Cyclists of Greater Seattle Ride Reports

Bike Camping Trip Report

Peter Krippner — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 05:00:28 GMT

Approaching the weekend for the bike camping trip the weather forecast did not look very promising. As a ride leader it is hard to make the right call. Should I risk it or play it safe? I only go bike camping once or twice a year so I really wanted to go. I decided to take the plunge and go. Not wanting to put others in misery I emailed all the registrants and told them I would understand if they decided to cancel with the very questionable weather forecast. Well 6 brave souls joined me, 4 from COGS and two others from MBBC. Friday we launched from the Fairhaven Terminal. Things started well along Chuckanut Drive. We had a lunch stop at Old Edison Inn and when we were ready to depart it was raining pretty hard so we all just waited under cover in their patio for a half hour. When it started lightening up we left in light rain and pretty soon we were out of those conditions. Next stop was ice cream in Anacortes. We made it to the campground afterwards, got our tents set up and had dinner before the rain would come that night and it did rain pretty hard that night.

On Day 2 we woke up to a lot of moisture and some of us had some inside our tents. But everyone dealt with it well and were in good spirits for what this day would have in store. We had coffee or breakfast at Moka Joe’s along the way. As we pedaled towards Burlington the skies were very ominous. It looked like we were riding where the rains were falling with very dark clouds. I was a little worried of what lay before us. Surprisingly our route followed a narrow path where we skirted rain that was on both sides of us. We stopped at The Fairhaven for lunch and enjoyed some sunshine. The rest of the ride was mostly on Cascade Trail and it felt stormy but the rains held back. We seemed to have very good fortune of riding this day where rain seemed to be falling to the north or south of us but not along the trail. We got to camp at a good time where we had some sunshine and could dry out some of the moisture in our tents. Before long the rain did start again but not before having our dinner. That night it was mostly light rain continuing through the night.

Day 3 was again a wake up call to a lot of moisture and light rain. By the time of our departure the rain ceased but would catch us on the way to Sedro-Woolley. We avoided the Cascade Trail this day and stuck to pavement mostly on side streets to avoid Hwy 20. We had coffee or breakfast at The Local Shop there. As we approached Bellingham again the sun started shining with rising temperatures. While we had to have a little more climbing due to closed roads we took a very nice approach into Fairhaven that brought our trip to a delightful close.

What made this trip great were the group of cyclists who came. Some who came had little experience with bike camping but took the plunge in these conditions anyways. Everyone was very flexible and willing to help each other out. They always seemed to be in good spirits making the best of every situation even though it wasn’t always ideal. Having a good attitude goes a long ways. Things won’t always be ideal in bike camping or touring but being flexible and having a great attitude goes a long ways to enjoy the journey and accept whatever comes our way. I was very happy with how things turned out this weekend, yet knowing I still need to be careful when taking risks and putting others in these situations. There are still times when canceling a trip is the best course of action.

COGS Hot Laps at Boeing Field

Tony DeVita — Sun, 17 May 2026 15:00:00 GMT

COGS did some drafting and group riding practice on Sunday. The ride is based on an old Seattle Bike Discord ride on the quiet Sunday roads around the airport. After a discussion on technique and safety we rolled three laps around while increasing speed and decreasing distance between riders. Everyone learned a bit and got more comfortable with the nuance of tighter group riding. Thanks to Joel W. for adding some expertise to the ride. We will do it again. (photo credit: Dave Walker Cartoons)

Casual Cruise for All Saturday

Tony DeVita — Sat, 16 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Threatening weather kept our group small this weekend. Which was too bad because it turned into a great riding day. We did the winter safe ride route through the Arboretum and over the picturesque boulevard above Leschi to the I90 tunnel. Came home along the waterfront using the new "cruise ship bypass trail" The casual conversational pace and a new rider to the group, Eric, made it a fun day.

Leg-Mageddon 2026. The Heathens Ride

Tony DeVita — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Oh this was a hard one. Five of us set out for 110 miles of hills on Easter Sunday. Two finished the whole route while others opted for some part of the ride. (60 and 80 miles) This ride leader struggled to keep up with Thatcher and Tobin but managed to complete the ride with Thatcher.

We warmed up to Alki then climbed over White Center. Renton, May Valley, Issaquah, Sammamish and back to 520. Then....The toughest part of the ride is near the end, hitting Juanita Drive, Holmes Point, Simonds, Norway and Perkins all in the last 30 miles. Thankfully a tailwind from Shoreline pushed my blown up legs to the finish. Thanks to the hearty souls who were up to the challenge of (so far) the hardest COGS ride of 2026.

Tour d France Social Ride

Tony DeVita — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

What a fantastic way to welcome SPRING. Nine of us met at Petit Pierre french bakery for espresso and amazing treats. A few new faces and some others not seen over the cold winter. We took a lap through Magnolia for amazing views including a majestic bald eagle. Our journey traversed the new waterfront trail out to Alki for more views of the Olympics and downtown.

March 7 Glass Collection Ride

Tony DeVita — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:58:45 GMT

Nine riders, 65+ miles, Two "Mechanicals" and Four Flats. I think we picked up all the glass on this route. Sadly, we lost Heather on mile one to a bent derailleur hanger. Her two gravel racer and cyclocross teammates, new to COGS, were more than up to the ride without her. Thatcher, Noriko with Michael, Brant and Gus were all left behind (with permission) due to flats or some problem or another. However, an extended stop at Coulon allowed most of them to work together and catch back on. Good teamwork. Brant wins the ingenuity prize for getting home via light rail and by strapping his broken down steed onto a Lime bike. Crazy day. In spite of threatening weather, it was actually mostly dry and fantastic for riding. Four of us finished together and everyone else made it home safe.

Christmas Lights Ride

Tony DeVita — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 06:24:24 GMT

20 miles of Christmas lights along Magnolia Bluff, Seattle Center, Lake Union and Olympic Manor. Was a fun group but too much of the ride was crowded with people and cars. Far more than expected. We rode conservatively and everyone rode safely. But a different route will be chosen next year.

Looking forward to Wayne's Christmas Lights ride later this month.

We met afterwards for snacks and to watch the Christmas movie, "Klaus" so it ended up being a good time.

It doesn't rain every day in November.

