Tom Butler: 0:04

This is the Cycling Over 60 Podcast, episode 12, all my STP questions and I'm your host, Tom Butler. I am now 37 days from jumping on my bike and riding the 206 miles of the STP. I am much stronger now and feeling pretty good about my ability to complete it. I keep seeing the benefits of the bike fitting that I talked about last episode and I'm also seeing big improvements from the climbing I'm doing. I continue to see personal best times on that climb and on the other rides that I have done since focusing more on building muscle.

Tom Butler: 0:48

I do have to be careful, though. I'm putting much more stress on my leg muscles and it is possible to overdo it. I needed to take three days off to let my legs recover this week. I don't know if it's better to back off a little on the intensity of the rides or if the best way to build is to put a lot of stress on my leg muscles and give a few days for them to heal. I might need to get some input on that specific training issue.

Tom Butler: 1:10

My average heart rate seems to be really good on the rides, even though my legs are being worked really hard. I don't quite understand that, but I've been around 134 beats per minute average heart rate, even though I'm pushing as hard as I can up the training hill. Some of this is getting to know the hill better. I know when I'm getting close to the top of difficult sections and when the power through. I won't have the luxury of knowing the STP climbs that well, But just over a month ago I still have a lot of STP related questions. It has been a very long time since I've done anything like the STP In my mind. I don't feel like I have the info I need to be prepared for the event. Of course, this could just be my personality, because I don't like going into situations blind and just figuring out as I go.

Tom Butler: 2:04

Fortunately, I was able to connect with one of the STP ambassadors by the name of David Billetdeaux. I really like the ambassador. program Cascade Bicycle Club is doing such a great job of reaching out to a diverse population for the STP. I was able to ask David a bunch of questions. He has a lot of STP knowledge and, as you'll hear, he does a really good job of breaking things down. Here's my conversation with David. I feel fortunate to have STP ambassador David Billetdeaux on on with me here today. Welcome to the podcast, David. Thank you for having me, Tom. The reason that I wanted to have David on is that I have a number of questions that I'm hoping to get answered while I still have a few weeks to plan. So here we go. First of all, David, talk a bit about your relationship with cycling. Have you always been interested in bike riding?

David Billetdeaux: 2:51

I grew up riding bikes and then when I went to college and law school, I sort of fell out of doing really anything athletic for those years and got a little bit out of shape and needed a reason to get back to doing something healthy and enjoyable. And bike riding was that thing that I could do that didn't hurt my knees or ankles or anything else. So it was a good way to get back into something healthy. Luckily, the sport had also come along and leaps and bounds and there's just so many more rides and communities available. So it was, I think, for me a really good timing.

Tom Butler: 3:27

And then, what is your history with STP?

David Billetdeaux: 3:29

So STP was something that I first did in, i think 2011 might have been 2012. And same reason, it was giving me sort of a motivator to not put things off, to get out there and actually ride the bike every day. knowing that there's this looming 200 mile ride ahead of me made it a little harder to say I'm not going to go out and ride today. It's bad weather or I just don't feel like it. So I started back for the first time and it was just so fun. I kept going.

Tom Butler: 3:59

Yeah, I can definitely relate to that. There would be a number of days that it wouldn't get out and a number of days it wouldn't ride so hard if it wasn't for the STP. So it's working for me in that way. What made you decide to be an ambassador?

David Billetdeaux: 4:11

So it was a program that I think this is the first year they started it And I didn't hear about it immediately. My wife did, who's a little more active on social media than myself. She was talking about it and she applied and I decided to apply as well And we actually both became ambassadors So thought that was kind of cool. But we can give that partner perspective to it.

David Billetdeaux: 4:35

One of the other reasons, i think, is just because they were trying to get as much diversity as possible And for us we have sort of the east side of the mountain diversity. There's certainly not as many people active in Cascade and in all the Seattle-centric STP type trainings and events. So it was nice to get involved over here and to try to get some of our local riding communities to have the STP more on their radar.

Tom Butler: 5:02

Nice, i like that. Well, it has been almost 40 years since I've done an organized ride, so there are a ton of logistical issues that I'm really curious about. First of all, what's the process for checking in at the UW parking lot? My understanding is that they've capped it at 6,000. I don't know if they're going to get 6,000, but still there's going to be thousands of people And I'm just wondering what that's like when everybody descends upon the UW parking lot.

