I had to check out the ride to this place again. The winds and rain were generally cooperative, but my rear derailleur was not.
Yesterday: 135 miles and transmission problems http://t.co/do2WaZZMzF #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
More after the break…
Part 1: To Seattle Ferry Terminal
I started at the normal 05:00 and headed for the ferry terminal downtown.
When I got there, I was stuck in line for a while and got out my cell phone. Unfortunately, I had to rush to put it away and dropped it after pedaling a bit to catch up with the line.
Dropped my phone and lost a piece of the third-party battery that isn't absolutely necessary.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
To Kitsap! (@ Seattle Ferry Terminal) http://t.co/sCxHwsU9DZ
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
There were some other cyclists on the ferry, though these guys were talking about carbon components and had these fast-looking road bikes mounted on their cars.
There were a bunch of cars hauling fast-looking road bikes on the Bainbridge Ferry.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
Part 2: Kitsap Peninsula
I took my normal route to get to Poulsbo. However, instead of taking Viking/Silverdale/Chico Way, I took to SR-3 to take advantage of the sensible grades and free drafting from the cars.
The next leg of my route will be SR-3. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
It reminded me of SR-8 from my ride from Aberdeen.
SR-3 looks a lot like SR-8.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
When I passed under SR-3, I came across a number of half-covered/erased markings that showed some of how the junction once worked.
I recall seeing some remnants of how SR-3 interchanges were once laid out.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
It also started to drizzle here. Intermittent rain would become a theme for much of the rest of the ride.
There's intermittent drizzle.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
I zipped around Bremerton as though it didn't exist, as SR-3 is a bypass of it.
Gorst is weird.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
Rather than taking it all the way to Belfair, I took West Belfair Valley Road, as I did on my first time there. (Google Maps sent me along that road as it doesn't tell cyclists to ride along SR-3, which is entirely legal.)
I started to hear a strange hissing noise while eating on the side of the road. I thought it was an insect or even a snake, but it became obvious that it wasn't as the hissing noise followed me and matched the rotation of my wheels as I started riding after finishing my food.
I caught and replaced a punctured tube on West Belfair Valley Road before it went completely flat. I could hear the hissing.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
It was because of a hole in my tire that was left by something on my Aberdeen ride ages ago. I might need a new rear tire.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
The hole was caused by a large piece of debris over which I ran on my way to Aberdeen. I had been paranoid about it ever since, but it finally bit me today. While I replaced the tube and kept going, I ended up getting a new rear tire the next day.
After learning my lesson about the issues caused by a pump without some tubing between the cylinder and where it attaches to the valve on an earlier ride, I got this nifty tube that my top tube pump can use as an extension. It even allows said pump to work on both Presta and Schraeder valves, rather than just Presta.
I had to adjust my brake a little, but I also ran into another problem.
I lost the use of my smallest sprocket, which really means very little. I will get it fixed tomorrow.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
Despite having to fight my transmission for much of the rest of the day, I kept going.
I stopped at my "home base" Starbucks in Belfair.
Picking up water. (@ Starbucks) http://t.co/Y7bgBkCucR
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
The barista mistakenly gave me a scone when I asked for a muffin. She gave me the muffin when I noticed and let me keep the scone.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
And then started the infamous climb.
Belfair-Tahuya Road will always be considered a difficult route.
(I've actually been to Dewatto, by the way.)
There were a lot of big climbs and descents along the way out there, but my transmission at least cooperated to some degree. I had to shift up twice, then down once to go up one gear.
The hills just won't stop being crazy up here.
I saw some familiar stuff from last time when I crossed the Tahuya River.
Right before actually entering Tahuya, there was an amazingly steep and windy downhill section. I think I'll take Northeast Tahuya River Road again next time, which is what I did last time.
Rather than turning back at the church like before, I continued down the road a bit, until I realized that there wasn't really much more down there.
I chatted with a couple of folks who were walking along the road there.
A lady in Tahuya said, "You're a great bicycler," after I told her what I was doing.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
While I was fighting what felt like weak winds from the south and east to get to Tahuya, I was pushed the whole way back and made much better time that way.
A major tailwind shoved me back from Tahuya.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
My first time in the area, I wanted to go up Elfendahl Pass Road, but it's been closed. I saw no signs of it this time. This is what the lowest part of the road looks like.
I stopped at that same Starbucks from earlier for water, then climbed up out of Belfair, and then climbed further up to start my way eastward across the Kitsap Peninsula.
Even though the roads cut through a few civilized areas, they really feel remote. It's like wandering around in a forest without much of an idea what one is doing.
Getting there.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 15, 2014
A lot of posted signs start with the text "POSTED," because it is apparently not obvious enough.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I've probably seen thousands upon thousands of these signs on my rides, and this thought always enters my mind.
I got to Southworth before it started getting dark, but I had quite a long wait. In fact, this morning's ferry wait and ride took 53 minutes, while the the one from Southworth took 1 hour and 53 minutes.
I'm at Southworth Ferry Terminal (Southworth, WA) http://t.co/jD6KiBR0WO
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I cannot complain about today's intermittent rain. It could instead be like last Saturday, which was much worse.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
The rain had been falling intermittently all since it started to drizzle earlier.
I bring the pain…to myself.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
The ferry schedule is apparently messed up according to a few folks.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
Teenagers have very irritating speech patterns.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I poured one of those bottled Frappuccinos into a large cup of drip coffee to cool it off because sanity is not my domain.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I felt insane for doing such a thing!
Part 3: Return Home
I took my typical route around Alki, except I didn't cross the West Seattle Bridge to head downtown. Instead, I continued along the route to West Marginal Way, and stayed there for quite some time. (When I originally designed this route, I didn't realize that it would be so short. I extended it with the jog to the southern border of Seattle.)
Since there was nearly zero traffic on West Marginal Way, I just stayed on it before trail diverged.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
When the Duwamish Route deviated from the road, I left the road and followed the trail through South Park, where the bridge that was under construction seemed to be doing well. I noted how the bridge deck wasn't grated, but was instead a solid surface.
I left the trail right after crossing the Green River, then turned north to meet up with Boeing Access Road. Getting up South Ryan Way was rather difficult, since my transmission was having worse problems now.
Changing gears has been rather odd for much of the day.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
However, it was a rather quick descent to Rainier Way. For some reason, it behaved better from there to Seward Park.
Yay, familiar territory. (@ Seward Park - @seattleparks) http://t.co/nYLS7mQf5z
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I had a fairly routine run along the Lake Washington+Arboretum route to the BGT. Due to construction, I had to take a parallel route to Northlake Way.
Almost there.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
The last part was rather routine, except I had gotten home at 23:00 or so.
I feel accomplished, and a bit damp.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
Epilogue
I popped by my local bike shop the next morning to see if they could do something about my transmission's problems.
Some derailleur adjustments and a new rear tire without a gaping hole in it. (@ Bikesport) http://t.co/BP6m7WivL5
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
The guys couldn't do anything about the poor shifting because of the part that the other shop forgot to put back in after repairing it.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
They ordered a replacement early last week, but there's no telling when it'll get in.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I recall the shifter feeling off after some repairs last July.
They told me that I should ride something else with fenders for the time being, which would include all of my other bikes.
On the bright side, I got the rear tire replaced with a Schwalbe Marathon Plus.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) March 16, 2014
I have another 'fast' bike being built for non-touring purposes, but until either that or the necessary shifter part are ready, I'll be riding my other, less fast bikes.
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