Hundreds of bicyclists blasted their quadriceps on Saturday, Sept. 14 during the 14th annual Passport2Pain bike ride.
Passport2Pain (P2P) earns its name and brutal reputation by sending riders up-and-down some of the island’s most relentless and agonizing hills.
The longest route — titled the “Idiot” — features 80 miles of distance and 10,000 feet of vertical gain. (Easier options include the 58-mile “Weasel,” 33-mile “Weenie,” and this year, the 12-mile “Tourist.”) The ride also functions as a fundraiser for the Vashon Island Rowing Club and other island organizations.
Around 330 bicyclists showed up to ride this year, raising more than $30,000, P2P Chair Pat Call said. He estimated that more than 150 volunteers helped out.
Perhaps the most iconic character on the ride is the Burma Road Devil. For most of P2P history, Jim Marsh (who used to run the Chamber of Commerce) has taken on the role of the devil, a friendly demonic figure who directs traffic and playfully spurs on bikers with his pitchfork.
On Saturday, he camped out at the intersection of Sylvan Beach Road and Burma Road. The intersection can be dangerous. Drivers and bikers face a blind turn, some of the steepest hills on Vashon and this year, rain-slicked pavement.
Thankfully, “I’ve never had a serious incident here,” Marsh said.
Marsh’s character is inspired by Didi Senft, an artist and inventor who famously dresses like the devil at the Tour de France.
“The first year I did it … I knew cyclists would [recognize] this,” Marsh said. “When you do rides like this … you’re in your own head. Cycling is a solitary thing, and you’re fighting your body. You’ve become an engine for this bike. … And then having somebody basically cheer you on — you get a little jazzed for it.”
Depending on his mood, Marsh said, his routine varies from “friendly” to “insult comic.” Sometimes he’ll make fun of participants riding $5,000, custom-built titanium bikes, and other times, he offers devilish deals to turn them into better guitar players or make them irresistible to women.
Sometimes, Marsh’s devil even becomes a sort of roadside therapist.
It’s stressful to navigate small, steep roads amid cars and other bikers, and he said the devil costume sometimes “shocks” drivers out of complacency or confusion. His point was proven Saturday when, in the middle of talking to The Beachcomber, Marsh noticed one car driver yell “bikes coming!” at another motorist who was approaching the intersection.
The latter car stopped and then slowly proceeded through the intersection after the bicyclists had passed, its driver appearing slightly shaken by the interaction.
Volunteer Jordan Petram and Marsh walked over to the driver and told her she hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You’re fine,” Marsh told her gently. “Hey. No harm, no foul.”
Ultimately, the woman drove away laughing.
Those interactions could easily turn into expletives and shouting, Marsh pointed out, but by reassuring people — and making them laugh with his absurd costume — he can melt stressful situations into positive memories.
“You have to make it disarming, and you have to make it something fun,” Marsh said. “I told her, hey, some people don’t pay attention like you do. You did great. Nobody got hurt.”
Jim Marsh cheers on a rider during the Passport2Pain bike ride on Saturday, September 14. (Alex Bruell photo)
Jim Marsh chases a rider during the Passport2Pain bike ride on Saturday, September 14. (Alex Bruell photo)
Jim Marsh is the Burma Road Devil, a character who directs traffic and playfully engages with Passport2Pain riders. This year, he used a wooden pitchfork to push riders along. (Alex Bruell photo)
Jim Marsh cheers on a rider during the Passport2Pain bike ride on Saturday, September 14. (Alex Bruell photo)
