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Here’s an account of my bike to work ride for 2007

5:00am
Rise and shine. Get my clothes for the ride (and day) and head downstairs. Turn on the heat, a light, and the morning news.

Get my usual morning drink ready, which is 8oz of OJ, an Emergen-C packet (orange flavor), and a heaping teaspoon of Amino Vital Pro (grape flavor) in a 32oz. Nalgene. Fill to the top with water.

Last night before heading to bed, I mixed up a 1:1 solution of Vitamin Water (trying out the new “XXX” flavor. woot.) and regular water, and added a scoop of the Amino Vital for good measure. This means I’ll be taking about 40oz of fluids with me.

I’ll also be bringing a Clif bar, and some Clif shots.

Looks to be a great day for a ride today.

5:20am
I should mention that I’m meeting a friend and doing the Friday ride. This will be about 35 miles this morning, as I’m leaving from the Sammamish River park.

Breakfast is a packet of apple/cin oatmeal with equivalent amount of regular quick oats prepared with some soy milk and into the microwave for 1 min.

5:40am
Bit on King 5 about BtW day, complete with interview from Cascades David Hillar. Finished nalgene and oatmeal. Ready for 6am departure. I’ll be driving the 1.5miles down to the trailhead, and riding the 4 miles to meet up at Logboom.

5:55am
Loaded up bike, ready to head out.

Traffic guy on King 5 likes to start off his reports today with the “What you guys didn’t ride your bikes to work today? (chuckle chuckle)”.

It looks like I’ll be able to hit up about 3 of the commuter stations on the way in today. See you all out there. Have a great (and safe) commute in!

6:05am
Down at the trail. It’s a bit chilly out but I know I’ll warm up soon enough.

6:20am
At logboom, and I swear this is a new station (#1) here this year. Turns out Patrick was there so got to catch up a bit with him.

I suppose I should share another piece of information. Today was the first time doing the Friday ride on a single-speed (umm, thanks Jill? ).

Now that sounds a bit tough and surly but for the most part if you have your gearing right it isn’t that bad. You just have to worry about hills. I’m currently rolling with a 42×16 (that’s a 70 gear-inches for those of you who like that).

I was actually able to make it up all hills just fine, however it appears as though my chain may be too long as when I apply a ton of torque I get a sound that sounds like I’m ripping the teeth off the cog.

7:00am
Rolling through Kirkland, rode by the station (#2)there at the Marina Park and along the Lake towards 520. A perfect day for riding, and I’m not too warm and not too cold.

7:20am
At the Chevron just off of Main st as you come from Medina. I’m a bit concerned about the hill that is coming. You see you turn off of Main St. to 100th (iirc) and 100th turns into 5th, which goes up this nasty short hill. It’s the steepest on the route. My main concern was I’d have so much force getting up that I’d just be constantly slipping the chain.

7:25am
Turns out if you go slow enough (6mph) everything works smoothly.

7:40am
Passing the east I-90 station (#3), heading across Mercer Island and to the I-90 bridge.

7:53am
Passed the I-90 tunnel station (#4)

8:00am
Heading into Leschi along the Lake towards the Arboretum.

8:15am
I’m a bit hesitant to head into the Arboretum given that my top speed before spinning out is about 25mph. Granted that *is* the speed limit through there, but we all know ppl like to go 30-35mph through there (so they can then wait to get on 520? sorry. cheap shot).

8:20am
Through the Arboretum, and to the last station there on the Burke right by the UW campus. Turns out there was enough traffic that we were doing about 25 or less most of the way through.

9:10am
Finished up this post, ate the Clif bar (prolly gonna go out and grab something else), diluted a FRS with water, and took 2 Advil to boot.