I got an e-mail this morning from a reader who had a much more positive experience than I did making the 204.5-mile pedal from Seattle to Portland. I thought I'd share it with you to let you its not all flat tires and wipeouts if you want to try this next year:

Craig,

Sorry to hear about your STP experience. Mine was almost the opposite. My training sounds about the same as yours. I was new to cycling this year and did this as a committment after having arthroscopic hip surgery in late October (at the age of 36). I started in March and trained with a buddy who has done a few STPs and some other races (Flying Wheels 100, MS150, RSVP) and are pacing was similar. He is a much stronger rider than I am, but I grew up being a long distance runner so I knew I would have the mind set to be able to focus and get into grooves while riding. We did some good hill training, so I felt prepared for the hills that awaited.

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The STP Project slideshow is up and running online tonight. The pictures are a little out of order, but we'll work on fixing that.

The story on our day of mishaps and bad luck follows in tomorrow's Adventure section.

Click here to watch the slide show.

My body on Saturday night around 7 PM quoted Dirty Harry again and said “Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?” I had an answer for it after the crazy day our team experienced. I said “NO.” Kenny was done due to a fever, and my body was just done. We decided to stop with 38 miles to go. The question that was asked by everyone was - Could have you finished the ride? After spending a night in the hospital last year, I never asked myself that question. Here were the questions I did ask myself and answers that went through my mind:

Q - What would best serve my wife and kids?

A – Stopping – No more trips to ER proving I can do it.

Q – What is my body telling me?

A – GET OFF THE BIKE!!!!!!

Q – What does the team need?

A – To not wait for me to recuperate and to get their butts to Portland.

Q - How about getting some sleep, water, and food plus come back on Sunday to finish?

A – Sounds like a plan.

As we loaded our bikes into Kenny's truck and headed to Portland, I thought about finishing the ride on Sunday. I woke up on Sunday morning, and asked my wife. She said, “I thought you might want to finish.” I called Kenny and asked if he wanted to go, “No, I still don’t feel right.”
Craig gave me, Russ, and Scott a ride out to the spot I stopped. These guys and our families were highly supportive because this meant a whole change in plans. The moms on the team (5 families – 18 people) had to do some juggling of the schedule to make it work. Russ and Scott took their tender spots and sore muscles and helped me finish the ride. We rode the last 38 miles in around 2 hours and 15 minutes. I felt great getting over the finish line and buying my STP finisher shirt.

As I sit here Monday morning, I am glad I finished. I don’t feel any regrets having done STP in 2 days. As we look to maybe riding it again, I doubt I will ever attempt to do STP in one day. I did STP twice in 1 day, and I have more fun doing STP over 2 days.

I want to thank the team for all their work over the past four months. They worked their butts off getting in shape for the ride. The fun we have as we razz each other and bike together is either highly dysfunctional or highly intelligent;
only Dr. Phil or Oprah could help us figure it out.
The nicknames piled up this year – Double Dutch, MC Hammer, Deep Throat, Flowmax, Muffin Top, Barbie, Cialis, and the Yankees.

I want to thank our wives and families for all their support on both days of the ride. Keeping 8 kids between the ages of 6 and 13 busy is a miracle while their husbands spend a whole day riding their bikes. Thank you to our families who get excited about us finishing, and the hotel pool.

I am thankful for Craig Hill for the risk he took in going with four guys he didn’t know to attempt training and riding with them over four months. He kept his journalist distance while meshing with the team. I want to thank him for the opportunity he gave me to write on the blog which fulfilled a
life dream of writing something for public consumption. His boss has given him the assignment to ride next years STP in 2 days. If he is looking for a group to ride STP, I have an idea of some guys who would love to ride it with him.

Be safe and have fun riding - Rick B

As I took Rick Beitelspacher, Russ Meyers and Scott Wagar back to Deer Island, Ore., this morning so Beitelspacher could finish the ride, we noticed a man being loaded into a cop car.

We later learned he'd hit a cyclists causing a three-bike pileup.
Gerald Marvin, 24, of Seattle, suffered serious injuries. He is reportedly in fair condition.
Daniel B. Whittlinger, 40, of Portland was arrested on charges of felony hit and run, Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and a parole violation.