David Billetdeaux: 5:30

Yeah. So as someone who went to UW for college, the E1 parking lot is huge. It's been a part of my life for years. There's plenty of space there.

David Billetdeaux: 5:40

It does get a little hectic the morning of just because there are both cyclists getting to the parking lot as well as various vehicles with bikes in tow. Something I have not done, that I'd like to throw out there, because I did see it as an option, is that I do believe the night before the ride there is a baggage drop at the E1 parking lot as well. So I think that works great for people who are cycling directly to the parking lot the morning of not having to carry their bags along. So I haven't done that, but it does appear that that's something and should be something. you can read up on the STP website.

David Billetdeaux: 6:15

But as far as the morning of I'm not going to lie there's a lot of people, a lot of bikes. It can be a little stressful trying to find a parking spot, but they are always available. It's a really large parking lot. You might be pretty far back, but when you're about to ride 200 miles, walking an upper 100 feet shouldn't dissuade you. So luckily, everyone's in a really good spirits and collegial and there's not a lot of people fighting or having road rage.

David Billetdeaux: 6:41

So find a spot, give yourself a minute, take a breath, and then they do have really good signage as far as where to take your bags, drop them off, where to go. If you had any issues with your bike on the way, a lot of the bike carriers kind of toss the bike around a little bit and might pop on and realize that your gears aren't shifting quite the way you want them to. So they do have signs pointing you to some volunteers who are able to take a look at your bike, make sure everything is shifting well. If you have major issues, they also usually have parts on hand, but you'll have to pay for any parts you'd be buying And once you and your bike are ready, just sort of follow those signs to the starting line, which does have a few different ways that we'll be taking off.

Tom Butler: 7:26

It sounds like there is an area of the parking lot that gets petitioned off for riders and bikes and everything to be in, or is it out on the road? or where are people's stage for releasing them?

David Billetdeaux: 7:40

For anyone sort of familiar with the UW Stadium and parking lot and everything else, the actual starting line is closer to the stadium, so the south end of the parking lot, as the cars sort of continue to park out towards the north end of the lot Once again, really large parking lot, so it's almost like a road They'll be driving down and the actual sort of road is kept clear and that's primarily what people going there for the ride will use. There's also a lot of people just dropping off a friend or family member at the ride and taking off so they have a turnaround spot to exit out of the parking lot. But for everyone riding you just follow the road south. Once again, i'm saying road, but it is part of the parking lot. We're not out on the main thoroughfare, which is relatively busy, but for the STP there are lots of Seattle Police Department officers on hand directing traffic and stopping traffic so that as the waves come out, not dealing with traffic issues.

Tom Butler: 8:38

I was over there the other day and just kind of noticed, and if you've never done the ride before, the parking lot is really well marked. You can definitely tell which parking lot it is And, like you said, it's right by the stadium so it's easy to see the stadium, everything. So that's nice, that it's relatively easy to spot. Talked a bit about repair services, but how about things like food and things like that at the start line or energy stuff? Are there vendors or anything set up at that time?

David Billetdeaux: 9:06

So there are definitely repair stations set up. I believe there are a few booths set up that have information about Cascade as a company, as well as some food snacks, relatively low compared to the first stop, which I believe is about 15 miles in. But there are some smaller snacks bananas, water refill stations. I'm not sure this year if they have a specific company sponsoring the water, but in years past they've had various companies like Nunn or Noon. I'm never quite sure how to pronounce it, but they definitely have enough to get you started, and then that first stop will have a whole lot of everything.

Tom Butler: 9:46

Okay, Now here's a real novice question to ask How do you display your ride number?

David Billetdeaux: 9:53

Yeah, So when you get your packet in the mail or do your packet pick up, depending on if you're in the area or not they give you.

David Billetdeaux: 10:02

I know in the first couple of years I did the ride they mailed out within the packet a adhesive number to put on your helmet, on the front of your helmet, And a lot of the reason they have the numbers on the helmet or up front is because they do have photographers along the course And so when they're taking your picture it's a lot easier later on to go onto the website, type in your rider number and see the pictures that were taken of you in case you want to purchase or download those Gotcha, There are other Cascade rides where they send you out a jersey number and usually four of those little safety pins to clip it on to your jersey. For the Chili Hilly, which is another ride Cascade does that one, they actually send out a smaller number and some long twisty ties And for that one you attach it to the front of your bike, sort of around it. I can't say for sure how they're going to do it this year, because they have done it various ways in the past.

