From Dusk 'til Dawn: Good Times at the 2012 Nine to Five All-Night Bicycle Scavenger Hunt

photos by the author except as noted.

                                James Grindle photo
The fourth annual Nine To Five All-Night Bicycle Scavenger Hunt had an auspicious beginning as declared by a double rainbow that appeared when the sky cleared after some rain drops and intimidating clouds. This ride, organized by Go Means Go began and ended at Gasworks Park in Wallingford. 

    Only a piece of the double rainbow that showed up as the ride started (looking south from Gasworks)

                            Admiring the awe-inspring sky (looking East from Gasworks)

                               Participants receive final instructions before the ride starts
This was my first time participating in the Nine to Five, and the first time that I’ve stayed up until dawn in more than a decade.

The ride was a blast. There were about 75 participants, some solo riders and others organized into teams of up to five riders. I teamed up with Benjamin Rainbow of Back Alley Bike Repair and James Grindle to compete in the scavenger hunt.

                               And we're off! (James Grindle Photo)
The challenges were issued on three manifests which were distributed progressively through the night; participants received one at the start and the second at midnight and the third at 2:30AM. 

    Midnight meetup at the Collonade

    2:30 AM meetup at Ly's Donuts on 45th and Roosevelt
Riders earned points by:  1.) collecting items specified on the manifest,2.)fullfilling photo opportunities from the manifest, and/or 3.) completing “Shoot for the Moon” challenges by riding to farther flung locations to find a cryptic message on a sticker stuck to a sign post.

Our team of three completed all three shoot for the moon challenges by assigning one to each teammate, this way we each got to put on some miles. I made a fifteen-minute sprint to Mercer Island from Pioneer Square at about 1:30 AM and was able to make it back to the U-District for the 2:30 rendezvous. To complete the other two shoot for the moon challenges, Ben rode to West Seattle and James rode to Meadowbrook Pond. The photo opportunities provided some of the most fun, forcing participants to have spontaneous interactions with strangers. For example we had to pump gas for a stranger. These guys were Dick’s Drive-In employees getting off the late shift and were happy to let us pump their gas.

                                 Ben pumping gas for a couple of Dick's employees

                                 the author at Gasworks, 5AM bike lift (Ben Rainbow photo)

      Dawn at Gasworks! (James Grindle photo) 

    Josh pitching the tent at the finish for 5 extra points. Ben's in a daze for zero points. (James Grindle Photo)

    The team is ready for some sleep after earning 315 points

Fun was had by all participants except for a few who had mechanical failures or had their bike stolen during the hunt! I managed to get 5 hours of sleep on Sunday morning and only had to cut short my work day on Monday by a couple of hours.

    Greg Mertzlufft addressing the group from the podium ten hours after registration opened.

    The trophy and other prizes

The winning team accepts their trophy!


So just days later and it’s back to regular daily life, but the 2013 Nine to Five is already beckoning.

Friday Fun: Zoobomb!

If you happen to be in Portland on a Sunday evening and in need of an adrenaline rush, grab your bike, helmet, lights and other protective gear, and hop the light rail to Washington Park Zoo, then take the elevator to the top.  There you can join fellow cyclists--and maybe some skaters and longboarders--for an exhilarating Zoobomb!

Zoobombing involves riding bikes (or skates or skateboards) as fast as you can down West Hills.  This event has been happening regardless of weather every Sunday evening since 2002 and is firmly ensconced in Portland's bike culture.  Do a search on YouTube and you'll find tons of videos of this event.  Sample one below.

Willie Weir and Kat Marriner recounted their zoobomb experience in a series of blurbs on their blog, Yellow Tent Adventures.

Friday Fun: Way Back Home

Danny MacAskill is an amazing bike handler and I never tire of watching of this video. All that Scottish landscape is bonus.  Happy Friday!

Friday Fun: Maryhill Freeride

I was traveling through the Columbia Gorge recently and encountered this adrenaline event:  the Maryhill Freeride!  This two-day event near Goldendale offers downhill skaters, boarders and gravity bikers 2+ miles of winding, twisty pavement free of vehicles and all downhill.  Over 100 riders from across the US and Canada flocked to the spring freeride.  Now here's your chance to experience the Maryhill course from the perspective of a gravity bike.  Enjoy!

