2 Points and a Levee........and a commute

Cascade Bicycle Club runs a training series and my friend is one of the ride leaders.  We had planned to preride the upcoming ride "CTS-6, Two Points and a Levee" over the weekend so that she was familiar with the route.  Alas, that did not happen due to a wet and yucky Sunday.

I was really looking forward to riding that route so last night late, with a forecast for dry weather, I made plans to ride.  I planned to pedal to Renton, the official starting location, because that's what I do. ;-)

I made my way down Queen Anne hill and into downtown Seattle.  I took 2nd Ave through downtown.  I took the center of the right lane as I usually do, but several cars still passed very close despite having other lanes available.  I guess it was one of those "might makes right" things.

The most tense moment with traffic occurred about 10 miles in to today's ride as I rolled slightly downhill at just over 20 mph along Cloverdale St as I approached Martin Luther King Jr Way.  An SUV coming toward me in the opposing lane decided to make a left turn in front of me without actually having enough clearance to do so. There are rail tracks running with MLK and room to maneuver was limited.  I executed a quick stop and managed to stop about 5 feet short of the SUV.  I glared at the driver, he looked clueless.

I rode a bit farther and stopped at Beer Sheva Park for a water top off, a restroom break, and to take this photo:

I was now on the STP route along Lake Washington.  The sun was out and life was good. I soon arrived at the Old Renton City Hall, and my "ride to the ride" was finished.  I brought up the "2 Points and a Levee" route on my GPS and took off.

The section along W Valley Rd was a bit dicey.  Again, there were multiple lanes going my way, but the vehicles were less than eager to give me space.  I had heard the warnings of Peasey Canyon Rd being "a hill", but was glad when I took the turn to go up there.  The hill wasn't all that bad, about 2 miles at 4%-6%.

I was soon in Dash Point, the first "point" of today's ride. I took a short off route pedal to grab this view of the Sound.

I proceeded the short distance to Brown's Point, the second point for the route,  stopping to take several photos along the way.

I was soon on the outskirts of Tacoma.  The view was now more industrial.

There was a band of clouds along the Cascades, but I could still make out Mt Rainier.

I skirted along Tacoma then joined the Puyallup River, and pedaled along a levee.  Having been to both points, and now the levee, I was ready to turn back northward. As I pedaled I noted marked evacuation routes for volcanic activity.  While the Puyallup River currently carries water to Puget Sound, it doesn't take much imagination for anyone in the Pacific Northwest on May 18th, 1980 to envision something much more dangerous than water racing down this path.  As I rode through Sumner I recognized the town, having pedaled through there on other bike events.

In Sumner I turned north.  I had been enjoying a tailwind most of the day to this point, it was now time to pay it back.

I rode into a stiff breeze as I pedaled the Interurban Trail.  I was moving faster than most of the folks out enjoying the nice weather on this trail today. I was on my aerobars and pedaling, when, much to my surprise, I saw a rather large guy on a flat bar bike gaining on me.  I picked up the speed in an attempt to keep him at bay to no avail.  As he passed, I heard the tell-tale hum of an electric assist.  He just smiled.  :-)

I continued along the Interurban Trail.

The trail has a small waterway along much of it, and often ducks would be swimming along just feet from me as I passed, but every time I stopped to take a photo they'd swim off before I could get the camera out. Oh well, I guess we've all seen ducks before. ;-)

I arrived back in Old Renton City Hall, ate a power bar, loaded the return commute, and pedaled off. I had just over 15 miles to go, two hills, and headwind. Fun!  The riding through downtown was slow, as it always is.  I rode back via 4th Ave.  I finished up with a climb up Taylor St.  I was surprised to be able to ride up this after 99 miles about the same speed as when I'm fresh.  I guess slow is slow.

It was a good ride, and a great day.

..............road bike.......rollers.........mtb.....lifecycle.....total
Today............101...............0.............0..........0.............101 Jan..................93..............0..............0.........0..............93 Feb................411..............0..............0.........0............411 March.............653..............0.............0.........0............653 April..............488.............0...............0.........0............488 Total.............1648.............0...............0.........0..........1648