Sauvie Island is known for three things: berry picking, the bird sanctuary, and the nude beach.   It is also informally known as a great place to go and ride your bike.  The roads are fairly flat, it’s a beautiful ride, and the residents of the island are respectful of the bikes on the road.

So when my friend from college asked if we could go out for a ride this weekend, I immediately thought of the island, and found a couple of known bike loops (not that you really need to research them, I mean, how are you going to get lost on this small island?

We got there early to avoid the berry pickers and those attending the lavender festival (which, for the record, we saw signs for but never saw a field anywhere growing any).  I suggested the 12 mile loop.  While my friend commutes a lot on her bike, she is more of a meanderer while I like to go ride and compare my numbers afterwards to what they were last ride.  It was an amazingly beautiful and peaceful ride – with one exception – the SUV driver that decided to be a dick and not share the road.  I swear if I had had my extra water bottle handy, I would have flung it at that fucker.  In the hour we were out, we probably had 30 cars pass us – and each was courteous and knew we didn’t have shoulder – and we got as far over as we could in our lane.  It’s not like some of the bikers who will actually take over the lane and ride two across.  But, that asshole had to be, the, well, asshole of the ride.  I’m not kidding when I say I could have reached my hand out and touched his SUV when he passed – and I doubt I would have even had to extend my arm.

We stopped about 2/3rds of the way through the ride at the bird sanctuary.  We didn’t walk into it but we did enjoy the view we had.

In looking at the pictures after getting them on my computer, I noticed this:

If you want blackberries, this is where you come to pick them.  You don’t grow them.  (See rant from last week-ish.)   Also, I realized how close we were to where Garbanzo’s school would be.  Not on the roof of the sign, but actually up on the hill out there.

After a few minutes, we rode back to the start of our loop, I loaded up on the bikes on the rack on the back of the car, and we went to find breakfast.  I was glad we got there early because as we were doing all of this, many more bikers were coming onto the island as were the hordes of berry pickers.

We went for breakfast at a bakery Garbanzo and I found that seems to be a popular hangout for the smelly early morning cyclist crowd.  We ate, I had a great latte, and we went home just as the sun started breaking through the clouds.  A great way to start the day, in my opinion.

I did tell Garbanzo though – I want to do this ride again – alone, so that I can see how fast I could really do it.  I’m so used to riding in the city, that my times are usually screwed up because of all of the stop lights and street crossings.  Also, I want to do the 20 mile loop next time. I heard it goes by the nude beach. 😉