Midweek Tune-Up (easing into 7 Hills Kirkland series #1)

Join us for some social climbing on this pared-back version of the classic "7 Hills of Kirkland" course.

To help us ease into our 7 Hills route after taking a few months off, we'll ride the approximate outline of the regular route while bypassing some climbs. This is ride #1 on a series of rides which successively add about 300' of climbing per ride.

On this ride, compared to our regular 7 Hills route, we'll bypass Juanita Dr. and the Seminary Hill (Holmes Point) climb by riding 100th Ave out out of Kirkland. To avoid ongoing construction on NE 132nd St, we'll bypass the Kingsgate climb and take Juanita-Woodinville Way NE instead. After climbing Norway Hill we'll ride on the flats, bypassing Winery Hill, with a stretch on the Sammamish River Trail. On the final Rose Hill climb we'll stick to Old Redmond Road instead of using the 520 trail for the first part of the climb. Our total distance drops from the usual 41 miles to 28, and elevation gain from 3000' to 1700', but we still get to climb 7 Hill standards Market, Norway, and Rose hills. We'll relax between the climbs on relatively flat stretches, at a social moderate pace (15 mph +/-).

Be ready to ride near the back (East) end of the South Kirkland Park and Ride at 10:00.  We'll start the required pre-ride briefing at that time, and ride when the briefing is done. If you miss the briefing you will not be able to ride with the group.

No restroom at the start, but we'll stop at Marina Park at mile 2.5.

THE "MODERATE" PACE RATING REFERS TO GROUP PACE ON FLAT STRETCHES. HILLS ARE SELF-PACED; WE REGROUP AT THE TOP OF CLIMBS. Regroup points are noted on the Ride With GPS cue sheet, and the faster riders are used to waiting for the rest of us.

Faster riders are welcome to join us and ride ahead of the group on the climbs, if you don't mind hanging around for the regroups; plan for a relaxed, social moderate pace ride as a group on the flats. The ride becomes self-led for those ahead of or behind the group. Please bring navigation aids, in case you find yourself substantially off of group pace and need to finish on your own. We will observe the speed limit on the multi-use trails.

Restroom/water/snack stops at Kirkland Marina Park (mile 2.5), Blyth Park (mile 8.2) and 60 Acres (mile 18.8). Bring snacks; we won't make a coffee stop, but there will be time at frequent rest stops and regroups to eat and drink.

Route map and cue sheet at the Link, below.

Bring tools and knowledge to repair flats; if rider schedules allow we may pause briefly for flat repair and minor mechanicals, but have a phone and a plan to get home/back to the start if needed. 

If there's a chance of precipitation and/or wet roads, fenders with long mud flaps are recommended. Anywhere the road is wet, if you don't have flaps close to the ground (preferably 2" or less and no more than 4"), you'll need to take the initiative to stay behind everyone with better fenders.

**Please register at least two hours in advance on this website; late registration online or at ride start is not available for this ride**

Note: If weather conditions meet the weather cancellation criterion listed above or if there are unforeseen hazardous riding conditions, poor air quality, 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.