Biking for Baseball

Meet Steve Lunn, Chase Higgins and Adam Kremers.  These three friends, along with pals Rex Roberts and Tim Sherman, are the Biking for Baseball team.

Biking for Baseball combines three interests that the five friends share—biking, baseball, and mentoring youth—into an ambitious goal.  The team plans to bike to every Major League ballpark for a home game while raising awareness and funds for local Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

They kicked off their tour at the Seattle Mariners’ season opener on April 13, which is when they dropped by the Bicycle Alliance office to say hello.  They have since pedaled down the West Coast and made their way across the Rockies to Denver.  The tour will wrap up on September 21 and 11,000 miles later in Boston. 

You can check out their route, follow their progress throughout the summer, and support their effort at bikingforbaseball.org.

North Cascades Highway Ciclovia

Open streets, a.k.a. ciclovias, are events that temporarily close streets to vehicle traffic so people can use them for biking, walking, playing and socializing.  These events are gaining traction nationally and, in Washington, the cities of Seattle and Spokane organize open streets events in the summer.

Last Sunday, Steve and I participated in a ciclovia of sorts.  We biked the scenic North Cascades Highway, which is currently closed to vehicle traffic until WSDOT crews clear it of winter snow.  The highway is closed from milepost 134, east of Diablo Lake, to milepost milepost 171, 14 miles west of Mazama in the winter.

 

In the spring, bicyclists have a window of opportunity to ride portions—sometimes all—of the closed highway before the road is opened to vehicle traffic.  (And yes, it is legal to bike this highway during its closure.)  Sunny skies, combined with a WSDOT report indicating that they hoped to reopen the North Cascades Highway late this week, convinced us to bike it on Sunday.

We pulled into the Diablo Lake overlook in time to watch a group of bike riders depart for a ride up the road.  We leisurely pedaled the couple of miles to the gated closure at milepost 134.  There were more cyclists readying themselves for a ride, and a couple of pedestrians too.  In total, we encountered 25 cyclists and two pedestrians taking advantage of the car-free highway.

The ride was amazing!  Lacking a steady procession of cars and RVs, I could enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the mountains.

We weren’t relegated to shoulder riding, but you should stay on your side of the road as you may encounter approaching cyclists, heavy equipment (except Friday-Sunday), or an occasional official vehicle.

We discovered that Bigfoot had been here!

We stopped at waterfalls along the way to quench our thirst.

We witnessed where avalanches had crossed the road.

 

We reached the end of our climb and the end of the snow plowing at Rainy Pass.

We hung out with other cyclists to take a break and check out the fancy snow removal equipment before facing the long descent back to the car.

There’s also an east side version of the North Cascades Highway ciclovia via Mazama, as posted on the Methow Valley Sport Trails Association’s Facebook page.

Before you head out, be sure to get the latest report from WSDOT and check the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center for current conditions.  The highway passes through avalanche terrain.

Retiring Again

Barb (R) & Andy are ready for pedal adventure.

It's true!  I'm retiring and this time I really mean it!  

In 2007, I left the Bicycle Alliance to travel in France with my husband and friends.  I worked briefly as a consultant, and hated it.  Then I tried my hand in program implementation at Seattle Children's Hospital, and loved it. Except...I missed bicycle advocacy and the day to day excitement and enthusiasm of growing bicycling statewide.

What has changed since I returned in 2010?  What's changed is me and my priorities!  My daughter is expecting; she lives in Portland with her husband, and I want to spend a lot of time there.

More travel is in my future: my husband Andy and I absolutely love long distance bike touring and will combine train and bikes to see more of the  national parks.  We'll help with outreach along the US Bicycle Route System.  I'll spend more time gardening, more time with friends, more time reading, and of course, I'll have a grandchild to teach about the joys of bicycling!  

I'm super excited about the direction the Bicycle Alliance is moving with outreach, legislation, and programs around the state.   We have a great staff, and a wonderful board of directors sprinkled all across the state.  Check our website for the job posting, apply or forward it to a great candidate.

This isn't  "so long";  it's more like  "I'm rolling along down the road in search of another adventure!" 

