Archive for the ‘Trip reports’ Category

Work hard, play hard: Cascade’s new AmeriCorps members ride with the WRUMPS

Friday, October 12th, 2012 by

Lindsey and Hanna

You know you’re probably going to enjoy your new job when part of the assigned “training” requires that you attend a 25 mile bike ride on a foggy fall morning.

Lindsey, Hanna and I–three of four new AmeriCorps members at Cascade–pedaled to the Starbucks in Leschi Wednesday morning rather than our normal commute to Magnuson Park, to join Mike Nelson’s Wednesday Retired Unemployed Merry Pedalers (WRUMPS) daily ride.

With a backdrop of fall colors nearly as vibrant as the group’s colorful array of jackets, we set out across I-90, through Mercer Island  and over to the Eastside, making our way around the south end of the lake. From there, we connected to the Chief Sealth multi-use trail that took us climbing over Beacon Hill to end with an easy coast back down toward Leschi.

Although our retired ride companions jokingly referred to themselves as “the geezers”, we later found out that these Retired Unemployed Merry Pedalers don’t mess around–our ride leader Mike is a 23-time Ironman triathlete! Fortunately for us newbies, the moderate pace he set on the mix of trail and bike lanes was manageable and true to the ride description. Always hoping to introduce people to new terrain on his rides, Mike was happy to have a few Daily Rides newcomers in tow.

Having moved to the area two weeks ago, my experience biking around Seattle has been limited to my neighborhood and my daily commute on the Burke. The ride was not only the perfect way to learn about safe and scenic trails, but it also helped me gain a better sense of the layout of Seattle’s neighborhoods and surrounding cities. Both Lindsey and Hanna, Seattleites for several years now, enjoyed the introduction to routes on Mercer Island and the Eastside. All of us agreed that our favorite part was when Mike pulled the group over to point out spawning salmon. For a recent transplant, It doesn’t get much more Seattle than that.

Well, work on Wednesday was rough. After a morning of chasing “geezers” around the lake, sitting at my desk in the afternoon was a welcome respite. Whether for work or for pleasure, if you haven’t been on a daily ride yet, I highly recommend you check out the calendar. They’re free, they’re fun; and you get to meet some friendly people, perhaps ride a new route and, in the very least, get out there and get active.

Looking for more riding opportunities? All Cascade free daily rides are published online. Everyone is welcome, but if you’re new, please read through our information for newcomers and parents.

Posted in Around town, Daily Rides, Trip reports | No Comments »

Photos: Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011 by
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On Saturday, 230 kids and adults took over Duthie Hill Park for Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. We dodged the rain, rode the trails, ooooed and aaaahed to a great jump show with lots of junior riders, had and tons of fun. Thanks to Rob Harrison for taking photos.

Posted in Kids on bikes, Mountain biking, Trip reports | No Comments »

More than I bargained for

Friday, July 8th, 2011 by

This guest post was submitted by Jennifer Fields, a club  member who participated in the Cascade Training Series and is riding the Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic for the first time this year.

I just completed my very last ride with the Cascade Training Series (CTS) group and wow, have I come a long way!

We rode the “around the lake loop” which is a 50 mile ride around Lake Washington with a few small climbs and lots of fun. I remember the first time we took this ride – it was after only week 4 of our training series and I couldn’t imagine riding a whole 50 miles in one day. But the CTS training program started out slowly and gradually added miles and hills to each ride so it wasn’t as scary as I had imagined.

Turns out that 10 weeks later, the last ride is the “around the lake loop.” It was so rewarding to excel on this last ride! After all the training, skills classes and encouragement from our ride leaders, everyone in the group rode this last ride with strength, determination, and success. Who knew that we would ride a 50 mile ride and still want to ride more?

Previous to signing up for the CTS, I had never ridden my bike in the road or with a group of people. When I first signed up I did it so that I could learn how to properly ride a bike with groups, learn traffic signals, and all the other basics like how to fix a flat. What I got out of the series was more than I ever bargained for.

I can’t imagine another program in which you are taught all the skills you need to ride your bike with confidence, where you make long-term friendships, and where you have the most amazing time riding your bike. This was a great experience and I will recommend it to all my friends.

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Posted in Cascade Training Series, Guest post, Trip reports | 1 Comment »

Tales from Portland Sunday Parkways

Friday, July 1st, 2011 by

Recently, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to head down to Portland to check out their Sunday Parkways. That’s Portland’s version of Ciclovia, Sunday Streets, Summer Streets, or whatever you want to call events that close streets to cars and open them people.  At times, I can be a little cynical when people talk about Portland and Copenhagen. Really guys… it isn’t that much better, is it? Get over it.

But after last Sunday, I am swallowing my undying Seattle pride. Portland’s Sunday Parkways event was an incredible experience. Picture Bicycle Sunday but bigger. Much bigger.

The event took place in North Portland on June 26, one of Portland’s first sunny weekends. The city open an eight-mile loop to bicycle riders and walker. The roads were packed with people riding bikes. And they were people of all ages, shapes and sizes. This loop was not for the fast bicyclists out there. This ride was all about a relaxing sunny Sunday ride with the family. And thousands of other families. Tens of thousands! The city of Portland estimated that 31,600 people biked through this free event.

