Since the weather is starting to improve and its time we all woke up from our long winter’s naps and start getting active again I thought I would share a few of my favorite bike rides from the hill.
First the Chesiahud Loop. Its about 10 miles from Cal Anderson and the hill isn’t too bad if you go Lakeview Blvd to Eastlake:
And the Lake Washington Blvd. Trail. This one is about 13 miles and I like to go through Interlaken because its really beautiful and has lots of fun curves:
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Anyone else got some favorite routes for biking around the hill?
Beware the cars moving from the left lane to the right though!
Nice routes! I’ve got a few of my favorites up on Bikely.com (which adds some cool functions to the google maps interface).
A ride over the bridge then around Mercer Island is always nice. http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Mercer-Island-Loop25250
I also like to cruise down Lake Washington then up Beacon Hill via the Chief Sealth trail. http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/South-End-Quick-Loop
And a loop around Lake Washington is great on Sunday when you’ve got time. http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Lake-Washington-Loop-fr
At 6.2 miles, the Cheshiahud Loop is a nice varied ride for recreational cyclists and runners. There are some nice street-end parks, views, and each section is different enough to keep it interesting.
The City recently completed a new section approaching the Fremont Bridge from the south/west, and access to the University Bridge through Peace Park, too.
More work is on the way, and you can see the master plan and download a great map of the draft route at
http://www.seattle.gov/parks/lakeunionloop/
That was a heck of a fun route. Lots of fun curves over there on the island. It gets a bit windy across the bridge though, hehe.
I just moved here from New York and will be working in Wallingford, and love the ride to work so far, but the climb back up the hill to get to 15th and Pine is brutal. Any recommendations while I work on building those bike legs?
If I were doing it I think I would take the following route because it breaks up the hill a little bit more:
1) After you cross the university Bridge, start going up harvard but then veer right and go through the parking lot, UNDER the freeway so that you pop out on the Westside of I-5. Follow that along the freeway and then back under near the Bike Park and along Lakeside Drive. Keep following along the freeway, you will come to an intersection but just go through it and follow the little bike trail to Melrose. When you hit Mercer, head up a few streets, to Summit. Take summit down to Pine and then head up the rest of the way. Its still hilly, but I think its broken up enough not to be too killer.
I like to come up through Interlaken Park. From the University Bridge, bear left on Harvard, left on Roanoke, bear right on Interlaken which will take you through to 19th Ave E. I don’t think it’s any less steep than 10th Ave E but there’s no traffic so may be easier to ride at your own pace.
The only truly gradual approach to Capitol Hill is from the South, for example taking Jackson to 12th Ave.
Thank you very much, neighbors, for your feedback. I can’t wait for the snow to melt so I can try out the different routes!
Hello,
I like doing the Lake Washington loop, I find it really hard riding up thru Madison to 19th – Fuel. Any less hilly suggestions? thank you
+1
I love bombing that stretch of Denny over I-5 and getting a green light! You can get up to 45mph+ on that stretch if you really try.
-matt
P.S.: http://twitter.com/seattlebikemaps