Road cycling is freeing. The constant wind in your face, views flying by quickly, but no so quickly that you can’t digest them, the effort and the low-grade fear of vehicles.

Every ride is a true to life experience.

There’s a loop around here some refer to as the Albion Loop that starts in Pullman, rolls the hills of the Wawawai Highway, climbs Klemgard hill and drops down into the valley to speed through the small town of Albion. It’s just under 25 miles, takes a hair over an hour depending on wind, and is a real no-brainer.

When I’m in cycling shape, I’ll do this ride once a week. It’s great for training and tremendous at clearing the mind. Simple enough to do with zero planning but there will be two or three sections that really make you work, and think.

If you ever find yourself in Eastern Washington and would enjoy a quick ride, do it. Also, hit me up and I’ll do it with ya because I honestly can’t ride it enough.

The Fred Hutch Foundation (based in Seattle) hosts a fundraising event every year called the Obliteride, with the intent on raising money to obliterate cancer through research. Because COVID, this year’s event is virtual so I planned my own century route.

Last week I headed out for a lunch ride where, long story short, I blew up the carbon frame on my road bike. I’m okay, but my beloved Orbea is most certainly not. Scrambling, I found a robin’s egg blue gravel bike, a Salsa Warbird, in a local shop that just happens to be my size. That’ll do pig, that’ll do.

Big shift in the plan and now my century road ride has turned into a century farm-road ride. Considerably tougher on an unfamiliar route with a brand-new bike. What could go wrong?