And because of the event, the ride was scheduled to go "rain or shine". I got at least one of those.
I almost wore my summer jersey but with the cooler weather and rain in the forecast, I switched to my full sleeve wool jersey, worn under my rain jacket. Lightweight tights, and carried fuzzy full finger gloves and windproof headband in case it got cool and / or wet or both.
The start is close to my house. I rolled out a few minutes late for my 1:30 PM start time, and arrived at the Factoria 7-11 just after 1:35. I wanted a two pack of Reeses Peanut Butter cups, but they were not to be found, so I got a large Payday bar. The clerk looked outside and said "Here comes the rain. And more behind that, and more behind that." He was right.
Bike trail to Lake Washington boulevard, and the well travelled route to Renton along the lake. First control is an info control at the Renton airport. There's a great statue there of an aviator, standing next to a sign post with directional signs all the way down a pole with air distances to cities all over the world. The question to answer was "who is this a statue of?".
Then we ride through downtown Renton, which looks like it is caught between mostly abandoned small town downtown and gentrification attempts that haven't found their new tenants yet. Renton is doing much better over at 'The Landing' which is all new suburbia generica retail.
We pop out of downtown and hit the Cedar River trail. It's starting to rain now, but not heavy rain, more like spritzing rain. You could go out to the mailbox and hardly get damp in this rain. The trail has a few people walking dogs here and there but they're all either hearing me coming or were intending to get off the trail anyway, many move to the grass on either side as I approach. The trail is a 'rails to trails' trail that has a slight overall uphill grade in this southeast direction as it runs parallel to highway 169 toward Maple Valley. It doesn't turn much, sightlines are good. In a couple places where it encounters heavy cross traffic, it has underpass tunnels. Otherwise there are occasional road crossings that must be dealt with carefully.
I pass a few other brave souls out on their bikes today, but by and large the trail is empty. Nine miles later, I cross under Highway 18 and am nearly at the Testy Chef Cafe. Now, the Testy Chef shows up frequently in photo postings by various members of the Seattle International Randonneurs (My local group) but I have never been there, so I was anticipating a garlic burger which I had heard was very good. To get there from the trail, just after you cross under Hwy 18 there is a little dirt path to the right that leads up to the back of the restaurant. I wheeled my bike up the path, came around the front, and started to take of my gloves when a person inside said "We're closed! -- we close at 1:30 on Sunday". To which a second person said "We're closed." OK, fine. No burger for me. As I turned to put my gloves back on, a third person appeared and said... wait for it... "We're closed."
Off I go, heading north now toward Issaquah. There are a few hills along this part of the route, but they're not steep and they're not long. It's rather rural, with a number of manufactured homes on lots I pass by one house that looks like they have their compost bin in the front yard, and observe a lone flower holding onto summer in the face of fall:
Riding on past the Cedar Grove landfill and climbing a couple more hills, I note my altimeter at 477 feet above sea level, the high point on the route.
Finally we get to turn onto Issaquah Hobart road and get some well deserved downhill to Issaquah. I just get going when I note my rear tire seems to have an unusual amount of "bounce" to it. I pull over and give it a squeeze, and it IS soft. I look closer and see bubbles coming out of the sidewall. I for sure have a flat going and now is a good time to change it. I pull into a gravel lot in front of a power substation and flip the bike upside down, with the handlebar in a low bush to keep it from getting scratched. Pull the wheel, take the tire off, and there is a little tiny sharp wire that's gotten in at an angle through the tread. There's barely 1/32nd of an inch showing, and I can't grab it. I take the knife of my multi-tool and manage to break it level with the tire but it's not coming out. I put a tire patch over the spot where the wire was, stick in a new tube, and hope for the best. I'm set back about 15-20 minutes, but so far I'm doing well and it's not endangering the ride.
The ride to Issaquah is downhill and as my speed picks up to 20 mph, I start to feel the cold. It's time to pull over and put my headband over my ears and swap my summer bike gloves for my fleece full finger gloves. These are good to 35 degrees, and with the wind chill, we might be hitting that.
