
So, I’m doing the Mike MS Ride in less than two weeks — it’s September 11 and 12 beginning in Mount Vernon. All the details are here. I’m thinking of doing the 59-mile ride, which is longer than my typical weekend outing, so I thought I should get a long ride or two in before the actual event. As it happens, it’s a 50-mile loop around Lake Washington from my house in Madison Valley, so . . . off I went, heading south toward beautiful Renton.

Sadly, no time to poke around Seahawks HQ, because I was just getting started. On I rode, around the bottom of the lake, past this lovely little park:

and up the East Side to the shiny towers of downtown Bellevue:

I knew I was getting close to Kirkland when I passed this landmark near 520:

but my plan was to refuel at Aqua Verde, a little joint by the water’s edge just south of downtown Kirkland:

Lots of choices:

But those catfish tacos were speaking to me:

Then, adequately fueled up, up from Kirkland and along Juanita Drive — and I do mean “up.” There are some wicked hills there, which didn’t seem all that fun 35 miles into the ride, but that’s what training is for. Of course, once you go up a hill, you have to go down:

Yeah, that’s fast. Before I knew it, I was around the top of the lake and enjoying the splendor of Kenmore:

and I bet I was the only guy actually photographing the splendor of Kenmore that day. Anyway, a quick run down the Burke Gilman, where it actually felt a little bit like fall, with a warm golden glow all around:

past Sand Point heading toward UW:

And, finally, home . . . Didn’t I say it was 50 miles?

That was a good ride. And I feel great about riding for a fantastic cause on September 11. Want to join me? Those details, again, are here.
Trust me — If I can do it, you can do it!