A Courage Classic Adventure Weekend

Photo by Monologue Photography

My oldest child Gwen (10) and I had an amazing overnight biking adventure over the Cascade mountains as part of the 25th annual Courage Classic bike ride. The ride is the primary source of funding for the Child Abuse Intervention Department at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, WA, our hometown. The CAID center provides free services to children who may otherwise never seek help from all types of abuse. I've participated in this event more than a few times and Gwen was thrilled when the organizers created a one-day all-trail option of the ride in 2015, for beginners and families.

Last summer my then 9 yo daughter pushed herself to the limits by pedaling her folding bike 30 miles to the summit of Snoqualmie Pass. The ride was a struggle - the gravel trails and relentless uphill grade was an emotional and physical battle that she only just barely won. But as soon a we finished, she was talking about how she'd be back for more next year. The kid is a badass.

So for 2016, Gwen decided we should try and form a team to encourage other kids and parents to ride with us. Kids riding for kids! We only found two teammates, but you can read about their awesome adventure with a bicycle bungee here.

We then plotted our own two-day, partially self-supported ride up and over Snoqualmie Pass. Day 1 we would be Courage Classic Lite riders, letting volunteers from UPS carry our camping gear over the mountains as we joined the Fat Tire First Day riders on the gravel trails from North Bend to Cle Elum using a tandem we borrowed from Tom, a fellow Courage rider. Then on Day 2 we would pack all of our own gear back over the pass on the tandem self-supported. This ended up being a bumpy 136-mile overnight adventure that I hope we never forget.

If you haven't had a chance to donate, or need to make good on a pledge, you can still #StandWithCourage and contribute to Gwen's fundraising efforts until Sept 30, 2016 using this link:

http://courageclassic.kintera.org/2016/gwennewport

She's trying to reach $1000 and is so close to meeting her goal. I had never done anything like this at her age and more than once shed a few proud parent tears on the trail. Here's a quick photo montage to show you the highs and lows of our journey.

Day 1: 67.4 mi, 2841 ft up, 1145 ft down
North Bend to Cle Elum
https://goo.gl/maps/bTqNoQhwWE12

Starting on the Snoqualmie Valley Trail

Dance Break or Break Dance?

Made it to the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. 10 miles in.

I caught her pulling a fast one but she was shocked when I told her this would be allowed. Periodically.

More stopping and stretching, because it's hard to get out of the saddle for a butt break on the tandem when the entire ride is uphill.

West entrance of the Snoqualmie Tunnel, 2.5 miles long. It's freakin' dark in there and she couldn't see anything because I was in the way the whole time. Try closing your eyes and pedaling for 15 minutes...

Summit lunch! We found volunteer Mark here shadowing the director. Last year he was the trail sweeper and zen master who helped get Gwen to the summit, so it was fitting that we got to see him here again. Riding high, making good time.

Keechelus Lake heading east. Downhill, but the gravel makes it feel flat.

Rails to Trails! This used to be the Milwaukee Line from Chicago. She still excited, right?

About 50 miles in and hitting the wall, we stopped to watch some trains. We really needed to find that afternoon rest stop.

OMG. We finally found the ice cream...an entire chest freezer full of it. Thanks Rotarians! Biggest save of the weekend.

Made it. Post-dinner smiles of exhaustion. Photo by Tom, who loaned us his tandem. We tent camped at Sundacia with the main pack of riders and had a cold night's sleep. I had underpacked knowing we'd pay for every extra pound of gear on Day 2.

Day 2: 68.9 mi, 1624 ft up, 3320 ft down

Cle Elum to North Bend
https://goo.gl/maps/rYMUu8urR7y

Rolling through Cle Elum on our way out of town. G wearing all of her layers. Photo by Monologue Photography.

Back on the John Wayne Trail. Own it, Kid. You are a badass. This is hard.

Gates to ride around at most road crossings. NBD.

Stopped at a stream to make good on a promise I hadn't been able to keep on Day 1. That water was coooold.

Looking west, near Easton Trailhead. Gwen had lost her gloves in here somewhere on Day 1, but I found them on Day 2: one was trailside and the other was 4 miles away at the trailhead!

Yo TWBC, I got your back.

Tunnel selfeez!!

Lake Easton. Ok, yeah, dads take selfies, too.

Getting tired again. These old rail mile markers show how far away you are from Chicago. We deduced that the Hyak Trailhead at the summit was around Mile 2115. Still 13 miles to go! This was about the point where we started binge eating Swedish Fish candies and making up songs. Delirium was setting in...

Our friend Gene was doing the same thing we were: riding back with his gear on Day 2. We told him to meet us at the summit for lunch, not realizing that the restaurant was about 500 vertical feet up from the Snoqualmie Tunnel trailhead. It was a brutal 2.5 mile climb on the tandem, but lunch at The Commonwealth Cafe was worth it. We also loaded up on treats and got ice cream at the gas station across the street. 

Snoqualmie Tunnel, east entrance.

View from one of many enormous trestle bridges.

Bombing down the western slope, we nearly didn't recognize our friend Madi as she was pedaling up the slope, heading out on a bike camping trip, too. We stopped to chat and she captured this photo at one of our emotional high points. Seeing friends on the trail was a huge spirit booster after a long weekend in the saddle.

Boom! Back in North Bend, still standing, still smiling, tired but stronger. So good.

Totals: 136.3 miles, 4465 feet up & down, 6 tunnels, 2 days, 1 dad, 1 daughter, 1 bike, and tons of Courage.

