Eastside Hills Two Ferry Ride (Brisk)

Join us for a 60-mile ride at a brisk pace (16-18 mph on the flats) from Kirkland Transit Center.

Eastside Hills rides are intended to help strong, experienced cyclists maintain and improve their fitness by riding a number of challenging hills on the Eastside. This week we ride up to Edmonds, take the ferry to Kingston, ride across the bridge to Bainbridge Island, take the ferry back to Seattle, ride across the I-90 bridge, across Mercer Island, then return to Kirkland through Bellevue.    It should be fun! 

Let's meet at the Kirkland Transit Center between the library and the baseball field at 9 AM. We will start with a required safety briefing, and roll out when that's done. All riders must attend the safety briefing to participate.

The cost for the Edmonds-Kingston ferry for a passenger with bicycle $12.35 up to age 64, and $6.65 for those 65 and older.  You can buy tickets online here: https://wave2go.wsdot.com/webstore/shop/viewItems.aspx?cg=21&c=40

You can also buy tickets at the ferry terminal.

There is no charge for the Bainbridge-Seattle ferry.

Restrooms and water are available at the start and on both ferries. Our route takes us past the Bainbridge Safeway as well.

Be sure to download the route before the start of the ride, and download the rain route as well in case the weather turns bad.

Four hours of free parking is available in the parking garage below the Kirkland library but its likely we will be gone significantly longer than that. There is also unlimited free parking at the Kirkland Wester Parking Lot on 3rd Avenue, about 4 blocks away.

As always, you can ride the hills at your own pace and we'll regroup at the top, so strong riders can zoom up and others won't be left behind. Ride leaders will do their best to accommodate riders with a range of abilities, but riders who fall substantially behind the group pace may have to continue the ride on their own.

In the event of separation due to flats or other problems, riders should download the route file into a GPS device or have a cue sheet. Cue sheets are not available at the start. Routes may include a local trail with speed limits, typically 15 MPH. Riders must stay within the speed limits. 

Bring a spare tube (or two) and tools to fix a flat, just in case. Riders should know how to change a flat, or deal with other minor mechanical issues and carry appropriate tools. Riders must have a backup plan if roadside repairs are not sufficient. Riders should have a charged cell phone to call for a pick-up or other means to find their way home. Please have long fenders if the roads are wet or you may be asked to ride at the rear of the group.

If there is steady rain, unhealthy air quality, other hazardous riding conditions or unexpected events before the start of the ride, the Ride Leader will cancel the ride and all registered riders will be sent a notification email. If the ride is cancelled at least two hours before the start, Ride Leader(s) will not be at the start location. Please check before leaving for the ride.

We hope you can join us!