Here's a link to a story on KOMO's website.

My apologies for not updating this sooner, but I’ve been icing my legs (and sleeping).
The STP Project was mostly successful Saturday despite a litany of physical and mechanical problems.
Russ Meyers, Kenny Espinoza, Rick Beitelspacher, Scott Wagar and I left Seattle about 5:15 a.m. Saturday morning. Over the next 204.5 miles very few hours went by without something happening to slow us down.

The short list:
* Kenny had a cold and developed a fever.
* Rick broke his shoe.
* Rick and Russ took a tumble when the cyclists in front of them hit the brakes abruptly.
* I got a flat
* Kenny’s derailleur broke,
* I got another flat
* The weather topped 90 leaving me dehydrated and short on energy
* Kenny started getting really sick.
* I got a third flat 8 miles from the finish.

“In five years of training rides, we haven’t had as much go wrong as we did Saturday,” Beitelspacher said. “But that’s just the way the ride came to us this year.”
When it was all said and done, Meyers and Wagar pulled me to the finish line. We got there at 9:30 p.m., by far the latest Scott and Russ have ever finished.
Not feeling well, Kenny and Bietelspacher called it a day in Deer Island, Ore., 36.5 miles from the finish line. They weren't the only ones. I saw several cyclists loading their bikes into to cars during the final stretch. Some weren't so wise. One woman collapsed at the finish about 10 p.m. and emergency workers had to wrap her in a blanket and treat her for whatever damaged she'd inflicted upon herself.
Both Rick and Kenny were waiting at the finish line when we rolled in.
This morning, I drove Beitelspacher back to Deer Island so he could finish the ride with the two-day riders. Meyers and Wagar rode with him for a staggering 241 miles in 32 hours.
Still sick, Kenny, who already has a one-day STP under his belt, was content not forcing the issue. He and I waited at the finish line with all the wives and kids as Beitelspacher finished.
Be sure to read Thursday’s Adventure section for more on what it’s like to ride a double century when everything goes wrong.

While Beitelspacher got on me on this blog yesterday for being nervous, I'd point out that I tend to get a little bit of nerves before taking on an endeavor like this.
I've climbed Rainier, skied for 24 hours in a row and tried several other tests of physical and mental endurance. I've been nervous and questioned my fitness level before each one. I think the nerves keep me on my toes.
That said with the STP just 15 hours away, we're in the stage of prep that I do best - eating and resting.
I've been eating like a hummingbird (twice my body weight a day) since Monday and slept in until almost 9 a.m. the last two mornings.
Now I just have to finish packing and I'll be set.

The team had its last meeting in the form of a party at Russ Meyers' home Thursday night.
Here's a picture of the team stuffing themselves with chicken catchatori prepared by Russ' wife.

And here's a picture of the capper of out night of carboloading - the team cake.

I read Craig’s post, and I have to say “Unless you have been then you can’t understand.” Until Craig finishes the 203 miles, he won’t know if he can. What do you do when you have nagging doubts?
As Clint Eastwood says “The man’s got to know his limitations,” and since I know Craig’s fitness levels, I have no doubt that he is ready to tackle the ride. I have confidence in Craig because he has ridden many miles, and his overall fitness level is high. I have witnessed Craig attacking the hills when we ride barely breaking a sweat, or running out of gas. He has to remember these times when he feels tired or wonders if he is going to make it.
When my confidence starts to sag on a ride, I know for me a couple of situations could be true at that point:
1 – I am really in over my head and I have no business finishing what I am trying to do. Like the time I decided to do my first triathlon. It was an 800 meter swim, 25 mile bike and a 6 mile run. I thought I was in shape from running about 25 miles a week, but I had spent NO TIME in a pool and 2 days on a bike. I was 25 years old and thought “no big deal I can do it.” I was ½ way through the swim and thought “What did I get myself into?” I finished the race and said “I will be in shape next time.” So if you decided to do STP a month ago and you want to do it in one day – forget about it.
2 – My body is telling my head something and I need to listen.
What could your body be saying? I am not eating or drinking enough. I might have the flu – like last year on STP when I caught a bug. I am going way too fast for my fitness level, and I need to slow down. Many times if I eat or drink more or I slow down my pace; my body starts to tell me all is OK.
3 – My 2nd wind will come to me, and I have been though it enough times in my training so I will be OK. In my mind, I draw on the many training rides like the 100 mile ride we did 3 weeks ago. I remembering working hard and getting after the training ride. I know my fitness level is good from the hard work all of us on our team have put into the training. Yes even Craig Hill. All the days spent training are like deposits in the bank. I know my fitness bank account is full of deposits due to riding consistently the past 4 ½ months. I plan on making a huge withdrawal on Saturday and I know I won’t be overdrawn.

