Stampede Pass to Tacoma Pass via Lizard Lake While I embrace the uncertainty of adventure cycling, I prefer to have some confidence that a route actually pushes through the rough stuff and actually goes somewhere. This is why I appreciate the NW Gravel Riders Facebook group – new routes that are ridable and that don’t […]
Gravel
No Bear Claws for Us – Spada Lake From Redmond Ridge
75 miles/5100′ vertical elevation gain in Northwest Washington. Map here:Worried About Lead Poisoning Near Spada Lake | Ride | Strava I like the ride to Sultan, either via the Mackworth Forest or by the Ben Howard road, so when I mapped out a route to Spada Lake I decided to go via the former and […]
XWA Ways and Means – Weighted Decisions
The following is a listing of what I brought, what I wish I’d brought and what I left behind. What I Brought Clothing *Bibs – two pair, wore one for Days 1 and 2, wore second for Day 3, both for Days 4-7 Jersey – food storage Sleeveless baselayer – has cargo pockets if needed […]
XWA Ways and Means – It’s All About The Bike
A number of people have asked about my bike slash gear set-up for the Cross Washington Mountain Bike Race, so I figured that I’d try to write it all down, starting today with the bike itself. I rode my trusty Ibis Hakka MX fitted with Shimano GRX components (42 ring up front and an 11-46 […]
Day 7 XWA Burning Bridges
After our sixth evening out Mykenna and I were getting dialed in. We both awoke with the rising sun, ate breakfast (cold instant coffee and Pop Tart Bites) and were packed, strapped and rolling by half past five. We made good time on good roads when, a mile outside of Pine City, we followed bike […]
Day 6 XWA – Killer Clown
At first light, Mykenna and I realized that we’d slept less than one hundred yards from a semi-permanent encampment occupied by an odd lady and several dogs enclosed in a makeshift chainlink enclosure. She later told Mykenna that if he didn’t “behave himself” she’d have to release the dogs. He behaved himself. The bivy thing […]
Day 5 XWA – Wind Trap
I’m not gonna lie, a mattress and a shower are good and welcome things. With a good night’s sleep in the can, Mykenna and I opened up the Fred Meyer at six where we stuffed our pockets with as much calorie dense food as we could carry. Our next resupply would be Ephrata, a tough […]
Day 4 XWA – All Hell Breaks Loose
The Thorpe bivy wasn’t too bad. I sure was happy that I’d purchased that new fifteen-degree bag two days before the Grand Depart. By fortunate accident I’d placed my feet in the direction of the wind, which significantly reduced the breeze blowing through my shelter. The trailhead restroom was also welcome. Mykenna doesn’t drink coffee, […]
Day 3 Up and Over
Well, we certainly didn’t get our money’s worth out of our stay at the Anderson School as we spent only a little over five hours on the premises. The same guy who had checked me in a twelve fifteen checked me out at five thirty. We rolled out under cloudy but dry skies and coasted […]
Day 2, Beginning to Understand
After a cup of hotel lobby coffee, which was quite good, Mykenna and I set off into the misty wet morning in search food (a common theme on this trip). The Egg McMuffin is a perfect blend of fat, carbs, proteins and convenience and when we saw the golden arches we rolled in. The dining […]