Dripping and soaked from head to foot as I entered the 2011 Seattle Bike Expo on Saturday, the first booth I saw displayed the name Rainy Day Biking.
The name spoke to me, as I had just finished an hour-and-a-half bike ride from Bellevue to the Smith Cove Terminal in the pouring rain.
I spoke to exhibitor Don Cox about his product — a high visibility reflective mud flap that also helps keep the water out of your shoes — and bought a set of front and rear flaps that read: “Save the Planet. Ride a Bike.”
Vendors and exhibitors
The Seattle Bike Expo, which wraps up on Sunday, is that kind of a bike show. If you have a bike-oriented desire on your mind when you walk in the doors, it's likely that one of the 200 or more exhibitors can fulfill it.
Vendors sell all kinds of clothing and gear. Hand-crafted and factory assembled bicycles are displayed throughout. Inventions, such as fabric reflectors for a bike frame and the polycarbonate mud flaps, are scattered around.
There are message and physical therapists and enough free samples of energy bars, gels and fruit juices to enable visitors to avoid a trip to the concession stands for lunch. Bicycling authors David Herlihy, Willie Weir and Joe Kurmaskie are on hand to feed your mind.
Also, many bike clubs and ride promoters are hawking enough recreational and charity bike rides to keep a recreational cyclist busy just about every weekend through the fall.
Saturday highlights
If you put off your visit until Sunday, you missed the first-ever fashion show at the Seattle Bike Expo. Bike travel author Willie Weir described the cycling garments worn by the fashionistas who paraded across the stage.
You also missed a talk by Axel Merckx, the son of legendary cyclist Eddy. He has a sterling cycling career of his own and currently lives in British Columbia. He also manages the Trek-Livestrong development team.
Sunday highlights
Many of Saturday's presentations will be repeated on Sunday.
Weir and Bike Snob blogger Eben Weiss will both talk about their experiences, and historian David Herlihy will talk about the subject of his latest book, “The Lost Cyclist.”
A mountain bike trials show by Ryan Leech is on tap, and the artistic cyclists from Germany will make a return engagement.
Hours, etc.
The expo is located at the Smith Cove Terminal. Bicyclists can enter from two gates located just off the Elliott Bay trail and secure parking is located in a corral. Car parking also is available for $6 at the Terminal 91, and a shuttle bus runs every 10 minutes to the Expo site. Here's a link to directions.
The show is $10 per day. Cash-only is accepted at the entrance. Here's a $2 off coupon. Hours are Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Coming up: Interviews with David Herlihy about his next book after “The Lost Cyclist,” Brent Thomas of Bike Wrappers and Don Cox of Rainy Day Biking.
Short video from first day of Seattle Bike Expo:
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