Wayne Johnson — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 18:10:02 GMT

Wednesday night rides are always fun. Last night was another beautiful evening ride with low traffic, high comradery, invigorating hills and stunning views.

Casual Saturday Ride in November

Tony DeVita — Sun, 16 Nov 2025 04:30:35 GMT

Six of us met up on a day with threatening weather. It actually turned out quite good. November is a good time to rest the legs a bit and enjoy a short ride.

This route is designed to be mostly on trails and quiet roads, making it safe for dark wet days.

UW, Leschi, I-90 bike tunnel and trail to the south end of downtown. Proceed onto the new waterfront trail and have coffee near Fisherman's Terminal.

A Damp 50 miles to Fremont to Renton with disappointing coffee.

Tony DeVita — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:21:09 GMT

A change in the weather dampened our turnout this morning but Frank and I were inspired by A.I. to believe we wouldn't get all that wet. Day Glo full fenders and some Gore Tex made it a pretty nice day. Took the Duamish and Lake to Sound trail to Renton. After a brief, unsuccessful hunt for Mama Row's Carmels we settled on a quick stop for mediocre coffee served with a poor attitude at Boom Boona's. Undeterred, we set a good pace up a deserted Lake Washington Blvd with an inspiring philosophical conversation all the way back to Fremont. 50 miles.

October Ride for Tacos in Renton

Tony DeVita — Sun, 19 Oct 2025 04:32:15 GMT

Ten registrants set out from Fremont to what now HAS to be known as the official taco shop of COGS, El Kiosko in Renton. We reversed the route due to protests on the waterfront. Southbound through Leschi is a bit more stressful than Northbound, but everyone rode safely and there were no issues.

It was an eclectic group and everyone kept the pace as advertised. After a well orchestrated lead out, Sabine pipped Thatcher for line honors at the "official Renton Airport sprint finish". (if you know, you know) Thatcher "claimed" lack of knowledge of the sprint finish. He knows now. :)

Newcomers to the Taco Ride agreed...Best traditional Fish Tacos in town.

ZWIFT Club first ride

Tony DeVita — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 23:41:57 GMT

COGS has a ZWIFT CLUB. Search "COGS Seattle" on ZWIFT.

Paul H and myself were the only participants in this 60 minute inaugural ride on a route called "Sugar Cookie". Presumably the name originates from Navy Seals training on the beach. The ride covers a lot of beach front in Watopia.

If you have ZWIFT, Watch for more frequent rides starting mid November.

Marymoor Track Spectacular

Tony DeVita — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 23:48:54 GMT

Six COGS members adorned with lights rode from UW to Redmond along 520 to see the 50th anniversary races at Marymoor Park's, Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome. This was the first time most of the group had seen live track racing and a good time was had by all.

Riding home along the Samm River and Burke Gilman trails in the dark was a fun experience. Everyone had Outbound lights except me and spoke highly of this US made system. I upgraded to the Outbound Club a couple weeks later.

Tahuya Bikepacking Trip

Michael Francisco — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 18:46:10 GMT

Four of us boarded the Kitsap fast ferry for the 8:05 departure from Pier 50 to Southworth on a beautiful Monday morning, arriving in Southworth about 30 minutes later. At Port Orchard we stopped for coffee and pastries at Mercantile Coffee Co (Mile 13). The ride was pleasant with light traffic until we got to the intersection of Flora Road with State Highway 3 (mile 25). Traffic on 3 was very heavy. The shoulder was wide enough, but strewn with debris. We arrived in Belfair to do some grocery shopping (mile 27) and then rode on to Belfair State Park along the narrow shoulder of State Highway 300. We camped at the hiker/biker sites near the shower on Tree Loop. I'd rate the campground here at a 6 on a scale of 10 - due to road noise and the poor condition of the shower. Otherwise, an OK place to camp. Total for the day 30 miles and 1,500 feet.

On Tuesday morning we headed south on a relatively quiet Highway 300 around the point to Tahuya, stopping for coffee at Summertide Resort (mile 43.3). The paved road ends just a bit beyond Rendsland Creek. The next 4.5 miles of NE Northshore Road are rough and hilly. I'd recommend at least 40 mm tires unless you want to do a lot of hike-a-bike. We stopped for lunch at Dewatto campground (mile 54.7). The campground has no potable water supply, but I did find an outlet to recharge my phone while we ate. We continued for another 21 miles and 1600 feet of climbing to Scenic Beach State Park. We rented a full campsite which was close to the showers and a water supply, but was dusty and very noisy due to the presence of wild animals (raccoons, herons, and partying college kids). Next time, I'd stay at one of the quieter and less dusty hiker/biker sites even though they are farther from the showers. Total for the day 45.5 miles and 3,500 feet.

On the last day of the trip we returned to Seattle via the ferry from Bremerton. Some sections of the ride were pleasant, but unfortunately Seabeck Highway is very busy with narrow shoulders - and there really isn't an alternative route that doesn't include this road. We did enjoy a pleasant diversion around Lake Kitsap where I met an elderly gentleman who informed me that he used to ride with COGS - his name is Rich Davis and maybe some of you will remember him. We took the auto ferry home to Seattle. Total for the day 18.5 miles and 1,500 feet. Photo below by Tony D from Day 2. Smoke from the Bear Gulch fire visible over the Olympics..

Southworth, Gig Harbor, Vashon Loop

Liam Parnell — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 06:59:25 GMT

On a beautify Sunday in July, 7 members rode a very challenging ride from Southworth to Gig Harbor to Vashon and back to the start at the Fauntleroy ferry. It was a great ride. And, it was exhausting... at least for the ride leader.

The highlight of the day was the frozen popsicle stand at a location not to be disclosed so it does not get overwhelmed with tourists and ruins it for the rest of us. But, we will return next year... and maybe in August.

STP Mileage Challenge.

Tony DeVita — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:41:13 GMT

This was the last chance of the season to really get those base miles in. Centralia to Seattle on Friday 106 miles. STP in one day on Saturday 215 miles. Portland to Centralia on Sunday 101 miles. Barbara S. joined the challenge on day one and helped get us off to a good start. In total the three days covered 422 miles. COGS represented!