Tom Butler: 10:56

But either way, all that will come in the ride packet, and I'm imagining some instructions. Yes, so they're not.

David Billetdeaux: 11:04

Their instructions. on the back of whichever number you have, there's also a place to write down an emergency contact and their number. So if anything were to happen on the ride and for some reason you couldn't answer or respond to safety personnel's questions, they could take a look at that and see who your emergency contact is as well. They will also definitely have to start in line to have some booths that have extra safety pins or twisty ties or whatever the adhesive material is Right. So obviously that's a thing that people tend to lose when they're getting ready day of.

Tom Butler: 11:38

Gotcha. There's the one day riders and my understanding is they leave first. Yes, and also that's like 10% or so, someone thought maybe of the overall riders. So you still got the vast majority of riders going in two days And I'm curious about what is the process for releasing those riders.

David Billetdeaux: 11:57

So the very first release is for the one day riders only. Right, i think it's about 10% that will take off sort of right away, and the way the process works is after that, for the people that want to have the greatest amount of time to make sure they get into the stations and into the midway point and able to set up camp, they'll want to start as soon as possible. After that, the one day riders are released, and so basically it's just a queue. You get in line and you wait And every couple of minutes they'll say next wave goes.

David Billetdeaux: 12:29

And I believe in the past at least, they've had what's it called, almost like ticker tape that they'd put across and you know you've got to get through to start. But it is well organized. They make sure that everyone can hear them. There's a bullhorn, basically that they're saying you know, next wave, get ready, all right, take off. It's just a really exciting atmosphere and they make sure that everyone's pumped up and ready to go. But do be aware, with the vast number of people about to take off, you might have to wait a few minutes before you're able to.

Tom Butler: 12:59

I am going to be part of the fellowship of slow riders. What recommendations would you have as far as the starting point?

David Billetdeaux: 13:08

So my recommendation would be to be sure you're in one of the first waves to leave after the one day riders take off. With this ride, with there being so many riders, you're never going to be completely out of sight of other riders. You'll always be able to see someone else. So even if you are on the slower end, you'll never feel like you're off course or not knowing which way to go. But to give yourself the most amount of time so that when you do get into the midway point or to the finish line to have time to celebrate what you've done that day, I'd say take off as soon as possible after the one day riders do.

Tom Butler: 13:43

So would you say that that's like six o'clock or is it later?

David Billetdeaux: 13:48

than that. I think in the years I've done it I've sort of gotten anywhere from six to seven am Okay to start time, And that does seem to be a pretty popular time to start. Certainly some faster riders who just show up whenever they feel like showing up to take off and they don't sweat it. But I think the vast majority of people aren't professional riders coming out here to do it all in one day, So they want to give themselves extra time and so they do line up pretty early And because of that you will likely be in that queue as they let off 50 to 100 riders at a time every couple of minutes.

Tom Butler: 14:45

So I have a couple of guys riding with me, which I'm really grateful for because I will be riding behind them as much as possible. So I'm thinking if we as a group kind of stay to the right, we're going to be getting passed a lot because of me. So I'm thinking that's probably a pretty logical thing to do is to start but kind of stay to the right.

David Billetdeaux: 15:05

Yes, if you know you're going slower, stay to the right as much as possible. Pretty quickly on a group ride of this size with as many people in it as there are, you'll quickly get back into the swing of things. As far as calling out hazards on the road or cars coming up from behind or from the front, people are very communicative. If you're in an area that's a little more narrow, people will say passing on your left and you'll just know. Okay, maybe I wasn't as focused on staying to the right right now because I'm a little tired. They'll give you time to get over. But in general, if you're going slower, stick to the right and only swing out to the left if you're about to pass someone else who's slower And in that case again use hand signals, usually just sort of a left hand quick wave to let people behind you know you're about to come out to the left so that they don't run into you from behind.

Tom Butler: 15:54

Gotcha As far as what to carry on the bike. What recommendations would you have as far as what to carry and what to look for at stops? Both like things in case the bike breaks down, and then also things like keeping water and food in?