Off the Freeway

Today's guest blog post was written by former Bicycle Alliance staffer Mark Canizaro of Seattle.  This was originally published in July 2005 on his personal blog.

I work at a bicycle advocacy organization. Among my tasks is answering telephone and email questions about bicycling in general and frequently those are about possible routes.

Today I got a request from a father in Bellingham who had a wonderful idea as a parent. His son graduated from high school last month and is heading off to college next month. As a way of symbolizing the rite of passage, and a (possibly last) chance to spend some time together, they decided to bicycle together to Washington State University in Pullman. I thought it was a great idea. (He seemed to need my encouragement.)

Neither are serious bicyclists, but they've been enjoying riding together the last year or so and decided to take on this very big undertaking (It's 400 miles or more). His reason for calling was a routing question. He said,

"I know we go down Interstate 5 100 miles to Seattle, get on Interstate 90 and go east a couple hundred miles, but I don't know where to go once I get out towards Spokane. Can you tell me what turn to take?”

There was a long, long pause as I gathered my thoughts and prepared for a nasty conflict.

The route he was suggesting, 5 to 8 days of really miserable riding on Interstate freeways, was awful. This is not that unusual. Many people forget to stop thinking like a car when they get on a bike. Still, I was shocked... and nervous. I had a good suggestion for that last day of riding, (there is also a major highway similar to his suggestions) but I also had a half-dozen much better routes to suggest for the first week.

I took a deep breath and started in... Stevens Pass, North Cascades Highway, White Pass, Chuckanut Drive, The Skagit Valley, The Centennial Trail, back roads, country roads, bike trails, away from the highways. Quiet roads.

I finished my monologue and prepared for the response. People get very defensive about routes and it's a strangely common reaction to be pretty angry at the suggestion of quieter routes.

I was met with silence. A long silence. A concerning silence. I wasn't even sure he was still there.

Finally he said,

"I'm really embarrassed, I've lived here my whole life and it never occurred to me that there was any other way to get to Seattle except on I-5... of course it would be nicer to ride on some of those other roads."

And why don't more people bike?

I've had the same experience in Seattle with new or prospective cyclists asking me about routes around town, assuming that the ONLY option was the nasty, clogged, smelly, loud, intense, motor filled arterial. Forgetting that the quiet streets, the neighborhoods, the pleasant and interesting streets even exist. Missing the point.

Cyclists need to stop thinking like cars. Actually I think everyone: city planners, drivers, developers, pedestrians, EVERYONE needs to stop thinking like cars, but it's amazing how often I see cyclists stuck in that car-think.

Where do the Children Play?

Last summer, Bicycle Alliance staffer Seth Schromen-Wawrin created a digital story that recalls how wonderful it was to explore his neighborhood by bike as a child and asks why he doesn't see kids doing this today.  Seth made this video in a workshop for the Mapping Our Voices for Equality project in King County.  We think it will bring back fond memories for many folks so we'd like to share it.

   

The Ultimate Cycling Food

Today’s guest blog post was submitted by former Bicycle Alliance staffer Mark Canizaro, who lives carfree in Seattle.  This post was originally published in 2009 on Mark’s personal blog.

I was riding with a great bunch of tree-huggers on Boxing Day.

Mark with the famous Vashon Island bike tree.

Most of the time I'm middle of the pack, but this bunch was fast, I was the second slowest; and midway through our 64 hilly miles the slowest guy got dropped. It was fast, but it was fun. Right after we dropped the guy from Kansas (Vashon Island is not flat!), we came to the highway and turned left. Jon, who had never been on Vashon before asked which way the food was. He sighed when Kent said that it was the other way. I needed food too, but I didn't say anything. I usually eat almonds or granola bars on the bike, unfortunately today my pockets were empty.

It took a little extra effort, but I stayed with the group on the loop south and back around north on the beautiful rural West Side Highway. When we turned back north, Brad turned off to catch the ferry from the south point of the island. I was having a really great time but eventually it happened: I bonked. And it was a serious dropping-off-the-cliff bonk; one minute I was powering up the hill with these randonneurs and 4 minutes later I could barely the turn the cranks a flat half mile to the highway.

They waited for me. On the last hill up into town Mark rode up next to me, put his hand on the small of my back and just pushed me up the hill. I really don't know how I would've made it otherwise. I was extremely thankful, but I could only grunt one word: "Milkshake".

