FAIRHAVEN RABBIT RIDE VIDEO

Yesterday, whilst all the Bellingham world was Ski and/or Seaing, myself and a handful of others (six?) did the Rabbit Ride. Great fun, made a couple new friends--Brian Bressler of PainCave Cycling fame and someone named Scott, who's last name I didn't get--got in a great workout and, always important, set a couple Strava PRs on the Colony Road loop. Gotta love that! Please enjoy the above vid of said ride.

Chuckanut Drive

W. Lake Samish Drive

 Shout-out of congrats to Titanium Cowboys John Clark (mountain bike) and Titanium Cancellara (road bike) whose Ski to Sea team, Aven Construction, won the the Whatcom County Mixed division at Ski to Sea. Check out the mega-trophy!



FAIRHAVEN RABBIT RIDE

If, like me, you're not doing Ski to Sea on Sunday, consider doing the Rabbit Ride, a fun sorta race(ish) ride that follows the 32-mile Colony Road Loop. (Hey, that's in my new book!) Here's how it works: every Sunday riders leave from Fairhaven Bike and Ski between 8 and 8:30 a.m. with slower riders leaving closer to 8, and faster ones closer to 8:30. Groups of no more than five leave every three minutes, the idea being that faster riders will eventually catch slower riders who, in turn, can hopefully hang on to the faster group. I've done this ride only once but had a great time and plan on being there this Sunday.

John Hauter, who owns Fairhaven Bike and Ski, told me he's also trying to grow the Tortuous Ride (Tortoise, get it?), geared for slower riders and/or those new to group rides. Whereas the Rabbit Ride is for those who ride in the 15 to 21 m.p.h. range, the Tortuous Ride is for those who generally ride 13 m.p.h. and under. Torturous Riders leave at 7:45 a.m. Sunday and basically ride the Lake Samish Loop, about 20 miles.

For more info, contact Fairhaven Bike and Ski or John Hauter.

In other news, I want to thank Village Books, Mount Baker Bike Club, Everybody Bike—not to mention the super terrific audience!—for a fun time at last night’s Chuckanut Radio Hour!



CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR TONIGHT!

Excited about tonight's appearance on the Chuckanut Radio Hour!

RIDE 542 TO ARTIST POINT

It's probably too late to start training for this Sunday's Ski to Sea race (prolly), but you've still got three-and-a-half months if the 10th Annual Mount Baker Hill Climb (Festival 542) is your goal. And with the D.O.T. announcing that this summer they'll plow the road all the way to Artist Point, R.D. Charlie Heggem and the hundreds of riders who make this their Bellingham World Championships have got to be stoked.

This year's race--24.5 miles from Glacier to Artist Point with some 4,200 feet of elevation gain; 3,000 of that in the last 10.5 miles--takes place Sept. 9. But as the name implies, Festival 542 is more than just one race. There're cyclocross races out at Silver Lake Park the day before (Sept. 8), as well as an 8.5-mile running race (mostly uphill) later that same afternoon.

Sunday's offerings are myriad too. Along with various divisions: recreation, competitive, etc., there's also the 100-mile U-DUMB (Up Down and Up Mount Baker)--Glacier to Artist Point and back. Twice. (Yikes!) Check the website for schedules and registration fees. Then, get training!

ADVENTURES NW SUMMER ISSUE IS OUT

Just in time for Ski to Sea--and myriad other outdoor rites-of-spring/summer--is the appearance of the new issue of Adventures NW, available pretty much everywhere in Northwest Washington. It's the first issue helmed by John D'Onofrio and looks (and reads) great! Even the Q and A wherein bike book author Mike McQuaide interviews himself isn't bad. (I shot the cover photo too!) Pick one up today!