Upper Seattle loop with Hot Mama's Pizza Stop! (Steady)

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of this ride, there are only 6 available slots to make riding as easy for all riders as possible in the city. If you cannot make it please cancel your registration as soon as possible to allow room for other riders to register for this ride! 

Heyo I'm Hazel and I'd love for you to join me for a 24 Mile ride around Seattle with a stop in Capitol Hill for some of the best pizza from Hot Mama's.

Let's link up at Gas Works Park at 11:00 am and ensure you're ready to start riding at exactly 11:00 am. We will begin with a required safety briefing, and roll out when that's done.  All riders must attend the safety briefing to participate. (YES we are meeting in the actual park not the parking lot. Refer to map for meeting location.)

This route takes us on a 24-mile journey around Seattle. Starting at Gas Works, we use the Burke-Gilman and Ship Canal trails to get us to the top portion of Discovery Park and up and out to the Magnolia viewpoint for a photo-op and quick break to enjoy the view of the city. We then use the Elliot Bay trail to reach the waterfront and climb up Broad St. to ride the Second Ave. cycle track down to our second climb up Yesler Way and Broadway. Once we finish those climbs it's time for a slice at Hot Mama's pizza and after that a ride back to Gas Works through the Washington Park arboretum trail. 

(To see a more detailed version of the RWGPS route check out the link: "Ride Lead route map.")

A fair warning: this route does contain heavy hills in several spots. The highest of these hills is an almost 17% grade at points. All climbs and descents are 100% take at your own pace and we will regroup at the top and bottom of each climb or descent. (You are also more than welcome to walk your bike. Especially on Yesler.) Our steady pace will keep us below the 15mph speed limit on the trails but we will drop down to 10mph on the arboretum trail to obey the posted trail speed limits.

Other things to note about this route:

1. There is a dismount zone on the Elliot Bay trail and we WILL be dismounting and walking our bikes thru that section of the trail out respect of the rules of the trail. 
2. This route does cover some bumpy terrain at points. 
3. This route contains multiple climbs (Max/Min grade +17%/-13%).
4. We will be stopping at Hot Mama's Pizza for food. They serve New York style pizza and fountain drinks. Price per slice is normally around $4-5~.
    

Restrooms ARE available at the start. We have bathrooms at Mile(s) 0, 5, 11.2, and optionally at mile 16 near our food stop. We also have water stops at mile 5 and 15.9 (food stop). Water is also available at the start. 

Also, you should make sure to bring a spare tube and tools to fix a flat, just in case. Other things to bring: phone; ID; cash and/or credit card; ORCA card; water and a small snack. Please have full fenders if the roads are wet, or you may be asked to ride at the rear of the group.

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 canceled at least two hours before the start, Ride Leader(s) will not be at the start location. Please check before leaving for the ride.

Also note: this ride will also cancel if

1. there is a freeze/ice warning in effect
2. if the temperature drops below 34 degrees Fahrenheit (I am no snowman)  
3. It has stopped raining but the ride leader has determined the ground is too wet to safely start the ride. 

Be there or be square! See you at Gas Works!