Question for Seattle Riders

I'm in town early next week with my sister who is speaking at a conference. I'm coming along mostly for some bike riding and to take my Surly in for it's new bike cable tightening and general tune up.

I got to thinking on my ride to work today. We are going to have to leave the conference early Wednesday afternoon to get the bike up to Fremont. Since this is my sisters thing, I feel a little guilty making her leave early.

So, the question is, could I ride my bike from the airport to Fremont?

If so, how many miles are we talking and how long(ish) would it take?
Could I stay on bike paths?
What risk do I run getting hopeless lost in the bowels of Seattle never to seen or heard from again?
The bike shop is right off the Gillman-Burke or Burke-Gillman trail.

. . . and if this COULD be done, anyone off that day want to be my guide? :o

bikerHen

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Originally Posted by bikerHen

I'm in town early next week with my sister who is speaking at a conference. I'm coming along mostly for some bike riding and to take my Surly in for it's new bike cable tightening and general tune up.

I got to thinking on my ride to work today. We are going to have to leave the conference early Wednesday afternoon to get the bike up to Fremont. Since this is my sisters thing, I feel a little guilty making her leave early.

So, the question is, could I ride my bike from the airport to Fremont?

If so, how many miles are we talking and how long(ish) would it take?
Could I stay on bike paths?
What risk do I run getting hopeless lost in the bowels of Seattle never to see or hear from again?
The bike shop is right off the Gillman-Burke or Burke-Gillman trail.

. . . and if this COULD be done, anyone off that day want to be my guide? :o

bikerHen

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let's talk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bikerHen

I'm in town early next week with my sister who is speaking at a conference. I'm coming along mostly for some bike riding and to take my Surly in for it's new bike cable tightening and general tune up.

I got to thinking on my ride to work today. We are going to have to leave the conference early Wednesday afternoon to get the bike up to Fremont. Since this is my sisters thing, I feel a little guilty making her leave early.

So, the question is, could I ride my bike from the airport to Fremont?

If so, how many miles are we talking and how long(ish) would it take?
Could I stay on bike paths?
What risk do I run getting hopeless lost in the bowels of Seattle never to seen or heard from again?
The bike shop is right off the Gillman-Burke or Burke-Gillman trail.

. . . and if this COULD be done, anyone off that day want to be my guide? :o

bikerHen

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To the former question. Yes, but it's a bit of an ugly ride. It's probably about 10-15 miles.

It's pretty easy to get lost in Seattle if you are in a car. It's a little easier to navigate on a bike. Also there are some pretty good landmarks. From downtown you have water to the north and west, steep hills to the east and northwest. To the south you have Qwest Stadium and Safeco field.

It can't be done entirely on bike trails, and some of it is going to be on some nasty surface streets.

As BIAK says, it can be done, but it's ugly.

East Hill

Hen - you could also put that beautiful Surly on a bus (!eek! but they don't fall off!) and bus at least part of the way to Free Range. Especially the part from the airport, as that's the icky bit. There is a bike route you can pick up along Westlake, then cross the Fremont bridge, and tootle over a few blocks to Free Range.

yeah, i told her about that, Knot. but she's never been on a bus and is not ready to start busing.

OK now mimi, don't be telling all my dirty little secrets!:D And, after a not so good nights sleep I'm going for a pro active stand on this and contact the local bus service this morning and see if I can learn the bike on the bus trick before Monday. If so, I think that at the tender age 51 it's time I try riding a bus. :o However, extensive maps and such will be required from you all! bikerHen

If you are at all a student of human nature you will love the bus. Except for the early morning commuter buses from the suburbs, buses contain a dramatic cross section of humanity. From little kids to strange looking old ladies, people with exotic accents and teenagers that you want to smack.

Sometimes a spontaneous conversation strikes up between 6 people who clearly don't know each other. Most of the time no one says anything except the driver who WILL tell you when your stop is if you are afraid you'll miss it.

Handy guide:

http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bike/loadbike.html

East Hill

Thanks for the link EH, the bike racks look different than the ones here. But I am going down to the bus station this afternoon and learn how to load my bike. I love a new adventure!

MT, I love to watch human nature! It's very entertaining.

If I take the bus you mentioned, would I have to, gasp, change buses? :eek: That might be to much for my first time. And EH could you show me where I would catch the bus at the airport on our AM ride? This is starting to sound kinda fun. bikerHen

no. if you can get to the 174, it will take you all the way into downtown.
I'll go back and see if i can find where you said you were staying.
and i'll figure it out.

okay, from your hotel, you walk 1/2 block to the intersection of international blvd and S 176th street and take the 194 (not 174) which will take you all the way downtown. You get off downtown...
and then you go to Fremont.

You make it all sound so easy. :o Where do I go to find a schedule? Keeping in mind I have computer "senior moments" bikerHen

http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/bus/...s/s194_0_.html

scroll down to the part that says to seatac, downtown seattle.

and it's easy to tell what side of the street to wait for the bus; the opposite side from the airport.

I know I'm being inept, but I don't see a stop along International Blvd.

It's all right, I'll show you where the stop is, and if necessary, we could make you practice!

Heck, we could practice taking the bus going back up the hill to the Marriott if you'd like :p .

East Hill

East Hill, you're a sweetie. we'll get her street smarts yet. :cool:

Oh Bikerhen, all the stops are not listed on the schedule!!

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

East Hill, you're a sweetie. we'll get her street smarts yet. :cool:

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bikerHen is comin' to the big city, and we have to make certain that we entertain her properly!

Besides, it would be the least exhausting way to get back up the hill ;) .

East Hill

Ohhhh yes! Practicing sound like a very good idea. :D I feel like I'm 12 years old all over again. EH, do you know how the bike things work on the bus? And yes, it would be a very good way to get up that hill.

Talked to my sister a bit ago, and when she got done laughing about me taking the bus, I told her she would have to follow the directions to the bike shop without me. That settled her down.:p She figures she could leave the hotel about 3pm, so hopefully the traffic won't be to bad? She also wondered which of us would have to call our father and tell him we lost the other one in Seattle. It could go either way. :eek: :D bikerHen

http://www.sersale.org/bike/Photo0034.jpg

Here's Raleighdon posing with Cavalletta on the Number 32 express bus.

Hen, I've taken the 194 a few times from Sea Tac to downtown Seattle. The drivers are very nice about telling you which stop is yours.

Trek420 will be taking that bus on Friday from Sea Tac to where I work.

Edit: be sure Free Range knows you are coming and what your time frame is. I've had things I hoped to have them to work on when I've dropped in, and they just couldn't manage it.

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Originally Posted by KnottedYet

Edit: be sure Free Range knows you are coming and what your time frame is. I've had things I hoped to have them to work on when I've dropped in, and they just couldn't manage it.

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I've already call Free Range to set up a time.

Glad to know the drivers can be helpful. I'll be sure to tell them which stop I need, but you gals have to tell me what that stop would be. :D bikerHen

You know, the very first time I came to Seattle, I wanted to rely on public transportation. I stayed in a town called Edmonds which was 15 +/- miles out of Seattle. To a SoCal person, that was nothing!

The bus drivers were SO great. They not only told me how to get around but also let me know fun things to do. I have to say I have no complaints about them whatsoever. And I learned my lesson...Edmonds is NOT really that close to Seattle :D