Midweek Tune-Up (Eastside Loop)

Got a case of "smoke legs"? They say the air should clear Wednesday night. We'll see! This Eastside loop (a variation of the classic "5 cities" route) has shortcut options, so if the air quality deteriorates while we're riding, we can head back early.

With luck, the (relatively cool) forecast for Thursday will hold, and we can roll at 9:30 without baking later on.

This route starts with a stretch on the new Redmond Connector, followed by West Lake Sammamish, and includes a couple of hills (Newport and Market/Juanita), a roll through Medina, sections of the I-90 and 520 trails, a cruise along the Kirkland waterfront, and coffee at Zoka in downtown Kirkland.

We'll ride out of the parking lot at the far east end of 60 Acres park (on the south side of NE 116th St/York Rd.)

Sanicans at the start (proper restrooms/water are available at a 60 Acres lot just to the west of this one; you can see the building from the road, on the south side). Rest stops are marked on the cue sheet, including some optional stops.

The pace is nominally brisk (16-18 mph on the flats). Ride your own pace on the hills, there are regroup points on the cue sheet/RWGPS route for most of them. West Lake Sammamish is a good place to stretch your smoke-filled legs, so we'll self-pace there as well, regrouping at the usual place (it's also on RWGPS).

Please bring navigation aids, in case you find yourself substantially off of group pace and need to finish on your own. The ride becomes self-led for those ahead of or behind the group. Bring tools and knowledge to repair flats; we'll pause briefly for flat repair and minor mechanicals, but have a phone and a plan to get home/back to the start if needed. 

Please register at least two hours in advance on this website to save time at the start. You can also register at the start. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early for briefing and ride prep so that we can leave on time.

In case of cancellation for any reason, including air quality, the ride leader will not be at the start, and notice will be posted here at least two hours prior; please check "Comments" (below) before heading to the start (and check your email, if you registered online). Assuming that the Airnow.gov website is back up, you can use the link below for air quality information