CHEW 11 Vigorous

Climbing Hills Everywhere in Winter (CHEW) 2022

Let's meet on the Fauntleroy ferry dock in West Seattle at 8:55 a.m. to begin our bicycle journey to and on Vashon Island.

Driving time to the ferry will vary, depending on where you start. When it was test driven last weekend, it took approximately 50 minutes to get from Lynnwood to Lincoln Park. (There is a link below for the recommended route from southbound I-5 near Exit 162 to the park.) Don't short yourself on time or you could miss the ferry. Unless you have a vehicle authorized to use the Spokane Avenue bridge, doing so could result in a $75 ticket.

Park your car in Lot 1 at Lincoln Park just north of the ferry dock on Fauntleroy Way and roll down to the ferry on your bicycle. (Do not park in Lot 2 to the south  Spaces there are time-limited.) 

Once at the dock, use toll booth #2, the one nearest the exit lanes, to pay. You can use an ORCA card, cash or a credit card. (Information on ferry/bike fees is available through the links below.) You will then be directed to a lane for loading and Ride Leaders will check you in by pace group.

We will be taking the 9:25 a.m. ferry to the island and will start the ride immediately upon leaving the boat.

There are bathrooms on both docks and on the ferry. Once we've stowed our bikes on the ferry, we'll gather upstairs to do our mandatory safety talks. You must wear a mask in all indoor areas on the ferry and in dock buildings. Please, bring both water/hydration mix with you; also bring a snack if you want one at our first restroom stop at Jensen Point at MP 21.3. We'll also do a food/bathroom stop at the Thriftway in Vashon at MP 41.2.

When your group finishes the route at the Vashon dock, take the first ferry back to Fauntleroy (West Seattle) that you can. 

This route is the next-to-last for this hill-training series, running on Sundays through March 27. The rides start from various locations around the greater Seattle metropolitan area and generally change from week to week.

This is a progressive series, meaning that each week the distance or the amount of climbing increases -- sometimes both. It is a good idea to click on the route link below to see where and what kind of hills we will be climbing. The ride profile appears just below the map. If you scroll over the profile, you can see how long the climbs are and the approximate grade.

These routes are challenging and if you cannot hold the posted pace you may have to finish the ride on your own. If you don't have a GPS unit or cell phone guidance for your bicycle, please, print out a cue sheet so you can navigate the route. Unless the day is dry, it is advisable to download both the full route and the rain route or to print out a cue sheet for both. Barring cancellation, the decision on which route to use is usually made at the ride start.

Please, be ready to ride at 9:30 a.m. PDT. We will start with a required safety briefing, and roll out when that's done.  If you miss the briefing you will not be able to ride with the group.

We will climb and descend hills at our own pace, and our goal will be to regroup occasionally. We'll limit our speed on any multi-use paths to the legal maximum (usually 15 mph.)

Bring a spare tube and tools to fix a flat, just in case. Please have full fenders if the roads are wet, or you may be asked to ride at the rear of the group.

Note: If weather conditions meet the weather cancellation criterion listed above or if there are unforeseen hazardous riding conditions or other unexpected events, the Ride Leader will post a ride-canceled note in the Comments section below at least two hours prior to the start and Ride Leader(s) will not be at the start location.