Feb 15, 2009 will go down in history as the 'Worst Day of the Year!" Have no fear though, this was actually the name of the 18 mile urban bike ride that happened in downtown Portland Oregon today. Historically, mid February is both the coldest and wettest day in Oregon history; -54 degrees in 1933 [Ukiah], and 28 inches of rain in 4 days in 1996. In reality, it was a crisp 42 degrees with a few clouds overhead and 3,000 friendly cyclists. It began at about 10 am at the Lucky Lab pub on Hawthorne Sreet. This is a great pub...delicious craft beers, tasty food, and dog friendly! I highly recommend you check them out!

There were all sorts of characters participating in this bike ride......a group of folks dressed as bumble bees, an ape, butterflies, beer cans, M&Ms, pumpkins, and just about anything that would stick to a bike helmet or shirt. The camaraderie was great! No one was in a rush....just out for a leisurely Sunday cruise. The volunteers were wonderful cheering everyone on and keeps us all on track. Along the way, there were plenty of rest stops with all sorts of food: bagels, cookies, fruit, water, and graham crackers.

This video highlights some of the stages of the race. Overall, it was my favorite race so far in Portland. I think it had to to with the fact that it started and ended at a bar. The nice thing about this is that it is a loop course and everyone tends to relax at the end to have a beer or two and chat. No one was in a rush and lots of people dressed up too. I'll be doing this race again next year....see you then!