Flooding

With all the rain and flooding around here, I should not have been surprised to find that the river Lethe had apparently overflowed as well. The forgetfulness washed over riders at the first Ralph & Carol training ride last Saturday. One showed up without helmet. No problem, I have one in the shop. Another showed up with no helmet - no problem - and no shoes - problem. As for me, I forgot that I can ride with Bob, Robin, and Wayne only when there are no hills.

Yesterday, in search of a permanent on roads not washed out, I joined Matt Newlin, Geoff Swarts, Vincent Mouneke, Ralph & Carol Nussbaum, and Sue Matthews on the Hood Canal 2.0 permanent. Lethe's floodwaters nearly thwarted me, however. On the way to the ferry in the morning, I was dropping Chris off at the airport. Nearly to the airport, she asks if I'm going straight to the ferry after the airport. "Yes," I reply. "Well, where's your bike?" Oops.

Rescued by my son, who meets me with my bike, I make the ferry in time. Flummoxed, however, by the events, I forget to have coffee at the start, an oversight helpfully documented for posterity by Geoff. Espresso in Port Gamble and again in Chimacum proved restorative (and perhaps predictive of today's headline: "Midlife Coffee And Tea Drinking May Protect Against Late-life Dementia").

I may have forgotten my bike, but I do remember a wonderful ride around the canal, with good company and decent weather. I remember a great breakfast burrito at the Common Grounds Cafe in Chimacum. I remember a glorious descent off Walker Pass into sunshine and tailwind. I remember that a nice couple purchased and reopened the coffee shop in Hoodsport. I remember the good cheer and strong pulls of Vincent and Matt. I remember celebrating the finish with good beer in Bremerton. Thanks, Mnemosyne.