Bike ride, Friday, August eighth, two thousand eight. A day that will live in blogfamy
Meredith took the car and her sister to the Quilt show at the convention center.
So I took the bike to Queen Anne Starbucks.
Took the usual route, Lake Washington trail to the UW then the Burke Gilman to Fremont, across the bridge and up Florentia to 3rd West and the long pump to the corner of Queen Anne and Boston, past the house of the person who tried to run over me with a Toyota in a Seattle Symphony related incident.
Tall drip and a fat-free turkey bacon sandwich heated up in the microwave.
You remember last time I did this trip I complained that the trip down wasn't fast enough.
This time I decided to take 3rd West down, long straight ride.
I hit 37 mph on the portion that had been resurfaced in asphalt and began thinking, with a petit frisson of terror about the lower half that had been only prepared and not paved.
Prepared as in all dug up and chewed into rough patches and meandering ridges.
A petit frisson of terror not unlike the petit frisson of terror that I get riding past the house of the person who tried to run over me with a Toyota in a Seattle Symphony related incident.
The trip up had only been 15.5 miles, which meant that the trip home would only be 30.1 miles. so I started thinking of ways to add 10 more miles to the trip to make it 40.
While pondering that, I stopped at Recycled Cycles to check out brake pads to see if there was some new material that wouldn't leave gooey patches on my rims and make stopping all lumpy and noisy.
Turns out there are quite a few different kinds and styles and the ones that looked most like mine were $18 a one-wheel set. So phooey on that. The brakes hadn't been grabbing this trip anyway, only squealing.
So...on down to Lk. Wash, skirting the Arboretum (which is a fast trip going north but a vehiclularly intimidating slow slog sailing south) to Madison valley where I once got a ticket for having a turn signal bulb out in the ALFA, and back to curvy Ohlmstead legacy part of the the L.W. trail, past Bush school where they've planted the big sea-monster like "T" square on the lawn to the wonderful big "S" curve past the last house Kurt Cobain ever owned, and thence on to Mama Williebelles barbecue stand and Leschi.
During which I decided that a cut across the lake via the I-90 corridor trail would be just the thing to pad the mileage of the trip.
The trail to the bridge splits off from LWB at Leschi and follows more
Ohlmstead legacy curvy tree lined road, which is a nice way to travel even though it is a bit of a climb to the head of the floating bridge.
once there, however, its a long fast trip to water level, giving up all the potential energy gained on the climb, but, that is what it's all about, knowhattimsayn'
The ride through Mercer island is a park like pastoral run that is a lot faster west to east than the other way because the hills are long and gentle going down and short and steep going up so that you can gain plenty of speed to coast to the top of the short steep parts.
East to West is just the opposite, long slogs up and short opportunities for wind in your hair on the downward run.
Across the other bridge and through the Mercer slough wetland trail and the junction of the east side of the Lk. Wash. trail, otherwise known as 15 miles of fair to middlin' bike road.
The trail has become quite undermined by roots of the trees.
Keeps you awake, and I like the trees.
The trees are only on the east side of the trail, the other side is freeway.
Quite often it's possible to pass the freeway traffic, which sometimes (more often than not, actually) moving very slowly.
Now that I was headed south approaching Renton, it dawned on me that, ever since I started across the bridge, I seemed to be facing a headwind.
Also I was approaching the 40 mile mark and fatigue began to intrude on my otherwise idyllic peregrination.
I began to look forward to rounding the south end of Renton airport and having the wind in my corner.
Ah, well, that didn't work out, the wind, being free as a breeze decided to change direction just for me, thanks, God.
It was amusing, however to see a herd of goats helping with weed control along the airport periphery road.
Back up to Rainier Ave. I began to crave a frosted doughnut. Thought I might stop at The Ugly Mug, which I soon realized I had already passed, oops. Turned around found the Mug, tied up the bike, walked to the front door, read the "closed" sign, and yea, I wept.
Fortunately, there is a small grocery store on the same block, where I purchased a six-pack of little chocolate donuts (notice the difference in spelling, that's deliberate) and a root beer.
Not what I wanted, but life made out of things you can't have.
Music may be the food of the Gods, but compromise what us mortals, no matter how deserving, have for lunch each and every day.
At least the carbs fueled the climb through Dead Horse canyon on Holyoke st.
A short coast back home and rest.
A 44.6 mile trip.
Taking 4 hours 08 minutes and 32 seconds.
With a maximum speed of 37 mph (on 3rd west)
For an average speed of 10.7 mph.
Bringing my accumulation to 666 miles.
44 miles in 4 hours;
This compares favorably with 5 1/2 hours for the 50 mile trip around the lake last time I tried it....
At 66 years, I'm still capable of something other than deterioration.