David Billetdeaux: 16:10

So, as someone who both hikes and bikes, the thing I've heard time and time again is you always carry the thing you fear the most. So if you're a person that's afraid you're going to run out of food, you're probably going to pack extra food or an extra water bottle. Generally speaking, though, take an extra tube. Flats happen, whether it's you just get a pinch flat from hitting a railroad track wrong, or less often in Seattle, but still happens run over sort of a little tumbleweed tack As far as food and water goes. Honestly for me at least, not something that I worry about on the STP, because there are those stations every 10 to 20 miles and they have lots of booths set up with water station refills with TB and J bananas. Over time they've gotten a lot better at having vegetarian and vegan options. I think they're also doing some gluten free options as well. I think that one's a little bit harder with a lot of the sort of energy bars available, so taking extra food isn't something that I've done much of on the STP, unless you have a favorite energy bar. I like the blocks brand, some people like the goo. Some of those are okay. My wife hates those, so we don't have many of those. But as far as extra bike gear, bring an extra tube, bring a little CO2 canister to fill up, unless you have a bike pump that you attach to your bike. Again, everyone is pretty cooperative. So if you're pulled over on the side of the road, everyone driving by is going to say do you need anything? So you're not going to be stuck out there and you'll also have emergency and non-emergency numbers on your again, either jersey or helmet sticker that lets you know who you can call if you have a more major bike breakdown. That's something you can't repair. So there's a number to call and there's the SAG wagon is driving around and they'll find you and help you replace whatever you need or give you a ride to the next stop so you can get to an actual mechanic.

David Billetdeaux: 18:09

Other than those two things, the things that I've found that I didn't bring the first time around that were useful bring some pills. Sodium pills for me were a thing that I kind of quickly learned or something I need, because when you're out riding that long and sweating that much, i was losing a lot of salt And so like that was helpful. Some people, you know, they kind of leave, or, etc. Or something else if they think they might have headaches. Potassium pills are great because, once again, it's a long ride and your muscles might not be used to it. You don't want to get a cramp when you're going up a big hill about. Bananas are useful for that as well.

David Billetdeaux: 18:44

And then sunscreen. As a rather pale, complexed individual, i tend to forget sunscreen, but it's useful. You know, in years I've done it where the sun hasn't peaked out much, but in other years it's been bright and hot and I was thankful to have that. A few of the stations along the way will have sunscreen. Mostly they will also have those minor medical things, whether it's Band-Aid, bandages, aspirin, a leaf. But if you don't have to wait that extra 15 miles to get to it and you have it on your bike, i just say bring it, yeah. Lastly, for the people that aren't living in Seattle or Portland or nearby and are traveling in, make sure to bring a few different types of clothes to wear and check the weather report, you know, morning up, to decide what you really want to wear and bring with you. Particularly on day two, the mornings tend to be pretty cold, so you can bring a lightweight jacket that you can, you know, take off after 20 miles and stuff in your back pocket. That's really helpful.

Tom Butler: 19:45

I know there's a couple different kinds of stops. There's official stops and then there's unofficial stops And it sounds like the unofficial stops. there can be all kinds of different groups that do unofficial stops. So what are kind of the main differences between the different stops?

David Billetdeaux: 20:01

Yes, The official stops will have volunteers from Cascade available. They'll have a bike mechanic at each of the major stops. They'll have multiple booths full of food and water at those stops. The unofficial stops will have fewer items available. Most of them will still have water. There's going to be some unofficial stops along the way where charities or non-profit groups are trying to raise funds. You know, I've seen Girl Scouts out there. I've seen kids with a lemonade stand making an absolute killing at the top of a hill. Always be sure to bring a couple dollars with you in case you're just in the mood to grab a cookie or a lemonade or something else along the way from one of those non-profit groups that's out there. But in general you'll find everything you need at the major stops.

Tom Butler: 20:47

I think I'd be pretty susceptible to Girl Scout cookies. I have to, unfortunately, ratch my sugar really closely, but that would be a pretty tempting thing to see Girl Scout cookies. So the roads are open to traffic. Actually, if they tried to shut down the roads, i imagine there would be a revolt in most communities. But what's it like to have the roads open to traffic?

David Billetdeaux: 21:09

For the most part, it feels pretty safe The majority of the first day. The roads that you're on are not very well populated with vehicles, whether it's simply because the people in those neighborhoods are aware that this is happening and decide not to go out for that day, or because there are enough sort of blockades and barriers and alternate route signs out that people stay off them as much as possible. Day one is pretty much empty roads and trails and it does feel safe. On day two there's definitely a little bit more highway riding. A few of those spots it does feel like you can get a car whizzing by pretty fast, but once again, because of a sheer number of riders out there, it's not like you're the only bike in a two-mile stretch of road where cars aren't really paying attention like they normally don't pay attention, but that many people on the road it's usually everyone that is driving by notices sticks as far to the left as possible and give you your three feet of space.

