Whoa. Talk about random. There I was, minding my own business, out for my Saturday morning stroll in the industrial sales section of Northwest Portland when I saw a hullabaloo over at Chris King Components. About 200 bicyclists seemed to have congregated...all of them on single speeds. What are chances of that!?

I ambled over to investigate. It turns out they had gathered to discuss the ride they were about to embark on. And, weirdly enough, no one knew where they were going except the tour guides. Ah-ha! It was a single-speed touring club of some sort. At 11 o'clock everyone gathered around the tour guides to find out the route for Saturday's adventure.

Forest Park! Portland's playground.

I learned it was going to be a quick trip - "a high-speed tour of forest park." Evidently these tourists were in a hurry.

The tour started in the middle of the park - the intersection of Saltzman road and Leif Erickson Drive to be exact. Stagnated by 15 second intervals, one by one the single geared ramblers climbed up Saltzman, turned right on a wee little single track to Firelane 5, returned downhill and back to the starting point.

Did I mention it was raining? Kinda cold? Do not shed a tear for this group. Someone was nice enough to hand out tequila along the way. I mean, who doesn't need a warmer-upper on a chilly Autumn Day - right before dropping a few hundred feet on a slick path earlier in the day coined "the widow-maker."

The tour ended at a very official looking "you are here" spot on Leif where someone repeatedly dragged their foot through the mud in a line - designating the end. You could almost call it a "finish line"...if it had been a race.

-rob

will have SSCXWC08 photos from Sunday up as soon as i can. sorry for the delay.