Independence Day Ride 2025

Mel Simburg — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:50:09 GMT

Eleven of us left Leschi on a beautiful Friday morning. We rode counterclockwise around the south end of Lake Washington. Beautiful views, little traffic, and an Osprey nest on the way to Gene Coulon Park, our first water and restroom stop. We had additional stops later at Medina City Hall/Police Station/Beach (see picture) and Kirkland Marina Park. Each stop was about 13-15 miles from the previous and the next. When we reached the 520 trail, two of our group went west back to Seattle. The remaining 9 riders went east to the Kirkland Eastrail, which is a former railroad line from Renton to Woodinville. We traveled 5 miles north along the compacted dirt and light gravel trail before turning west to a long, flowing downhill and then to downtown Kirkland where we saw the late stages of the Independence Day Parade. From Kirkland, we rode the 520 trail west to UW, where 5 of us headed home and 4 of us continued through the Arboretum back to Leschi and a post-ride Joe’s Special (scrambled eggs with chopped meat and spinach) and a beer at the Bluwater Bistro. The weather cooperated and we all had a great time.

Weekend full of rides

Tony DeVita — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 01:30:00 GMT

Four rides were hosted this weekend!! A record?? We hosted two more novice friendly, sub 10 mile rides on quiet roads or trails. Turnout was small but fun and enthusiastic. COGS members are encouraged to chat these rides up to friends and family.

Saturday was North End Hills from UW. Juanita, Simmons, Norway and Perkins had our climbing legs working. A large group of strong women and men challenged the group to push their personal limits. Of course, in perfect COGS style we regrouped after the climbs and congratulated each other on solid work done.

Sunday was UW Marymoor Issaquah Bellevue. Pretty casual ride with four of us. We pushed the pace on the climb out of Issaquah and regrouped for an easy spin back through Bellevue and 520

COGS/MBBC Bellingham Bike Camping Trip

Peter Krippner — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:10:27 GMT

This past weekend COGS and MBBC combined for a bike camping weekend to commemorate Bike Travel Weekend the first weekend of June. 5 COGS members and 2 MBBC members met up at the Fairhaven Amtrak terminal in Bellingham. We were blessed with one of the warmest weekends as summer is approaching. This year we had to navigate around the closing of Chuckanut Drive, but we had the opportunity to be on quieter country roads along the way to Anacortes. Probably the most important stop of the day was at Mad Hatter's Ice Cream before we headed to Washington Park for the night. Those who wandered to the shore saw a spectacular sunset.

On Day 2 we ended up having a brisk ride with tailwinds along the Cascade Trail. Burlington was the halfway point for a very nice lunch stop at The Fairhaven. The most adventure we had for the day was staying out of a short mud section of the trail and having a few brief and shallow stream crossings. We reached camp in time to enjoy the Skagit River by Rasar State Park and had a great walk-in campsite. The tuckered out cyclists hit the sack by 9:00 PM.

On Day 3 the early risers woke up with the birds singing. We headed back to Bellingham via Cascade Trail to Sedro-Woolley while Richard Petters took some very nice side roads instead to enjoy a beautiful Sunday morning. Sedro-Woolley had their ‘Blast From the Past’ street fest with an antique car show going on. After a nice break we took a very nice route back to Bellingham on quiet country roads until traffic started picking up again as we approached Bellingham. We ended up covering about 135 miles over 3 days and everyone's legs felt it towards the end, especially with the last climbs into Bellingham. But the descent down Old Samish Road felt good to finish off the weekend.

Even if you couldn’t make it this time this is a recommended 3 day trip you should consider doing that is close enough to Seattle, yet may seem far away at the same time. The routes are always available on RWGPS.

Friday Sunset Ride to Alki

Tony DeVita — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:53:23 GMT

One adventurous soul and new to Washington, New to COGS rider joined me for a casual conversational ride from Fremont to the Alki Lighthouse for sunset. I think every West Seattle resident was out enjoying Alki on this beautiful evening.

As the sun set we bundled up to head home. Fitting before Easter, we watched dozens of bunnies hop around in our headlight beams.

Thursday North End Hills Ride

Tony DeVita — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 09:41:49 GMT

Three strong riders joined me for the second North End Hills Ride. We casually crossed 520 and pedaled up and out of Kirkland before the real work started.
Juanita Drive, Simonds and Norway hill were challenged before we got a little break on the way to Logboom Park.
Only the deceptively difficult Perkins was left and it burned up what was left of our legs.
A nice tailwind down the Interurban and coffee at Coyle’s was our reward for a job well done.

2024 Winthrop Gravel Hub & Spoke Tour

Liam Parnell — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 21:29:46 GMT

The 2024 Winthrop Gravel Ride was a resounding success! It was an adventure. The terrain was challenging... We all got a lesson in the value of wide, low pressure tires. The scenery was beautiful. It was so much fun, and we will do it again in 2025!

Miles and elevation gain:

Fri: 39mi & 3300ft,
Sat: 29mi & 2900ft (several riders added 10mi & 1000ft),
Sun: 39mi & 1800ft

A big thanks to Rob, Wayne, and Scott W. for their contributions to the success of this event. Rob scouted the routes weeks before the event and kept us on route during the event. Rob and Scott both shared local knowledge during the weekend that improved our routes. Wayne reviewed the routes and made sure the cues were correct. He also suggested changes to the day 2 route and made those changes. Thank you to the 12 riders that signed up! Only with your participation was this event successful!

Accommodations varied. 5 of us stayed at the North Cascades Mountain Hostel. 3 riders live in Winthrop. 4 riders made other accommodations. The hostel was great. It was completely renovated a few months before the ride. The large social lounge allowed 9 of us to get together at the hostel after dinner on Friday. Pam and I had breakfast at the hostel each morning in the super big and clean kitchen. I highly recommend the hostel for next year’s event.

Friday pictures:

Saturday pictures:

Sunday pictures:

Hope to see you next year!

Golydmyer Hotspring

Michael Francisco — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 20:08:33 GMT

Four intrepid COGS members took a trip up Middle Fork Road/USFS 5620 about 10 miles or so beyond the pavement to Goldmyer Hotspring, where we had the whole place to ourselves. It was a bumpy trip, mostly on double track until we got to the river crossing over the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie.

