Skagit Valley Ride????

[jesvetmed]

Hey everyone! It is becoming tulip time in the Skagit Valley, and I'm wondering if anyone is up for a TE ride up here? I have SATURDAY, APRIL 19th off.

We could meet for coffee/breakfast and then head out for a tour thru the tulip fields, ending up at a local brew pub in LaConner, or anywhere. The rest of the day could be spent as anyone wants, but I believe that the street fair in Mt Vernon will be going on, and there's lots of art galleries, and all kinds of things happening during the Tulip Festival, which runs through all of April. Everyone could do whatever pleases them, or simply go home!

Anyone interested??? I can put together a map and a couple of distances, or we can all just do the same ride. I don't believe there's any major events that weekend, but you must be ready for tourist traffic. Perhaps we can skirt around a lot of it.

As an FYI: There is a major ride here in May that our Bike Club puts on... The Skagit Spring Classic Bicycle Ride on May 10th... if anyone is interested it is really a pretty good ride, with multiple distances from 25 miles to 100 miles.

Let me know if there's any interest. If yes, I'll get on the planning!
Jes

[KnottedYet]

Oh, yeah....

[MM_QFC!]

Hey Jes,
Sure, I'd be game for a ride...I think that I responded similarly in another thread, but the loop from Edgewater park, taking the dike road, around Fir Is and into La Conner and back is great...that Rexville market has some yummy stuff (plus espresso) for a rest stop and the tulip fields are great! http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/washington/skagit-valley-tulip-festival.php. Flat, but usually has some headwinds at some point...33ish miles...whaddya think?


And, yes, I've done the Skagit Spring Classic a bunch of times...beautiful routes and well-supported...with the espresso truck in the school parking lot at the start and the spaghetti feed and showers inside (BYO towel) post-ride!

[cyclinnewbie]

Sounds fun, if I can go slow lol. Between shifting and looking at the tulips, I believe I shall be a slug...

[KnottedYet]

Me! Slug! Me, me!

[MM_QFC!]

We could all do the same loop - at whatever pace we're comfortable and regroup often.

[jesvetmed]

OK... three takers so far for the April 19th Tulip TE Ride... I'll start the planning... MM: Excellent choices for riding! I'll see about making up maps, etc, and good meeting place to leave cars safely. AND COFFEE of course!

I'll post more later! Thanks all... looking forward to it!
Jes

[MM_QFC!]

Sounds good and for you to know: I've got cue sheet/map for that route and will be glad to make copies...also, there's plenty of parking at Edgewater park too. I've met a few friends as well as groups from Seattle bike clubs to do most-of-the-day rides out of there...even has bathrooms!
Mary

[jesvetmed]

MM: Cool ... I'll take you up on that! So you'll make the copies of the ride routes, and we can meet at the Edgewater Park. I love it! Details: Time of ride... how about 11:00 or so.. gives people some travel time if coming from down south? Or we could even start later if that's better. Can someone order up sunshine for us?!

[MM_QFC!]

yeah, a bit later in the AM works better, I agree...gives the sun more time to get higher in the sky and warm up all...it's about an hour + drive to get there from Seattle...so, in the interim, we can see who's going and arrange possible carpools or at least caravaning...it'll be great fun...

[KnottedYet]

I might have something going on the weekend of 19-20. We'll see.

The May ride could be good, too.

[MM_QFC!]

Yep, Knot, but one thing to consider is that the Skagit Spring classic is a supported ride put on by the Skagit bike club, so there's a registration fee involved - not so with a TE ride!

[KnottedYet]

Yeah, but April 19-20 DebW will be in Ashland at UBI. (UBI!!! OMG!!!! www.bikeschool.com ) Anybody wanna carpool down, let me know. I'm letting the ideas percolate at this point. (8 hrs south of here)

[sgtiger]

Have fun! <sniff, sniff> I'm attending a wedding for one of BIAK's soldiers that day.

[teigyr]

We're going to a wedding too.

Now if that wedding falls through, I'm thinking I would LOVE to ride then go to the pub :D

Not that I'm wishing for bad karma or anything. Just sayin'.

HAVE FUN!!! And if you do it another time, I would love to go.

[sgtiger]

Teigyr - LOL! I was trying to see if I could get myself out of attending. However, I think DH would be disappointed. The whole point was to have my little bro watch the kiddos for the whole day so we could go on a date night afterwards.

[MM_QFC!]

and, sgtiger, hopefully, you'll have a change in wardrobe for the wedding...and get outta that jacket that you got from Yoda! :eek:

[jesvetmed]

Would Sunday the 20th work any better for anyone? Seems like a lot of people have Saturday plans? I have to work Sun at 8pm, but could still do this and get in a nap (especially if we lunch with beer!). What does everyone think?

Of course -- you all could pick a different weekend to come up -- I just have to work the rest of them.. what kind of job is THAT?!!!:confused:

[MM_QFC!]

Would Sunday the 20th work any better for anyone? Seems like a lot of people have Saturday plans? I have to work Sun at 8pm, but could still do this and get in a nap (especially if we lunch with beer!). What does everyone think?

Of course -- you all could pick a different weekend to come up -- I just have to work the rest of them.. what kind of job is THAT?!!!:confused:

No, the 20th would be tougher for me to arrange, as I already have plans to ride with another group as well as dinner plans...just wanted to respond, but it might work for many others...we'll see?