Tom Butler: 22:09

Cool. While I'm trying to train to conquer the Puyallup hill, the truth of the matter is I'm going to be going up pretty slow. It is possible that I would need to step off. I've been doing a pretty good job of not having to step out off on the hill that I'm climbing to repair for Puyallup, but if that would happen, what would you recommend the best thing to do to make sure that I don't interfere with others?

David Billetdeaux: 22:35

That is one of the spots that tends to bunch people up a little bit more, just because everybody slows down So that one is on an actual road. That being said, there's more bikes than cars, so the bikes are pretty much shaking up the entire right hand lane as well as the bike lane next to it. If you are in the slower side, once again, stay to the right as far as possible. If you get to a spot where you realize you're just not going to be able to make it and you have to unclip or step off, do your best to say stopping or throw out a hand signal if you're out of breath, just so that if there is anyone close behind you an accident isn't caused or unintentionally make them stop as well. But for the most part, as long as you stick to the right and only once again move over to left if you're passing someone slower and again make those proper hand signals to everyone in front and behind, you know what you're doing. You'll be good. You won't cause any issues.

David Billetdeaux: 23:28

There's definitely a lot of people stopping on that hill and walking up parts of it and hopping back on the bike and then maybe stopping again and walking some more. So it's a steep hill, it's a long hill. It's nothing to be ashamed of if you don't make it up, and you will see plenty of people that don't make it up At the top, once again, there's a pretty excited atmosphere. For the people that do make it, there's usually a lot of spectators, fans and friends and family out there, you know, cowbells and yelling and cheering people on. So even if you feel like you can't make it to that little extra bit of enthusiasm, i get you over the finish line there, nice. And then there's also a gas station just after that turn, where I guess I'd call that one an unofficial stop, because you'll see a lot of people going into grab a Gatorade, or after that long hill.

Tom Butler: 24:16

That's awesome. Not too far after that there's a stop at Spenaway Middle School. I'm thinking that is probably the most crowded of the stops.

David Billetdeaux: 24:24

Yeah, yeah, you know it's about lunchtime. For most people doing their ride It's a halfway point, so it does get a little bit more crowded, but there's a lot of room there to spread out, grab some food, just sit down in the grass, or there are some picking tables available and lots of port-of-potty is available. So it's a busier stop, but nothing about it's overwhelming for sure, and they have lots of bike racks set up, lots of volunteers And honestly, it's just a great spot to get a little bit of shade and hang out, stretch, take your shoes off If you're one of the people who likes to do that I never do, because it's hard to get them back on, but it's a good stop to sort of take a break, reassess if you're feeling like you've had enough food or water or need anything else. My rule of thumb as someone who has a hard time remembering to hydrate, is to make sure that I go through the two water bottles I have in my bike between every major stop.

David Billetdeaux: 25:25

As long as I'm stopping to refill those two water bottles, I feel like I'm in good shape. If I get to a stop and realize I didn't get to that second bottle, I'm gonna drink a little bit extra before I take off again. It just helps to stay ahead of it. By the time you realize you're thirsty, you're hungry, you're already a little bit behind. Use those major stops to restock, take a rest and get back on the road.

Tom Butler: 25:45

Now, at the halfway point, I'm wondering how do people that are setting up a tent how do they like figure that out? Are there people that are directing people about where to go, or it sounds like it could be a bit of a free-for-all, but they must have some organization, I'm thinking.

David Billetdeaux: 26:00

Yeah, it's actually organized pretty well. The midway point is Centralia Community College and you'll ride in right into the middle of campus. There's lots of signs again, people cheering, which is nice, but then there are signs to direct you where to go. There's a bike corral which, again, I think one of the police departments sort of oversees to make sure you don't have to worry about your bike for the night, And so, when I've done it solo, you ride in, get off your bike, drop it off at the corral, follow the signs to the bag pickup station, pick up your bag and then head over to one of the large green grassy areas to set up your tent.

