Wednesday 12/20 at 3PM was the long-anticipated official opening of the SR 520 Trail across Lake Washington. The new multi-use path opens up new recreational, commuter, and pedestrian options between Seattle and the east side. There is still some work yet to be completed for the 24th Avenue East Bridge, so anticipate detours through this area for bicycles, pedestrians, and vehicles during 2018. Going into 2018, crews may need to periodically close the SR 520 Trail for maintenance.
To honor the day, I joined a group of about 10 Seattle International Randonneurs (aka “SIR,” or the “Randos”), who crafted a 100km “permanent” that included no fewer than three coffee stops and a beer + food truck option at the finish. It is a great route that incorporates already popular cycling roads north of Lake Washington, and a turn-around point at the Snohomish Bakery. The route finished by crossing the 520 Trail eastbound.
Randonneuring can be described as “self-supported long-distance cycling,” and their rides and events generally range in length from 100km to 1200km. Participants get credit for every official ride (called “permanents”) and event they do by registering beforehand, and completing an official route card along the way by proving they have visited specific checkpoints (“controls”) along the way.
If you’ve done the Cascade Bicycle Club‘s Seattle to Portland (STP) ride and are ready to try longer events, SIR’s annual event calendar is set up to lead you to longer and longer rides. The Winter Training Series (WTS), done in coordination with Cascade, begins January 6, and starts with a 53km ride and incrementally bumps up the distance over eight rides through February 24.
Seattle’s Randonneuring club is one of the largest in the world, and usually brings the greatest number of participants to Randonneuring’s premier event, Paris-Brest-Paris, held every three years. Club president Mark Thomas sets the tone for everyone, and is among the most avid Randos in the world. During 2017 he completed ten 1200km events, and visited seven different countries to do it. Club member Doug Migden probably sets the tone for the most audacious Rando in the region, and has participated in the Transcontinental Race a number of times. Doug will be giving a presentation on his exploits at the REI Flagship store on January 17.
Our group arrived at the west end of the 520 Trail in the waning moments of the “golden hour” on winter solstice eve. The air was clear and cold, and the views of Lake Washington and Mt Rainier were spectacular. Everyone was smiling. Cascade Bicycle Club’s Stacey Willams noted that “in the first hour of the path opening the bicyclist/pedestrian counter had registered 1200.”
It will be interesting to see what new routes and ideas come about now that the SR 520 Trail is a reality. Post-ride I had a Facebook “conversation” with several of the area’s most prominent runners about the possibilities of doing a “2 Bridge Run,” which seems like it has the potential to be an instant classic.
Relive ‘520 on Perm 3490’
Have you ridden the new trail yet?
What are your thoughts about the ways it will change transportation and recreation patterns in the region?
