Winter Training Series (WTS) 2: Montlake, Medina, Mercer Island

This is the second of this year's nine Winter Training Series rides. WTS starts January 8th and will end on March 5th. During this nine-ride series, distances progress from about 34 miles to 100 miles. WTS is a great way to do some early season training, with a natural buildup of miles, while enjoying the company of other riders. Winter riding is tough enough--this gives you a chance to do it with friends. 

The ride starts and ends at Montlake Bicycle Shop just south of the SR-520 bridge. This new route will take us through some of the delightful neighborhoods of the eastside of Lake Washington and crosses both of the floating bridges.  We will start by crossing SR-520 and making our way through some of the tough hills of Medina, Bellevue and Newcastle. We finish with a loop around Mercer Island and the I-90 floating bridge back to the bike shop.  There are some steep descents so please be sure your equipment is in good condition.   The shop has offered to provide hot coffee and cookies upon our return.

Generally all the Winter Training Series rides start at 9:00 AM except the last one. The 100-miler on March 5th will start at 8:00 AM. Please be at the start early enough to have your registration confirmed, pump up your tires, adjust your fenders, and put all your warm clothes on. Registration check-off begins at 8:30 AM. The mandatory ride & safety announcements are at 9:00 AM, and we start riding when that is completed.  If you miss the briefing, you will not be able to ride with the group. Registration prior to the ride start is required. Click the red "Register Now" button at the top of this page. Registration cutoff is 4 hours prior to ride start time.

These are self-paced and self-guided rides, with friendly encouragement and lots of camaraderie from other riders (many of whom are experienced with group riding). THERE ARE NO REGROUPS IN THIS SERIES. For more general information, please follow the link below to Introduction to WTS.

VERY IMPORTANT: If you desire a cue sheet, please go to the route link below and print one for yourself.  There won't be any available from the ride leaders.

All rides are rain or shine. We might shorten a route for really foul weather, but the only outright cancelation will be for snow or ice.  We may delay the start if we believe that the conditions will be safer a bit later in the day.  CHECK THIS WEBPAGE BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME. 

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

As always, please watch out for each other, local traffic, and respect traffic laws.  This includes sticking to posted speed limits on any trails we might be using.  Use special care at the ride start which will be crowded before riders spread out.

Directions to Start: Montlake Bicycle Shop is located at 2223 24th Ave E in Seattle.  It is .5 miles south of the Montlake Bridge on 24th Ave E.  There is plenty of street parking in that neighborhood on a Sunday morning.