STP Weekend

July 16 and 17 were designated as the ride days for STP (Seattle to Portland) this year. Those of you paying attention got those dates drummed into your helmeted noggins for the past several months. After a two-year, Covid-19-induced hiatus, this huge event was back! Portland Bicycling Club was back too – ready to work with Cascade Bicycle Club to create a Finish Line suitable to celebrate the accomplishment of riding 200+ miles while meeting the basic needs of those tired but happy cyclists.

Many of you came down to Holladay Park at some point during the weekend to help. Thank you. This event is a fundraiser for our club. We contract with Cascade to perform certain duties for compensation. Those duties are many and varied. It involves much effort to coordinate all the moving pieces and many people to perform the tasks.  ✎

Diverse members of our bike club rallied in unity for one cause and supported the organized system that must exist to accomplish this massive feat. I saw many instances in which help was requested and team members gave it. Quickly. No argument. They heard. They followed through. You all were awesome!

Seriously, this is my take-away from the weekend: what a great team you all made! It was inspiring to see your kindness and graciousness to all the finishers. At some point, most of you went out of your way to assist someone. Personally, whenever I reached out for a helping hand from our team, that help was readily provided. There was a variety of skills and abilities on display at Holladay Park, and it was impressive.

By end of day Sunday most of the team was weary, hungry, and mentally drained. But hard work continued. The finish line, in existence fewer than 36 hours, was torn down and put away until 2023.

Again, as one team member to another, THANK YOU. As cyclists ourselves, we provided for approximately 5,500 other riders, and I am very proud of that. And I am happy to be back in the saddle, working together as a club, as a team, to build up PBC. We will all benefit from our work as our financial growth allows us to give back to our cycling community as we have in years past. As that occurs, please remember to feel proud of your own efforts on the club’s behalf.

Ann Morrow, 2022 STP Information Booth Team Leader