At the top of the hill Jon and Kent were standing there pointing to a sign on a quaint little local burger bar. The sign said: "Come in and eat or we'll both starve!" Even forgetting the economy for a moment I found that to be very deep. It was advice that none of us could resist.

In addition to a garden burger and fries, I got my milkshake. It made me happy, but more importantly, it brought me back.

Once we were at the table stuffing our faces I explained why I believe milkshakes are the ultimate cycling food.

First of all it's got fat. Fat is the oak log of energy. It burns slow and it burns long. This might not be so great if you're sitting at a desk, in a car or on the couch, but it's exactly what you want on the bike. It stays with you. For most people a milkshake will continue to fuel you for about 35 miles. For me it's about 20, but I'm weird.

Second, it's got sugar. Simple sucrose. This is the kindling, the fast burning twigs and paper of energy. It burns very quickly; you feel it almost instantly. (It goes away very fast too!) So if you're starting to drag, it gives you power to sprint down the road, if you're bonking, like I was, it restores you.

Third it's got lactose which is a complex sugar, about half the way to a carbohydrate. It's a medium burner, the dry pine log of energy, and will last longer than the sucrose.

And as the American Dairy council never misses a chance of telling us, milk has protein. Not only does that help restore overused muscles, but it helps to create the enzymes that regulate how quickly the energy, the glucose, is fed in to your bloodstream over time. It regulates your fuel flow.

Of course a milkshake also has fluids which you always need on the bike, no one ever drinks enough. And it's easy and quick to consume, I've even carried them in my bottle cage!  All of that is really important, but there are two other very important reasons why milkshakes are the ultimate bicycling food.

One, they taste good. This sounds basic, but it's actually really key. I don't know how many times I've seen folks, even some who were in the middle of a major bonk, holding on to a Power Bar, a gel, or some other gross non-food. But they weren't eating it, they were staring at it, and that doesn't fuel your body. So tasting good is great because you eat it: you actually consume it, probably quickly; and you finish it.

And lastly, you can find a milkshake almost anywhere. In the United States at least, every town, no matter how small, is going to have a restaurant, burger bar or establishment of some sort where you can get a milkshake, often a good one. Even between towns on the lonely roads there is often a possibility. This might be the most important feature. Showing up is 80%. If it's not there, it can't fuel you.

Milkshakes are great fuel, they are yummy and they show up.

The rest of the day I rode hard. I had half the milkshake at the burger bar and the other half went in my bottle cage for me to enjoy on the ferry. We rode until the shadows were long. It was a good day.

Alley Adventure

I’m an alley cat. I enjoy exploring alleys on foot and by bike—especially the ones in my neighborhood. They have their own unique character and roaming through alleys can give you a different perspective of your neighborhood. You can discover who among your neighbors likes to garden, barbecue, raise chickens, work on cars, and more—all by wandering through alleys.

I think of an alley as the route less traveled through my neighborhood.  They often extend for many blocks. Alleys are great for foot and slow bike explorations because people seldom drive in them except to park their cars.

Some alleys are paved, some are not.

Alleys are a great place to store garbage cans, recycling bins and yard waste containers,

old cars and boats.

You might even find a Honey Bucket in an alley!

The alley side of a home is popular with gardeners.  It's possible to spot greenhouses, vegetable patches, raised herb beds, and flower gardens on an alley exploration.  You might get lucky and spot the gardener in action as well.

Alleys function as active living spaces, especially for children, because vehicular traffic is at a minimum and travel at slow speeds.  Children learn to ride their bikes and skateboards in alleys.  It's a place to practice your free throws, hula hoop, and have water gun battles.

When you need a break from it all, the alley might just be the perfect hangout.

The next time you head out for a neighborhood walk or bike ride, be sure to include an alley route or two.  You're sure to learn something new about your neighborhood.  Maybe you'll become an alley cat like me!

Confessions of a Maphead

I love maps.  Nothing launches me into scheming and daydreaming for an adventure like a good map.  Maps reveal interesting routes to destinations near and far.  They help me plan a bike tour through Canada’s Gulf Islands, plot a backpacking route into Eagle Cap Wilderness, and navigate my way to a mountain onsen in Japan.

