Johnny Went A Courtin’, He Did Ride….c-c-c-c-Crambone…..

Another day, another 3+ hour shift on the bike as a team. Today was all about the Ironclad chicks getting together and dumping a pile o’ miles in their legs in a secret location somewhere south of Portland. Anna, Erin, Kira, Ginny, Vanessa, Deann, KMac, and Tricia allowed Crawfy and Dave to join them on a little rolling jaunt consisting of equal parts snow, hills, sun, wind, and angels. Oh yeah, a few alpaca for good measure. And a heron.

gathering on the launchpad deck of the Starship Ironclad. Or, YMCA.

One of the newest Ironcladies made her first ride after ACL replacement surgery! Deann Krill turned her first team pedals today and we welcome her. No signs of surgery lag on this one. None at all.

The gang set off on a starting 4 mile climb, through beautiful turns and trees, and some uninvited albeit gorgeous guests: snowflakes. Undaunted, they pressed onward and upward.

Dear snow, you’re purdy, but you’ve overstayed your welcome…especially on skinny tires

Though tempted by a nearly obscene amount of wineries, the group only stopped to make water and fix a flat. And it was about 1/2 way through the affair when the sun herself decided she was the belle of the ball, and begin to flirt wholesale with us all. We were beguiled. We drank and ate and made merry.

the sun begins to flirt, too

But despite all the merriment, soon the fluids were gone, the food consumed, the breeze seemingly a gale, and many miles to go before we slept. It was at the inopportune time that that old cranky sonofabitch, Mr. Tendonitis Goblin came rolling into the party. Nobody likes that guy, do they? Certainly none of us do.

He came to collect a bill, so the group was split up into a rescue crew, and a stay behind crew.

Spirits were low for a moment, until an Angel named Faye came out of a nearby domicile with ice, Ibuprofen, and blankets. Bless that dear woman’s heart. In the nearby garage, Faye’s husband (who never does anything impulsively but bought this house and old garage on a whim, she tells us) tinkered on a classic automobile and whistled, paying us not a stitch of mind.

Rescue choppers en route, Dave gave Faye his Ironclad cycling cap which, despite it’s saturation level and being funkier than James Brown on goofballs, was immediately donned. This was too amazing an image not to capture:

the kindness of strangers

To the victor the spoils!

A fine day on the first real joining of the women’s team. Fitness is the theme of the day and these phillies are ready  to run. A few tweaks and shimmies here and there, an ice pack or two, some more miles, and the sun will have to make room for a new bunch of belles at the ball.