Team Thursday: Little Garden, Long Lake Loop w/Dirt, Gravel Focus

Start Time: Meet at 8:45 AM; rollout 9:00

Meeting Location/Address: Little Garden Café 2901 W Northwest Blvd Spokane, WA 99205

Distance: 30 miles

Pace: 13-15 on pavement; what conditions allow on dirt

Terrain: 52% unpaved; 48% paved. Lots of ups and downs. Total elevation gain +/- 1500 ft.

Route Description:
The start, finish and halfway point match the traditional Monday ride, but we’ll favor the unpaved option along the way. Sections include:

• “Where the Fire Jumped the River”
• McLellan offshoots (some of which have been significantly impacted by fire prevention activities)
• Alt-routes from Sontag to Long Lake (Warning: leader likely to make wrong turns)
• Transitions from smooth dirt to evil patches of rock (AKA baby heads)
• Riverside photo ops
• Bowl and Pitcher swinging bridge

Not suitable for road bikes. Recommended tire width 38mm +. Bring plenty of water and something to eat at the halfway point.

Riding on dirt/gravel is more tiring than riding on pavement. Overall, this ride is not extreme off-road riding, especially for folks who are comfortable with their gravel skills, but there may be a couple of sections where you have to walk your bike (both uphill and down), which is fine. The goal is to enjoy a small sampling of the myriad trails available in Riverside Park.

Link to route map and download option: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/52782633

Regroup Locations: Nine Mile Recreation Area (Long Lake); others to be determined during ride

Eat: Little Garden post-ride

Weather cancellation: Rain, high winds, other extreme conditions may cancel. Check Meetup for status updates or contact ride leader.

Ride Leader: Tim Hunt 503.880.9896

Helmets required on all SBC rides