That girl ain't right...: The Packwood Cabin and Dale's High Pass Challenge

The Ackley family took a 4-day weekend and stayed at my friend Debi's cabin in Packwood (which is at the base of White Pass in the Cascade Mountains). It was great...With two VERY active kids, I would not venture to call the weekend relaxing, but still fun nonetheless.

Here is a view of the cabin from our walk towards the river:

Here's Dale enjoying the morning sun on the back porch:

This is kind of a fuzzy pic but there was barely any daylight left. These are some friends who wandered up near the porch as we ate dinner. "HORSEYS!" As Rowan called them.

Dale and Bella

The living room in Debi's cabin has some really great light for photographs...I ATTEMPTED some family pics, but with only a tripod to capture the kids' attention, there were more goofy ones than anything. Here are a few outtakes. (and by the way, I was pretty horrified with how my neck looks!! So manly!!)

The main purpose for staying at the cabin last weekend was so Dale could participate in a bike ride called the High Pass Challenge. It went from Packwood, to the blast zone at Mt. St. Helen's, and back. I considered joining him, but then when I put more thought into going up a mountain via bicycle, I decided I'd rather smash all my fingers with a hammer than take on a task like that.

He did great. I have always admired (and been jealous of) my husband's ability to be good at everything he does. I was really proud of him...and he met his goal. Way to go, honey!

I would attempt to tell the story on his behalf, but it's much better in his own words. Here is a copy of the email he sent out to his family and friends:

2008
High Pass Challenge

Well,
"I've been to the Mountain". My High Pass Challenge was the most physically demanding thing I have ever done. As they say, " I left it all on the road". I had nothing left when I rolled through the finish line 114 miles after the official start. We arrived at the start line at about 6:30 am to find only a few cyclists already there. I knew I was assured a spot way up in front of the pack. Going into this, I set a goal for myself to finish in the "Elite" group. Of course not being a team cyclist with no formal training of any kind, I knew it was a lofty goal. (Secretly I would have been happy just finishing and being able to walk away). To achieve the "Elite Finisher" status, you have to finish in under seven hours. Seven to nine hours is " Strong Finisher" and nine to ten hours is " Steady Finisher". The finish line would be closed at five pm sharp (the ten hour mark). When the gun fired at seven, I immediately knew I was outclassed by the majority of the riders there. From Packwood to Randle is flat and for the most part straight. Riding in a big group, you can maintain speeds a lot faster than riding solo.

One of my attached pictures is of me taking a picture of myself at the start line, and the one labeled "Peloton" is of the group I was riding in to Randle. We were fast and averaged 30 mph for seventeen miles. Once in Randle, we headed for Mount St. Helens through two lane lowland farming community. The group didn't stay together for long. Everyone found their pace and strung out. I was in the top 25% of the pack at that point, slowly being passed. Even though I rode at 22 mph, the other riders made me feel slow. Now we started to climb. I nice little two mile 8% grade climb, it was only an appetizer for what was ahead. I thought I was a good hill climber until I saw countless riders pass me. Mile 26 was the first food stop. I knew if I was to make my goal, I couldn't even stop for the bathroom. I had packed a Clif bar, six energy gel pouches and two water bottles filled with Gatorade that morning. Lets face it, I wasn't even hungry at that point or had to pee. I was warned that the first food stop was start of the real climbing. Thirty miles to Windy Ridge the sign said. All up hill. It got so bad at one point that I was in the lowest gear on my bike and was wishing I had at least five more lower ones. I looked down at my speedometer and it read 7mph with flashes of 6mph occasionally.

I stayed with it, as people passed me, they were friendly and asked if it was my first time. I said "Yeah", and that's about all I had time to get out between panting. Another water stop, another food stop, and yet the "last chance" water stop passed. I thought if I needed it bad enough, I could stop on the way down, if I survived. Finally to the top where the gate goes across the road. The last eleven miles was closed off to motor vehicles due to poor road conditions and boulders on the road. It was ok for bikes though. Luckily I passed through the gate before the closing deadline of 11:00am. Not once did I look at my cyclo-computer to see what time it was. I knew that if I did, I would be putting false hopes in myself of making my goal or not. At this point I knew it was before 11:00 anyway. Roughly ten miles from the top, I saw the first place rider on the descent, coming back at us. One, two, three, four. I counted no more than twenty riders descending when I reached Windy Ridge (the top, and turn around point). I believe that in passing all the stops on the way up, help me make it to the front of the pack. No time to stay and chat (or pee) it was 10:17am and I had to go. My window was closing. I clicked a few pictures with the disposable camera on the way up and at the top, none were taken from a stationary position.

Passing riders on their way up was bitter sweet. They were more than congratulatory to us that were descending. I knew there was a lot of work ahead of me, I wasn't even half way to the finish line yet. Fast descents of 44 mph were exciting and dangerous. The roads were marked with hazards but hard to see in the shade. Most of the trip was in the shaded dense mossy forest. It reminded me a lot of the Redwoods. The way back wasn't all downhill. Going between gorges and cliffs, you still have lots of uphill. My legs were shot. I was thankful for the fast areas of downhill riding, but ultimately knew that it would be followed by some significant uphill battle again. Remember the first food stop? I did stop long enough on the way down to fill my water bottles and eat a banana. Off I went. The route back was longer as I journeyed through lowland rural areas shaded by trees and rivers on the right and left. It would have been gorgeous if I had time to enjoy it. Finally a sign that said "Randle 10 miles" I knew I wasn't going back through Randle, but knew the vicinity. The route back was a lot longer. A few rights and lefts and another sign about five miles from the first one that said "Randle 10 miles". I was in a time warp with rubber legs and ropy spit. Finally, official Cascade Bicycle Club markings on the road that pointed me to the main highway, Highway 12. The final stretch. I had been riding alone for close to thirty miles with the occasional rider passing me. I had no idea what time it was or what position I was in the ride.

Packwood is mile marker 130 and the rural road spit me out at mile marker 124. Six miles was all I had to go. Miles drug by inch by inch. Now during my training rides, I can average 20 mph easy, for 4.5 hours. Just so you know, I looked down at my computer again, and was crawling along at 13 mph. Just then I heard behind me, beep, beep, beep, beep....! Jessie and the kids drove past me, headed to Packwood to meet me at the finish line. It was a sight for sore eyes, hips, feet, calves, thighs, hamstrings, triceps, hands, wrists, and neck. No matter how I finished, my family was going to be there to congratulate me whether the finish line was closed or not. More riders passed me as I saw marker 130. Finally a left turn into the finish line where the digital time clock read,.........1:49pm. I was handed an "Elite Finisher" medal as I passed through the line. I had met beat my goal by eleven minutes and had no idea I was even close. Then I heard, "daddy"! Rowan, Bella and Jessie were walking up the road to take pictures and meet me. Jessie looked over at the group of finishers that had already come through, and realized I had finished in the top fifty out of 500 riders. I was exhausted. We shared a hotdog and pop, and headed for the cabin. I told Jessie," I will not do that again, nor will I attempt the Seattle to Portland ride in one day next year" One day after the ride and I am sort of thinking about it already.

My final stats were: 17.0 mph average over 114 miles
44.3 mph top speed
6:49:22 total ride time

Dale Ackley

I think this is kind of a sexy pic of my husband. If you look, you can see the salt dried of his face from sweating so much!

On our drive home we drove half of the ride route so we could see were Dale rode. He was saying things like..."Ok, here's where I almost puked." and "Here's where I thought I was approaching the top, only to come around the corner and realize there were still several uphill miles..."