Fall Rides are BEAUTIFUL!

Fall is here and we have been lucky to have some beautiful days for riding . . . 

2014 Kitsap Color Classic, September 21st, Hanesville 

KCC Port Gamble

KCC Poulsbo

CBC ride from Renton to Madison Park, October 5th

October 7th ride I did after work

Last Days of Summer

August has been a great cycling month for me!  There were my morning coffee rides which were awesome because of the beautiful summer mornings and sunshine and of course the reward of coffee at the half way point.  Then there were my long weekend rides, all along scenic views like the Sumner to Alki ride where I had lunch with a spectacular view which looked out across the sound to the Seattle sky line.  Then there were the Sumner to Gig Harbor rides, with a magnificent view from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.  I also participated in the inaugural south end "All Girls Ride".  FUN!  And of course my big big ride the RSVP.  Ride from Seattle to Vancouver BC and Party!  A two day ride which started at 6 AM on Friday, August 15th from the University of Washington's parking lot to Bellingham, WA with a total of 110 miles to my hotel.  And from Bellingham to Vancouver on day two with a total distance of 82 miles.  I'm always sad when my summer break ends and I'm back at work but on the bright side I go back with a great bank of memories of wonderful rides that will get me through the long winter months.  Summer 2014 was a super cycling season!  :-)

 Sumner to Gig Harbor

 Sumner to Kent Station for coffee

 Sumner to Alki for lunch

 Morning ride from Sumner to Kent

 2014 RSVP, Friday, August 15th and Saturday, August 16th

 Sumner to South Prairie for coffee

Inaugural all girls ride from Sumner to Gig Harbor

Sumner to Gig Harbor

Yesterday, August 2nd, I joined Patty and Rick on their ride from Sumner to Gig Harbor and back.  We met at the Fred Meyer parking lot at 8:00 AM.  There were 23 riders including myself on this beautiful summer morning.  We set off and rode from Sumner through Puyallup into Tacoma.  We passed Stadium High School on our way to the Ruston Way waterfront.  The highlight of the ride was riding over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.  I love riding over this bridge.  The views are always spectacular!  After we crossed the bridge we headed to Olympic Village shopping center where we stopped for our mid ride break.  On our return ride we had to go down South 25th Street hill that runs through Tacoma.  It's very steep with a traffic light at every single corner and of course we caught every light!  We finished off on flat roads back through Puyallup and into Sumner.  

Summer Vashon Island Ride

Every summer I take the Point Defiance Ferry to Vashon Island and take a bike ride around the isle.  I did my ride this summer on Friday, July 18th.  The day started out with a very light marine layer that burned away quickly.  By the time I arrived at the ferry dock the sun was peeking through.  The crossing is only 15 minutes and once docked I exited the ferry and began climbing.  My first visit was to Maury Island and Point Robinson to see the lighthouse.  To get to the lighthouse meant a lot of climbing but with a sweet reward of an awesome downhill to Robinson Park.  After my visit and numerous picture taking I left and began my climb back up and out of Robinson Park.  I decided not to visit the bike in the tree this trip because I have seen it many times and I have countless pictures of it so I continued on until I came to the Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie where I took a nice break and enjoyed a wonderful dark chocolate mocha.  My ride continued to the north end of the island where I screamed down a 21% grade to the Vashon North End Ferry Terminal.  After a short break I climbed back up that hill I flew down.  Believe me coming down was a lot more pleasant and fun then the climbing up and out was.  I finished my adventure on Vashon by riding around the west side of the island back to the south end and the Tahlequah dock where I caught the ferry back to Point Defiance.  What a great day on both my bike and the island.