Cruise the Point (Pierce County) (brisk 16-18 mph; 52 mi; 2,970 ft)

This is a preview ride of how beautiful it is to ride along Ruston Way, around Point Defiance and the Sound when the sun comes out and it gets warm. It is starting to warm up (a bit)—and the sun will be out, just that it might be behind some rain clouds.

We start at Pioneer Park in Puyallup, in the parking lot south of the Puyallup Library. We’ll ride Pioneer Way, go up 72nd St hill (the “hill” in the STP) and back down on Canyon Road, cut over to cross the Puyallup River and ride North Levee to get us to Tacoma. There we will ride along the Thea Foss Waterway and Schuster Pkwy to get to Ruston Way and make our way around to Ruston then cruise Point Defiance and 5 Mile Drive. Great views of the Sound, the Narrows Bridge, Vashon Island. Up Vassault Street hill (5 Mile Dr and Vassault are part of the route for the annual Sound to Narrows run), then wind our way down to Titlow Beach, up to University Place and along Grandview and Chambers Bay Golf Course. We’ll wind through Fircrest, back across Tacoma, up McKinley St hill past the Tacoma Dome and through east Tacoma to make our way through the rustic rural Summit-Waller area and back down to Puyallup.

There will be some fun downhills, and the climbs aren’t too daunting, but long and steady.

Restrooms available a few places along the route.

Starbucks at mile 37.2

Pace: Brisk (16-18 mph on the flats). Pace will probably be on the lower end of the range most of the time. Except on the downhills. Faster riders are welcome to climb at their own pace and we will regroup at the top of the hills. Please be prepared to ride the pace. 

• Distance: 52 miles
   
• Terrain: 2,970 ft of elevation 
   
• Regroup Policy: Top of hills and/or when the route might be confusing.
   
• Weather Cancellation policy: Steady rain cancels. But it will need to be heavy, steady rain. The current forecast is for rain, so be prepared to ride in the rain. (Riteintherain.com) 

Please bring a cue sheet or load the route on GPS.

If it is wet or raining, long fenders (with buddy flaps) are highly encouraged. No one wants to ride in someone's rooster tail. If the roads are wet and your bike is not equipped with fenders, you will be asked to ride at the rear to prevent spraying others. Mechanicals are the responsibility of each rider, so we will generally not ask the entire group to wait. Please be sure you have the equipment and knowledge to change a flat and handle whatever else comes up. Group will wait at ride leader's discretion.

Cue sheet coming, see the MeetUp site for the link, plus I'll try to add here later.