded.

On Monday, October 28, 2013 12:01 PM, Susan Otcenas <susan at teamestrogen.com> wrote:

>>So if you have never ridden the BOG 
loop, get out there and do it before the weather gets to 
ugly

Ugly 
Schmugly.  ;-)  We rode the entire loop nearly all in the rain 
yesterday and still had a blast.  Jeff is right though; if you haven't 
ridden the loop before, it's beautiful (even in the rain!) especially on the 
Oregon side, though the views from Cape Horn make braving WA14 well worth 
it.  

As a 
randonneur, October is my offseason, when I ride off the clock for pleasure 
and really good coffee.  ;-)      Well placed 
warm-up-with-coffee spots include Caffe Piccolo Paradiso in Camas (at 3rd & 
Birch), the reasonably well stocked store at Skamania, the 
kitschy-yet-convenient Charburger in Cascade Locks with just average food but 
really lovely riverside views of the Bridge of the Gods, and an 
espresso/pastry stand at Multnomah Falls.

The 
steel-grated Bridge of the Gods disappears below you as you ride acroos it, 
making you feel like you are flying.   It's a toll-bridge (50 cents 
for bikes, I think), but the awesome couple in the Jeep in front of us paid the 
toll for the four of us on bikes behind him.  WoW!   That's the 
second time someone has done that for me at that bridge, and it always makes me 
feel a little better about the world.  :-)

For 
those who've not ridden it, here's a GPS link of the route.  We like to 
start and end at McMenamin's Edgefield, both for the convenient parking and a 
place to change clothes and have a the beer at the end of the ride.  
82 miles.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3545098

Susan

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Susan Otcenas
Team Estrogen, Inc.
www.TeamEstrogen.com
877-310-4592
***********************************************
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Facebook!
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________________________________
 From: Jeff Tedder 
[mailto:sharkattack97219 at peoplepc.com] 
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 
11:10 AM
To: Susan Otcenas; orrando at orrandonneurs.org; 
seattlerando at googlegroups.com; CycleOregon at yahoogroups.com; 
obra at list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] The NEW section of the 
Columbia River Bike path

Yes we did it a week ago last Saturday and 
ran into the samething, but went through the trail closesure block and rode it, 
saw some workers along the way almost to the parking lot at Warrendale but they 
did not give us to much problem.....and yes it is a great alternative to 84 for 
sure.....So if you have never ridden the BOG loop, get out there and do it 
before the weather gets to ugly...: )

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Susan  Otcenas 
>To: orrando at orrandonneurs.org ; seattlerando at googlegroups.com ; CycleOregon at yahoogroups.com ; obra at list.obra.org 
>Sent: Monday, October 28, 2013 10:45  AM
>Subject: [OBRA Chat] The NEW section of  the Columbia River Bike path
>
>
>Hello  all,
> 
>As you probably  know, the missing trail gap section between Warrendale and Bonneville that  required cyclists to ride Highway 84 has been under construction for some  time.  While there was a "grand opening" a few months or so ago, the  trail was officially closed immediately afterwards for them to actually finish  the work.
> 
>Yesterday, I did  the Bridge of the Gods loop and got to ride the new trail section.  Sure  enough the Trail Closed (actually, it said "road closed", but whatever) sign  is still up, but the path is completely finished and 100% rideable.  Near  as I could tell, they are just finishing up the last of the landscape  plantings.
> 
>The trail is  gorgeous, wide, smooth and a 1,458,928% improvement (I calculated it  precisely, using proven scientific methods) over riding on the  freeway.   The undercrossing of 84 has two switchbacks and is a  little steep (though less steep than the switchbacks at Top Hill on the  Banks-Vernonai Trail, as a comparison, and with better turning radius.).   The new trail section on the south side of the freeway is well graded, and  features a brand new bike/ped only bridge over the creek.
> 
>Allof the road  work up around Crown Point is done as well, with the road repaved and as  smooth as silk.  Soooo nice.  I was a little dismayed, though, so  see the road "slumping" and cracks forming in the pavement on the steeper  section between Crown Point and Women's Forum, in the uphill direction.   That does not bode well....
> 
>Susan
> 
>***********************************************
>Susan Otcenas
>Team Estrogen, Inc.
>www.TeamEstrogen.com
>877-310-4592
>***********************************************
>Follow our TE fan page on  Facebook!
>Look for  "teamestrogen.com"
>***********************************************
> 
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