🚴‍♂️💨 RIDE WEST SOUND: South Sound Grinder Loop (Moderate)

We’ll gather at the free Park & Ride parking area at Harper Church, just uphill from the Southworth Ferry Terminal. Park near my white Sprinter van—your beacon for the ride. Please be respectful of church services and activities while parking and preparing for rollout. We sincerely appreciate Harper Church for generously allowing cyclists to use the designated parking area during Sunday services.

Be there, ready to roll, at the time listed above. We will begin with a required safety briefing before rollout. All riders must attend the safety briefing to participate.

This Ride West Sound’s South Sound Grinder Loop is a 51-mile endurance-style route tracing the shorelines, backroads, and rolling terrain of South Kitsap and Gig Harbor. Expect approximately 2,900 feet of climbing spread across relentless rollers, punchy ramps, false flats, and very few extended recovery sections—averaging roughly 57 feet of elevation gain per mile. While no single climb is massive, the route delivers a steady all-day grind best suited to riders comfortable with sustained rolling terrain and limited opportunities for recovery.

We’ll regroup frequently to keep the ride together as we ride at our own pace on climbs and descents. The route winds through quiet waterfront roads, forested corridors, sweeping Puget Sound inlets, smooth backroads, fast descents, and sustained climbing with few true recovery sections. Portions of the route near our lunch stop may also experience increased pedestrian activity and local traffic, where we will slow down as needed to help ensure safe and respectful use for everyone.

Expect a rewarding Northwest endurance ride blending scenic coastal terrain, relentless rollers, and steady all-day pacing. Depending on group pace and stops, this ride may take approximately 5–5.5 hours.

⛴ Ferry Schedule
► Arriving from Seattle:
Please catch the 8:30 a.m. Fauntleroy → Southworth ferry. Crossing time is typically about 40 minutes, depending on routing and ferry operations. Riders arriving by ferry will enjoy a short uphill warm-up ride from the terminal to the meetup location before the 9:30 a.m. rollout. 
Returning to Seattle:
►Recommended Southworth → Fauntleroy return sailings:
3:10 p.m. — strongest/faster groups with minimal stops
3:50 p.m. — recommended target for most riders

🌊 Did You Know?
Long before these roads became cycling terrain, South Kitsap’s shoreline communities relied heavily on Mosquito Fleet steamships connecting tiny waterfront towns throughout Puget Sound. Today, cyclists along this route still trace many of the same coastal corridors once served by those early maritime lifelines—only now powered by espresso, electrolytes, and stubborn determination.

⚠️ Please note there are no restroom facilities at the start location, so riders are encouraged to plan accordingly before arrival.
Restroom and refreshment opportunities along the route include Sherry’s Country Caffè & Bakery (14), Long Lake County Park (19), Susanne’s Bakery lunch stop (33), and Olalla Bay Market for snacks, drinks, and restrooms (44).

Please Bring
* Water and ride nutrition
* Spare tube and flat repair tools
* Phone and photo ID
* Cash or credit card for food stops
* Weather-appropriate layers

📌 If roads are wet, full fenders are required—or riders may be asked to ride at the back of the group.
📌 If weather conditions meet Weather Status cancellation criteria, or unforeseen hazardous conditions arise, the Ride Leader may cancel the ride.
📌 If canceled at least two hours before the start, Ride Leaders will not be present at the start location. Please check ride status updates before departing.

We hope you can join us for a fun and rewarding day of rolling terrain, coastal views, and West Sound miles! 😅
🚴‍♂️ 🚴 🚴‍♀️💨💨