If weather forecasters are accurate, Sunday's 40th annual Chilly Hilly bike ride should hold true to its name.
The Sunday forecast for the Bainbridge Island perimeter bike ride is “mostly cloudy and chilly” with a possibility of showers and a high of 44; wind out of the west at 8 mph. (Some forecasts are calling for snow showers, but I doubt it will stick with those temperatures.)
Cold and wet is the kind of weather that cyclists expect for Chilly Hilly, along with the 2,675 feet of elevation gain over the rolling 33 miles course. The photo at left is from 2007, a cold wet day.
Of course, cyclists didn't complain about a few mild-weather Chilly Hilly bikes rides in recent years.
Ride sponsor Cascade Bicycle Club reports a record 6,029 cyclists registered in 2010. Note the shadows in the photo at left from that year. That's something you don't usually see.
While early registration is encouraged, there is morning-of-the-ride registration available for those waiting to see how the weather will develop on Sunday. The course is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For cyclists starting from the Seattle side, the ride starts with a ferry ride to Winslow that's covered in the registration cost.
Plenty of food is available during the ride. Cyclists can pick up baked goods from front-yard stands along the course and at the American Legion Hall Hot Cider Food Stop. A chili feed at the finish line benefits the Squeaky Wheels Bicycling Club, and the ride supports 10 local charities.
This ride has lots of short steep hills. You'll encounter lots of people getting off their bikes to walk, and jetting downhill on your left and right. Also, watch for Cascade bike ride refs who will warn about some particularly sudden turns at the bottoms of a few hills.
Where to pre-register for Cascade's Chilly Hilly bike ride.
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