Hooa! Don't Rust-on My Parade! (Vigorous)

🏁 Meet-up & Rollout

We'll meet at the Auburn Fred Meyer, in the northwest parking area, ready to roll at 09:00 AM. Arrive a little early if you need to use the restroom or stock up on snacks and drinks. We'll kick things off with a mandatory safety briefing before heading out. All riders must attend the briefing to participate.

🌊 Don't Rust-on My Parade!

Hooa! We're heading to Ruston for a metric century of cycling fun, beautiful scenery, and a little ice cream indulgence! 🍦

Our adventure will take us through Tacoma's beautiful Point Defiance Park, including the famous Five Mile Drive, before heading to the Ruston waterfront to explore the Waterfront Market and enjoy a delicious treat at Ice Cream Social.

The forecast might be a little gloomy, but let's face it: there's no such thing as bad weather for ice cream! 

🚴 The Rust-tacular Route

We'll start with a relatively gentle warm-up before making our way toward Tacoma, where the terrain gets a little more interesting! Expect some rolling hills and a few challenging climbs as we approach Point Defiance Park.

We'll enjoy the forested surroundings of Five Mile Drive, one of Tacoma's most scenic cycling destinations. Please note that Five Mile Drive has a 10 mph speed limit, which all riders must observe. Take your time, enjoy the scenery, and be courteous to other park visitors.

From there, we'll make our way to Ruston and its beautiful waterfront. We'll stop at the Waterfront Market to explore, then head to Ice Cream Social for a delicious treat and some good company before continuing our adventure.

We'll tackle climbs and descents at our own pace, with regroups along the way. On multi-use paths, we'll observe posted speed limits (generally 15 mph, and sometimes 10 mph on park trails). Please be courteous to pedestrians and other trail users.

🚻 Rest Stops & Refreshments

Restrooms and snacks are available at the start. Our planned stops include:

🚻💧 Mile 26: Metropolitan Market (Proctor District)
🍦 Mile 35: Waterfront Market & Ice Cream Social (Ruston)
🚻 Mile 52: Celebration Park

Bring a payment method and save a little room for dessert! Outside of our scheduled stops, please carry enough water and snacks to keep yourself fueled throughout the ride.

🔧 What to Bring

Come prepared with a spare tube, flat-repair tools, phone, ID, payment method, ORCA card, water, and a snack. If the roads are wet, please use full fenders. Riders without them may be asked to ride at the back of the group to avoid spraying their fellow cyclists.

🌧️ Weather & Cancellation

A little Pacific Northwest chill won't spoil our parade, but heavy rain just might! If rain is expected, the ride may be canceled. We'll also adjust the route if unexpected hazards or conditions make it necessary.

Registered riders will receive an email notification if the ride is canceled. If cancellation occurs at least two hours before the scheduled start, ride leaders will not be at the start location. Please check your email before heading out.

🍦 Rain or shine, there's always time for ice cream. Don't let anyone Rust-on your parade! 🚴