After eating our packed lunches we took a blissful soak; alternating between the hot pool of the mineral spring and the adjacent cold spring with a waterfall providing the background music. It is remarkably quiet and restful there with only the sounds of Burntboot Creek Falls (my guess is that it was named for the odor of the hot spring) and the birds. The weather was ideal for the trip, the road was bare and dry under a partly cloudy sky. I hope to do this trip again next year -- so if you missed out this time you'll likely have another opportunity. Otherwise, go on your own sometime it is well worth the bumpy 10 miles to get there. 40-plus mm tires strongly recommended, and suspension of some kind would make the ride easier as well.

Independence Day 2024

Mel Simburg — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 19:19:55 GMT

Ten of us started Thursday from the Leschi Starbucks with beautiful, sunny weather. We promptly lost one to a mechanical issue. The remainder rode counterclockwise around Lake Washington to the 520 bridge, where 3 more left to go do July 4 activities. The rest of us went to the Kirkland Parade, then Juanita, and returned via the Cross-Kirkland Eastrail to the 520 bridge. We returned to Leschi via the arboretum and celebrated with beer and bites at the Bluwater Bistro.

Quilcene Bikepacking

Michael Francisco — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 16:24:25 GMT

If you'd rather skip the written report and just see the photos, you can find them here. A full ride report below:

The two of us (Liam and I) loaded our bikes on the Kistap fast ferry from Seattle to Kingston on Monday morning (June 17th) and headed for the hills. On day one, we rode from Kingston to Quilcene via Port Gamble where we stopped for lunch and I picked up an anorak, having left my rain gear at home. It wasn't supposed to rain! It did, of course - though just a light drizzle it was pretty cold and damp. That anorak came in handy, and I was glad I could find one in Port Gamble at Olympic Outdoor Center. We pedaled across the Hood Canal floating bridge and along the shoulder of SR 104, enduring the traffic noise and making our way through a road project at the Beaver Valley Road junction. We left 104 at Center Road, enjoying the much lighter traffic and foxgloves in full bloom alongside the road. We spent the night at Mount Walker Inn, which was very nice - clean and quiet. It was our last shower, restaurant meal (Quilbilly's), and phone call opportunity as we left civilization and cellphone coverage behind for the next couple of days. (29 miles/1,700 feet)

On Tuesday morning we started up Penny Creek Road, beginning the biggest climb of the trip - 17 miles and up 3,800 feet to Bon Jon Pass. It started out damp and cool, but cleared up and warmed up during the day as we sweated uphill, mostly on pavement and alongside of forests full of blooming rhododendrons and other wildflowers. At the first summit we stopped for lunch. There was more climbing ahead of us, another 1,200 feet and 16 miles of gravel road - and some double digit grades and pothole mazes to contend with. Upon arriving at Forks of the Dungeness campground, we were pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and quiet it was (quiet until the cub scout troop arrived, at any rate). No shower and no potable water - but we washed off the sweat of the day and filtered some water from the river (Grey Wolf, near the confluence with the Dungeness River). (33 miles/5,000 ft)

On Wednesday we discussed routing options, and decided to head to Sequim Bay State Park rather than the Dungeness Campground as I had originally planned - both to reduce the mileage for the return to Kingston, and because it tends to be warmer and dryer. This was the shortest ride of the trip, with some final lovely miles in the national forest before we hit pavement and a long descent into Sequim. We stopped for brunch at The Oak Table Cafe. I had their "Signature Apple Pancake" and Liam had an omelette. The portions were enormous - I couldn't finish the sugary delicious pancake even though I was quite hungry. We headed to Sequim Bay along the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) where we set up camp in one of the hiker/biker sites and took badly needed showers! Back to Sequim 4.5 miles for dinner, and then camp for the night. (28 miles/1,600 ft)

On Thursday morning we made another route change. We had no particular reason to return to Quilcene, since we rode our bikes there instead of driving and parking and because we didn't relish the thought of returning to Kingston via 101 and 104. Liam suggested an alternative that took us on the ODT and mostly on backroads to the Hood Canal Bridge. This turned out to be a very nice ride - except for the 1.5 mile climb on SR 20 from Discovery Bay. It truly deserves its reputation - a steep climb with no shoulder and a deep ditch alongside the road. Don't think I'll be doing that again- but this time we lucked out! A driver had somehow put her car in the ditch! We detoured around the tow truck and state patrol waved us on. We left 20 and turned right on Eaglemount Road with no more traffic behind us. The rest of the route via Center, Beaver Valley, Larson Lake, Andy Cooper, Oak Bay and Paradise Bay Roads took us back to Hood Canal and Kingston for the Fast Ferry home. (45.5 miles/2,800 feet)

This was a more epic trip for either of us than the miles and elevation gain would suggest, but we are both looking forward to doing this again and we are planning another bikepacking adventure soon. Contact me if you're interested in the route we took, or joining us on our next bikepacking trip.

PS - if you're planning a trip on the ODT, do skip SR 20 but plan a stop at the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Library. It's well worth your while to visit the cultural exhibit that includes an 18,000 year old mammoth thigh bone with a spear point embedded in it. You are riding across and through their ancestral homeland, after all.

Summer Evening Rides

Wayne Johnson — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 02:20:27 GMT

Our Wednesday evening rides don't involve riding in the dark during these summer months. We had a great turnout for tonight's ride and finished well before sunset.

Our first Tuesday Brisk Ride!

Liam Parnell — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 22:29:38 GMT

On 19-MAR-2024, Liam, Pam, Mike, Ralph, and Garry participated in COGS first Tuesday Brisk ride of the season. I am happy to share this update with the club. As the weather gets better, we will see more of these rides.

The route took us north (with a quick stop at UW to see the Cherry Blossoms) through Seattle into the hills of Brier before descending down to the Burke-Gilman for a short stretch. We then climbed Norway Hill and made our way through the quiet neighborhoods in Juanita before dropping back down to Lake Washington and back via the SR-520 bridge. It was challenging!

Many thanks to Ralph for planning and posting the ride!