Have fun and be safe on the STP – Rick Beitelspacher

Two days to go and we're putting our bikes away until the big ride.
If there is anything else we need to do physically to get ready for the 203-mile STP, it's way too late.
As Rick Beitelspacher says, "The hay is in the barn."
Everybody on the team seems confident. Considering they've all done this before, this is good to see.
I, on the other hand, am not so sure.
While the team insists that I'm ready, I just looked at my training log. In three months I've pedaled 1,000 miles. That might sound like a lot, but that's less than 100 miles per week. Throw in another 500 miles on the trainer and the stationary bike and I'm still about 500 miles short of the mileage I'd hoped to amass during training.
That said, I know the first 100 miles won't be a problem. And I ought to be able to make it the last 20, with the finish line so close. It's miles 110-180 that make the most nervous.
A 10-day vacation in late June didn't help my training any and ensured that I will suffer for long stretches on Saturday.
But whenever I get too nervous, I remember the only other time I rode the STP. I did it in two days, however my training included less than 200 miles and I did the ride on a 43-pound, full-suspension mountain bike. The guy at the REI bike shop actually called me a moron for doing this. I averaged about 14-15 mph, and spent about 8 hours in the saddle each day. Talk about painful.
Maybe this year's ride will actually be easier.

If you didn't see today's Adventure section, you missed some tips for handling riding with the masses in Saturday's STP and a good tip on dealing with the sun from the Gear Guy, Douglas Gantenbein.

Click below to read the Gear Guy's advice on UV protection.

=> Read more!

We are starting to taper down on our training. On Monday we rode thirty miles with a medium pace. Today we rode thirty miles with a hard pace. On Wednesday, we will ride twenty to twenty-five with an easy pace. Start carbing up and drink tons of water the next few days. On Thursday and Friday, I will set aside an hour on both days to get my stuff and bike ready for the ride. Here is a list of items you can bring on your ride –

I make a list and check it over.

- Three water bottles

- A patch kit, spare tube, a pump and whatever else you need to repair a flat

- Lube for the tender areas

- If you are going to do the ride in one day, can I suggest you change clothes about ½ way. Our wives meet us for lunch, and they bring the clothes to us. I did that last year, and I felt like a new man.

- Tons of sunscreen

- The STP confirmation card to pick up your packet

- My clothes for the ride – Bike shorts, bike jersey, socks, and bike shoes

- Helmet

- We spend the night in a hotel so I bring a bagel with peanut butter for breakfast.

- I have my bag with towel, shaving kit, and change of clothes for the truck to take it to the finish line for an after ride shower.

- $20 just in case I need a tube or water on the road

- ID

- On Friday I go over my bike to make sure everything is tight, and my tires are pumped up. If I have time, I wash my bike. If I have time or not,I will make sure I oil up my chain.

Have fun on Saturday – Rick

If all goes well, we should be celebrating in Portland four days from right now.
But for everything to go well, you better plan for the heat. That means drinking a lot starting right now. (Actually, you probably should have started already.)

I'm trying to down at least 100 ounces per day. Monday I took in 152 ounces of water. So far today, I've downed 170 ounces (Including four water bottles during a two-hour ride this morning).

