MUMPS--North Lake WA-Mercer Island-Medina (Brisk)
KEEPING RIDERS SAFE
- Advance registration required for all participants. If you decide not to ride, please click Cancel My Registration below to open space for others. (How to cancel)
- Attendance at the pre-ride safety briefing is required to participate in the ride.
- If you have tested positive for COVID or have been exposed to someone with COVID, follow the quarantine and isolation guidelines. In general, if you have COVID or are displaying COVID symptoms, or if you are sick with the flu or a cold, you should not participate in group rides.
- Carry a face covering in case a business or public transit requires their use.
- Please, no spitting or “snot-rockets” while participating.
- A CPSC certified helmet is required to be worn to participate.
If you are new, please read our newcomer information.
MUMPS goes to Mercer Island! This week we start counterclockwise around the north half of Lake Washington, cross I-90 for a scenic loop of the curves and mostly gentle ups and downs of Mercer Island, and return through Enatai, Beaux Arts Village, and Medina.
Start Time & Location: Log Boom Park is closed for renovation, so let's meet down the path which heads south from the SE corner of the Log Boom parking lot @ 175th. Go to the end of the path and look on the dock if you don't see us on the path itself. There are sanicans available (at the NE corner of the parking lot), but no running water, so plan accordingly.
Please be there, ready to ride, at the date and time noted above. We will start with the 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.
Parking: Please do not park in the Log Boom parking lot; use the on-street parking on NE 175th St. just east of the park.
Pace: The MUMPS series offers multiple paces. Riders are welcome change pace groups during the ride. We'll observe the speed limit on multi-use trails.
Navigation: The planned route/cue sheet is at the link below. The goal is to stay together via regrouping as necessary, but we won’t be able to wait long for anyone substantially off the pace. Please, bring navigation aids in case you need to finish on your own, as the ride becomes self-led for those ahead of or behind the group.
Restrooms: There are planned restroom stops at Matthews Beach Park (mile 5, quick), Mercer Island's Homestead Park (mile 18, quick),Enatai Beach Park (mile 30), and Kirkland Marina Park (mile 41, quick).
Food: Enjoy the snacks you bring with you at any of the rest stops. There is no sit-down coffee/food stop.
Cancellation: 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.
IMPORTANT: Each ride leader will make their own weather cancellation decisions independently, so one pace group may cancel while another rides, and one group may take a shortcut, while another may not. An "on the roll" switch to the rain route is possible. This could change your options for moving between pace groups.
Fenders: Please be considerate of other riders' comfort and safety by using full fenders with long, stable mud flaps (ideally 2" and a maximum of 4" from the ground) if rain is possible or the roads are wet. You may still ride without such long fenders and flaps, but if it's wet you will need to ride at the back of the group (behind all bikes with better fenders).
Repairs: Be prepared with the equipment and know-how to take care of your own flats and mechanicals, and a plan for getting back to the start if your bike won't take you there (ORCA card or someone to call). If you have a problem the group may stop briefly to make sure you will be OK on your own, but we will not wait for repairs to be completed.
We hope you can join us!
Comments
IT'S FENDER TIME!
Let's all contribute to the comfort and safety of fellow riders during the rainy season by installing EFFECTIVE fenders and flaps!
Most "off the shelf" fenders and flaps are inadequate for group riding. Stable, wide fenders and flaps 2"-4" off the ground are key.
Many flaps can be extended with strips of plastic milk/water bottle material, flexible cutting board, etc. attached with duct tape, silicon adhesive, Shoe Goo, Gorilla Glue, small bolts/nuts etc.
Flaps close to the ground the ground will drag under certain circumstances (turns, bumps, curbs, etc.) and semi-rigid materials can be noisy when scraping, so consider softer material at the very bottom.
Flaps need to be stable to be effective; added braces or stays may be needed to prevent sway (lightweight flap material helps).
Make sure the flap can't be knocked sideways (two bolts and/or adhesive can help).
When in doubt, ask your mechanic; we've seen beautiful fender extension mods done by bike shops.
We'll plan to talk about fenders before the ride, so bring questions and helpful tips!
Slight route modification
VERY minor route change between mile 31.9-32.5, taking Bellevue Way all the way to Main St. before turning left. This gives us a left turn lane and a stoplight. The RWGPS route edit was done about 7:15am on 10/29, so if you downloaded it before then, you may want to grab a new copy.
Bellevue Way is busy, so watch for traffic at the left as we turn onto Bellevue Way, and and as we merge into the turn lane for the left onto Main. Initially, we will be taking the right lane on Bellevue Way once we turn on it and then move over to the left lane prior to the turn onto Main.