The Cascade Bicycle Club's annual Chilly Hilly Ride on Bainbridge Island might be the official opening of Cylcing Season in the Seattle area. The Seattle International Randonneurs had their Renton Spring Fever 100k Populaire today too, but I chose the Chilly Hilly.
I was eager for a spectacle, and that it was with from what I heard: over 6000 registrants, a new record. It was so tight on the roadways after the ferry dropped off our couple thousand or so that I felt like I needed the passing skills of speedskater Apolo Ohno to snake my way through.
It's called the Chilly Hilly because it's usually chilly in February (today was in the 50's I'm guessing and beautiful!), and because of the 2700 feet of climbing in 33 miles. It lived up to it's last name my knees can tell you.
Here's how it went:
Milling around in the ferry loading zone. See the Olympic Mountains in the distance?
Our boatload--there were several ferry loads full--from the gangway above.
Eager to disembark.
View from the ferry deck. See those Olympics again?
Here's a hill. Hard to tell from this pic, but I can honestly tell you: it is a hill.
Hill climbers. No shame in walking!
You tell me!
Preston pushes the Big Wheel. Very impressive!
My cleat came loose, and I couldn't unclip my shoe from the pedal so I had to take my foot from the shoe! The garrish orange thing is my socked foot.
Some of the many Islanders who sat on their front lawns to observe our cycling antics. Silly Chilly Geese!
The feet that got me up the hills. Wore my hot orange socks for good luck and good safety.
They must have worked!
Keep it bloomin'!
CurioRando
