Preparing for Spring Rides #6: Redmond - Issaquah - Bellevue Loop (Steady 37 mi)

Distance: 37.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,768 feet (47.7 average feet gained per mile)
Pace: Steady (12-14 mph at 0% grades and without wind)
Terrain: Some Hills
Regroup: Occasional. See comments below.
Weather Cancels?: Steady rain cancels; Ice/snow cancels. See comments below.

Ride Description: Preparing for Spring Rides (PSR) is a 10-week series intended to keep our legs moving and warm throughout the winter. Optional social gatherings are available before and after the rides to meet and connect with Ride Leaders and fellow riders. Our mid-ride rest stops will be brief in an effort to retain body heat. Please arrive 20 minutes before the published start time to ready your bike, check in, and participate in the SMART safety discussion.

PSR #6 starts in the trail parking lot behind Whole Foods in Redmond. We’ll start our ride heading south along East Lake Sammamish Pkwy and cut west through Issaquah. We’ll stop briefly at Tibbetts Park before climbing our first warmup hill for the day, Newport Hill. We’ll continue our journey down into Factoria and head north through west Bellevue. We’ll make another brief stop at Downtown Bellevue Park and continue north to Kirkland then east to Redmond by way of the Old Redmond Rd hill. That’ll build our appetite for the post-ride meal and social gathering at Agave Cocina & Cantina.

Cue Sheet: Map and cue sheet are listed under “Links” on the Cascade Bicycle Club ride announcement. Please print and bring your own cue sheet; copies will not be provided. Please download the cue sheet and/or RideWithGPS route after 3:00 p.m. one day before the ride to reflect any recent changes. Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17187367

Pre-Ride Gathering Time and Location: 9:00 a.m. at Peet’s Coffee, 17887 Redmond Way, Redmond

Rest Stops: Tibbetts Park at mile point 12.0 and Downtown Bellevue Park at mile point 23.1

Post-Ride Gathering Location: Agave Cocina & Cantina, 17158 Redmond Way #180, Redmond

Rider Safety and Responsibilities: You must wear a properly fit helmet, ride safely, and follow Cascade’s SMART guidelines. Earphones/earbuds are strictly prohibited while on a Cascade ride. If there is any chance of rain or wet roads, fenders will be required and rain gear is strongly recommended.

You should be able to sustain the posted pace. Please be sure you have the equipment and knowledge to fix minor mechanical issues (flat tires, dropped chains, rubbing fenders, etc.), plus a cue sheet to get home on your own or a phone to call for assistance if needed. The Ride Leaders’ responsibility is to the group, and it is at their discretion whether to stop for individuals’ mechanical issues; they will, however, stop for all medical issues and emergencies.

Nutrition and Hydration: Riders must bring their own food and drink. Our rest stops will have water fountains but will not have an option to purchase food or beverages.

Group Communication: Communication is key for individual and group safety. Please pass communication to the rider directly behind or in front of you. If such communication is done well, the Lead and Sweep will hear each other’s hazard communications passed through each and every rider.

Hazards: Common calls from the Lead: Post, Hole, Crack, Glass, [railroad] Tracks, [wet] Metal (or wet painted surface), Ice, [standing] Water, Grate, other obstacle (Walker Up, Bike Up, Trash Can Up, Curb, etc.), Gear Down (sudden high-pitch hill)

Common calls from the Sweep: Car Back, Bike Back

Lane Control: Two Abreast / Single File

Group Management: Broken / Together

Registration: To save time and to make the sign-in process easier, please register for this ride on the Cascade website. If you already have a Cascade account, make sure you are logged in and click the button at the top of the ride description, then make sure to check the box indicating you have read the Waiver & Release, add your emergency phone number, and click the button. If you can’t make the ride, you needn’t unregister. If you don’t have a Cascade account, consider spending a couple minutes setting one up. If you’re pre-registered, all you need to do at the ride start is check off your name—there’s no lengthy sign-in procedure. Here's the Cascade website link: https://www.cascade.org/node/40038

Regroup Policy: We will regroup at safe places whenever the Sweep is beyond sight distance from the Lead, primarily at the top of hills, at critical turns or past intersections. If a safe regroup point isn’t available, we will “soft pedal” (ride well below pace) to allow the split group to reconnect and resume the posted pace.

Cancellation Policy: If there is heavy rain, high winds, flooding, ice/snow or other unsafe riding conditions, Ride Leaders will cancel the ride. Ride cancellations will be posted in the comments section on both the Cascade and Meetup sites, ideally two hours prior to the start time. If such posting takes place, Ride Leaders will NOT be at the start. A ride may also be called at the ride start or during the ride for safety reasons. CHECK THE CASCADE OR MEETUP WEBPAGE BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME.

Links:

Ride SMART: https://cascade.org/ride-smart

New Rider Link: https://www.cascade.org/welcome-newcomers

Minors Link: https://www.cascade.org/information-parents

Becoming a Ride Leader: https://www.cascade.org/become-ride-leader