RIDE MOUNT BAKER WITH A BICYCLE ROAD TRIP By Rebecca Laszlo, Mount Baker Community Club neighbor

I am an avid biker and love finding interesting and scenic routes near my Mount Baker home. I mapped out a dozen or so routes in and around the neighborhood worth sharing. The routes suggested below are ideal for local exploring. Some zigzag along Mount Baker’s many ridges, while others stick to the flats to avoid sweaty exertions (unless you want to push hard). They include a combination of regional trails without cars, quiet neighborhood streets likely to have just a few cars, and wide streets where cars can give you space.

An abridged version of this article appeared in the May 2014 issue of The View, the quarterly newsletter for the Mount Baker Community Club. This full version contains turn-by-turn directions for the following routes:

• I-90 Bridge to Mercer Island Loop – 21 miles Includes 13 miles of lovely rolling terrain with frequent water views and dappled sunshine. • Lake Washington Blvd to Madrona or Seward Park – 1 to 9 miles Completely flat, beautiful scenery along Lake Washington Blvd S. from Madrona to Seward Park. Car-free Bicycle Sundays are described in the extended article. • Lake Washington Loop to UW – 8 miles each way Features scenic Lake Washington and Husky Stadium. This is a much- used commuter bike route, and the fastest way to the Burke-Gilman Trail. Rebecca Laszlo performing • I-90 Lid Path to Downtown Seattle – 3 miles rigorous fact checking on the route Easy route to the heart of downtown. I describe two routes – from the to UW. Photo by Sara Intriligator. top of our hill (31st S.) and from the bottom of our hill (S. Genesee). It’s harder to return, just because it’s uphill. • Chief Sealth Trail to Kubota Gardens – 12 miles Ride along a ridgeline regional bike trail atop Beacon Hill to enjoy the all-seasons beauty of Kubota Gardens. The hills get steeper the closer you get to Kubota Gardens, but I have a two-hill hill detour. • Seattle Landmark Loop – 25-30 miles For a day packed full of sightseeing and eating, follow this route to the Seattle waterfront, Ballard Locks, Burke-Gilman Trail, UW, and Lake Washington. • Trips from Downtown to Alki Beach, Duwamish River trail, and Olympic Sculpture Park/Myrtle Edwards Park. • Capitol Hill – Get almost anywhere on Capitol Hill from the top of our hill on 31st S. via relatively flat, quiet neighborhood streets. • Hillclimbs up and around Beacon Hill that give you heart pounding workouts.

Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 1 TIPS AND RESOURCES TO START YOUR RIDE

Bicycle Program Websites

Seattle DOT – www.seattle.gov/Transportation/bikeprogram.htm

Washington DOT – www.wsdot.wa.gov/Bike

WA State bicycle laws – www.cascade.org/bicycle-traffic-laws

Nearby Bike Shops

Bikeworks, 3709 S. Ferdinand St., www.bikeworks.org

2020 Cycle, 2020 E. Union, www.2020cycle.com/sealth-2/

Montlake Bike Shop, 2223 24th Ave E., www.montlakebike.com

Biking Community Resources

Bike trail etiquette – www.seattle.gov/transportation/biketrail.htm

Recommended equipment – www.cascade.org/explore-commuting/ten-essentials-commuters

Mount Baker Bicycle Club on Facebook – www.facebook.com/mountbakerbicycleclub

The Bikery, “bicycle liberation movement” – www.thebikery.org

Rebecca’s Top Tips

• Most bike shops carry regional bike maps (for free!).

• Wear a helmet, sports glasses and a bright, reflective vest or jacket.

• Turn on as many blinking lights front and back as you have, even in broad daylight.

• Don’t forget to slather on sun block.

• Most of all, enjoy your riding!

Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 2 BIKE ROUTE DETAILS On Sharing the Road

Note that my directions may not be perfect. Review them To establish my presence on the road with a map if you’re unfamiliar with the area. If you find with traffic, I like to ride where the cars’ errors, have questions or suggest additions, please contact me right wheels go and at least a door’s at [email protected] so I can respond and potentially width away from parked cars. I do NOT improve the downloadable article for others to see. ride in the gutter.

