The Native Planet cycling group do one thing, they climb up hills and descend and repeat, and yes they are a very sociable group. Their Tuesday evening training ride is basically 3000 feet in 20 miles in the Issaquah alps and the Thursday ride have hills nicknamed "Goat Hill" "Death Threat" "Guillotine".
When Rosemarie the ride coordinator scheduled Sunrise-Chinook-Sunrise, an 85 mile ride with just under 9000 feet of climbing and descending as recorded by my VDO, I was in.
The Club plans its ride to accommodate what they define as Social, Moderate, Strenuous and Super strenuous. The ride is set up so that at any point if you change your mind you could just wheel around and coast to your car. This ride was definitely not a social one, I was going to have to be ready to spend the day with people who do not mind being in the red zone.
Traffic was a strong presence with the glacier that brilliant.
Starting from the Crystal Mountain parking lot there is water at the bottom of the Sunrise climb at the Ranger station and also at the visitor center at Sunrise at over 600o feet above sea level.
Also the park authorities were letting in cyclists for free on this day. Otherwise you have to pay $5.00 at the gate for the day without a season pass.
The first climb up to Sunrise I was having odd aches and pain, with the abrupt warm-up.
Going up to Chinook I was beginning to find my legs. It was not that difficult to repeat Sunrise, but no time for photos this time.
I took the last one on a little bonus climb from the east side of Chinook pass.
Hamburger and beer at the Naches Tavern in Green Water with good friends after the ride, and home to catch tour action.
I think Fairwind had a great time, she was dressed for it and felt light as a feather and stiff as a board.
Go Astana
1 comment:
Ouch! But beautiful.
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