Rattlesnake Lake and Snoqualmie Falls (Vigorous)

Join us for a ride from Issaquah to Rattlesnake Lake and Snoqualmie Falls. We'll start the ride with a climb up into Issaquah Highlands and then a long, rolling descent down to Fall City. After climbing to Snoqualmie Falls, we'll head to North Bend via quiet country roads and enjoy some great views of Mount Si. From there we'll climb up to Rattlesnake Lake and then return to North Bend for a quick stop at a bakery. We'll end the ride by climbing Snoqualmie Ridge and then returning to Issaquah via the beautiful Preston-Snoqualmie and Issaquah-Preston Trails, with a brief detour for an out-and-back bonus climb up Mitchell Hill.

We will have a ride leader candidate helping out on this ride: please come support Daniel Perry as he completes the first of his two mentored rides.

Route map and cue sheet: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15705092

Note: Approximately two miles of this route (starting around mile 64.5) is on a gravel road. I have ridden this section many times on smooth, skinny road bike tires and never encountered any problems.

Pace: This is a Vigorous-paced ride, so our typical pace on the flats will be 18-20 mph. We'll climb at our own pace on the hills and regroup at the top. Please come prepared with a cue sheet or with the route downloaded to your navigation device in case you are unable to keep up with the group.

Ride start: The ride starts from Tibbetts Valley Park in Issaquah. We will meet in the parking lot on the east side of the park along 12th Ave (not the Park & Ride). Please show up to the start at least 20 minutes early so you can sign the waiver and ensure that you are ready to go when we leave the starting point promptly at 8:00am.

Rest stops: There are bathrooms and water available at the ride start. We will stop at Georgia's Bakery & Cafe (http://georgiasbakerycafe.com/#/menu) in North Bend at mile 40 for food and beverages. We will pass by a number of restrooms throughout the ride and will stop for water and/or bathroom breaks as needed.

Mechanical issues: You should be prepared to change a flat tire with tools, tube(s), and the ability to change the tire yourself. The group will generally not stop for repairs.

Registration: Please RSVP here on Meetup and also sign the electronic waiver on the Cascade page: https://www.cascade.org/node/38414

Weather: Steady rain will likely result in a cancellation. In the event of a cancellation, the ride leader will post a notice here and on the Cascade page at least one hour before the start of the ride.