(See the “Seattle to Portland bike ride webcast”)
It's not often that I'm a spectator to thousands of bicyclists pedaling past, but I bicycled over to the first leg of the Seattle to Portland bike ride this morning to soak up the ambience.
This is the 28th running of the STP, organized by the Cascade Bicycle Club. It's a 202-miler from Seattle to Portland that can be ridden in one or two days.
The mostly flat route — there are just two or three good climbs — makes it possible for a wide cross-section of recreational cyclists. Cascade cut off registrations at 9,000 this year. Some of the statistics:
— The oldest rider is 85, the youngest is 2 years and 4 months.
— More than two-thirds, 6,770, are stopping about halfway at such towns as Chehalis and Centralia. The rest, 2,230 are pedaling all the way through.
— More than 300 have ridden the STP more than 10 times. Two, Jerry Baker and Paul Wantzelius, have been in all 28.
— Bikers came from 44 states and four countries, Australia, Canada, England and Serbia.
I picked a spot along Lake Washington Parkway and watched the parade pass by. It already felt warm; the morning's promised high clouds never really materialized. Temperatures were forecast in the upper 70s on Saturday, which means it will probably hit the high 80s out on the road where the route passes through the wide open farmland.
I saw a few serious faces, but most everyone seemed upbeat. There was a lot of talking and cheering going on. I hope they can keep their spirits up all the way to Portland.
Here are some other stats: total distance — 202.5 miles; uphill distance — 30.87 miles; uphill altitude — 1,951 feet; maximum altitude — 463 feet.
At least one biker is attempting to blog along the way. Check out Pedaling to Portland.
More Washington state bike rides in July.
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