2007 Bike Ride #4: Lake Samm loop, plus some

[wickedwords]

Ride Length: 33.5 miles (via bike computer) (a little over 50km, so a metric half-century)
Where: Over hill to 124th, down to the Samm bike trail to Marymoor, and around Lake Sammamish
Start Time: 10:00 am (ish)
How long: 4:08 by watch
Heart Rate: 132 avg, 164 peak

The news said that this morning would be the warmest day of the year so far, and I believe it. When I passed one of those time and temp things at around 11:00 am, it said it was 58F; I know it was warm and sunny. There were a lot of people out on the trails--I got passed by several big groups--and everyone was polite about it. People said 'Hi', and 'Lovely day for a ride' when we all got stopped at stoplights together. It was pretty cool.

Next week is the 'official' start of the biking season in Seattle, with the Chilly Hilly bike ride, 33 miles around Bainbridge Island. I won't be participating as I will be at escapadecon, but I am positive a lot of these people were doing warm up rides for that.

As I am not doing the ride next week, I did my own version this weekend, hence the 33 miles today. It's the most I have done since taking up biking again, and I am really proud of myself for not walking the bike the entire ride. (well, other than about 20 feet.) I climbed around 1000 feet or more, given that the big hill was 500 feet, and there were another couple of hills of around the 200-300 foot range. So there lots of hills for me, but less than half of what the Chilly Hilly has as far as climbing distance goes. And about a bazillion feet less than what's needed for the RSVP this summer. But I have several months to work up to that. I need to work on speed, hills, and distance if I am going to make the ride.

Comments

[emyrys.livejournal.com]

Ack -- why did I not realize that you live in Seattle !?!? I read & admire your bike reiding exlpots all the time, but never really remembered where they all took place. Cause, I'd've written you ages ago. I'm not going to Escapade this year :-( because I will be in ..... Seattle!! :-)

How long are you staying in southern Cal? I will be in Seattle from Wed. 2/21 until Thursday 3/1 (leaving that night). Any chance of getting together sometime? I'm planning on renting a car & I'm good with a map, so I should be able to get around to anyplace.

Any recommendations of things I should see? Places I should go? Favorite coffee shops I could go to?

I'll be in a conference the first few days, but I'll have Sunday - Thursday free to explore.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

I will be back Late sunday night, and around Monday, so we should be able to get together that week. Can you give me an off-LJ email, and I can send you my info?

[emyrys.livejournal.com]

You can use the emyrys at yahoo com email. I am so excited!!

... but also totally panicking. I fly out early Wed. morning & I am so very very far from being even remotely near ready to go. /* runs off to finish my errands */

[emyrys.livejournal.com]

PS. ANd congratulations on your riding. Reading your entires has totally inspired me to actually start riding my bike this spring. (I bought it two summers ago, but have yet to ride it for any length of time).

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It takes awhile to build up, so don't stress over not doing big rides right now.

[kimberlite.livejournal.com]

Wow, that sounds like a neat ride. Go you. :)

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[tovalentin.livejournal.com]

God, Rache. 33 MILES! You're a goddess. 33 miles. With added hillyness. Lordy.

See you next week at Escapade.

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

I will see you then, yay!

[barkley.livejournal.com]

Oh, awesome! Good job on the riding and for keeping it up during the winter (though 58 F? Is that normal for the winter there? I put my bike away in November and haven't been back for it since.)

[wickedwords.livejournal.com]

58 is so not normal. It was a big heat wave. Today we were back to our normal 40s for this time of year. It was just too good to pass up.