Sunshine and Magnificent Views for the Spring Equinox

Susan Price — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:42:08 GMT

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to ride along the water south of Seattle. After taking light rail to the southern end of the line at Angle Lake, we plunged down the paved Des Moines Creek Trail through the woods to the waterfront at Des Moines beach, a quick drop of almost 400’ of elevation. Of course, who coasts down must then ride back up, and that was the theme of the first half of our ride. After 20 miles of climbing and descending, and a break at Lincoln Park in W. Seattle, we enjoyed another 20 miles of coastal views from the pleasantly flat route around Alki, the Seattle waterfront, and the Ship Canal trail. Our only disappointments were having one rider abandon the ride early because of bike issues, and finding that Bakery Nouveau in Burien is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Bainbridge (Pre-Chilly) Ride Report

Richard Petters — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:05:46 GMT

Saturday’s Bainbridge (Pre-Chilly) ride generated one of the largest turnouts we have had in a long time, nineteen in total. Although the ride was posted as moderate, capabilities of the signups ranged from steady to brisk. That, combined with the hills of Bainbridge, had the potential for any efforts on my part as ride leader for keeping the group together to become a fool’s errand. Fortunately, Mark Davidson, leader of COGS social and steady rides, accepted an impromptu invitation to be the focal point for the steadies. However, before Mark could get the route called up on his Garmin, Louise Kornreich, put her cape on, jumped into action and proclaimed, “We don’t need no stinking Garmin”. Using local knowledge Louise guided Mark and the steady group to the lunch spot ahead of the moderates. Then later guided the steadies back to the ferry, waving from its stern to the oh-so-pleased-with-themselves-for-having-done-Toe-Jam-Hill moderates left standing on the pier in the rain. But the left-behind moderates were treated to something special on their return, a pod of orcas passing through Elliot Bay. Yes, the ferries, as big as they are, do list when everyone runs to one side. As for the brisk riders, within the first few miles they had blown off the front, never to be seen again. Perhaps they will send us a post card.

Dark Woods and Christmas Lights on Wednesday night

Wayne Johnson — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:53:51 GMT

We had a great turnout tonight for a great ride through dark woods and bright Christmas lights.

Thanks to Barbara for this photo and to everyone who came along for the ride.

Marymoor Issaquah Bellevue Loop

Michael Francisco — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 22:06:27 GMT

Mike, Jeff, Denny, Noriko, Ralph, Gus (with his new custom Soma bikepacking machine), Wayne, John, Riva, Pam (with her beautiful new Rodriguez), Liam, Barbara, Merilyn and Arnie met at the Montlake Triangle on a cool grey drizzly morning and headed east on the 520 trail to Marymoor Park. We headed south on the recently completed East Lake Samammish Trail and somewhere on the way to Issaquah Coffee Co., we picked up Ben. After a stop for coffee and snacks, we climbed Newport Way back to the I-90 Trail, rode across "bumpy swamp" and under I-90 on 108th NE. We worked our way through the traffic in Old Bellevue on Main then through Medina and back to the UW via the 520 trail. Roughly 44 miles covered and 2,000 feet of elevation gain. It was great to see you all!

Kingston & Pt Gamble Overnight

Louise Kornreich — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 23:01:03 GMT

Richard Petters and I met at the Seattle fast ferry dock where we boarded for Kingston - bikes go inside on this run. We saw Orcas!

When we arrived at Kingston, there were no cars on the road so we set off for our ride to our camp for the night, Night Owl Landing. I had a feeling when we turned left onto Epic Dr that this was going to be good, but I had no idea what exactly we were going to find... were the photos of Silver Creek Lounge, complete with flush toilets and kitchen for real? Was there really a bike shop? When we rolled up, Kelly and Heidi met us and took us on a tour. They built their home and the Silver Creek Lounge, with full-service bike shop, a kitchen and space for parties, etc with hopes to create a community. This was one of those times when you realize you have stumbled onto something really good.

We set up our tents in a field of dense clover, cooked dinner and hung out indoors in the cozy warmth until bedtime... at 9pm. After we packed up in the morning, the adventure began. Although this was my 4th time riding in the Pt Gamble Forest, I had never entered on the Dirt Devil trail before. And probably never will again! There was a mixture of riding, hike-a-bike, resting, whooping and, of course, navigating as we made our way north toward Pt Gamble for lunch at Butcher & Baker.

After lunch, we decided the forest was fun, but we couldn't gamble on missing the ferry so we hit the road to head south on 104. Drivers were pretty good and gave us space (it was my lucky day, Friday the 13th and I was in my "lucky" colors of pink and purple) and we made it to the ferry in plenty of time. Here's our route, more or less: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44707410

Colville Spoke & Hub Tour. 22SEP2023 (Fri) – 24SEP2023 (Sun)

Ride Coordinator — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 21:25:23 GMT

Who knows Garry Kehr?

We rode! We ate! We made new friends! Three COGS members (Kevin, Pam, and Liam) joined the Spokane Bicycle Club (SBC) for a delightful weekend of riding and eating and walking around Colville, WA. The weather was good. A bit cloudy and cool but not cold. It was good cycling and camping weather. Colville is a nice, quiet town. Pam and Liam opted for a hotel instead of the staying at the campground at the fairgrounds. But I have to say the campground was super nice and right in the middle of the town. It was convenient to everything. With clean bathrooms, hot showers, and a kitchen for the group. I would seriously consider staying at the campground next time I do this ride. The SBC members were very friendly and welcoming.

On Friday afternoon, after driving for 6+ hours, we rode 21 miles with SBC. Pam and I were tired from the drive so we passed on the Friday dinner with the group and picked up a gluten free pizza from Westside Pizza. It was awesome! Kevin had dinner with the group. On Saturday morning, we rode 40 miles. Later in the afternoon, we had a potluck at the fairgrounds which included BBQ from the Longhorn restaurant in Spokane Valley. It was so delicious! On Sunday, we rode 17 miles, showered up, and since there were lots of leftovers from Saturday’s potluck we had that for lunch, and then headed back to Seattle. Even the drive was nice… except for I-90.

Saturday's ride at the start:

Sunday's ride (Liam, Pam, and Garry):

Sunday's ride (Liam, Kevin, Garry, and others):

Test ride report

Gustav Jansson — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 21:01:48 GMT

Test post. This will post is just to make sure I can add photos to a Ride Report. Apparently I need to use an Admin view. I will try to create the post first and then add photos.

I'm now in Admin view and editing this post. Now when I look at the More dropdown list I see this:

To insert this image I first clipped the screen capture and then saved the image on my PC. Then I used Insert image from the menu and selected my file from the PC and then clicked Insert.

Here is an image inserted using Insert Image from that menu:

This image was already on the COGS site but the image selector allows you to upload new images from your computer too.