Always travel in the same direction of I-90 Bridge to Mercer Island Loop MODERATE cars in your lane. I ride in a straight and The Mercer Island bicycle loop is 13 miles of heaven, but it predictable line and avoid weaving or starts 4 miles away from Mount Baker (21 miles total). You making sudden lane changes. It is can ride across the I-90 Lid regional path to Mercer Island courteous to use turn signals and look starting at the I-90 Lid or curving up Colman Park if you’re around before moving over. starting by the lake. Basically this route goes around the If you ride the sidewalk, look out for cars perimeter of Mercer Island on scenic, rolling Mercer Way; I coming out of driveways and always am fond of the counterclockwise direction, but clockwise defer to pedestrians. makes for a whole different ride. Mercer Island drivers tend to be considerate of bicycles. It’s nice eating at the “Roanoke People always appreciate bicyclists who Inn” before crossing back into Seattle. Map: choose “Mercer obey traffic laws. Island Loop” on www.montlakebike.com/maps.html.

I find the eastbound I-90 bridge path more difficult and intimidating on windy days, but the Sound Transit bus #550 or 554 to the Mercer Island Park & Ride works great (pick up is on the Rainier S./I-90 eastbound flyover bus stop up the ramps from Rainier S. on the overpass). Oddly, it’s less windy biking westward, probably because biking west is going the same direction as the westbound car traffic closest to you.

Lake Washington route to Seward Park EASIEST For a short and completely flat ride with great scenery, nothing beats Lake Washington Blvd S. from Madrona to Seward Park. On selected Bicycle Sunday dates, the lake boulevard is closed to motorized traffic from Mount Baker Beach to Seward Park (3 miles). Bicycle Sundays are ideal for riders who are building their confidence and strength, or for people with young children in tow; these days are less suitable for fast riders who will find they must dodge kids and dogs. 2014 Bicycle Sunday dates start in May: May 4, 11 and 18; June 1, 15 and 29; July 6 and 13, and on into the late summer. On other dates you share the road with vehicles, but most drivers are considerate when passing. You can extend your Lake Washington Blvd. ride by adding the lakeside loop around Seward Park (2.5 miles), which never has cars. Clean bathrooms and water are next to the Seward Park Audubon Center. Info: www.seattle.gov/parks/bicyclesunday/

Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 3 Lake Washington Loop to University of Washington MODERATE

It’s nearly 8 miles to ride to the University of Washington on the Lake Washington Loop (15 miles round trip). It’s very scenic, and drivers are usually very considerate. You’ll tackle a couple of hills in the Leschi and Harrison neighborhoods, but nothing crazy hard so just use an easy gear if you need to. The Lake Washington Loop signs direct you through quiet streets. Map: choose “Seward Park Map” on www.montlakebike.com/maps.html and review the northern half of that route.

There is one viable shortcut which saves 10 minutes of bike time and eliminates one uphill segment in the northbound direction only (not recommended southbound): take Cherry to northbound MLK to E. Madison. In this shortcut, ride in the middle of the right lane of MLK. It’s all downhill and feels very safe because cars can pass you in the left lane. As the hill flattens out you’ll cross E. Madison, which turns into 28th E. and has you back on the Lake Washington Loop.

I-90 Lid path to Downtown Seattle EASIEST Are you interested in urban biking? It all begins with a ride downtown. I do NOT recommend riding on Rainier S (I never feel safe there) but there are good ways to go:

• From the top of Mount Baker near 31st Av S., zoom westward without hardly pedaling via the I-90 Lid bicycle path. At the bottom of the path (just before Rainier S.) turn right onto northbound Hiawatha Pl. S. then left onto S. Dearborn’s painted bike lane, then right on 6th S., left on S. Jackson to the Seattle waterfront at Alaskan Way S. This route is only 3 miles from “That’s Amore” restaurant; riding back is Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 4 harder because the I-90 bike trail has a moderately steep hill from Hiawatha to 23rd S and again up to the crest of Mount Baker. Info: bikingpugetsound.com/i-90-trail/

• My friend Bill lives down closer to Genesee, and he recommends this route toward downtown: from S. Genesee head north on 42nd S., Lakewood S., and Cascadia S., then left/west on S. Ridgeway Pl., right on Mount Rainier Dr. S. (past MBCC clubhouse) to westbound S. McClellan. If you don't want to climb 31st northbound, ride north on ML King S. about 5 blocks north past the Tennis Center, turn left on S. Walker, right on 25th S., cross S. Massachusetts and you’ll find yourself on the I-90 Lid bike path where you proceed east to the waterfront same as described above.