With a heat wave on the way, hydration will be paramount Saturday. Here's the forecast from the Weather Channel:

SATURDAY'S WEATHER
PUYALLUP
HIGH: 80 degrees
LOW: 58 degrees
HUMIDITY: 59 percent
WIND: SW 7 mph
***
CENTRALIA
HIGH: 81
LOW: 60
HUMIDITY: 62 percent
WIND: SSW 7 mph
***
PORTLAND
HIGH: 84
LOW: 64
HUMIDITY: 59 percent
WIND: WSW 4 mph
SOURCE: Weather.com

Women and cycling will be the focus of a daylong festival on Sunday. Women’s Cyclefest will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Seattle REI store, 222 Yale Ave. N., Seattle.
The event is designed to outfit, educate and inspire women in their cycling adventures, especially as more women take part in the sport, organizers said. According to a study from the National Sporting Goods Association, 16.1 million women took part in bicycle riding at least once in 2006. That was up 1.3 percent from 2001, the report said.

The day’s activities include a bike safety check station conducted by REI’s cycling staff, free clinics and a community group/vendor exposition.

Among the clinics that have been scheduled are basic bicycle maintenance for women at 11 a.m., fitting your bike at 1 p.m. and preparing for a big ride at 2:30 p.m.

The groups that will be on hand include the Cascade Bicycle Club, Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club, Group Health Women’s Bike Racing Team and LunaChix Road Cycling Club.

For information, call 206-223-1944.

It’s never too late for a little cycling lesson.
I recently got back from a 10-day vacation where I didn’t a ride a bike. When I came back I noticed I’m clearly a step behind the rest of the guys on the team. Worse yet, I noticed I’ve reverted to some bad habits.
During a ride Thursday I caught myself dropping back behind the rider in front of me and not getting the benefit of being able to draft. Worse, I’d have to burn energy to try and catch back up.
So, this morning Kenny Espinoza and Rick Beitelspacher and I spend a couple hours on the Foothills Trail working on my technique.
Both men are broad, large enough for Tony Stewart to draft behind. We took it slow at about 16-17 mph. As Kenny and Rick took turns in the lead, I practiced staying eight inches or less behind them.
It might seem a little late to be working on this, but I don’t think so. Being able to draft properly will be hugely important next weekend? How important? Perhaps the difference between making it to Portland and bonking at the state line.

The is some truth to the rumor that ace TNT reporter Craig Hill jumped out of his car on Thursday morning saying “Ice cream ice cream cherry on top how many friends do you got 1,2,3… “ The cause of his singing was his choice of items to tie down his bike. In his haste to make the morning ride, he picked up his daughter’s jump rope to tie down his bike. Our group of guys are a safe group to make mistakes around – yeah right – Russ Meyers, Kenny Espionza, and I jumped (No Pun Intended) him asking if “He stole it from her in mid jump,” - “Did the lunch duty know he took it from the play ground?” – “ Was he planning on Double Dutch on the ride?” We are such a mature group.

We rode 30 miles, so after 30 miles on Tuesday and 50 on Wednesday, I felt little of the rust I felt the previous days. The break for one week from the bike alleviated a bit of fatigue I was feeling towards training. Normally I love working up a sweat and getting after it, but I started to dread the bike a little bit. The forced break helped either my over training or staleness from the same routine.

As STP approaches watch the signs of over training – a cold that won’t go away, a feeling of fatigue, no joy in training, ect. One of my goals is to enjoy STP by training enough to endure the discomfort that comes with pushing yourself to ride 202 miles, but I found I can do this by using common sense with my training. I utilized one of the many guidelines on the amount of miles to ride to be ready for STP, and the team has talked about how much we need to ride. This approach has helped us get ready without over doing it.

Have fun and be safe riding – Rick Beitelspacher

There are bike shops and then there are bike shops, so I haven’t had an exceptional experience with many shops; however, Ken Espionza raves about the Bonney Lake Bike Shop of Sumner. He has had two broken spokes in the past two months, and the shop owner Paul Qualey fixed the bike within the hour. The shop charged a fair price for the repair, and more importantly left Kenny feeling like he was treated with extraordinary customer service. We don’t have enough of those kinds of experiences and I think I know where I will be going to get my next repair.