After a restful night at the Stanwood United Methodist Church, we woke up to an amazing hot breakfast made for us by Sir Robert and Bob, including waffles, eggs, a potato and cheese casserole, sausages, and coffee! It was delicious and just the boost we needed, because when we woke up and looked outside we realized it had been pouring rain for hours with no signs of stopping. So after breakfast we packed up our backs, put on our rain gear and set off for Seattle.
During the ride, many of us discovered that we enjoyed riding in the rain, and multiple pods were singing along the way. After riding out of Stanwood for a while, our direction led us to a great 18 mile bike path called the Snohomesh County Trailhead- no traffic, lined with trees, and wide enough for three people to ride side by side. Shortly after the trail ended, we met up with the support van to grab a quick lunch before we continued on our way.
As the rain continued to pour, we rode along Highway 9 next to the semi trucks and school buses spraying us with waves of water. We spinned our way up some long hills and then down again, through the town of Bothel and then took the Burke-Gilman Trail into Seattle. Hours later and with the help of some locals, we all eventually found our way to the house where half of us will be staying for the next two days. All in all we ended up biking 74 miles, or 119 kilometres!
Tomorrow is our first day off, and we’re all excited to sleep in, explore Seattle and give our legs a rest.
Laura – 2008 rider