The report and photo are from proud mom Joelle Hammerstad:
West Seattle’s own Boden Hammerstad finished the 202-mile Seattle-to-Portland (STP) bike ride with his dad, David Hammerstad, last month. At just 10 years old, Boden is one of the youngest riders to finish the race. It was a long ride with temperatures in the 90s on both days of the race. Boden and his dad started out at the University of Washington on Saturday, July 14, and camped in Chehalis that night.
On Sunday, July 15, the final day of the ride, with less than 20 miles to go before the finish line, Boden took a spill, and had to get bandaged in the medic tent. (See the bandage on his arm.) He wasn’t deterred, though. He got right back up on his bike, and finished the final stretch — even passing adults along the way as he sped toward the finish line.
Boden is a rising fifth grader at Genesee Hill Elementary. He got the idea to ride the race last summer, and asked his dad to help him train to become a rider this year. He and his dad trained all spring and into the summer — going on rides sponsored by the Cascade Bicycle Club, as well as on their own. They participated in the Flying Wheels ride in June to practice for the big day. Boden’s hard work culminated in finishing the largest multi-day bike ride in the Pacific Northwest.
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