Upcoming Organized Northwest Rides.

[XMcShiftersonX]

By "prepare" do you mean prepare for the length of the ride, or prepare for the crowds? I'm guessing the latter if you're specifically targeting organized rides. If so, then you could definitely check out Cascade's website for some training rides if you want practice riding amongst a group. Of the rides you listed, I've only ever done Daffodil & Flying Wheels - Daffodil wasn't very crowded but Flying Wheels was packed, definitely an STP-like experience. I also remember it taking for-freaking-ever to park at Marymoor with all the traffic arriving for the ride. I'd suggest having an alternate parking location in mind nearby and riding to the start.

Anyway, sounds like a fun lineup you have for the season - enjoy!

By prepare I mean both distance and crowds! Up until now I've done most of my rides on my own or with my husband (hardly a crowd). And the most I've done was 40 miles with 2200 feet of climbing. I also plan to do many independent training rides, but yes the organized ones are to get used to the crowds, and just the feel of an organized ride. I'll check into the Cascade club ones, that sounds like a good idea. I also plan to do an independent century with my husband sometime before the actual STP ride. I really want to get into doing longer rides in general. For that last 3 or so years I've been riding, I haven't really been doing distances longer than 32 miles or so. Such a waste really !

[malaholic]

For that last 3 or so years I've been riding, I haven't really been doing distances longer than 32 miles or so. Such a waste really !

Not at all - if you're having a good time riding, and/or getting somewhere you need to go then it's never a waste, no matter how long or short the ride is!