Finally NICE weather! Are you taking advantage?

[Susan126]

I sure am! This morning a friend from the gym and I are meeting to do a 70 mile ride this morning. We are going to do the out and back from Enumclaw to the entrance of Mount Rainier National Park! Up highway 410 past Greenwater and Crystal Mountain Road to the park and back! Whoooo Hoooooo! I'm leaving in about 2 hours to meet up with her.

So, anyone else have some big ride today? It's going to be GORGEOUS! So I hope you are!

Enjoy the weather, the sun, and your bike! I sure am!

Sue

:D

[NbyNW]

I will have to live vicariously through hearing about your adventures. I've got deadlines at work every day this week, two tomorrow. Booooo.

[mimitabby]

bike commuting every day; does that count?

[dex]

I want to be, but instead I'm battling a headcold that wants to turn into a sinus infection. Hopefully I'll get this thing under control in the next couple of days. *sigh*

[GLC1968]

I'm commuting to work every day, at least. All my other free time is spent getting the house ready for moving in.
Ugh...I've ridden less this summer than I did this past winter in NC, for pete's sake! :mad:

[LainiePants]

Bleh....My stupid wrist has started hurting. :( So I'm going to try to take this week off riding in hopes of it getting better. Ah but it's SO SO SO nice out....maybe i could ride with just my left hand ? :D

[Susan126]

GLC1968 and mimitabby, of course bike commuting counts! :)

Sorry about work and deadlines jocelynlf :(, hey the weekend is supposed to be pretty decent so I hope you will get out then! :)

dex there is nothing worse than a summer cold, except a summer cold on a beautiful day! I'm sorry to hear that you are sick. Please take care and get well. July isn't even half over and then there's the entire month of August!

LainiePants, how did you hurt your wrist? I hope you resting it for a week will help and that it's feeling better soon!

Well Trish and I met up at 9 AM and had a great ride. The climb up to the park entrance gave us quite a workout. And we thought on the return it would be easy coming back . . . but we had one big headwind all the way back into Enumclaw! So we worked hard on the way up and on the way back down. But the scenery more than made up for it. I took one picture of Trish outside the convenience store in Greenwater. That was it. Oh and one at the start in the parking lot. Trish is one of those in shape exercise crazy gals. She pushed me and I pushed her! Even with 35 miles of climbing and then the pushing against the headwind to maintain speed on our way back down we averaged 15.57 on today's ride. We stopped at Taco Del Mars in Bonney Lake and we each ate a huge burrito. It was the best burrito I have ever eaten!

Man after today's ride I'm wondering how my legs will feel tomorrow? I'm leading a 45 mile hilly ride! :eek:

[NbyNW]

Yep, we're bound and determined to get out on the weekend! Especially since our car up and DIED last weekend (differential failure: completely stripped!) And my hip rotators seem to be back in operation so I'm going to try to start bike commuting again tomorrow.

Lainie, take care of that wrist! I got some tendonitis in mine, I think it's from clicking my mouse at work . . . nothing a bunch of ibu and cold pack can't handle . . . I hope yours isn't serious.

Susan126: what a fantastic ride! Hopefully you'll build on it with tomorrow's ride. Let us know how it goes.

[Susan126]

The only two pictures from yesterday's ride:

Start and finish from Enumclaw High School parking lot
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/Daily%20Rides/ridestart.jpg

Trish outside convenience store in Greenwater
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/Daily%20Rides/trish.jpg

[mimitabby]

who's Trish?

Today it was 60 degrees at 6am!! the warmest morning so far this year!

[Susan126]

who's Trish?

Today it was 60 degrees at 6am!! the warmest morning so far this year!

Trish is a gal I met at my gym in spin class. She finally purchased a bike a month ago. When I discovered that she had a new bike I invited her on a ride. She has been training for the MS150 in Oregon the weekend of July 19-20. I believe she is ready! :D I'll have to tell Trish about TE.

Today I am riding in the Black Diamond/Ravensdale area. Wave if you see a gal on a Specialized Ruby Expert. :D

[NbyNW]

I'm so jealous . . . thanks for sharing the pictures!

I started up my bike commute again today, after almost three weeks off. What a beautiful morning! It's a short ride, only about 5 miles, and 25 minutes (a good chunk of it involves waiting at stoplights), but I love starting my day with a bike ride!

[teigyr]

I rode 30 minutes today :D I will also ride this weekend so hopefully the weather will hold out.

Great pictures!! Looks like it was a beautiful ride.

[Susan126]

I rode 30 minutes today :D I will also ride this weekend so hopefully the weather will hold out.

Great pictures!! Looks like it was a beautiful ride.

Teigyr, the weather this weekend is supposed to be great! Especially Saturday! So get out there girl!

And make sure to put on the sunscreen! :cool:

So there should be a lot of great ride reports after this weekend! I can't wait to hear about all of them! Remember to share those rides with us here! :p I love reading everyone's ride reports!

[Dog]

I'm doing STP on Saturday (trying for one day) and thrilled with the forecast. Most of my rides have been to build mileage and speed so after this weekend, I plan on more leisurely rides.
Susan126, I'm very interested in the ride you wrote about earlier this week. Can you post the route? Most of my rides are Snohomish, Skagit and Island counties.

[teigyr]

Dog, what routes do you go on? We're thinking of heading north for our ride on Saturday. My only knowledge of Snohomish is the Centennial Trail.

Anyone doing STP, have fun!!!