David Billetdeaux: 26:37

If you have friends or family that are supporting and are going to be the ones setting up, their biggest issue will probably be trying to find parking. Although there is a decent number of parking spots available, The spots closer to the camping sites usually go pretty quick, But there's room for lots of tents there. It's quite a sight once they're all set up and everyone's sort of enjoying themselves for the evening before they go to sleep. Little tents, big tents, lights, music it's a good time And there's quite a few booths set up as well that have food trucks and vendors. I know in years past there have been massage table sort of booths set up for all of the people that have lots of muscle issues by the end of doing 100 miles, Right, I'm not sure what the entertainment situation is this year, but in other years there have been live bands that have played at times. Generally it's taking place at the same time as the Tour de France, So they often have lots of TVs playing the race and it's kind of a fine atmosphere.

Tom Butler: 27:40

That's cool. I'm really looking forward to those places like that. But we're actually thinking about riding to Chahales instead of stopping in Centralia, and I don't know if that means that there's fewer people there. It's not as so much of a festive atmosphere. Do you have any idea what that's like?

David Billetdeaux: 28:03

So every year that I've done it, i have stayed in Centralia, although the last time I did it I did 130 miles, the first day in 70, the second I had a ride that took me back to the midway point. So I am not the best person to talk to you about what those other later stations have to offer. But I will say, in the morning on the second day, as I've started riding, i've ridden past some of them and it appears that they're relatively well populated, certainly fewer people than at the Centralia stop. But I think just because it's a ride that's been going on so long, you get people that have their favorite site to camp out And so they'll make sure to get back to that same one each year. And it looks like there's still quite a bit of tents and almost tailgating type atmosphere some of them.

Tom Butler: 28:51

So what does Sunday morning look like in Centralia when people are starting to get up and get ready and move out and what you take down tents and all that stuff?

David Billetdeaux: 29:01

Yeah, it's a lot of very tired, sore people. Luckily not as many stinky people because they do also have shower facilities that you can use the night before, which is great There's because it is on a college there's a large cafeteria you can go to for a breakfast morning of. I'm not sure that that one has as many options. I know that previous times I've gone they've always had pancakes, eggs, sausage, that type of thing. I think. They have oatmeal and cereals available, not a huge variety, but enough for most people to do a little bit of carb loading before they take off for the morning, and lots of coffee. But other than you know the food aspect of it, i think most people get up, go to the bathroom, brush their teeth, do all of that sort of thing and then pack up their campsite. Once you have it all packed up, you take your bag to basically the same spot where you picked up your bag to do the drop off. So it's ready and waiting for you in Portland And, yeah, usually you drop off your stuff, go in and have some breakfast, then go back to the bike corral and pick up your bike and head out.

David Billetdeaux: 30:11

Like I said, that first 10 to 20 miles of day two is usually a little chillier. You're kind of, you know, dropping a little bit of elevation, you'll go through some fog and you're going to be sore. So just realize that It'll feel better after a little while, or at least it'll be numb. The morning's not too hectic. There's a lot of people that are definitely taking their time. It doesn't feel like you're being rushed around by anybody. However, from my perspective, try to wake yourself up as early as you can, just so that you can get back on the road and make sure you have time to stop at all of the major stops before the finish line.

Tom Butler: 30:46

So people are just getting ready and cutting, hitting the road whenever they get ready. There's not waves of people being released at that point.

David Billetdeaux: 30:53

Correct, so it's just sort of take off and you feel like taking off A person here and there, groups every so often, but definitely a lot different than day one where they're letting people off and waves of 50 or 100. It's just at your own speed when you're ready to go head out, right?

Tom Butler: 31:10

Now on the SDP website they mention a 15-mile section. I think it's about 20 miles in on Sunday morning. Do you remember that section or do you have any thoughts about that section?

David Billetdeaux: 31:20

So I do remember. About 20 miles in on day two there's one pretty tough hill, not comparable to the Puyallup hill, but still relatively tough, especially when it's early on day two and you're sore After that. There are quite a few rolling hills So I like to go fast, so I pick up a lot of speed on the downhill and it really assists on the next uphill For people that don't like to do that as much. Yes, there are going to be quite a few smaller hills in that section.

Tom Butler: 31:49

Okay. So I've seen news about the Lewis and Clark Bridge that the crossing will be shut down at a certain time this year. I'm just wondering what that's like. It sounds like that's kind of a procedure to go and queue up and get escorted across the bridge.