Hope this helps. This post will be deleted in 3-2-...

Goldmyer Hot Spring

Michael Francisco — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 19:10:08 GMT

This was my first trip to Goldmyer Hotspring. I had planned to camp at Goldmyer with overnight camping reservations for eight, but I am glad it turned into a day trip with only two of us (more about this later) . We (Mike and Michael) carpooled to the Middle Fork Trailhead at the end of pavement on the Middle Fork Road, starting the ride around 9 AM up the Taylor River Road to what is called the Middle Fork Road on the Green Trails Map (174 SX); it is also NF 5600. I believe it was a railroad bed in a previous incarnation, as there used to be a railroad up to Goldmyer to accommodate passengers. The first ten miles and 1,850 feet could be accomplished by a reasonably capable cyclist on a loaded gravel bike, and It was easy enough on our full suspension mountain bikes without camping gear. We turned off NF 5600 at Middle Fork Tie #4 Trail, where there was a small sign indicating Goldmyer trail to the right.

The little bridge across Burntboot Creek was in good shape, and we made our way up the trail to the hot spring; arriving at the caretaker's cabin at approximately 11:30. The hosts were friendly and helpful. After signing in, we left our bikes behind and climbed the trail past the "Grandfather Tree" about 1/4 mile up to the spring, where we stripped off our sweaty togs and immersed ourselves in the hot spring for about an hour. The Spring is in a beautiful, secluded location next to a waterfall on Burntboot Creek. We had the entire place to ourselves, and it was a delightful soak indeed. We alternated between dips in the hot spring and dips in the cold spring immediately adjacent to it. I toweled off feeling as if I'd just had a massage.

Then came the hard part. As planned, we headed back via the Middle Fork Trail on the south side of the river. The first challenge was to cross Burntboot Creek. Michael crossed first, then tossed his sandals back across so I could cross without either going barefoot or getting my shoes wet. That was the first of many creek crossings, some with intact bridges, some without, some dry, some not so dry. At one such, we managed to disturb a hornets nest and I got stung, twice - this after encountering many rock gardens and roots that had forced me to dismount and hike-a-bike several times. We weren't even half way back yet. This was somewhat discouraging, but we pressed on and arrived back at the trailhead sore and tired by about 4:00.

The trail had some rideable and fun segments, but even with full suspension mountain bikes this was a difficult trail. I was glad not to have tried it with a gravel bike and camping gear, not to mention several pissed off COGSters -- I would have been lynched! I would do this trip again, but older and wiser. For one thing, I would stick to the old FS road both ways. It was a heck of an adventure, and in spite of the difficult trail back we enjoyed the beautiful scenery, the car-free miles, the hotspring, each other's company, and perfect riding weather. Photos from the trip are on my FlickR site.

NOTE - if you decide to try this yourself, pay careful attention to the warnings and information on Goldmyer's website. Don't depend on GPS, bring a map - especially if taking the trail. GPS reception may be very spotty, and there is no cellphone coverage. Bring what you would bring on a hiking trip; the ten essentials and a water filter if camping at Goldmyer. Be prepared to deal with creek crossings, which may be impassable at certain times of the year - especially during the spring melt. The hot spring is worth the trip, however you get there.

Vashon Island, July 25, 2022 Ride Report

Richard Petters — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 17:25:53 GMT

Eight of us had a mostly pleasant ride around Vashon. The qualification of "mostly" explained below.

AVOID riding Vashon on the Sunday after Father’s Day. That is the day of the annual N.W. Small Bore Motorcycle Rally. If you choose to ride on that day, you will be visited by apocalyptic plagues of old, smoke-belching, ear-splitting motor bikes. While their operators were nice enough, the presence of hundreds of these bikes was not.
When getting off the ferry, as bikes and pedestrians debark first, to avoid being passed by an endless stream of cars on the long uphill grind from the ferry, pull off to the right shortly after walking your bike off the ferry. Wait for cars to clear and the ride up the hill will be more pleasant. The debark and wait option works well for most rides that involve a ferry.
The Vashon Ride route has been updated to version #3 in COGS’ RWGPS library. These new edits include:
o An option for avoiding the often congested four-way stop in downtown Vashon.
o An option for keeping us off the Vashon Highway for as long as possible on the return ride to the ferry. Thankyou Mel for this suggestion.
o Incorporation of WSDOTS recommended downhill route for returning to the ferry. This new downhill option is safer. Avoids the risk of being doored while zooming downhill alongside the long string of cars backed up waiting for the ferry.
And most important, a new lunch option in downtown Vashon was visited and gets good marks. Our regular burrito stop, Zamorana Mexican is closed on Sundays. The new option, Camp Colvos Brewing, has nice large shaded picknick tables and a decent menu for a brewery. Colvos Brewing and Zamurana are on the same side of the street on adjacent blocks.

While at Colvos, Arnie, opted for a liquid lunch. Thirty-two ounces of a nap inducing local brew. Makes waiting for the ferry go faster. Too fast for some.

Ride Report Instructions

Gustav Jansson — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 22:16:35 GMT

This is a test post for creating Ride Reports as well as a post that shows how to create ride reports. Any COGS member can create a basic Ride Report but to add photos you need to have administrative privileges.

To create a basic ride report, click Add Post and type away.

To create a ride report with photos:

First enter Admin view by clicking the Admin button on the top right of the page.
Wild Apricot can kind of throw you into any page once you are in admin view so click on Website on the left tool bar and then navigate to the Ride reports page. You can do this either by selecting the Ride Reports page under Ride & Events on the left side bar or by navigating through the site menu to the Ride Reports page.
Now click on Add Post and type away!
To insert an image, click on the More drop down menu and select Insert image. This will open a pop up where you can either select an image already on the COGS site or upload your own.
When you are done with the post, click Post!

2023 Training for Tom's Ride #4

Liam Parnell — Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:13:38 GMT

On June 03-June-2023, four riders (Barbara, Noriko, Sabine, and Liam) gathered at Magnuson Park for a social (ie, not to fast) ride around the lake. At 9am, we were on the bikes and headed to Woodinville for coffee at Sidekick Coffee located at NE 173rd & 135th Ave. We enjoyed our break and took our time. Afterwards, we were off to Kirkland for lunch at PCC. Liam learned a new trick - Forget your wallet and someone will buy you coffee & lunch. A big thank you to Barbara for feeding the ride leader! After lunch, we continue the ride back to the start. Noriko headed home from the UW Triangle. The remaining riders returned to Magnuson.

