(Temporary Backup) Day 15-Saying Goodbye, and Hello Again

Last tonight was very…busy. We had heard yesterday while we were at Hyak that there was going to be a gravel race (from Cle Elum to Rattlesnake Lake), and a 50km run. I’m not sure if all the hub bub was for the gravel race or the run, but I was awakened by the sounds of vehicles and voices. I thought it was probably about 6:00. No, it was 3:40am! The noice went on for awhile, then it quieted down. About 5:30 or so, the noise ramped up again. I got up about 6:00. There were all kinds of people milling around, and then a bunch of ATVs took off up the trail. No one said anything to us as we were packing up. 

We headed out about 8:15 or so. Either the race had begun, or they were all down at Rattlesnake Lake. It was all quiet. 

We started out on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail. 

It’s a great trail, however, last time I did it I made the mistake of going to the end of this part where there is a bridge, then stairs. This time, I made a better route. 

We were all still together. Bob kept asking Thomas what was the way to go, since Thomas had ridden there before. It was all rather confusing (plus there was a road closure). I knew where I was going, and I tried to tell Bob and Janet that they needed to go the way that routed them to where they were going (back to Snohomish and the park where I met them).

Finally, it was clear that Thomas and I were not going the way Bob and Janet needed to go. So, we said our goodbyes, and Thomas and I continued on. Last time I went a different way (stayed on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail for longer), but RWGPS had routed me a way that was 5 miles shorter. It was also quite a bit hillier. 

Climbing along the Snoqualmie Parkway. 

RWGPS used some sly dog ways to take us to the Snoqualmie-Preston Trail. Thomas had never come that way before. He was surprised. I told him there was more than one way to go. 

The trail did do this weird switchback down to the road, then did a gratuitous squiggle to avoid crossing a bridge, before doing another very steep climb back up to the trail. It showed on the Garmin that there was a trail that went straight through (without all the squiggly bits), but it crossed a river, and I wondered if there was no bridge. Anyway, except that Thomas didn’t like the climbing, it was just fine. 

The next trail was the Issaquah-Preston Trail. Unfortunately, part of the trail was closed, so we had to go through Issaquah. For awhile, there were detour signs, but then there weren’t. Good ol’ Garmin did a reroute that got us back on route after the closure. 

Issaquah-Preston Trail goes along I-90.

By this time, we were getting a little hungry. There was a McDonalds, so we stopped and had some lunch. Thomas was very nice and bought my lunch. 

We continued to work our way toward Lake Washington. Thomas’s plan was to take the Lake Washington Loop Trail home. I would continue on the I-90 Trail into Seattle. At one point, Thomas thought he had made a wrong turn, but according to the Garmin, he was going the right way, but he insisted it was the other way. I told him I was going to follow the RWGPS route. He went the other way. 

I got to come down this brand new bit of trail, and over a new bike path bridge. 

As I made the turn to get on the I-90 Trail, there was Thomas. He said he had only been there for about 3 minutes. Now, however, we were parting ways for good. I really enjoyed riding with Thomas for these last few days. I’m glad we convinced him to ride the sand (P2C). He also learned a few things about touring. 

I headed toward Lake Washington and the I-90 bridge. 

Getting closer to the lake. 

Crossing Lake Washington on the I-90 Bike Path. 

I crossed over Mercer Island, then over the other part of the lake. 

Last time, it was very confusing when I got off the bridge. This time I had the route in front of me, and it wasn’t hard at all. I went through this tunnel. 

There was a couple ahead of me with a dog in a trailer. The dog barked nearly the entire time in the tunnel. It was very loud. 

Once I was heading into Seattle proper, there were more and more homeless encampments. 

Behind the signs are a bunch of tents. 

I got off the trail onto Holgate, then came down through the International District. There was some festival going on, and a ton of people. My route went right through it. 

There were a lot of food vendors and someone making a speech or something. Once I went under the Chinese Arch thing I was out of it. 

I returned to the Portside Trail and rode to the West Seattle Bridge. 

This time the sun was shining!

As I came up to go over the West Seattle Bridge, the bridge was opening for two tugs to go through. It was really cool watching the bridge pivot. 

See how the bridge is nearly sideways? 

I had been thinking I might take the Alki Trail around, instead of going over the hump, but I figured since it was Saturday, and very nice weather, that the Trail would have lots of people, and be pretty slow going. I went over the hump. It was the 6th climb that initiated the climb profile. I was getting tired. 

I made it to the ferry just as the Vashon boat was about to unload. That gave me plenty of time to get my ticket, and be ready to get on the boat. 

Heading back to Vashon

There’s MC down there (the Sheriff was keeping an eye on her).

When I got off the ferry, I made a mistake. Instead of waiting to go up Vashon Hwy after all the cars went by, I went up the road I had come down to get to the ferry. It had a shoulder, whereas the Hwy did not. Big mistake! That road was very steep!!! Yikes! I didn’t have to walk, but it sure was exhausting. 

When I got to the town, I decided to stop at Subway. Rebecca wasn’t going to be home yet when I got there anyway, and I was hungry (I could have cooked myself some dinner, but I didn’t feel like it). After Subway, I had maybe 2-3 more miles. I remembered when I had left Rebecca’s I had come down a really steep hill. Now I had to go back up it! It was even steeper than the hill up from the ferry! I was having to weave back and forth across the road. Fortunately, it’s essentially a dead end road, so no cars were coming. 

I made it back to Rebecca’s and back to my big tent in the woods. I got myself set up, and then when Rebecca got home, I went to the house to eat a little bit of dinner with them, and take a shower. I really like both Rebecca and Eli. They are a lot of fun. 

Tomorrow I will help them take the tent down for the season. It’s the least I can do since I stayed in it twice!