Riding in the Dark Days of Winter!
December is often a month in which bikes are put away and attention is paid more to chips, dips, and football games. This year, however, we have been able to continue to offer rides with folks as the weather, while rainy and cold, has not actually snowed or iced up! Proving that, within reason, the Pacific Northwest is a year round cycling mecca!! (LOL!)
December 15 - Spokespeople - NE Ride - this is the 12th month of our offering this community ride series in North East Seattle. At one point we were going to have 6 riders plus me but illness, holiday schedules, and perhaps the weather all contributed to only having 3 riders show up. However, they were determined riders and even though the rain was falling the whole time, there was never a question about canceling the ride! My Garmin showed the average temperature to be about 39F and rain did fall the entire time! Our short course was about 15 miles at an Easy or Leisurely pace (somewhere between 8-12 mph depending on the riders) - our folks today were a little more accomplished and we ended up riding more like 12-14 mph on the flats. Here is the course we used:
As you can see it is a pretty flat course but then it was intended to be so!
Here are the 3 intrepid riders having a snack at Lake Forest Park courtesy of the Great Harvest Bakery! Warm cups felt pretty good on cold hands at this point!
Now we leave from a place in Seattle called Hunter Tree Farm, and most of the year, there are few to no trees around. But this time of year, Hunter Tree FArm actually looks like a Tree Farm!
They even had a reindeer resting on some straw - I looked for one with a red nose but couldn't find any so this fellow had to do for my picture!
December 16 - Carnation -Tokul Creek Ride - aka A River (or Two) Runs Through It Ride -
This was a regular Cascade Ride but also a mentored ride for Heidi, a Ride Leader in Training. We collected lots of IOU's to be sure we had enough riders to qualify for the ride. Again it was 39F and raining the entire 25 miles on this ride! However, again there was never a question about whether or not to ride. Here is the course we rode:
Here are Christy and Rick at the start - however, they forgot one of the bike wheels and had to return home to find it! Tough to ride a unicycle on a course like ours! We'll get together on the next ride with all of the wheels!
Debbie (with the Holiday Bling) and Richard are all kitted up for the weather!
These folks wanted to ride to get warm as it was cold waiting around at the start!
Jen is all kitted up for the big ride!
Here is our peloton in Fall City - they all qualified to be considered Bad Ass Riders as they certainly satisfied the requirements of Rule #9 (http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/) - "If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a
badass. Period." I'll have to see about getting merit badges for everyone!!
Upcoming Rides:
December 23 - Eastside Whoop-de-do Loop! Ride
This ride will be a social jaunt on the East Side starting in Kirkland and heading
southward into Bellevue down to the I-90 corridor. We will return up
Rose Hill and then along the Kirkland Waterfront north of Marina Park.
While not exceptionally hilly, this 28 mile ride has about 2000 feet of
cumulative climbing. Come dressed for all kinds of December weather.
This ride could be your last great relaxation and preparation
opportunity for the holiday festivities which may be about to begin in
earnest! The pace will be Steady on the flats; faster riders and better
climbers are welcome, but for them the ride becomes self-paced and
self-guided. Riders can ride on their own, in small groups, or with the
ride leader. Printed Cue Sheets will be available at the start and can
be obtained ahead of time by emailing the ride leader by Friday noon
before the ride. The draft route is at:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1995711. We leave at 0930 on Sunday - The map to starting location:
http://goo.gl/maps/AVDd0
Route is 28 miles and 1950+ feet. This will also be a mentoring ride for a RL Candidate.
December 26 - A Boxing Day Ride! Logboom Park to Edmonds
A Boxing Day Special! Here's a great chance to try out and show all of
your new bikey toys right away as we take a pleasant ride from Logboom
Park (Kenmore) up to Edmonds (lots of coffee shops & pastries!)
We'll select from the available shops for a brief break for coffee
and/or pastries. We will return via Woodway. Our routing tries to have
us stay on quieter roads but we will be on some busier road for short
stretches. The draft route & cues are at http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1785757. The map to the starting location: http://goo.gl/maps/x3cUX Route is 30 miles and 1900 feet elevation. This will also be a mentoring ride for a RL Candidate.
January 1 - Kick-Off the New Year Ride
While traditionally a kickoff day for football, this year we will be
riding our Kick-Off the New Year Right Ride to help kick-off your new
year resolution to ride more! (You did make that resolution last night
didn't you?) We'll start in Kirkland at Marina Park and head southward
toward the I-90 corridor running largely along the waterfront streets.
We'll return inland a bit up Rose Hill and finish with the Kirkland
waterfront. This social oriented ride will be conducted at a Steady pace
(on the flats); faster riders and better climbers are welcome, but for
them the ride becomes self-paced and self-guided. Riders can ride on
their own, in small groups, or with the ride leader. Printed Cue Sheets
will be available at the start and can be obtained ahead of time by
emailing the ride leader by Friday noon before the ride. The draft route
is at:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1984768.
The ride leader is slow up any hills we may encounter but will always
get there. Riders should have 2 tubes, pump, and the knowledge of how to
use them. The map to starting location:
http://goo.gl/maps/AVDd0
Length - 28 miles and 2000 feet of elevation total
Terrain - Some Hills
Steady Rain Cancels (as well as Ice/Snow)
Occasional Regroups
Printed Cue Sheets available at Start
This will also be a mentoring ride for a RL Candidate.
