Skagit Valley Ride (Mt Vernon - La Conner) - Sat, 4/19

[MM_QFC!]

OK, we're on for a ride in Skagit Valley per Jesvetmed's earlier post. Sat, 4/19.
I'll be heading up from just north of Seattle...so, who else is coming?

PM me and I'll forward you the driving directions to our start location. I'll bring a cue sheet/map for each rider too.
It's tulip festival time during April in the Skagit Valley, so there will be traffic on the main roads, however there are good shoulders in most places and we'll take a bunch of quiet back roads too. For those of you who aren't familiar with this route, it's about 32 miles, flat but usually windy when we're out in the open in the valley; the only 2 pulls are heading up overpasses. We'll regroup regularly and stop in La Conner - there are plenty of places to get snacks/sandwiches/drinks - also restrooms - before heading back past more tulip fields to Mt Vernon. Let's figure that the weather will warm up, especially at night, so that the we'll luck out with timing and the tulips will bloom just in time for our ride!

Tailwinds!
Mary

[NbyNW]

My bike came today!

Pic is posted at http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?p=305067#post305067

Anybody want to carpool from Seattle?

[MM_QFC!]

ok, we're working on carpooling and caravaning plans for this ride next Sat - planning on meeting at a North end P&R lot (Shoreline, right off an I-5 exit) @ 9:15. If folks have room for another rider and bike, then we can group together for the drive up/back.
Let me know if you're interested in joining us!
Mary

[jesvetmed]

The paper reports the tulips are up --- I haven't driven over to check it out, but see them in everyone's garden blooming, so I think we will have a beautiful ride on Saturday! Looking forward to seeing everyone, and I am doing Sunshine Dance!
Jes

[MM_QFC!]

The paper reports the tulips are up --- I haven't driven over to check it out, but see them in everyone's garden blooming, so I think we will have a beautiful ride on Saturday! Looking forward to seeing everyone, and I am doing Sunshine Dance!
Jes

Thanks for the tulip report, Jes! Yes, I heard that they were just starting to bloom so, hopefully this rainy, cooler weather now won't last till the weekend.
I had a great ride Arlington - Stanwood area on Saturday; couldn't get more perfect conditions and even spotted, then stopped to watch a newly born calf finish getting cleaned up by Mommy cow and stand on verrrrry wobbly legs! I think that the vet in you would've enjoyed it too!
Keep that sunshine dance going will ya?!
Mary

[jesvetmed]

Oh... I love watching the babies try to stand. Was on a long walk last year and came across one. Had been a while since I got to see it.

Holding out for sun... the paper didn't look promising -- as a matter of fact, it's supposed to be COLD that day. So plan ahead for warm dressing!

[MM_QFC!]

Holding out for sun... the paper didn't look promising -- as a matter of fact, it's supposed to be COLD that day. So plan ahead for warm dressing!


Yeah, the weather doesn't just look "iffy" at this point but, with a high around the mid-40's, with accompanying winds, precip - it could well be 'yucky' too...here's what KomoTV says: "Saturday, we're expecting near record low MAX temperatures with Lowland temps 10-15 degrees below normal. With those cold low to mid-40 degree temps plus a lot of moisture, we may see a mix of showers, snow, and hail. Oh, and a chilly breeze."

Sigh...hoping that it'll change, but we'd better be ready to reschedule, eh?

[Susan126]

Poor tulips! What's up with this weather any how?

:mad:

Sue

[MM_QFC!]

Yeah, it's strange this year...however, the local Chamber says that: "4/15: The tulips are blooming! Check your tulip festival map ~ Fields 6,7,11,16,17,27,and 28 are starting to dazzle. If you don't have a map handy, these fields are located on La Conner-Whitney Rd, Mc Lean Rd, Calhoun Rd, and AvonAllen Rd."
That's in the area that we're planning to ride, so I'm hoping for a bigtime weather improvement...
Jes - get those happy feet going faster on the sunshine dance, willya?!

[jesvetmed]

I'm too tired to dance faster! I need caffeine! I'm starting to think this sunshine dance is hopeless!? :(

[MM_QFC!]

I'll send PMs also, but unfortunately, the weather looks worse for Sat, than just being unseasonably cold, so we'll have to cancel our plans to ride.

I checked a local tv station for the Sat weather forecast a few minutes ago (below) and it looks too 'yecchy' (technical term!) and maybe even too slick and dangerous to ride. We'll try to put another ride on the calendar again soon; thanks for your patience.

"The bulk of the cold air arrives Friday night and into Saturday. And while we won't have much moisture around, whatever showers that are out there could again be in the form of snow, especially late Friday night/early Saturday morning and above 500 feet or perhaps briefly lower in heavier showers. And again, no significant accumulations expected beyond a dusting to maybe enough to cover the grass in spots, although if you get a really heavy showers, I suppose it'd be possible for an isolated place or two to get an inch or so.

But aside from snow, we might also see ice pellets, hail and maybe some occasional lightning as the atmospheres will be quite unstable. Temperatures will probably briefly claw their way to the mid 40s at some point in between showers so that will be our official high, but I bet many areas spend most of the day closer to 38-40. "

Tailwinds!
Mary

[Susan126]

Too bad about the weather but to be on the positive side, spring and the 2008 season is just beginning and the warm days are coming!

Hopefully this weekend will be the last of this cold stuff!!!!!

I guess it's a mountain biking this weekend.