Important note for westbound I-90 Lid trail: when you reach 23rd S., you will cross 23rd at the light and cannot go straight. You must make a choice whether to take a jog left (south side of I-90) or right (north side of I-90). If you choose the incorrect way, simply retrace your steps back to 23rd S. Here are the two main options:

o To downtown waterfront: Choose the north side of I-90 to go downtown toward S. Dearborn.

o To Beacon Hill: Choose the south side of I-90 to the Mountains To Sound greenway up to the top of Beacon Hill without touching the surface streets.

Chief Sealth Trail to Kubota Gardens MODERATE TERRAIN, EASY NAVIGATION A hidden treasure of the south end is the bike trail along the ridge of Beacon Hill to Kubota Gardens. These gardens are beautiful in any season, and free to visit, so I recommend a stop there before your return. This route features two hills in each direction, but the roads are quiet and the regional trail has no cars. It’s basically traversing the powerline right-of-way that extends south of Beacon Av. I should note that the hills get steeper the closer you get to Kubota, so a way to go around at least two of the steepest hills is to take S. Thistle east to Renton Av S southbound, and stay on Renton to the Kubota gates. Map: www.ridewithgps.com/routes/4283744. Info: www.seattle.gov/transportation/chiefsealthtrail.htm and www.kubotagarden.org.

Seattle Landmark Loop MODERATE TERRAIN, HARDEST NAVIGATION When I have friends from out of town who want to see Seattle at a bicycling pace, I rent or borrow bikes to take them from Mount Baker to the Downtown waterfront, north through Myrtle Edwards Park and across the railyards to the Ballard locks, an optional jaunt a couple miles to the NW end of the Burke Gilman trail at Golden Gardens Park, then back along the north side of the waterway to Lake Union and Montlake cut, then across the Montlake Bridge and through the Harrison neighborhood to Lake Washington and back home.

It’s 25 miles (30 miles if you include the Golden Gardens leg), and takes all day because you’ll want to stop a lot to watch the ferries, walk your bike through the Olympic Sculpture Park, ogle boat and salmon traffic at the locks, sun yourself on the sandy beach at Golden Gardens, partake of lunch or liquid refreshment in Ballard or

Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 5 Fremont, climb kite hill at Gasworks Park to admire the Lake Union view of Seattle, detour through all the construction at the UW light rail station/Husky Stadium, and enjoy the waterfront of Lake Washington.

Map: choose “Seattle Loop” on www.montlakebike.com/maps.html, but one change I recommend to this online route is to avoid most of the Ballard surface streets by returning from Ballard eastbound along Seaview NW and NW Market and Shilshole NW and finally NW 45th to the eastbound Burke-Gilman trail.

Destinations from Downtown Seattle EASY TERRAIN, HARDER TO NAVIGATE, ROUGHER CITY PAVEMENT From Alaskan Way and S. Jackson you have great urban riding choices. Here are my favorites:

• Bike to Alki Beach – via Alaskan Way bike path, the lower level of the West Seattle Bridge (S. Spokane) then right/north onto Harbor SW. This is mostly a dedicated bike path with only a few places where you share the road with vehicles. If you’re feeling strong, you can go all the way around Alki to the Fauntlerloy ferry dock and back (28 miles round trip). Lots of great restaurant choices along Alki Beach, including “Cactus”.

• Bike to the Duwamish River – get to this regional bike trail after you cross West Seattle Bridge by turning left/south on W. Marginal Way SW to the Duwamish River bike trail. There are no restaurants down here unless you go all the way to South Park, in which case try “Muy Macho Taqueria”. sdotblog.seattle.gov/2012/03/27/duwamish-trail-now-ready-for-bicycling-or-walking/

• Visit the country from the city by taking any of the ferries from Pier 50 or 56 – to West Seattle, Vashon (fair warning: it’s a long, steep hill up from the ferry landing), Southworth (also a steep climb unloading from ferry), Bremerton, or Bainbridge Island. There are restaurants near the ferry landing on Bainbridge Island and Bremerton. The 8 mile (each way) waterfront route from Southworth to Port Orchard is particularly beautiful and there are waterfront restaurants like “Amy’s On The Bay” in Port Orchard.

• If you poop out on the return, take the Alki Ferry water taxi at Alki’s Seacrest Park (use your ORCA card) to downtown Seattle, and then bus #14 from King Street Station. I’ve done this more than once and can recommend it. Details: www.alkiferry.com.

