Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Wilkeson, Detour, and Too Much Caffeine (2015-04-04)

I really shouldn't have had that coffee so early, but at least the bike's fit has been solved. The detour around SR-410 finally did me in, unfortunately.

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More after the break…

Part 1: To Wilkeson

Part 1: To Wilkeson

I started at 05:00. Unlike last time, I was able to cross the Fremont Bridge and take the usual route south through Seattle.

This was my first time with merino wool, too. It ended up not being warm enough.

I noticed my headlight shutting off with bumps, but I couldn't find anything obviously wrong with it. I tossed it onto the pavement to test the light, and it ended up not faring too well, so I had to stop to get some duct tape.

I also accidentally tore one of the straps on my SPD boots, so I had to be careful to not lose the strap for the rest of the day.

Unlike last time, I managed to stay on-route, crossing the Duwamish River via the South Park Bridge and taking the Green River Trail from its beginning all the way until near the closure, where I made a left onto the Kent Puget Power Trail.

Kent Puget Power Trail: The official Green River Trail detour
Kent Puget Power Trail: The official Green River Trail detour
Kent Puget Power Trail: The official Green River Trail detour
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When I hit the end of the trail, I got into traffic then headed south to W James St, then promptly ran into the closure that hit me last time, except on the road this time. I had to turn around, head south, and follow the same route as last time, taking the Interurban Trail once the Green River Trail ended..

And just like last time, I hit the same bistro for coffee. This would later prove to be a mistake.

Unlike last time, I went back to the Interurban Trail to hit the C Street Trail. I then took the East Valley Highway to Sumner and passed right through it to the Foothills Trail.

Meeker Southern: The right-of-way was the original route the Northern Pacific took across the Cascade Range. Only a little bit of track remains; the rest is the Foothillls Trail.
The official Green River Trail detour: The right-of-way was the original route the Northern Pacific took across the Cascade Range. Only a little bit of track remains; the rest is the Foothillls Trail.

I got the fit pretty much perfect at the trail entrance, then rode along at speed to Orting. Like last time, I stopped at the Trailside Cyclery.

Unlike last time, however, I kept going all the way to South Prairie.

Stormy Skies: The fit seems good now.

From there, I ascended out of the valley along the highway. I didn't have to worry about the dreaded left turn to Buckley, though, as I headed straight on to the community of Burnett.

Burnett
Burnett Gas Station: The last chain gas station before Mount Rainier National Park.
Burnett Hall
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South Prairie Creek: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
South Prairie Creek: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

And then I kept going up to Wilkeson.

Downtown Wilkeson
Wilkeson Eagles Building
Chuck's Service Gas and Diesel: The last gas station of any sort before Mount Rainier National Park
Wilkeson Substation
Old Northern Pacific Bridge: Now carries the Wilkeson stub of the Foothills Trail
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Wilkeson Sign

Part 2: To Renton

Part 2: To Renton

I turned back north when I hit Wilkeson, going the way I came until the turn off to Buckley..

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Burnett Mines Hills 1

When I got to Buckley, I stopped to eat some of the food I had brought in its dead downtown.

Downtown Buckley: It's seen better days.

When headed to SR-410, I found that it was shut down due to a truck hitting the White River Bridge's superstructure. There isn't another way to Enumclaw up in the foothills.

So I headed the other way along SR-410 toward Bonney Lake. Unfortunately, the shoulder was closed there so I had to detour along some narrow, hilly roads in order to get around it.

On the way down the huge hill that is SR-410 between Bonney Lake and Sumner, the Double Cross did a great job.

When I got to Sumner, I stopped for frozen yogurt because I was afraid of consuming more caffeine. My legs were pretty worn out due to the extra work from the earlier caffeine. It was delicious.

From there, I headed back up to Auburn along the East Valley Highway, then left it before the turn-off and meandered through some residential side-streets. There were places near the hills where the roads were gated off, which seemed suspicious.

When I got to Auburn–Black Diamond Road, I turned to head back toward my route. I had to wait several minutes for a long oil train that was headed up over Stampede Pass.

The road itself wasn't too bad.

Auburn–Black Diamond Road
Auburn–Black Diamond Road
Big Soos Creek Fish Hatchery

It did get pretty steep a ways up, but nothing my granny gears couldn't handle despite my legs being beat.

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Auburn–Black Diamond Road: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Auburn–Black Diamond Road: OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

When I was most of the way to Black Diamond, I decided against continuing as it was getting late and I had a limited amount of time. I just turned back, then headed back towards Kent.

I turned left onto SR-516, which was a bad idea as it was busy and had no shoulders. I turned off as soon as I could, only to end up at a cul-de-sac. I had to turn back, then deal with the traffic for a few more blocks, before I ended up on a smaller road. (In retrospect, I should've taken the Soos Creek Trail.)

Eventually, I found a bike lane that took me back to SR-516 at a steep downhill, which allowed me to zip down it at maximum speed!

Traffic in downtown Kent was absolutely awful, but I made it to the Interurban Trail by taking some side streets.

Once on the trail, I took it to S 196th St, then cut over to my usual route into Renton. I had a bit of trouble getting to the transit center due to one-way roads, but I made it just fine.

At this point, it was a bus ride, a transfer, and another bus ride to Bothell.

Part 3: Bothell

Part 3: Bothell

Once in Bothell, I road along Beardslee Blvd to the North Creek Business Park, then meandered around until I hit the North Creek Trail, which was a bad move: it dead-ended at a property where I had to hoist it over into a parking lot.

Down a hill I went to the road, and then I made it to the road out of the area. I took the North Creek Trail over the hill. then made a left to eventually make it to my destination.

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