At Sidekick Coffee:

At the UW Triangle:

The ride:

2023 Training for Tom's ride #3

Liam Parnell — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 02:54:32 GMT

On May 28th at 8am, 7 riders (Susan, Scott, Pam, Matt, Stephen, Benjamin, and Liam) departed Woodinville for a 77mi and 3585ft ride to Snohomish and beyond. In Snohomish, we made an obligatory stop (I mean, mandatory!) at the Pie Company for coffee and pastries. Afterwards we were off to Sultan for lunch. After some debate we decided on the Sultan Bakery and I am glad we did. It is a great little place. Very busy. Good food. Excellent employees and service. Then we were off to Maltby for ice cream! After desert we were back on the bikes and returned to the start.

It was a great day for riding. Low traffic. Perfect weather. Great company.

Caught by the train in Sultan before Ben Howard road:

At the end:

Liam has to get his face in here too:

Paradise Ride

Tom Tanner — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 16:11:26 GMT

June 8, 2023, eight adventurous COGS riders undertook the ride from Ashford, WA up to the Paradise Visitor Center on Mt Rainier. It is a 50-mile round trip ride with 3600 feet of climbing. The weather was near perfect for riding, permitting mostly shirt sleeve and/or light jacket attire. The sky was a bit cloudy, but the emerging sun warmed the riders both going up and coming.

Mt. Rainier was “out” in all its majestic glory. The glaciers and the snow-covered summit beckoned the riders all the way to Paradise at an elevation of 5420 feet. The road was dry, and traffic was mercifully light on the weekday journey.

Spring/summer had definitely “sprung” on Mt Rainier. The creeks all along the route were running full of fresh snow melt. The trees and leafy ground cover in the forest were a vibrant green, sparkling a warm, magical reflection of light throughout the forest. As the riders approached Paradise Visitor Center snow covered the forest floor. The snow was lovely to see interspersed with the ever-green trees/bushes and ground cover and bubbling brooks and streams. Absolutely beautiful!

The riders climbed the mountain at their own pace and comfort level and met at the Paradise Visitors Center for lunch/snacks before heading back down the mountain. The downhill descent was amazingly fun with so little traffic and great road conditions. We reassembled at Copper Creek Restaurant for the “world famous” black berry pie before finishing the last couple miles to Ashford and our return back to Seattle.

The Riders consisted of Tom T (ride leader), Noriko (first time riding up to Paradise), Mike F, Brant R (relatively new COGS member. WELCOME!), Richard P, Teri B (former COGS member relocated to Arizona), Becky C, Gus J, and Jeff G.

The ride definitely lived up to our Club motto of we “Ride for Fun, Friends, and Adventure.”

2023 Training for Tom's ride #2

Liam Parnell — Thu, 08 Jun 2023 02:12:31 GMT

The COGS motto is "Riding for fun, friends, and adventure". It was looking like this ride was going to be an adventure because the leader (ie, Liam) got in over his head with this route. Luckily for Liam, Susan and Scott and Richard signed up on the last day before the ride. They kept Liam on track and no one got lost.

On May 7th at 9am, 6 riders (Susan, Scott, Richard, Pam, Mike, Liam) departed Woodinville for Snohomish to have lunch at the Pie Company. The weather was great. The company was better. After lunch, we made our way to Monroe and then back to Woodinville. It was a fun ride.

Lunch at Snohomish Pie Company:

Here is the ride on RWGPS: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/120364084

Sage Hills

Michael Francisco — Mon, 29 May 2023 15:05:18 GMT

Perfect spring weather and plentiful wildflowers greeted us in Wenatchee for COGS' first ever (?) mountain biking event. On Tuesday Steve, Mike and Becky pedaled up Horse Lake Road to the summit of the Lightning Trail to enjoy the view of Wenatchee and the Columbia River. Descent routes included Apricot Crisp, Glacier View and Bert's Trail back down to Horse Lake Road. We met for a social dinner at Pybus Market that afternoon. On Wednesday we started from the upper trailhead at Horse Lake Reserve and ascended together as far as the Homestead Trail, which Steve and Becky took back to the trailhead. Mike took the Lightning and Sage Hills Main trails back to town. Noriko, who is not a mountain biker, rode the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. On Thursday, Mike went to explore the trail system at Squilchuck State Park.

Steve enjoys the view from the Lightning Trail

Field of balsam, lupine and phlox at Apricot Crisp

Four Boats Ride

Michael Francisco — Sat, 13 May 2023 17:49:10 GMT

Nine of us (Bob, Arnie, Gus, Denny, Mike, Noriko, Tom, Richard and Antoine) had sunny and warm weather for this epic day long ride that included four ferry rides. Five of us managed to complete the full route; with one rider taking the fast ferry to Seattle from Bremerton, two riders taking a short cut for the final few miles (and beating us to the ferry by just enough for five of us watch them sail away on an earlier ferry to Seattle), and one rider taking public transit for the final 15 miles from Paulsbo. Let's just say that this route is challenging, as advertised!

North Cascade Highway

Wayne Johnson — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 21:30:00 GMT

April 29, Sean and I had a spectacular ride up the North Cascades Highway before it opened for cars. We enjoyed the clear skies, warm weather and no traffic as we pedaled from the gate at the Ross Lake Overlook to the end of the plowed road, just short of Rainy Pass. Round trip the ride measured 29 miles with 2,275 feet of climbing. We brought extra clothes for the descent, but they weren’t needed on this warm day.

This is a fantastic ride that would be great schedule as a short-notice club ride. There might even be one more weekend this year to ride this road without cars. WSDOT clears the snow from Monday to Thursday, leaving the road available for recreation from Friday to Sunday. To repeat this ride in the future, we will have to monitor WSDOT's updates and hope for good weather.

