WINNER !

TWIGS AND CRICKET

He's dodging tree parts falling out of the sky, and there's a cricket match AND cross race at the finish!

ETA

Crew estimates his finish at about 2:30. There's a cyclocross race going on at the same part of Marymoor Park, so there will be a lively atmosphere. The sun is shining but it's windy!

STEVENS PASS

Almost at the top of the pass, cracking jokes in the rain. Temp about 50 degrees.

HEADED WEST

After some nighttime rain and a couple of naps, Mick has passed by the apple capital of the world (Wenatchee) and is headed west through Oktoberfest in Bavaria (Leavenworth). Then it's over Stevens Pass to Sultan and winding his way
down the Snoqualmie Valley, over one last hill, and back to Maymoor Park. Sounds like he's keeping a steady pace and still on track for an early afternoon finish.

DARK

Crew just reported "damn it's dark out here"--somewhere between Mazama and Winthrop. Here's hoping the minimal moon keeps the critters from strolling onto the highway!

MAZAMA

Right on schedule, he passed through Mazama at 7:30. Not much daylight for that descent! Crew says he seems a little tired--30 miles of fresh chip seal takes its toll! Now fairly flat miles SE to Twisp, then a sweet 1-2% descent for miles to Pateros.

OFF THE GRID

At 3:00 Mick passed through Newhalem, gateway to an AT&T black hole. Next update probably not for ~4 hours, in the Methow. If typical weather patterns prevail, the incoming storm should give him a tailwind boost up this 5,000 ft climb. Currently 72 degrees--perfect!

HEADED EAST

He's at Hamilton. It's a long haul east now on highway 20, over Washington Pass. Sounds like he could get down that long long descent before dark.

HE'S OFF & RACING

A little foggy for the early miles, but it's going to be a beautiful day!

COUP DE CASCADES

Early Saturday morning Mick embarks on his last race of the season, the inaugural Coup de Cascades. This is a 425-mile event put on by Redmond Rotary to support the campaign to end polio. The race starts in Redmond, goes north to Marblemount, east over the North Cascades Highway (probably descending off the pass IN THE DARK!), down the Methow Valley to Pateros, south to Wenatchee, and back to Redmond over Stevens Pass. He's hoping to finish mid-day Sunday. At last check, there were no other solo riders signed up, so Mick's battle will truly be with himself. Updates when his crew can send them along.

More info on the race is here: http://www.coupdecascades.org/

COOLING DOWN

It's starting cooling down now in Maupin. Official race temperature now 98.2 degrees F. Mick had another quick nap and reportedly looked perkier when he got back on the bike. It's all about heat management now. But a dunk in the Deschutes River awaits after the finish!

UPDATE

Mick took a 15-min nap and should have been the 4th rider to finish the night loop. Leah Goldstein leads the solo 24 field by a big margin!

RAO UPDATE

Race codirector George Thomas reports that Mick was vying for second place with Leah Goldstein on the Clarno climb before 4 am. They are expected back in to Maupin about 6:30 am: then they do laps on a 27-mile circuit. Low temp overnight was 58 degrees!

ROF START

He rides off into the sunset! Nearly a full moon tonight. Not much wildfire smoke in Maupin, but it obscures all the distant hills and mountains. Overnight temps expected to be in the mid-50s.

Ring of Fire

Coming up this weekend is the Ring of Fire 24-hour race in Maupin, Oregon. The race name is doubly apt this year: there are wildfires in the area, and temperatures are likely to reach 100 degrees F on Saturday afternoon. The 24-hour racers start at 7:30 pm Friday, and updates will be posted at:

http://www.raceacrossoregon.com/roftt_teams