April Three Speed Ride

 

April has come and gone, and so has the Society of Three Speeds' April Challenge, without yours truly completing it.  There were five parts to the challenge.  One: ride fifteen miles.  Two: ride five off road miles.  Three: ride up a big hill.  Four: Make coffee outside.  Five: Ride to an overnight destination.

The hosts of an April 1st party themed "Turn it up to Eleven" agreed to turn it back down to three the next day and join the Society of Three Speeds for a romp.  My plan was to camp in their yard to complete part five of the challenge, until I learned that the overnight requirement was not to camp, but to travel to a overnight destination other than a friend's house. I slept over anyway and the next day my gracious friends fed me and we all hopped on our sweet three speed bicycles to meet the group at a new park in Northeast Portland, named the Khunamokwst.

 

A nice sized gang gathered and ogled each others' bikes, while our leader, Shawn, instructed us on the ride and the rules of the challenge.  Then off we went on a twenty mile country ramble through urban landscapes.  We rode on unimproved roads, gravel roads, and even single track.  We climbed a huge hill, stopped to make coffee and even rode on a nice little dirt pump track.  All on our vintage three speeds, and dressed nicely for the day.

After all the bike fun, we stopped for beer and dinner and learned that we'd all completed parts one through four of the challenge during today's ride.  Alas, the rest of my April weekends were already busy and I didn't know how I could possibly complete part five - the overnight.

I brainstormed with my friend Emee, who dubbed us the Three Speed Queens, and she suggested we throw caution to the wind and stay at a McMenamin's on a school night.  The plan was made and so was the reservation.  Then I fell sick, quite sick, and postponed it a few days.  Still sick, we had to cancel altogether.  And then April ran out.  I'm sad to have "failed" at completing the challenge but glad to have "won" at kicking off spring on a sweet steed with some rad riders.