Finally NICE weather! Are you taking advantage?

[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! 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.