[teigyr]

Jes - I'm thinking you should do what's best for you. I work quirky hours too and know that impending feeling of "I have to go to work", especially when it involves drinking (or not drinking) beer.

I have always thought it would be beautiful to ride up there though. I am envious of the ones that can make it!

[sgtiger]

Jes - I'm thinking you should do what's best for you. I work quirky hours too and know that impending feeling of "I have to go to work", especially when it involves drinking (or not drinking) beer.

I have always thought it would be beautiful to ride up there though. I am envious of the ones that can make it!

+1

Just enjoy yourselves. I'm sure there will be future TE rides that we will be able to meet-up at.

[sgtiger]

and, sgtiger, hopefully, you'll have a change in wardrobe for the wedding...and get outta that jacket that you got from Yoda! :eek:

Maybe get it bead-dazzled? It might work. But what kind of shoes would work with it?:confused:

[bikerHen]

Hi All,

I was just going to post about riding around the Skagit Valley. We WERE planning to go to Yellowstone April 10 -13, but it looks likes there's still to much winter in Wyoming. :( So, we are looking for another destination. The Skagit Valley is at the top of our list. Followed by, weather permitting, a trip over to the San Juan's.

MM, could you PM me or even mail me the cue sheet information you have for riding there? I've always heard it's a great place to ride but we have no idea what route to follow.

And given this is a weird weather year, would we be totally out of line to consider camping?

We would most likely ride around the valley on Friday the 11th, so if anyone IS off that day, the more the merrier. :D bikerHen

[MM_QFC!]

Hi BikerHen,
I don't have a soft copy of the cue sheet/map for the Skagit valley ride to email you, but let me check around and see if I can find a couple of options to email you, ok?
And, yeah, I remember being in Yellowstone in late May and June when there was snowfall! :(
Mary

[jesvetmed]

I may be able to hook up and ride the 11th ... I have to work at 6pm, but would enjoy a ride if the weather is ok! Let me know what you are thinking and let's see if I can work it out.

As for camping --- plan on being wet -- it never fails around here! But lots of people do it. Just be prepared. It has been unseasonably cold over here, but hopefully that is going to improve every day.

May is generally when the orca watching picks up in the San Juans, but San Juan Island (the lime kiln lighthouse) is excellent for having hours-long picnics and drinking wine, all the while keeping the binso on the water for the orca pods to come through!

Hope it works out for you.
Jessica

[Harley]

Sorry, I'd like to join you but I doubt the NC Pass will be open by then. Given all the snow it will probably be mid-May:(... but I'd love to pop over for a ride sometime.
I am signed up for the Alefest ride in Leavenworth April 26, if anyone is coming over to the East side.

[NbyNW]

My commuting bike _might_ be tuned up and ready to go by the 19th. It's supposed to be delivered Friday and then I've got an appointment to get it tuned up on the 12th !!!!!!!!

Keeping my fingers crossed . . .

[cyclinnewbie]

Sorry I am behind in my responses...work was a bit harrowing this week.

Jes...I think if we're going to all go together, we should work around you (speaking as someone who USED to work crazy-weird shift work hours, but is blessed to not have to do that anymore!).

And Knot...we can be slugs together!! I'd much rather look at tulips and chat than pedal my happy little butt off! Well I will still be pedalling my happy little butt off, but not in a I'm-gonna-kill-this-hill-before-it-kills-me manner lol

I can do either Sat or Sun, but Sat is a bit better...I like to have Sunday's as my get-ready-for-the-week day...laundry, cleaning, family dinner, church in the evening. Keeps me centered!

Anyhoo, that's my 2cents.;)

[mimitabby]

Kristen, not too many hills on this ride

[MM_QFC!]

Kristen, not too many hills on this ride

very true...more winds to contend with usually...

[MM_QFC!]

My commuting bike _might_ be tuned up and ready to go by the 19th. It's supposed to be delivered Friday and then I've got an appointment to get it tuned up on the 12th !!!!!!!!

Keeping my fingers crossed . . .

that'd be great, jocelyn; hope you can join us!

We'll wait on Jes to confirm the date/start time...then, I can share driving directions too.

[cyclinnewbie]

Wind I don't mind as long as it's behind me lol. I hope the tulips are blooming by then. I know they're behind this year...are they getting close to opening? I don't even have daffodils blooming yet....my tulips are up but don't have flower heads on them yet. I'm getting a bit bummed. I'm ready for more sun and warmth and flowers!

[jesvetmed]

Sorry... I'm out of town and have been offline for a couple of days!
Let's go ahead this time on SATURDAY APRIL 19th at 11am. MMQFC to send driving directions to the meeting point.
Let me know who all is coming for sure, and that way we know who to wait for before leaving!
Looking forward to it!
Jes

[MM_QFC!]

Sorry... I'm out of town and have been offline for a couple of days!
Let's go ahead this time on SATURDAY APRIL 19th at 11am. MMQFC to send driving directions to the meeting point.
Let me know who all is coming for sure, and that way we know who to wait for before leaving!
Looking forward to it!
Jes

OK, Jes, thanks for confirming and I'm still going, so I'll look forward to riding one of my favorite NW rides again. The tulips aren't out yet, since the nights have been so cold, so we may luck out with all the fields being ablaze with color on the 19th!
I hope that lots of you can join us to ride, so, PM me and I'll send you directions to the start, ok?
Mary