North Lake Loop from Blyth Park with Coffee (Moderate)

Join us for a ride from Blyth Park on a 32 mile route at moderate pace (14-16 mph) on a North Lake Washington Loop via the 520 trail, with a coffee stop at University Village Starbucks. To keep things interesting, the return from there will be primarily via neighborhood streets until we rejoin the Burke-Gilman Trail at Lake Forest Park, and includes a fun descent of Perkins Lane.

Let's meet at Blyth Park near the restrooms and please be ready to ride at the listed start time. We will begin 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 frequently.  We'll also limit our speed on any multi-use paths to the legal maximum (usually 15 MPH). Regroup waits are expected to be brief; if a rider is significantly off pace they may need to finish the ride or backtrack to the start on their own.

Restrooms are available at the start. We will have an optional restrooms/water stop at mile 6.  We’ll also stop for coffee/snacks at Starbucks halfway, at mile 15.5.

Bring a spare tube and tools to fix a flat, just in case, and have a plan for getting home or back to the start in case you or your bike are unable to finish the route.

Please have full fenders if the roads are wet, or you may be asked to ride at the rear of the group. Mud flaps/buddy flaps, especially if the reach to 2 to 4 inches above the pavement, are a great benefit to the rider behind you when roads are wet.

Parking: Especially if you are driving from the south or west, you may find it convenient to park in the gravel lot at the former Wayne golf course just off 96th Ave NE/Waynita Way. From there you can hop on the Burke-Gilman trail for a few hundred yards, go through the tunnel, stay straight across the bridge, and find Blyth Park on your right.

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 cancel the ride and all registered riders will be sent a notification email. If the ride is cancelled at least two hours before the start, Ride Leader(s) will not be at the start location. Please check before leaving for the ride.

We hope you can join us!