GPHQ 4: McNamee Road

April 12, 2021

I lay awake in the early hours this morning, my mind running through the climb up to Skyline Boulevard, the spectacular road that runs north along the crest of the West Hills. It’s really not that much of a climb - about a thousand feet in four miles - and one Rachael and I have ascended together hundreds of times over our 20 years as Portlandians. Now though, I’m finding myself anxious in anticipation, hesitant about how I’ll do or even if I can make it up without dismounting and pushing.

Ridiculous! Where did this timidity about hills come from, anyway? Half of the best descents around town brachiate off either slope from Skyline, so of course I’m going up there. Today, before I talk myself into becoming even more hesitant.

First though, I have a coffee date at Caffe Umbria with my sister Elizabeth, to pick up the mail, catch up on the latest, and discuss her personal finances (I’m her informal financial advisor). Afterwards I introduce her to the Raven, which she’ll be taking custody of when we’re out of town on tour. Her current car is over 20 years old, so there are all the modern enhancements to walk through - keyless ignition, back up camera, and so on.

After a tutorial on the basics we switch seats and she very tentatively takes her turn at the wheel. It’s all quite terrifying, frankly. She drives like an old lady! She eases into intersections, sometimes coming nearly to a full stop before proceeding even when there’s no stop sign and she has the right of way. I’ll have to have a frank discussion with the Raven one of these days to steel up his nerves for what lies ahead, and maybe leave him with a healthy supply of car tranqs.

Finally we’ve both had enough, I drop her off at her condo and return home myself. Not long afterwards I’m biking west up Johnson and the start of the old, familiar route up the ridge.

Image not found :( — Looking east from lower Cornell Road. From this spot you can see four of our great peaks. On the far left are Saint Helens and Rainier; just to the right of center is Adams; and off frame to the right of the Fremont Bridge is Hood.

The climb is no big deal, happily. The steeper stretches aren’t anywhere near as daunting as I’d feared in the night and give me no real trouble. I’m not racing my way up like I once did, striving to keep up a 10 mph average - but that’s not the goal any more. I’m happy to just be rediscovering the ride and finding that it’s nothing to be afraid of.

The climb is fine, but the best lies ahead. I’ve nearly forgotten what a delight it is to ride along Skyline Boulevard as it rolls along the crest, with several minor climbs and descents along the way that would be worth a video themselves. On a day like today when its warm, sunny and with a slight tailwind, it’s an absolute delight.

I pass by Springhill and Newberry Roads, another pair of fine descents I’ll come back for later in the quest, but finally turn off when I come to McNamee. This is an interesting road, with several short climbs embedded in the descent - you build up momentum, round a few sharp curves, and then come to yet another rise that’s short but steep enough that you have to shift down for it. Finally it settles into a pure descent for the final two miles as it angles its way north along the east flank of Cornelius Pass.

Video sound track: Joy Spring, by Clifford Brown

Finally we bottom out at US 30 and turn south, passing the bridge to Sauvie Island in a few miles. I consider adding to the ride by taking a spin through the island, but it’s getting late in the afternoon already so I bike on by. The island’s not going anywhere, and I’m sure we’ll be back again soon.

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Ride stats today: 29 miles, 2,700’

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Gregory Garceau"Brachiate" is my new word of the day. Good one. Looking at the context in which you used the word, I was able to deduce that it had something to do with branches, or branching. I looked up the definition anyway, and I found the verb usage ("move by using the arms to swing from branch to branch") to be amusing. I pictured you and your Rodriguez swinging through the trees up and down the hills of Portland.

I admire your hill-training regimen, but once you leave the Mississippi River valley it's going to be a couple weeks before you have to actually use your climbing skills. Maybe you can build up a big lead on the flatlands of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the Erie Canal Trail, then Rocky can catch up in the Adirondacks and the Berkshires and you'll be able to ride into Boston together.
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