The Rest of the Day, Or...

...Some New Trails.

After the ride with the VBC, I came back to my dad's house for lunch. I ate my lunch, then hopped back on Tessa for some more time in the sunshine and now 65 degree February weather.

I've been wanting to see where this one bike path leads next to Hwy 99 near Ross St. So, I rode to the beginning at Ross St. I rode the trail south alongside the exit ramp from I-5 to Hwy 99. The trail came to a "Y". To the right, the trail went over the freeway to Main St. Left, it became the Ellen Davis Trail. Much of the EDT is an unpaved walking path. This particular part is paved. It spit me out at Leverich Park. Okay, onto the next trail...

I rode the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail (also called the Discovery Trail) from Leverich Park all the way to the other end at 92nd Ave. The part from Andresen Rd. to the end was new for me. 92nd eventually took me over to Burton Rd. I had a vague memory of this road. I think I used to take this road to Evergreen Highschool, when I was a senior, for a Nursing Aide class (I could be wrong). Burton had a bike lane, and I wasn't ready to turn back just yet, so I continued east. I rode under I-205, past 112th, 119th, all the way out until the bike lane ended. At that point, I turned around and headed back (if I hadn't already ridden 43 miles, I may have continued on). As I came back on Burton, I started seeing the bike route directional signs (the ones that give a destination and tell how far it is). At first I thought I would ride to downtown, but then I started seeing signs for a "Padden Parkway Trail". Hmmm....never heard of this one!

I followed the signs. I went past Vancouver Mall (can't remember the last time I was there), and came back to Andresen. I followed the signs north along Andresen to Padden Parkway. Sure enough, there, running parallel to the multi-lane Parkway was a nice paved path. I would have liked to go east, but it was time for me to head back, so I went west. The trail ended a short distance later where Padden Pkwy. rejoins and becomes 78th St. I rode over to the "old" 78th St. and found myself heading back toward Andresen. Since I didn't want to go back on Andresen, I turned off onto a residential street. Although I didn't really know where I was going, I knew the general direction I needed to go. I just kept working my way in that direction. I came out to 63rd which I knew. From there, I drew upon my childhood bike riding memories and crossed 63rd back onto more residential roads. Well, things have sure changed! I have no memory of all the houses (because they weren't there, of course). I did, however, get to familiar ground and managed to come out to St. John's right where I thought I would.

22 miles and 3 new trails (or parts of trails) later, I returned to my dad's house. The weather was so nice today that I was able to take the sleeves off my jacket (is it really just February???)! Unfortunately, it is supposed to get cold again. At least it was a nice taste of Spring and a great day of riding!