Maps are my friends and I am blessed to have an abundance of them.   In fact, I confess that I have a dresser drawer full of maps.  I have maps that accompany me on urban bike commutes, bike tours, mountain bike rides, snowshoe outings, day hikes, wilderness backpacking trips, ski tours on trails and into untracked terrain, and road trips.

The map is my co-pilot.  It suggests route possibilities, warns me of potential obstacles, and guides me through unfamiliar territory.  Maps take a licking and keep on ticking—or something like that.  I have spilled beverages on maps, dropped them on muddy trails, used them as notepads, and refolded them all sorts of ways.  They continue to serve their purpose in spite of the abuse.

Maps—don’t leave home without one.  In fact, carry several.  I usually stash an extra Seattle bike map or two with me on my commute to hand out to the lost or confused cyclist I occasionally encounter along the way.  It’s a not-so-random act of kindness and a way to spread the map love.

“Thanks!” exclaims the grateful cyclist.  “I didn’t know Seattle had a bike map.”

Seattle does indeed have a bike map.  So does Vancouver, Spokane, and a host of other communities.  There’s even a Washington State bike map.  Check the maps section of our website for some links.

I’ve been known to select a destination because I saw it on a map.  I hiked to Indian Henry’s Hunting Ground and the Plain of Six Glaciers simply because I was attracted to their names on a map.  I camped at Kodachrome Basin State Park because, with a name like that, it had to be scenic (I wasn’t disappointed).  I biked the Columbia River Gorge because it looked like an interesting route on a map.

Maps can’t tell you everything, but they can reveal enough information to get you scheming on an adventure in your neighborhood or someplace far away.  Where has a map led you?

Remember the Thrill?

Most people can vividly recall the first time they successfully rode a bicycle.  It’s a thrilling experience and a memorable accomplishment for a child.  It’s also a proud moment for the parent, as Bicycle Alliance member Jeff Moran can attest.  Read Jeff’s account of his son Jack’s first ride on a bicycle.  Caution:  There's a huge cute factor in this post.

Commuting: The Best Part of the Day

Commuting is the best part of the day?  Many folks will disagree with me but, since I am a bicycle commuter, it often feels like the best part of my day.  After spending a long day tethered to my desk, it’s invigorating, stress relieving, and sometimes an adventure to hop on my bike and pedal home.

A recent study by Swedish researchers bears this out.  They found that people who commuted to work by car, bus or train reported more adverse health conditions than those of us who bike or walk to work.  You can read more about that study here.



It's easy to check out Harbor Island when you're on a bike.

Besides reaping the health benefits, I find that biking to work is more interesting and spontaneous than using transit.  It’s easy to alter my route or stop on my bike to check out something attention-grabbing.

My bike commute is from West Seattle to Pioneer Square.  One evening this summer, I detoured over to Harbor Island to watch workers unload freight containers with forklifts.  Not only was the activity interesting to observe, but I glimpsed some unusual views of the city.

More recently, my commute provided me with an up close vantage point of the viaduct tear down.  While car and transit commuters had some pretty horrific commutes to and from West Seattle, my bike commute time didn’t change.  Reporter Eli Sanders filed a Slog post about the West Seattle bike commute during the viaduct demolition.

Enough about the cool sights and experiences I have thanks to my bike commute.  What interesting things have you seen or experienced on your bike commute?

National Park Service Makes Bad Design Proposal for the Spruce Rail Road Trail- Olympic Discovery Trail: Make Comment by October 21

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington and the Peninsula Trails Coalition are announcing that the National Park Service (NPS) has released the Environmental Assessment and preferred alternative for the Spruce Railroad Trail (SRRT) segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) www.olympicdiscoverytrail.com.

The NPS will be accepting public comment on phase two of the project until October 21, 2011. Phase two is for the last four mile section of the ODT that will complete the shared use path through the Olympic National Park.

At issue is the fact that the NPS is proposing to use a 6 foot minimum width in the design criteria for the last four mile section. The NPS proposal contradicts the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board’s (Access Board) 2011 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for creation of shared use paths which cites the AASHTO bicycle facilities guide 8-10 ft MINIMUM as a MUST to ensure Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. If this proposal were implemented, the final section of the ODT would be considerably inferior to the 40 miles of AASHTO compliant shared use path that has already been built and would not be ADA compliant.