Barbecue at Mac&Janet's yesterday, celebrating family values not found in churches.
So I took the bike to Queen Anne Starbucks.
Took the usual route, Lake Washington trail to the UW then the Burke Gilman to Fremont, across the bridge and up Florentia to 3rd West and the long pump to the corner of Queen Anne and Boston, past the house of the person who tried to run over me with a Toyota in a Seattle Symphony related incident.
Tall drip and a fat-free turkey bacon sandwich heated up in the microwave.
You remember last time I did this trip I complained that the trip down wasn't fast enough.
This time I decided to take 3rd West down, long straight ride.
I hit 37 mph on the portion that had been resurfaced in asphalt and began thinking, with a petit frisson of terror about the lower half that had been only prepared and not paved.
Prepared as in all dug up and chewed into rough patches and meandering ridges.
A petit frisson of terror not unlike the petit frisson of terror that I get riding past the house of the person who tried to run over me with a Toyota in a Seattle Symphony related incident.
The trip up had only been 15.5 miles, which meant that the trip home would only be 30.1 miles. so I started thinking of ways to add 10 more miles to the trip to make it 40.
While pondering that, I stopped at Recycled Cycles to check out brake pads to see if there was some new material that wouldn't leave gooey patches on my rims and make stopping all lumpy and noisy.
Turns out there are quite a few different kinds and styles and the ones that looked most like mine were $18 a one-wheel set. So phooey on that. The brakes hadn't been grabbing this trip anyway, only squealing.
So...on down to Lk. Wash, skirting the Arboretum (which is a fast trip going north but a vehiclularly intimidating slow slog sailing south) to Madison valley where I once got a ticket for having a turn signal bulb out in the ALFA, and back to curvy Ohlmstead legacy part of the the L.W. trail, past Bush school where they've planted the big sea-monster like "T" square on the lawn to the wonderful big "S" curve past the last house Kurt Cobain ever owned, and thence on to Mama Williebelles barbecue stand and Leschi.
During which I decided that a cut across the lake via the I-90 corridor trail would be just the thing to pad the mileage of the trip.
The trail to the bridge splits off from LWB at Leschi and follows more
Ohlmstead legacy curvy tree lined road, which is a nice way to travel even though it is a bit of a climb to the head of the floating bridge.
once there, however, its a long fast trip to water level, giving up all the potential energy gained on the climb, but, that is what it's all about, knowhattimsayn'
The ride through Mercer island is a park like pastoral run that is a lot faster west to east than the other way because the hills are long and gentle going down and short and steep going up so that you can gain plenty of speed to coast to the top of the short steep parts.
East to West is just the opposite, long slogs up and short opportunities for wind in your hair on the downward run.
Across the other bridge and through the Mercer slough wetland trail and the junction of the east side of the Lk. Wash. trail, otherwise known as 15 miles of fair to middlin' bike road.
The trail has become quite undermined by roots of the trees.
Keeps you awake, and I like the trees.
The trees are only on the east side of the trail, the other side is freeway.
Quite often it's possible to pass the freeway traffic, which sometimes (more often than not, actually) moving very slowly.
Now that I was headed south approaching Renton, it dawned on me that, ever since I started across the bridge, I seemed to be facing a headwind.
Also I was approaching the 40 mile mark and fatigue began to intrude on my otherwise idyllic peregrination.
I began to look forward to rounding the south end of Renton airport and having the wind in my corner.
Ah, well, that didn't work out, the wind, being free as a breeze decided to change direction just for me, thanks, God.
It was amusing, however to see a herd of goats helping with weed control along the airport periphery road.
Back up to Rainier Ave. I began to crave a frosted doughnut. Thought I might stop at The Ugly Mug, which I soon realized I had already passed, oops. Turned around found the Mug, tied up the bike, walked to the front door, read the "closed" sign, and yea, I wept.
Fortunately, there is a small grocery store on the same block, where I purchased a six-pack of little chocolate donuts (notice the difference in spelling, that's deliberate) and a root beer.
Not what I wanted, but life made out of things you can't have.
Music may be the food of the Gods, but compromise what us mortals, no matter how deserving, have for lunch each and every day.
At least the carbs fueled the climb through Dead Horse canyon on Holyoke st.
A short coast back home and rest.
A 44.6 mile trip.
Taking 4 hours 08 minutes and 32 seconds.
With a maximum speed of 37 mph (on 3rd west)
For an average speed of 10.7 mph.
Bringing my accumulation to 666 miles.
44 miles in 4 hours;
This compares favorably with 5 1/2 hours for the 50 mile trip around the lake last time I tried it....
At 66 years, I'm still capable of something other than deterioration.
Barbecue at Mac&Janet's yesterday, celebrating family values not found in churches.
posted by Lane Savant at 10:10 AM
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