April 22, 2021
GPHQ 7: Rocky Point
Yesterday was pretty much of a bust, quest-wise. The day got off to a slow, tense start as I met with Elizabeth for her second flight with the Raven. She’s definitely made strides since the first outing, but has a ways to go yet. Today we focused on turning technique, after she clipped the corner of a curb on one. The new car may have a different turning radius and pivot point than her old Forester, so I’ve been coaching her on getting further into the intersection before initiating the turn. It really works better than easing into it through a slow, broad arc.
Then, we moved to the basement of her condo for more turning practice, running laps through the parking structure while avoiding scraping any of the concrete posts at the corners. Finally, parking practice - the most stressful of all because she has a devilishly narrow slot that’s partially blocked by a post on the right side. Fortunately she can get a straight shot into it, but it’s a very tight fit. By the end though she was feeling confident that she could manage it, and let go of her suggestion that we find a large, wide parking spot to rent instead.
So that shot the morning, and left me only time and energy for a fairly short ride. I decided to bike up through Washington Park to Council Crest again, and video a different descent this time. Driver’s Ed must have shot my concentration too though, because I forgot to take the Garmin with me so I couldn’t monitor my distance and elevation. On the plus side, it meant I didn’t need to remember to tilt the GPS out of the way so it didn’t block the camera’s view on the descent. Not that it mattered though, because I also forgot the GoPro, which I realized only as I began the descent.
Today though is a new day, and Roddy and I are ready.
We have a more ambitious goal in mind today: Rocky Point Road, the three mile long plummet back to the river from the end of Skyline Boulevard. We begin in the usual way, climbing up Cornell and Thompson to Skyline at the top of the ridge. It’s the third time I’ve taken this climb in the past ten days, and happily I’m past feeling intimidated by it. I’m starting to find some climbing muscles in my legs again.
From the top of Thompson Road, it’s a sixteen mile ridge ride along Skyline to its end at the top of Rocky Point Road. It’s rolling the whole way, but essentially it’s a wide, shallow V-shape, gradually dropping over eight miles down to Cornelius Gap, and then climbing back out for the next eight. If you stay on Skyline the whole way, it adds up to 1,500’ of climbing and 1,200’ descending. Great fun.
We’re not doing that today though. When we reach the bottom of the V at Cornelius Road we leave Skyline and keep dropping another two hundred feet to Rock Creek Road. It more or less parallels Skyline down at the bottom of the ridge on the Washington County side, and then gradually climbs back up to Skyline again at its end. It adds a couple of miles and a few hundred feet of climbing, but it’s well worth it. It has a totally different character than riding up on the ridge - much quieter, rustic, unmanicured.
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The road climbs almost imperceptibly for a few miles as you bike through a woods that feels like it belongs in the coast range - red cedars, ferns, vine maples dripping with moss. There are scattered homes along the road, mostly on the other side of the creek and accessed by crude private bridges. There is no traffic at all, except today there’s an old guy in a wheelchair in the middle of the road, calling back his dog that looks with interest at me. I stop and wait while the dog ignores the first five or six calls and finally, grudgingly responds and sits by the wheelchair.
I ease by slowly, but it’s too much temptation - he barks and starts chasing me. I stop immediately and get off the bike. More unheeded commands, until finally he returns to base and is grabbed firmly by the nape of his neck. I bike on, cautiously, until they recede out of sight.
At Hillside Stables the road makes a hairpin bend and leaves the creek, gradually climbing back to the summit.
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Back on Skyline again, but it’s still another five miles along the ridge to Rocky Point. It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden this stretch, and I’ve forgotten what it’s like. It has a sawtooth profile - climb 150’, then lose half of it back. Repeat, and repeat again. At the end it finally tops out near 1,500. It’s really the best part of Skyline though, because it’s very quiet. Few folks live out here, and it’s not the route to anything.
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Finally, 23 miles into the ride, we’re at Rocky Point and the start of the descent. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out here - I don’t think we made it here last year at all, and I’m not sure about the year before either. It’s been so long that my memory of the descent is rusty and I’ve almost forgotten how great this is. Dropping 1,300’ in miles, twisting the whole way, great views across the Willamette. It’s really the best descent close enough in to town for a day ride, in my opinion.
Back on US 30, it’s 17 miles back to town. A fast 17 miles that I cover in not much more than an hour. It feels good to just stretch out and put in the miles.
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3 years ago
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Video sound track: Giant Steps, by John Coltrane
Ride stats today: 43 miles, 3,400’
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3 years ago