Susan, I'll definitely be out there on Saturday. I'm trying SO hard to be structured. You are right re the sunscreen. I've been doing it all along but oddly enough, I am getting tan lines :eek:

[dex]

I can breathe! Well, mostly. Enough to know I've gotten over the worst of it. Anyway...

I can breathe!

Work and social commitments will keep me from being able to ride until Sunday afternoon, but with any luck I'll finally get to enjoy some of this gorgeous weather! :D

[Susan126]

I'm doing STP on Saturday (trying for one day) and thrilled with the forecast. Most of my rides have been to build mileage and speed so after this weekend, I plan on more leisurely rides.
Susan126, I'm very interested in the ride you wrote about earlier this week. Can you post the route? Most of my rides are Snohomish, Skagit and Island counties.

Hi Dog,

Hey I created a map with cues (notes) of my Enumclaw to Black Diamond Loop at MapMyRide. Here is a link to my map:

MapMyRide My Enumclaw to Black Diamond Loop (http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/enumclaw/347047867)

The Enumclaw to the Entrance to Mount Rainier is easy. Just straight up hwy 410 and back! I think I have a map of that made too at MapMyRide. I'll go look and post it.

I'm back . . . I found the Enumclaw to Mount Rainier Park Entrance MapMyRide map:

Out and back to Rainier Entrance and back to Enumclaw. (http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/enumclaw/182554393084)

It seems everyone here is north of me. I wish there were more TE gals south. If you ever find yourself down my way (Pierce County and very south King County. I live near Sumner/Bonney Lake, Enumclaw) let me know! Maybe I can take you on the ride! :D

And good luck on the STP!

Yahooooooo Teigyr! Glad to hear you will be out this Saturday! Remember to give us a full report on your ride! :D

Oh don't go there regarding tan lines! You should see mine! Hubbby makes fun!

Sue

[Dog]

Susan, thanks for sharing the rides. I'm definitely going to head south for some rides (besides STP tomorrow).


Tiegyr, I spend a lot of time on Whidbey Island. Once on the island, you can pop in at a Windemere office and pick up a map of the island - it shows the bike friendly roads that get you off the hwy and on the back roads - which are hilly. Lots of wonderful spots to stop for lunch, picnics, or just enjoying the views. 3You can catch the ferry to Whidbey Island from the Mukilteo ferry. Take I-5 north and look for the Mukilteo exit. You can park your car in Mukilteo and ride your bike on to the ferry to save $. Once on Whidbey you can just follow the signs to Langley, Freeland, Greenbank or Coupeville (about 32 miles) or futher to Oak Harbor and Deception Pass (beautiful!). Just depends on how many miles you want ride and how much time you have. Also lots of parks - most of the island is state parks. Ferry lines will not be a problem if you ride your bike on - there will be a wait if you drive on, unless you get an early start.

[jesvetmed]

Oh, I am feeling so deprived! Such gorgeous weather and I have only worked and slept all week! My schedule is improving and I sure hope our weather holds out another week! I better schedule something REALLY good!

[Susan126]

Susan, thanks for sharing the rides. I'm definitely going to head south for some rides (besides STP tomorrow).


Tiegyr, I spend a lot of time on Whidbey Island. Once on the island, you can pop in at a Windemere office and pick up a map of the island - it shows the bike friendly roads that get you off the hwy and on the back roads - which are hilly. Lots of wonderful spots to stop for lunch, picnics, or just enjoying the views. 3You can catch the ferry to Whidbey Island from the Mukilteo ferry. Take I-5 north and look for the Mukilteo exit. You can park your car in Mukilteo and ride your bike on to the ferry to save $. Once on Whidbey you can just follow the signs to Langley, Freeland, Greenbank or Coupeville (about 32 miles) or futher to Oak Harbor and Deception Pass (beautiful!). Just depends on how many miles you want ride and how much time you have. Also lots of parks - most of the island is state parks. Ferry lines will not be a problem if you ride your bike on - there will be a wait if you drive on, unless you get an early start.

I have been over Deception Pass on my bike. Last September when I did the MS150 from La Connor. It was AWESOME! And I have been to Whidbey Island to mountain bike with friends. I think we mountain biked on some old military outpost looking out over the Straight of Juan de Fuca, or is that more west? Anyway the views from the atop the cliffs were breath taking! I always wanted to go back and do a road ride on Whidbey. The drive from Clinton to the military outpost where we mountain biked were beautiful!

Good luck this weekend on the STP! You are going to have some pretty beautiful weather. I can't wait to hear all about it!

jesvetmed . . . get out there! :D We want to hear about your ride too!

Right now hubby is getting our mountain bikes loaded onto the truck. We are joining some friends who are camping this weekend at Dalles Campground past Greenwater. We are riding to Suntop this morning and then doing a fast downhill through the forests!

I'll report on this ride later tonight!

Sue

[NbyNW]

I've been conscious of relying on my bike more for transportation this week, out of necessity . . . the car needs a new center differential, so my "sleeping-in backup transportation" is not an option.

Today I learned that it takes me 10 minutes more to get to my Pilates class by bike than by car . . . and a good chunk of that was waiting at a light. And boy did it feel like an accomplishment to bike to/from a core-strengthening workout! And my bike was still locked up where I left it when I came back . . . I'm getting over my bike theft paranoia, step by step . . .

I'm still hoping for a two-day weekend soon, so I can carve out time for a nice long ride, though.