In planning for the event the Bureau of Transportation looked at routes that were relatively flat, low car traffic and part of their neighborhood greenway system. Due to a smart route choice, people can and will continue to ride this route that has been highlighted by the Sunday Parkways event. In the words of the Sunday Parkways organizer, Linda Ginenthal, “Everyday can be a Sunday Parkway.”

I know what you are thinking right now. I really do. You are thinking “Yeah whatever. Serena, everything you are writing is great and all, but I want this in Seattle. What can I do?”

Well fine reader, you have asked the right question. You can do a few things. First, if you have never attend a Summer Streets event or a Bicycle Sunday, check them out!

Second, after you have attended and had a good time let the organizers know. One of the largest lessons learned for me being in Portland is that we all need to tell our stories better and having public support makes the stories have a larger impact. If you want to see changes in the event, let them know too.

Lastly, after you have attended and sent your feedback, please volunteer. It took over 300 volunteers to make that event in Portland happen. Let’s work together to bring something like Sunday Parkways to Seattle.

See more photos over at the Sunday Parkways Flickr pool.

Posted in Around town, Events, Kids on bikes, Trip reports | No Comments »

Biking from Seattle to Spokane

Friday, June 10th, 2011 by

Trip report: Seattle to Spokane
submitted by Cascade member Larry Goerss

The long, straight trail east of Marengo.

On a sunny morning last September, we left Seattle’s Green Lake with the intention of riding to Spokane, off-road, by linking a series of bike trails. The total length of the ride would be about 330 miles with close to 10,000 feet of climbing, and we planned six days to do it. Since much of the trip was on dirt roads and old railroad grades we were riding mountain bikes; I carried panniers, Neil (riding partner) towed a BoB trailer.

We left Seattle on the Burke-Gilman Trail, connecting to the Sammamish River Trail. In Woodinville we left the paved Sammamish Trail and rode the Tolt Pipeline Trail into the Snoqualmie Valley. After a short road segment we got on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, through North Bend, and up to Rattlesnake Lake. Here we picked up the start of the John Wayne Trail which we rode, with numerous detours, to near Lamont, Wash., where the ride ended because of time constraints. We had initially planned to connect to the Columbia Plateau Trail (a.k.a. Fishlake Trail) off the John Wayne Trail for the final ride into Spokane, but the ballast on the old rail bed was so large we had to divert to roads. Near Cheney, Wash. the trail is maintained and rideable, but we didn’t make it that far.

We rode through some spectacular country: The John Wayne Trail up to Snoqualmie Tunnel, along the Yakima River, followed by a 15-mile descent through the Yakima Training Center to the Columbia River at dusk. There was an unexpected oasis as we rode along Lower Crab Creek. We saw a lot of this state that most people never get to see. And we met some really friendly locals, nothing like loaded bikes to start a conversation.

Lower Crab Creek, east of Beverly

One of the closed tunnels between Cle Elum and Ellensburg

Because of numerous tunnel and bridge closures there were some unpleasant detours onto I-90. These included riding I-90 up to Snoqualmie Pass and over the Columbia River at Vantage (the most dangerous part of the ride). Other detours make road riding required near Ritzville and Othello, but the roads are good and traffic is light. [Ed note: Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel is scheduled to reopen on July 5.]

There were numerous challenges planning this ride, mostly due to the lack of available information about sections of the John Wayne Trail. Permits are required for the trail sections east of the Columbia – and must be gotten in advance from either the State Parks or DNR depending on the section you want to ride. The army base also requires a permit but it is self-issued at the trail head.

Another issue is lodging/camping. There are good spots to camp along the trail between Rattlesnake Lake and the Snoqualmie Tunnel, and a few spots along Lake Keechelus. Then nothing until Wanapum State Park. On the east side of the Columbia, the trail is a narrow corridor through private land; the only legal camping spot is at the ORV park just east of Beverly. We ended up in motels in Othello and Ritzville.

Neil having lunch in the shade on the bridge over the Lower Crab Creek

A few other words of caution. Much of this trail is very isolated, most days we saw no one else on it. Cell phone coverage is limited. There are no bike shops between Ellensburg and Spokane so be prepared to be self-reliant. There are goat head thorns along the trail near Smyrna, Wash., with really no way to avoid them. Slime Super Thick tubes worked OK but regular Slime tubes just got shredded. There are also electric fences here, don’t try to leave the trail.

Water can be an issue too. We each rode with three-liter hydration packs and two water bottles and we carried a filter. It is good practice to refill whenever you can, especially east of the Columbia.

Riding on the rough rail beds in eastern Washington is slow going. Anticipate a pace of less than 10 mph, probably closer to 6 to 7 mph on average. But you’re on vacation, take your time and enjoy the ride.

Below is our map. Click through to see the details.

Are you a Cascade member with a bicycle trip report to share? Send it to me, and we’ll publish it on the blog.

Posted in Guest post, Touring, Trip reports | 1 Comment »