Another ride my partner was unable to join, even though we'd originally planned for me to show her the area up there.
I've been experimenting with determining what my knees actually want for a long time. I was able to start with a big leap from how I had Ivory Pass set up with new bike, and this ride was another part of it. As of writing this blog, I actually need set-forward seatposts for both bikes now, which means that specifying a 71.5° seat tube angle for both of them was a big mistake. Bike fitters had been trying to get my saddle further and further back for years, but I've discovered that, not only did I not need that, but it also sent my thought process in the completely wrong direction.
More after the break…
Feels pretty good! I also learned that I don't need a ton of saddle setback after all, despite what bike fitters kept pushing on my over the past several years.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
Part 1: To University District
My morning was shaken up when my partner decided that she didn't want to ride after all shortly after I'd waken her up for the ride. I didn't have enough food prepared for anything particularly long, which is similar to a recent ride. Since we did plan on stopping for food in Snohomish, I decided to simply do that anyway.
The route I'd originally planned for us involved going to downtown to catch the bus to Everett, but since my partner wasn't coming along, I decided to catch it in the University District, which involves a long climb that I didn't want to subject her to, but I was fine with alone.
Heading north. (@ Metro Bus Stop #5419 in Seattle, WA) https://t.co/WuOh78KwNd
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
The bus I did catch was one of the double deckers that Sound Transit/Community Transit decided to pick up after a bad snowstorm years ago that left a number of their existing articulated buses jack-knifed on the side of the road.
I haven't been on a double decker in the US since back when CT was piloting them.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
Part 2: Snohomish County
The next leg of my ride started at Everett Station, which I still really hate spending time in due to how I've seen folks doing drugs in the bathrooms there in the early morning.
I always dread passing through here. (@ Everett Station - @everettcity in Everett, WA) https://t.co/RkNHDIxfQy
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
The ride to Snohomish along the US 2 Trail and the north side of the Snohomish River was pretty nice, though tainted by knee pain since I was unable to get my saddle far enough forward with the 10mm setback seatpost on the bike at the time. I did check the bike shop there for zero-setback seatposts, but they didn't have any.
I'm at Snohomish Bicycles https://t.co/NfIxLtcIt8 pic.twitter.com/GpZnJRRjTe
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
I asked them where to find good breakfast food, and they said Jake's Cafe. From how busy it was, it's apparently quite the restaurant! The pancakes in the combo breakfast I got were huge, too!
I've never seen a place so packed! (@ Jake's Cafe in Snohomish, WA) https://t.co/moN1KbuxvF
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
The pancakes there were huge! I need to rest for a little while to let them be digested enough.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
From there, I headed up the Centennial Trail just like old times.
Stomach trouble forced me to get a soda in Lake Stevens, and knee pain made me turn back there as well.
I'm at Lake Stevens Mini Mart in Lake Stevens, WA https://t.co/u2II9oMG0C
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
The wasps out here won't leave me alone.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 1, 2018
The ride back was mostly good, except for someone deciding to use the trail as her own personal parking space so that she could tap away on her phone.
A lady parked her car right in the Centennial Trail just so she could immerse herself in her mobile phone. #cycling #seabikes
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 2, 2018
Pretty much what I thought. It wasn't like she parked across it, either. She parked in the ROW like it was a parking space.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) September 2, 2018
When I got to Rotary Park, I decided to try out the Lowell Riverfront Trail since I've never been in the area when it was open, yet have been seeing it on maps for ages. It was a pretty typical trail, but it had some nice views of the Snohomish Trail.
I was in for a surprise when I got to the end of it, though: a climb up from basically sea level to the road that goes to Everett Station. There's a climb when taking my usual route, but this one was steeper and longer.
As I pulled in, a bus was just about to pull out. Rather than slow anybody down, I just waited the 15 minutes for the next bus.
Part 3: Return Home
On the way home from the freeway station, I stopped by Recycled Cycles to scope out options in zero-setback seatposts. I didn't find any that interested me, and it's a good thing, too, as I need a set-forward seatpost.
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