I make it to Issaquah, and as I get on the East Lake Sammamish bike trail, my stomach starts to rumble. Recall I had been counting on food at the Testy Chef ("We're closed!"). I know that there's a McDonalds just ahead, and if I can catch the light just right, it'll be super easy to get through the intersection. As luck would have it, as I arrive at the light, the cars are all turning left, so I merge in, make the left, and I'm at the door in 5 more pedal strokes.
I order a Fish Sandwich and a cup of water, sit down and enjoy the warm steamed bun with tasty fish, cheese and tartar sauce. It's a nice respite from the cool damp outside. A small girl from the table next to me stands nearby and stares at me and my bike shoes with a slightly disapproving expression but doesn't say anything. They leave before I do, and I watch through the window as her father lets her navigate across the parking lot alone (!!!). He manages to collect her before an entering car can run her down.
The drama over, so is my fish sandwich. I finish off the water, and put my gloves, headband, helmet and glasses on, and head out north on East Lake Sammamish boulevard. It's about 7 miles up the road to the next turn, and a couple of short hills. The rain is still spitting down ,not hard, but you'd be using your wipers, perhaps on intermittent wipe, if you were driving in it.
Cut through Marymoor park, noting people who are watching soccer games in progress all have their umbrellas out. Turn right, north, on the Sammamish River Trail. In five miles of easy riding, I'll have my third control. It's just past the underpass under 145th, the road that goes to the Redhook brewery, site of the start and end of the Stinky Spoke Poker Ride every January. I will say no more about that here, but if you have an off-road capable bike, you gotta do this ride at least once. If you get lucky it might even SNOW.
OK, enough about the Stinky. I'm at the control, and the question is "How many picnic tables are there here?". I wonder if the number ever changes? I make a note of it and make the u-turn to head south. We're on a little out-and-back section of the route, 5 miles to the turn onto new road.
At Marymoor park, we keep going straight south on West Lake Sammamish road. After less than a mile I have to merge over to the left lane to make a left to KEEP on West Lake Sam road, otherwise I'll be heading up Bel-Red road. I have to wait for traffic to clear to merge left but no worries, they're all stacking up in the left turn lane, and I catch them just as the light turns green, and follow the train through the light.
West Lake Sammamish is hillier than East Lake Sammamish but it's not horrible. A few 4%-5% grades but they're all short. about an eighth to a quarter mile. It's starting to get dark now and my headlight is doing its best but the batteries are low and it has to run on low power mode which isn't quite as bright as I would like on this wet road. Nevertheless, it's getting me closer to the end, less than 10 miles to go now.
One of the longer hills is just ahead, and it's steep enough that although I really don't need to, I decide to unmount and walk it so I can eat my Payday bar (I have half left, the other half went down for dessert at the McDonalds) and quiet my rumbling stomach again. It's not a long hill but long enough to get the rest of the bar eaten just as I near the top. I'm glad I walked because the shoulder is full of wet leaves and fir cones, not good cycling surface for sure.
Once up the hill I remount and head down the short straight section to the last info control at 34th. "On the sign facing the lake it says watch for "_____"? This road has beaten me before. It's less than a mile long but starts at 4% and then after about a half mile kicks up to 15% grade. I have already decided to walk this section. I'm nearly home and well ahead of schedule. As it turns out, it takes me just 5 minutes to walk the steep part, I wouldn't have done much better trying to grind it out on my bike.
We now go through what one of my friends calls "the scary tunnel" under I-90. It's about 75 yards long and curves, two lanes, no shoulder. If you take the lane, cars SHOULD just wait for you but two decide to cross the double yellow centerline and pass me anyway. Sigh. I'd say something to them if I had a chance, but I'm not going to get a chance today.
Exiting the tunnel, we navigate through a shopping center parking lot to avoid a busy intersection, and we're nearly done. Behind the shopping center is the road that is our last road, just keep on straight ahead and after just a mite of a climb you're at the high spot and can coast (or speed) down to the plaza where the QFC grocery store is your final control.
I buy a small Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia ice cream and note my finishing time at 7:50, 6 hrs and 20 minutes after my registered start time, and with 25 minutes to spare. 10 minutes later I'm home.
I'd ride this route again. It's very similar to another one, the Factoria - Maple Valley - Redmond route,but with some changes. And I have to get to the Testy Chef one of these days when it's actually OPEN.