David Billetdeaux: 32:07

So for the bridge crossing at Longview, it is another queue up type situation, similar to the beginning of the ride, because that is a pretty busy bridge, lots of logging trucks, that type of thing. They do make you wait until there's enough people available to take a group over at a time. If you're riding with the majority of the pack, you probably won't be waiting long in the queue and you'll take off and they sort of shut it down to traffic as much as possible. So it's a little easier to ride over. If you're coming in a little bit later, you might have to wait a bit longer to have a bigger queue of people join up before they sort of shut it down to let you go across.

David Billetdeaux: 32:50

If you're afraid of heights or bridges, it's probably the worst bridge on the ride, simply because some of the sections are sort of graded So you're not riding necessarily just on asphalt and it can be a little overwhelming for some people. But there is still a bike lane and the volunteers and police do their best job to make it as safe as possible. So as long as you're still adhering to the rules of the road should be fine, especially because you are queued up and there's so many riders at once going across that. All of the vehicles can easily see you.

Tom Butler: 33:21

I wonder how much people know that that is STP day in that area. It seems like that would be quite a dynamic to get there and find out. Oh okay, i'm waiting to get across the bridge.

David Billetdeaux: 33:34

Yeah, sure, For those people that aren't aware, that day might not make them like cyclists anymore than they might already like or not like them. But again it's a pretty excited, happy atmosphere. So I don't think it's causing too many problems And I think for the people living near some of the major stops and bridges and neighborhoods they just sort of realize that's a day I'm not going out to drive, Right.

Tom Butler: 34:00

Now have you experienced both what days and really hot days? Is it really hard to know what this far out, what it's going to be like?

David Billetdeaux: 34:09

Yeah, i've experienced mostly good weather, which is nice. I've experienced one really windy day, which is the worst one, because when you've got a headwind the whole time it really just drains you. One relatively wet day, but that was the only one in seven times doing this, and one really hot day. That one was tough. You know, on the hot days, the sun beating down on you, you're going to go through more water. The port-a-potty situation is much less fun And you know the sunscreen situation. You're going to be stopping more often to put it on if you're someone that needs it.

David Billetdeaux: 34:48

So, out of all of the weather conditions, i'd say the wind is the least fun and the sun is the most challenging. But I've generally had really good luck with the weather And as long as you are sort of prepared and have that mindset that you're going to do it, rain or shine, you'll be good. Just bringing some clothes that you can easily take on or off or pack in a bike bag or on your back pocket, i'd say is useful. Check the weather reports and then the day is coming up to it, to try to verify as much as possible, i'd say. Over time, though, it does seem to be getting warmer and warmer each year, so I think there's going to be more hot days on the STP than they were on the FAST.

Tom Butler: 35:26

I would appreciate someone kind of mapping the temperature on the STP to El Nino years because I understand that they're expecting it to be a strong El Nino year. So it seems like somewhere there's that data that could kind of be used to forecast a bit more.

David Billetdeaux: 35:44

Yeah, that's funny. I think the last time I did the ride, packet pickup was near the NOAA, so I think they might have that data and they might be going.

Tom Butler: 35:53

Yeah, that's good, That's interesting. I might have to give them a call. As part of the podcast. I believe that I'm going to be finishing later than the majority of people and I don't know, is it pretty spread out at the finish? Does it get really crowded at the finish? How does that look as far as maybe coming in a little later?

David Billetdeaux: 36:11

For the finish line. It's a fun party atmosphere in a sort of large square in downtown. And the fun part for people who haven't, or even those who have done organized rides before, is when you come into the finish line, people lined up on both sides and you come through the finish line and everyone's cheering and you feel like you just completed a major race. So that part's really nice and the supporters tend to stay until it's done. So I think no matter when you come in, you'll get a bit of that atmosphere.

David Billetdeaux: 36:43

It is relatively busy but people are sort of moving through it and taking off at their own pace. It's depending on whether they live in Portland and they're at the end and they're headed home or they're dropping off their bike at the bike trailer, picking up their bags at the bag stand and hopping on a bus to head back to Seattle so they can ride home that night. People are kind of all over the place. I don't think a lot of people are staying there for six hours or anything. My perception seems that people get in, get something to eat and look around at all the various booths. It is a fun place to hang out for a little while and just be happy that you just did 206, 200 miles. They're saying 206.

Tom Butler: 37:27

Yeah.

David Billetdeaux: 37:31

It's a good time to reflect on the last 206 miles and be happy that you made it. Yeah, there's a lot of people, but definitely not as much as at the beginning. Just because people have spread out, the one-day riders won't be there and the two-day riders are coming in at all hours. They'll be coming in over a span of probably six hours, so not as many people, but still a really fun time.