 

Kids Pedaling for Kids

My daughter Gwen (10) has twisted my tiny bike rider arm and we're pedaling Courage Classic Lite again on  August 6. This year we're going to double-down in every way: riding a tandem together and riding 60 miles to the summit and back.

The "Lite" version is the shorter one-day all-trail version of the amazing 3-day Courage Classic ride over the Cascade Mountains. Both rides raise money to directly fund the Child Abuse Intervention Department at Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, WA, our hometown. We're pedaling to stop the cycle of child abuse in Pierce County. 

Last year Gwen pushed herself to the limits on this ride, pedaling her little folding bike 30 miles to the summit of Snoqualmie Pass. It was an extremely emotional and physical journey for her. 

You can donate to Gwen's fundraising efforts here, but she's also looking for other kids, parents, and kids-at-heart to join her Kidical Mass Tacoma team as Courage Classic Lite riders and fundraisers. Join us! 

The "Lite" route takes you up the Snoqualimie Valley Trail and John Wayne Pioneer Trail, which are closed to motorized vehicles.  The trails offer some stunning views as you cross old trestle bridges on your way up, up, up to the Snoqualmie Tunnel, the nation's longest people-only rail tunnel. It's 2 miles long and completely dark inside - you have to bring lights! Once through the tunnel you'll be treated to a great lunch, a shuttle back to the start point (for 30 mile riders), or go back through the tunnel and enjoy the descent you've earned (60 mile riders.) We may even drive over to Cle Elum and camp with the 3-day riders to show our support for them. It's gonna be a long day in the saddle, but I know it will be worth it.

So Donate! Join our Team! And THANKS!

A Day on the John Wayne Pioneer Trail

I took a day trip to Iron Horse State Park for a ride on the John Wayne Pioneer Trail with my friend Terry. The western end of the JWPT starts at Rattlesnake Lake near Cedar Falls, WA, then heads east over Snoqualmie Pass into the arid plateau of eastern Washington. This was my first time on the trail, so it made sense to start at the beginning.

The trail is on the old Milwaukee Rail line, so the grade is very consistent and reasonable. The trail is basically a one-lane gravel road with a well-packed surface. My 29er was overkill for this terrain, but the wide tires help even out the bumps.

Terry simply put a set of cyclocross tires on his city bike. We both packed along lunches, lights and rain gear and planned to ride 21 miles to the pass summit at Hyak, which included the 2.3 mile Snoqualmie Tunnel.

The going was easy and we chatted much of the way. We played tourist, stopping at the trestle bridges and viewpoints.

There are several trail-side campsites along the way to Hyak. A father and son told us to check out the Carter Creek site that they had just used. These are all State Park sites, so the fee is just $5/night, and there is a clean pit-toilet bathroom near each location. Family campers should check it out!

The real treat on this ride is the Snoqualimie Tunnel. It has a serious Lord of the Rings feel when you stand outside the entrance.

Lights are a must and jackets are recommended. It's cold and dark and a little drippy in there. 

The upper entrance to the tunnel at Hyak is near a big parking lot and is easy to find if you wanted to drive up and just ride or hike the tunnel portion.

It was only 11:30 when we reached the summit, so rather than turn around and head back to Rattlesnake, Terry and I decided to keep riding the JWPT around the southern edge of Kachellus Lake. 

The interstate and its ongoing widening project are on the opposit side of the lake. The trail is quite quiet even though you can see the cars in the distance. It was warming up and we were feeling good (and when were we going to get a chance to ride this trail again?!) so we kept on towards Lake Easton.

Shortly after crossing this bridge over the Yakima River, we left the trail and headed for Lake Easton State Park. The JWPT continues east around the opposite and more remote side of the lake, but we were already 40 miles into our day and low on water. We would have to see more of the trail another time.

I've been to the Lake Easton campground several times before while riding the Courage Classic. It's another great spot to bring the whole family.

We turned around and headed for home. This is where the photographic part of the story ends, because just a mile later the wind picked up and the rain started. I tucked my camera in my dry saddlebag and then never had a chance to get it back out. The rain turned into a deluge as thunder roared on the rock faces above us and lightening flashed nearby. It's 18 miles from Easton to Hyak and somewhere in the middle it started to hail. I had been saving my rain jacket for the tunnel, but at this point I finally stopped, already soaked, to put it on. My oversized hood fits over my helmet, which keeps the cold water from running down my back. The pea-sized hail bouncing off the hood sounded like I was riding with a popcorn popper in my ears.

This Biblical thunder shower continued for most of the ride to Hyak, with the rain letting up just as we reached the tunnel. Inside, a cold wind chilled my ungloved hands. Its mid-August, why would I need gloves?

Back outside in the daylight and on the descent, we were riding faster. However, the heavy rain had washed away our smooth trail and turned it into a puddled and rutted gravel mine-field. The cold and increased vibration caused my hands and soaked feet to go completely numb. The 18 miles down to Rattlesnake were fast, but not fast enough. My fingers were bone white when we finally reached the trailhead and I could barely squeeze my brakes. The first half of our ride was blissful; this second half was torture. 

That being said, the pain wasn't anything that heated seats and a cup of coffee couldn't mend! Our initial 40 mile joyride had become an 80 mile adventure. Even if I had known about the weather we would encounter, I still would have done it. Day trips like this don't happen very often for me and, especially when a good friend comes along for the ride, you have to just keep smiling and go for it.