Met up for a quick spin around Lk Sammamish prior to taking on the McClinchey Mile this Sunday on Camano Island. Was pleased with the overall speed but I did keep my part quite flat. Karil and Don took on Whinery Hill which I elected to pass. Coffee at PCC in Issaquah.
Scouting a route through Magnolia in Seattle on this ride. Left from Kirkland to shorten the total distance a bit. Sunny day and great company made for a fun ride! Found a new coffee place to try. Rear fender had a fracture which we will need to get repaired!
Maybe finally Spring has sprung! After a cold start to April, on today’s Free Group Ride, we were blessed with dry conditions and mild temperatures (although we did have a pesky headwind when riding southward). Given how much rain was falling at 8am, it was great that 18 riders still showed up ready to ride for our 10 am start! Our route today took us through (and over the same named hill) Juanita, Kirkland, Bellevue, and Issaquah before our return to Woodinville. Our coffee and snacks stop was in Issaquah where, as shown in the pictures, people could sit outside without being cold! And we did get that delightful tailwind on the way back to the start!
A few cycling friends joined me in revisiting an older route to Edmonds Waterfront. I have it scheduled for late May for a Friday FRUMPS ride. A dry and overcast day still made for fun riding.
On an unseasonably cold and windy Tuesday morning, 3 riders joined me in a short Free Group Ride ride from Redmond to climb Montreux hill by Issaquah. While we had a stiff headwind heading out south from 60 Acres Park, we were delightfully surprised by being sheltered from the wind as we rode on W Lake Sammamish Parkway as the hillside appeared to have protected us from the worst of the wind. Montreux itself was as challenging for me as I remembered it could be. However, there is a top and we finally reached it for our coffee stop on Lakemont; and, we carefully selected our timing to be inside when a fierce rain squall rolled through the area! Returning via Bellevue, we had a delightful tailwind. We stopped on the Redmond Connector Trail to check on the eagles - and one was in the nest (we could just see the white of its head)! In the photo, the nest is pretty much directly above Karil in the distance. A solid ride today although the conditions felt more appropriate for mid February rather than mid April!
Another yucky rainy Sunday. I hated to cancel our weekly ride but the other Moderate paced Ride Leaders all agreed we should cancel as I did too. The Steady paced group Ride Leader wanted to try his ride - only 4 other riders showed up and they did a very rain shortened ride. There will be better days to ride.
Lacking a bit of motivation, I only cranked out a little over a half hour of work but that should set me up to be well rested for Tuesday’s planned ride up Montreux in Issaquah….at least I hope it does! Still we had fun day with The Bride so all was not lost!
Christine has re-started the weekly Friday group ride, FRUMPS (Friday Rides for Unemployed Merry Pedalers), which went into abeyance somewhere in the pandemic. Today was the first ride of the new version of the old series. It was also a route I wanted to jump onto since it used some streets on which I wasn't familiar and could use for future group rides heading north from Woodinville.
We caught a sunny day and, despite my concerns, I wasn't actually overdressed despite the solar heating. Since I usually can't ride on Friday mornings due to a standing Bridge Game commitment, this was a bit of a treat for me as my partner for the regular Friday game wasn't able to play today. It turns out I will have a few extra Fridays coming up for rides as he will be gone a fair bit on travel. Lucky me - more rides and I don't have to travel!!
Our route headed north and Christine asked me to lead the group up the first (and really only) hill which seemed to go on forever. It was good that the hill was at the start although several of the usual riders can crush me on the hills.....but they were nice to me today! My ego says: "Thank you!"
Coffee/Snack stop at Mill Creek Shopping Center which makes a pretty cycling stop at least during the week. It might get crazy on weekends.
At the start:
Bikes scattered around the tables at the coffee stop:
The group getting ready to head back:
Route du jour:
I joined a mid-week Cascade group ride to help support a mentoring ride for a new Ride Leader candidate. She did great and I presume she will be approved shortly! Yay!
We did a short loop around Lk Sammamish on this very sunny but still a bit windy and chilly day....and I was generally good and stayed with the group although it was tempting on this sunny day to let loose and take a flier on the long stretches of road! But we didn't go rogue today!
Coffee/snacks stop at PCC in Issaquah - great selection of goodies!!
Parking the bikes!
Over my right shoulder is an eagle's nest - you can just see the white head of what I think is the female. I think because this is the third time I have seen someone in the nest this last week. Perhaps she may be sitting on some new eggs!?!
A little closer shot of the nest with the white head just sticking up if you look very closely.
Route du jour
Took a chance on the weather forecast and we rode in cold and windy conditions but without a single raindrop!! Surprising to all of us!
5 of us pre-rode the route scheduled for Sunday April 16 as I wanted to confirm some details and also familiarize another Ride Leader on the route info.
Mostly uneventful riding although the big surprise was seeing a herd of elk outside of the Carnation Farms by Carnation, WA! It was like being back in Yellowstone National Park!!
And yes we also had blue sky and sun....at least for a while!
Very rainy day - canceled scheduled rides as all affected ride leaders agreed!
Just more zone 4 intervals done while watching an old Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves movie, "Speed" - actually pretty fun adventure flick with Jeff Bridges and Dennis Hopper!
And just to put Easter in a dog's context.....
Our ride was up north by Snohomish and Everett - areas I want to learn better. This was a weekly TREATS ride so way more social than performance oriented!
However, we woke up to ice/hail on our back deck.....this is April.....we need some warmth!
However, it was a sunny day and slowly warmed to be only cold....and not freezing!
Wally led us a true Steady paced ride - very nice countryside and I liked how he navigated through Everett to get to Legion Park. All in all, a fun ride with a great bakery stop in Snohomish at the end!