Tom Butler: 37:52

Is there a place to park bikes when you pull in so that you can just walk around, or do you need to figure out someplace to secure a bike?

David Billetdeaux: 38:00

Yeah, i feel like the signage is not quite as good at the finish line. It also might be that I've just been tired. When I've gotten into the finish line There is a bike corral. I can't remember if that one is a pay-to-use or not. It might be like a $5 pay-to-use corral, but in some of the years there has also been a free corral. Yeah, honestly, i can't remember for sure, but I think there is a place to store your bikes again. Just make sure you've got a few extra dollars handy on you in case you want to spend some time looking around. And it is a paid corral for that day Perfect, i can't remember for sure.

Tom Butler: 38:37

Gotcha, That's helpful. And how about food trucks? You know things like that. at the finish line Is there plenty of different options.

David Billetdeaux: 38:44

Yes, there are plenty of options. I think the last time I went there was a fantastic taco truck and I ate my weight in tacos, so there are plenty of options, though You know there's lots of hamburgers and hot dog type things. Definitely a little fewer options in the past, at least on vegetarian and vegan options, but my wife is vegan, i'm vegetarian, so we've always been able to find something to eat and lots of other booths along the way, so you know you can grab something to eat, grab a drink and wander around. There's a lot of other bike organizations to have booths set up and you can get brochures and learn about their organizations. Similar to the Midway Point, there's also going to be some, you know, people offering massages, people offering all of the various services you need after 200 miles, and there's also a beer garden section so you can celebrate over there as well.

Tom Butler: 39:36

Yeah, I might have to call down the Portland Sea if I can find a Thai food truck and have them encourage them to go over there.

David Billetdeaux: 39:45

I hope you do, because that sounds delicious.

Tom Butler: 39:48

Well, david, that was just a ton of really helpful information, and thanks for taking the time to do this. I'm hoping that other people who have questions will find this as helpful as I have, and so I just want to thank you again for coming on.

David Billetdeaux: 40:06

Thanks for having me. I hope I don't scare anyone away from doing this ride. It's a really fun ride and the atmosphere really helps push you along when you feel like you're a little too tired or you're about to cramp up. So if you're afraid of doing it and don't think you've quite trained enough, do your best to keep it training. Don't set yourself out And I think, give it a shot, you'll have fun. If you can't finish the whole thing, that's okay. There's people along the way that'll help out, and there's always next year if you feel like you're not ready. So have fun. Do the STP. I think if you've done it once you're going to keep going back for more.

Tom Butler: 40:41

Excellent. Well, i'll keep an eye out for you and your wife. I know in a huge crowd like that it's not like we'll see each other, but that'd be fun to see you guys.

David Billetdeaux: 40:50

Actually that reminds me So as an ambassador. They gave us these little banana awards to hand out, so I will be able to do it. If so, i'll make sure you get one of these fun little holographic banana awards.

Tom Butler: 41:03

I love that. That would be fantastic. Well, again, thanks for coming And maybe we'll see you later And if there's ever anything else you want to come on and talk to and encourage people as far as the STP or other things, let me know. Sounds good, all right, Yep, bye for now.

David Billetdeaux: 41:24

Bye for now.

Tom Butler: 41:32

That discussion really got me excited for the STP. I like the fact that David pointed out several times that people are all really supportive. It just feels good to think of being part of a large group of people who are all looking out for each other. I'm also looking forward to seeing the streets of Seattle overtaken by cyclists. That is going to be a fun image. It seems like Cascade Bicycle Club has learned over the years how to coordinate a truly exceptional event.

Tom Butler: 41:56

The Seattle Portland ride started in 1979, so they've had a few years to get it right. I'm truly blessed to have it in my backyard. I feel like I'll find everything I need for food and I now have very little questions about the plan for lodging. It is awesome that everything's handled so well and riders can just go out and enjoy the challenge, of course, while the staff is handling things behind the scenes, i will provide a link to David's Instagram Some of the message thing thanks for all the good info he shared and for being an ambassador along with his wife. Let me know if you have any questions about the STP. I will try to get David or someone else on to answer your questions. You can find both my email and the cycling over 60 Instagram in the show notes. I would love to hear from you. I hope you're all finding ways to get outside and enjoy your type of cycling And remember, age is just a gear change.