Let's be honest, I just wanted to put my new Schwalbe Thunder Burts to good use.
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I had a couple of choices for the ride this time around: The Palouse to Cascades Trail to the Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel, or the North Fork Snoqualmie Road. For the first part of the ride, I left both options open, but by the time I got to where the routes forked, I decided on the former.
More after the break…
Part 1: To Bus
I started at around 05:20 this time and headed to Downtown Seattle to take the bus out to Issaquah. After my experience on one of Metro's buses when picking this bike up, I worked hard to partially disassemble the front lowrider rack so that the hoop over the wheel wouldn't cause trouble for a possible "claw" on the arm that holds said wheel down on the rack. When the Sound Transit bus that showed up had a simple "finger" instead, which doesn't require anywhere nearly as much room, I was both annoyed and amused.
Put in a lot of work to prepare my bike with its lowrider front rack for the @SoundTransit bike racks with a two-"finger" arm…only for it to be one with a "single" finger. Oh well, it was good practice. #seabikes
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
Part 2: Outbound
After unloading my bike from the bus, I had to put said lowrider rack back together.
Spending so much time standing allowed the chills in the air to get to me, so I went to the local Panera like I used to often do when riding out this way for some hot food and drink. However, I didn't imbibe in any caffeine, since I now know better.
Cold enough to revive the tradition of getting something hot here before heading into the hills, though sans caffeine this time. (at @PaneraBread in Issaquah, WA) https://t.co/lMAoOdyksa
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
Rather than following my plan of going through Downtown Issaquah, I decided to use NW Gilman Boulevard all the way to the East Lake Sammamish Trail, then took the Issaquah–High Point–Preston–Snoqualmie Trail all of the way to where it hits Preston–Fall City Road.
Look at all those leaves! #cycling #bicycletouring #biketouring #autumn #autumnvibes🍁 #fall @ Fall City, Washington https://t.co/A8NXnl2tN8
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
After descending into Fall City, I climbed up the private driveway up from SE 39th Place to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. I was at ease, enjoying the sights and lack of cars.
The route here via the SVT may take twice as long as I-90, but it's several times more enjoyable. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
While it was pretty cold in Fall City, I ended up hitting a lot of warm air as I climbed the Snoqualmie Valley Trail.
As I climbed the SVT toward Tokul Road, the air kept getting warmer and warmer. At one point, there was a gust of air that was so warm that it caught me off guard.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
At the end of this section of the trail, I rode along Tokul Road and Mill Pond Road, finally taking the chance to get some better photos of the old Milwaukee Road Trestle that connected its mainline to the former Weyerhaeuser Mill.
I rejoined the Snoqualmie Valley Trail at the Golf Course, then passed through the lovely sight of turning leaves.
Right before crossing Tanner Way, I noticed that was noticeably smoky. What happened?
It's really smoky here.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
Not long after that, my climb after Rattlesnake Lake started. I was spinning really fast, but unable to put down much power, and thus climbed the hill slowly while sweating like mad. I hadn't ridden this bike in a long time, and thus spent a lot of time on this ride fiddling with the saddle position, only to end up with it a little too far forward and far too far down. It would take a long time for me to correct this, as I didn't know where to go next. I had no knee pain, but also no power!
Despite what the Internet tries to tell you, there really is no such thing as a "sure-fire" saddle height formula, because the saddle position depends on a lot more than just leg length. #cycling @zachhale
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
Despite my difficulties climbing both up to Rattlesnake Lake and to the Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel, I still enjoyed the scenery. However, as there are mostly evergreen trees around the Palouse to Cascades Trail, the fall colors weren't too inspiring. And still despite how slow I felt, I still climbed faster than a few groups on mountain bikes.
However, there were plenty of leaves on sections of the trail, as well as muddy puddles, and even a few snowy spots. The sound of rushing water was commonplace, as the local creeks were flush with runoff from earlier rainfalls.
Lots of fallen leaves and downed trees in Iron Horse State Park. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
There are a lot of creeks engorged with water, too.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
Oh, and snow.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
When I arrived to one of the outhouses along the trail in hopes of using it, I saw several people who I thought could've been homeless, and didn't want to leave any of my things unattended near them. Thus, I headed to the next outhouse.
Thought it best to skip one of the trail restrooms because of a certain crowd hanging out near it.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
As I narrowed the gap to the Snoqualmie Pass Tunnel, I saw a guy who was clearly touring. Since he was the only other tourist I saw out there, I stopped to chat, and he kept trying to offer me food since he overpacked. I saw him again at the tunnel itself, and he told me that he was camping at Keechelus Lake. He was envious of my wider tires, as he was riding 32mm touring tires at 80mm on this bumpy trail! He said he wanted to get the most out of his current bike, but may consider switching it to 650B for wider tires.
Chatted a couple times with bicycle tourist who was headed to camp at Lake Keechelus. He was using skinny Marathon Plusses pumped to 80 psi on that sometimes rocky trail! #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
He kept offering me food and other things because he realized too late that he overpacked.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
Not a fan of the chilly headwind I spent this whole time fighting. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
Part 3: Inbound
From the tunnel, it was a fairly easy descent back to North Bend. Well, relatively speaking: my saddle was still too low and thus was causing me knee pain.
Making my way back down. #cycling #bicycletouring #biketouring #autumn #autumnvibes🍁 #fall @ Iron Horse Trail https://t.co/im2GmUQ45N
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 12, 2019
After spinning out so much earlier, ending up in pain more recently, and it being so late for where I was on the trail, I decided to take the Trailhead Direct bus from North Bend straight to Seattle rather than riding the whole way back to Issaquah.
Had a pretty rough time earlier, so I'm taking the bus back to Seattle from here.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
Unrelated to that, gnats and flies kept getting in my mouth and eyes all day.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
One guy was asking about where to buy a pillow, with the Bed, Bath, and Beyond in Belltown now being gone. The girl he was with suggested Northgate Mall, and was shocked to hear that the mall was long gone. All other suggestions were considered to be too far, which showed that the group had the same sense of "distance scale" that I had.
When asking about where to buy pillows, this one girl on the bus was flabbergasted to find out that Northgate Mall is gone.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
As the bus zipped along I-90 through Issaquah, there was disabled Greyhound bus on the side of the road, complete with passengers standing in the shoulder. What a terrible situation to be in!
Disabled Greyhound on the side of I-90. All of the passengers are standing in the freeway shoulder.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
The driver announced the likelihood of horrible traffic on I-90 due to the SR 520 closure for construction. I hadn't faced it earlier since SR 520 was still open. When the bus got near I-405, it slowed to a crawl pretty much the entire way to Seattle!
The expected horrible traffic on I-90. https://t.co/spssedyoan
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) October 13, 2019
Part 4: Return Home
As is often the case, the ride home was uneventful, though I did enjoy riding at night.
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