The Peninsula Trails Coalition and the Bicycle Alliance of Washington ask that you offer comment to the NPS on the width issue. Specifically, make it clear to the NPS that for a shared use path, the 8-10 foot minimum guidelines established in the AASHTO bicycle facilities guide is a minimum that must be adhered to and as experienced cyclists, we know, based upon our own personal experiences, that a 6 foot path is unsafe for all users.

For your review copies of the EA can be downloaded from the NPS at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/documentsList.cfm?projectID=29848

Comments should be made online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=43392

The Peninsula Trails Coalition, and the Bicycle Alliance of Washington thank you for your support. We hope that by sharing your personal experiences as cyclists on shared use paths we can demonstrate to the NPS the complete unanimity of the cycling community, and convince them to change their plans.

Bike Maps

Are you ready to try biking to work or school but you're unsure of a decent route?  Are you interested in finding new bike trails to explore?  Maybe you want to explore a particular part of the state by bike but you're not familiar with the area.

There's a good chance that there's a bike map out there that can assist you with planning your routes and adventures.  Many of our cities and counties have produced bike maps that show routes commonly used by bicyclists.  They can help you find low-traffic streets, streets with bike lanes or shoulders, and local bike trails.  There's even a state bike map produced by WSDOT.

Do you live in Vancouver and work in Portland?  You're in luck!  The City of Vancouver has a bike map that includes bike routes in Portland.  You can request a hard copy of the bike map or view it online.  Check here for details.

Maybe you're a freshman at Western Washington University and you brought your bike to campus but you're not familiar with Bellingham area.  No worries.  Just get your hands on the Bellingham and Whatcom County bike maps.

Are you itching to explore the John WayneTrail or the Olympic Discovery Trail?  Maybe you'd like to spend time touring the Columbia River Gorge or the Walla Walla wine country.  There are maps to assist you with route finding.

A section of the Bicycle Alliance website is dedicated to bike maps.  You’ll find links to many bike and trail maps, most of which can be viewed and downloaded.  You’ll also find links to sites that allow users to post their favorite bike rides and map their own routes.  Check it out!

Spontaneous Interactions

Perhaps one of my favorite things about bicycling is the possibility for spontaneous interactions. You know, like when you're biking to the store and you see a friend walking their dog, you both stop and chat for awhile, having a meaningful dialog. That wouldn't happen if you were both in a car, you'd possibly see each other and wave, but there would be no interaction. Or meeting someone at the bike rack, you're both locking or unlocking your bikes and you chat for a bit.  Maybe it's small talk or maybe it's deeper than that.  Either way, I can't remember the last time, if ever, I've had a conversation with the car driver parked next to me. I'm sure we've all experienced this, I'd love to hear your story about an amazing spontaneous interaction you've had while on your bike.

I will leave you with one I think my daughter planned. On a Saturday morning my almost 9 year old daughter and I were going to go to the grocery store. She asked if we were going to take the car or the bikes and I told her the car.

"No, let's take the bikes," she says.

"Okay," I reply, happy to oblige and happy that she wanted to bike, even if I was hungry.

As we head down our hill and get ready to cross over the bike/ped bridge that takes us into the neighboring streets she says, "I wonder if Suzzy will be outside, we can say hi to her if she is".

Suzzy (not her real name), is a good friend of my daughter and her parents are good friends of mine. We often walk or bike to and from school together or to the farmers market. They live a few blocks away near a trail and if we bike or walk anywhere we go past their house. If we drive the car, we take another route. It just so happens that Suzzy was outside that morning, we talked for awhile and tentatively set up an afternoon play date.

I couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, Izabelle wanted to bike because she knew there was a good likelihood her friend would be outside and that we'd stop and chat. She knew there was a possibility for a spontaneous interaction that couldn't take place if we drove. I didn't ask her if that was what she was thinking, because she probably wouldn't admit it even if it were true. Even if that wasn't her intention and she just wanted to bike because she loves biking, then great! If she did plan it, I couldn't be happier. It means that she has learned one of the best things about bicycling: spontaneous interactions.