• To investigate the working waterfront, go north on Alaskan Way and into the Olympic Sculpture Park and all the way through Myrtle Edwards Park. Most people don’t know the Elliott Bay bike trail continues past Myrtle Edward park north under the Magnolia Bridge through the railway yards behind Smith Cove Park. This is an awesome sightseeing ride.

o A short detour SW of Magnolia Bridge takes you to a waterfront restaurant at the Magnolia marina (“Maggie Bluff’s Marina Grill”).

o A short detour NE along W. Emerson to W. Nickerson offers the 2 mile long (each way) South Ship Canal regional trail from Ballard Bridge to Fremont Bridge on the south shore of the Ship Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 6 Canal (see “View Map” on www.traillink.com/trail/ship-canal-trail-.aspx).

o A short detour NW along W. Commodore Way brings you to Ballard Locks. Be sure to walk your bike within the gates and enjoy the salmon through the underwater viewing if they’re running.

Capitol Hill EASY TERRAIN, MODERATE NAVIGATION

It took me a while to find a relatively flat, quiet route to Capitol Hill from 31st S. Here’s my tip, which involves zigzagging through little streets to stay on the ridge and avoid steep climbs or descents: ride north on 31st, left on S. Norman, right on 30th S., jog to the left to stay on 30th, cross S. Jackson, turn left on S. Main (it’s tiny, more of an alley than a street), right on 29th S., then go all the way to E. Cherry before turning left again. E. Cherry westbound to northbound 21st or 20th will bring you to the center of Capital Hill without too much traffic or huffing and puffing.

Hillclimbs up to Beacon Hill HARDEST If you’re looking for pure exercise in a short amount of time, try this suggestion: Bike up Cheasty Blvd S. and the Mountains to Sound Greenway a few times! You can swoop down from the top of Mount Baker to the top of Beacon Hill for fun and exercise. Descend with care (make sure you can stop if needed – you can pick up lots of speed). Enjoy the art installations along Mountains to Sound Trail in Sturgus Park, including the Korean gazebo halfway up Beacon Hill.

You can make it a loop if you connect via Beacon S. or 15th S. on the Beacon Hill side or 3st S./S. McClellan on the Mount Baker side. If you start near Franklin High School on S. Mount Baker Blvd/S. Winthrop, cross Rainier (you can take pedestrian overpass if you want, but the road crossing is fine) onto Cheasty. Cheasty Blvd S. is quiet, wide, and STEADY 1.5 miles to the crest of Beacon Hill. Turn north up 15th then right/south past the PacMed building eastbound onto the Mountain to Sound trail (along the southern edge of I-90 parallel to Sturgus S.) then back up the I-90 lid trail to 31st S.

Hillclimbs up from Lake Washington HARDEST

You can do repeated hillclimbs and descents between the lake and the crest of our hill on 31st in a handful of quiet streets that ascend the ravines and gullies. Start from Lake Washington Blvd. S./Lakeside S. then climb up to 31st S. via any or all of the following (these can be combined as loops via 31st Av at the ridgeline):

• Mount Baker Park – Enter Mount Baker on Lake Park Dr. S, east on S. McClellan, zigzag NE from 34th toward 31st

• Colman Park – Enter Lake Washington Blvd S. at Lakeside up into the Colman Park serpentine road (Lake Washington Blvd S.), then zigzag NW from S. Massachusetts toward 31st S. and S. Atlantic.

• Leschi/Frink Parks loop – Enter Leschi Park west up the intersection just north of Leschi’s Starbucks/Pert’s Deli (Lake Washington Blvd.), easy left where the road changes name to Yesler and

Last updated: 4/20/2014 Bicycle Road Trips around Mount Baker Page 7 again to Lake Washington S., then easy right to stay on Lake Washington S., then hard right to get on S. Frink Pl., right on 32nd S., and left on Yesler to 31st S.

• Lake Dell Ave in Leschi – Two intersections north of Leschi’s Starbucks/Pert’s Deli, turn west up E. Alder and stay on it while it winds uphill. Name changes to Lake Dell Ave., then turn right onto E. Yesler.

• Madrona Drive - East from the Lake Wash. Blvd via Madrona Dr. gives you some additional hillclimbing opportunities; there are hardly any flat routes through Madrona!

Wherever you find yourself, enjoy the ride!

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