2023 Training for Tom's Ride #1

Liam Parnell — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 00:47:36 GMT

April 29th, 2023

Pam, Noriko, Louise, Elizabeth, Richard, Mike, and Liam headed North from Magnuson Park to Woodinville for a coffee at Sidekick Coffee located at NE 173rd St & 135th Ave NE. We enjoyed our coffee and took our time. Liam did a great job keeping to the posted ride... but, then everyone passed him so we had to pick up the pace just a little. After coffee, we headed South to Kirkland for lunch at PCC. Liam enjoyed his lunch. I think the others did too. After lunch we were off to get back to the start. Noriko, Louise, and Mike headed home at the UW Triangle. The rest of us headed back to Magnuson Park. Liam forgot to turn his GPS off. The last 8 miles or so recorded are car miles. I tried to remove them. No luck. Here's the Ride-with-GPS link to our trip - https://ridewithgps.com/trips/119488341

Near the end we took this picture:

Wednesday Night Ride to North Seattle trails

Wayne Johnson — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 16:51:20 GMT

It gets dark early, but that doesn't stop our rides. Last night, five COGS riders showed up for a beautiful ride 20 mile ride on nearly empty streets under a nearly full moon.

Tillamook Tour

Michael Francisco — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 16:25:18 GMT

On July 10th, six COGS riders (Wayne, Gus, Mike, Alan, Liam and Pam) met for breakfast at the Hotel Oregon in McMinnville and then headed north on the West Side Road for eight miles, where we began climbing 1,700 feet up Turner Creek Road. The climb was challenging with all of us carrying our camping gear and grinding uphill on gravel, but what a descent to Trask River awaited us on the other side! This may have been when I broke a spoke on my rear wheel, which I didn’t discover until the next day. Wayne had a tire puncture on the road to Trask River C.G as well. These were the only mechanical mishaps any of us had for the rest of the tour. After setting up camp we all waded into the Trask River for a cold bath. Wayne’s brother Larry brought us some beer, a perfect end to a really great day of cycling. Total for day 1: 42 miles and 3,270 feet.On the second day we rode through Tillamook, stopping for groceries on the way and then rounding Cape Meares to Cape Lookout State Park, where the hiker biker camp was equipped with lockers with USB ports to charge up our electronics, a bike stand with tools and a tire pump, a hot shower, and an ocean beach- all for $8/night! Total for the day: 35 miles and 1750 feet.Day 3 was the longest day, and the route up the Nestucca River Road from Beaver was spectacular, with little traffic and the wind at our backs we climbed 1800 feet alongside the Nestucca River for about 30 miles to the summit at McGuire Resevior (McMinnville's watershed), and descended on Panther Creek and NW Meadow Lake Roads. One rider (this reporter) opted out of returning via busy West Side Road and instead chose to climb some more hills and grind some more gravel on Hill Road North back to McMinnville, where we spent the night at the Hotel Oregon before heading home the next day. Total for the day (including Hill Road North): 66 miles and 4600 feet.

All agreed this was one of the best three day tours we'd ever done, if not the best. Wayne Johnson planned and led us on a spectacular loop from McMinnville out to Cape Lookout and back, mostly on roads with little or no traffic and incredible scenery all the way.

Wednesday Night Ride around Magnolia and Queen Anne

Ride Coordinator — Thu, 12 May 2022 18:44:05 GMT

Last night Wayne took 11 cyclists on 10 bikes on a wonderful loop around Magnolia and Queen Anne. The sky was threatening to make us wet but we only saw a few drops post ride.

We started at Evanston Plaza in Fremont, which can be seen nicely in this google photo: https://goo.gl/maps/si6mJ9VJyJqQcSBM7

Thanks, Wayne!

- Gus Jansson

Three Boats

Michael Francisco — Thu, 12 May 2022 17:15:00 GMT

Four COGS riders shrugged off the morning drizzle and departed from the Coleman Dock in time to catch the 9:10 ferry at Fauntleroy - 13 miles away via Alki. We were on time, however the ferry was not. That gave us some time to chat with an intrepid gentleman cyclist from Topeka, who had arrived at Seatac at 4:30 that morning and was on his way to San Diego. Some of us were a bit jealous, and we provided tips on routes to the Oregon coast. From Southworth we pedaled the 13.4 miles to enjoy lunch in Port Orchard with John's niece, a retired Navy captain who owns the Deep Draft Brewery in Gorst (https://deepdraftbrew.com). We should plan a ride to sample some product, maybe on an overnighter ;-)

Gus, Arnie, Linda, John and Mike (aka Godzilla) lunching at "The Dock" in Port Orchard

The weather had changed from cloudy to partly sunny as we left Port Orchard aboard an electric passenger ferry across Sinclair Inlet.

Aboard the Kitsap Transit ferry across Sinclair Inlet- yes, there is a bike rack!

In Bremerton we stopped for a moment to pay our respects to the USNS Turner Joy - famed for involvement in the "Tonkin Gulf Incident." We crossed over the bridge to Manette and enjoyed rolling terrain along the water through Illahee and Brownsville.

The little port of Brownsville on Port Orchard Inlet

Near Keyport, this reporter's beloved 1997 Rodriguez "Kermit" slipped a disk (cassette lock ring). So that was the mysterious rattle I’d been hearing! I had no tools with me to deal with it, but there was a bike shop six miles away in Paulsbo (Infinity Cyclery) where a young and very capable bicycle chiropractor was able to get Kermit up and running with minimal delay.

We stopped for some caffeinated rocket fuel at Hot Shots Java in Paulsbo, where two riders decided to take a shortcut (that turned out to be not-so-short) to the Bainbridge ferry and two riders were still feeling frisky enough to take on Baker Hill.

Gus and Mike opting to walk across the Agate Pass bridge on the narrow sidewalk

All four rejoined aboard the ferry back to Seattle. It was a somewhat challenging 60 mile ride with some hilly, lovely riding between Bremerton and Bainbridge (the three ferry rides add another 15.6 miles). Look for this ride to be reposted later this summer, as it is one of my very favorite local routes.

Ride around Queen Anne and Magnolia to honor Tom Schaefer

Gustav Jansson — Wed, 04 May 2022 16:10:02 GMT

Sunday, May 1, Grace led us on a wonderful ride in Tom’s honor. It was very nice to see so many COGS riders as well as friends and family of Tom come out for the ride. Especially nice to see Tom’s niece and her husband, Lerryn and Nick, in their matching Schaefer Beer bike jerseys riding on Tom’s old tandem, a bike that Lerryn knows very well as it was built by her dad, and Tom’s brother, Bill.

Thank you, Grace!