I forgot my camera at home this time, so I don't really have any photos. My plan was to ride to Lake Chaplain, but I decided against it since I didn't have my camera. After I got home, I found out that the only way to access it is via gravel roads.
Since I didn't really take any photos, I only have maps from the ride. Here are some photos from the areas through which I rode, though:
More after the break…
Also, as it turns out, it looks like Lake Chaplain can only be accessed via gravel (though I can't quite tell based on the terrible image quality). I'm not quite ready for that yet, so it might've been for the best to not try so soon.
As it turns out, Lake Chaplain can only be accessed via gravel roads, so it's probably a good thing that I didn't head that way yesterday.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
Below was my route plan to get out there (in red).
Outbound
I started at about 05:00 and headed north on my typical route.
When I got to Fremont Ave, a guy on a really squeaky single-speed was also riding along. I mentioned how bikes shouldn't squeak and he didn't take too kindly to the comment. Thankfully, we parted ways fairly quickly.
People generally don't take too kindly to being called out on how poorly they maintain their vehicles.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
The weather is kind of nice this morning.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
When I got to my first food stop, I realized something that made me decide to do a 'whatever' ride.
I just realized that I forgot my camera. Well, this is going to be a pretty crappy ride now. Maybe I'll just go to Arlington and back.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
No point in going to my intended destination to take pictures if I don't have a good camera.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Of course, I didn't just give up and turn home. I kept going along my normal route, including the awful section of the Interurban Trail between the Alderwood Mall and I-5.
They somehow let it get worse than the Burke-Gilman Trail pavement-wise. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
It was a pretty quiet ride the whole way to Snohomish; nice and relaxing other than all the noise from running over detritus left by the recent storm.
Lots of downed branches and other debris from the storm last night.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
I'm at City of Snohomish in Snohomish, WA https://t.co/zbCmlVO3pc
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
While I didn't intend to get anything at the Rock City Cafe in this direction, I got an Italian soda.
I then headed up along the Centennial Trail as usual. I wished I had traditional road bends at this point, as ergo bends don't seem as comfortable anymore due to the lack of a level, flat part.
I miss the traditional drops on my other touring bike. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Shifting wasn't very good on the rear, but that was just cable stretch. Throughout the ride, I kept gradually increasing tension using the barrel adjuster and shifting kept getting better.
Also, I'm annoyed by how the indexed shifting is off on this bike (a bit too toward smaller cogs). Trying to increase tension. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
I miss friction shifting. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
There's a little drizzle here and there.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Aside from some families taking up the whole width of the trail (bell time), it continued being a quiet ride all the ride to Arlington. The sunny weather was a nice touch, too.
It's nice and sunny here.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
The bathrooms are open this time. (@ legion park in Arlington, WA) https://t.co/H1P1PvCjpK
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Turning back here since I have work in the morning.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Outbound
From there, I started heading home. As always, Culpeper Hill was a little slow.
It's a shame I forgot my camera. Would've been a great day to photograph new places.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
After a while, I noticed my knees not feeling quite right, but I pushed on.
Unlike on past rides, I arrived at the Rock City Cafe rather early. Also unlike on past rides, I just had a double americano with some of the food I already had rather than the more typical triple mocha.
Been fighting headwinds for the past couple hours.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Indexing is working a lot better now. I'm surprised it worked at all before!
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
I'm at Rock City Cafe in Snohomish, WA https://t.co/ju16LJYYcC
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
I only stayed for a bit, put on my shoe covers in preparation for the lone rain cloud in the area, then started along the steep hill that is SR-9. I seemed noticeably slower than usual, and my knees were still unhappy. I thought I might've just fallen out of shape, but that didn't seem likely since I had just done a much longer distance last week.
Before I forget: the only notable rain I hit was a single large cloud over the hill just south of Snohomish.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
I really lamented the fact that I can't use my mountain crank's big ring with my road derailleur during the downhill bit after the climb. I did manage to get it over there for the last portion of it, thankfully.
After knocking my heavy, loaded touring all day, still passing folks on aluminum and carbon fiber road bikes feels good. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Passed a guy jogging on the Sammamish River Trail who looked a bit like my brother-in-law.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
I'm at Wilmot Gateway Park in Woodinville, WA https://t.co/WxHDWjtm5E
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
Rather than eating at that park, I just used the restroom and continued along my way. My alarm went off when I got to Blyth Park in Bothell, so I stopped there to eat instead.
I'm at Blyth Park in Bothell, WA https://t.co/Sw0sGw7N6y
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 19, 2015
From there, my knees were pretty darn unhappy until I realized something when I hit Lake City:
In the past, I always rode my touring bike with my sit bones on the metal part at the back of my B17 Narrow, and the fit felt great.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
However, today I rode more on the leather part since it hurts my rear less, and my knees aren't happy. The fit isn't so great.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
I think the saddle needs to go back more, but there's no way with that seat post.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
With that, I scooted back so my sit bones were on the metal part at the back of the saddle. While my rear received quite a pounding from the tree roots covered with a thin layer of asphalt that comprise the Burke-Gilman Trail, my knees felt far better. I was finally able to get spinning fast as I should.
Forcing my sit bones back onto the metal part not only cured my knee pain, I also gained a huge speed boost. VO seat post on the way.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
Forcing my sit bones back onto the metal part of my saddle not only cured my knee pain; got a huge speed boost. VO seat post on the way.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
However, when I got to the intersection of 30th Ave NE and the BGT, I found a detour. Rather than dealing with all of the stupid detours SDOT keeps piling on trail users, I just look Montlake Boulevard NE and NE Pacific St all the way until Latona Ave NE, where I rejoined the trail. I can't be the only one who's annoyed by this sort of stuff.
I knew about the BGT detour near I-5, but a detour east of UW caught me by surprise on yesterday's ride. #seabikes
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) January 20, 2015
From there, I just continued along the BGT all the way to Ballard, then took city streets home as usual.
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