pavedwave longboarding

LDPanda · Joined: 21 Nov 2008 Posts: 418 Location: Seattle, WA

Has anyone heard anything from james recently? Im probably worrying about nothing but I havent seen any sign from him since the twitter post the night before the STP. Ive tried calling and emailing him but no response. Anyone heard if he got home safely?

Edit: I heard from James today. It totally slipped my mind that he was going on vacation right after STP. Sounds like he had a good time, im sure he'll update everyone once hes back home. Congrats on another successful STP!

pavedwave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 1120 Location: seattle wa usa

Thanks Dave. Getting unplugged has been the best. Swam with a sea turtle yesterday and spending half my time in the ocean here.

This STP was the easiest physically even though it rained half the time Sunday, lot of mud and goop as well, making the already tough Lewis and Clark bridge one of the most harrowing trials I've skated in a long while. Mad speed, footbrake in wet, dodge chunks of bark, bounce board over expansion joint, pick up speed and repeat again, something like 20 expansion joints in a row, some of them total wheel eaters. More than a few bikers have ended their ride on that bridge. Because of the rain I pushed most of the way Sunday.

Total time for the 204 miles was 23 hours. (4:30am--7pm sat, 5am--1:30pm sun) The first day included a 15-minute break to quickly strip down and jump in a glacier-cold lake just off the Yelm-Tenino trail.

Met tons of really cool people, felt great at the Finish line and got up the next morning to fly to Oahu, been snorkelling and swimming in the surf for hours every day since then.

My main personal goal is to just skate this ride more efficiently each time and to finish healthy, strong, and injury free. This was the 'fastest' STP so far even though I'm not really going for speed, just taking shorter and fewer breaks, instead looking forward to a better rest at the end of each day and the big beer garden on day 2. Smile

Bikers on the course are always generous with encouraging comments but honestly, seeing people out there biking strong well into their 80's, or the amputee that biked one-legged...that stuff is jaw-dropping.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emptybits/3719284558/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/emptybits/3718470519/

pavedwave · Joined: 22 Oct 2007 Posts: 1120 Location: seattle wa usa

pics from Heather Jordan

Around 90 miles, the nice long smooth trip on SR-507, the only trick being to stay as far right as possible. Freeway traffic is 60-65mph and the white line is corrugated and tough to cross over.

Heather caught me later, I think this was the Scappoose mini-stop, the last one on the course (187 miles)

pics from Tony at roguecyclist.com

From one of the mini-stops on the 2nd day, after getting blasted with rain and skating through mud.

Finish line pic from MJ Kelly of Cascade.org

Thanks all for the shots!!