RIDE PHOTOS #78-82

#78 April 26, 2021

Cindy mapped out a little ride for us to do this morning and we had a fine bimble around an area I know little about. I enjoyed being on some different roads. The chill and dampness in the air didn’t bother us much but we each said we could have worn another layer ;’-).

#79 April 27, 2021

I made it to another weekly club ride for a cloudy, chilly morning ride. Six of us had a fine ramble around Mill Creek on all the back neighborhood roads. Who needs sunshine!

I guess after laying the eggs for Easter, the bunny goes down the rabbit hole 😉. 

The donut art sculpture is at one of our park stops.

#80 April 28, 2021

In the beginning (of today) I was having a struggle to get on my bike. But the sun was out, the sky was blue, and I have only three more days and I will complete this challenge 🤗. 

So I got out for a bimble in my neighborhood that had me scamandering to some snickets, car parks and dead ends. I fancied a pootle around town and was keen to find some photos to post. Crickey! I succeeded.

Yes! In ‘honour’ of all the wonderful British folks I have met on the fb site, I have used all my British words in one paragraph Whether I have used them correctly (or ‘spelt’ them correctly) is yet to be told, but I did my best. 

#81 April 29, 2021

I saw skies of blue and .... clouds of white .... and I said to myself ... what a wonderful world. 😉.

A wonderful world especially if you are a cyclist ;’-). I have never been sorry for any day I was riding my bike. THAT makes it a wonderful world even though every day is not weather wonderful ;’-)

Today’s weather was quite good though. I started out overdressed for the 60+ degree weather that joined me half way through my ride. As the temp continued to climb, I had to take off a layer.

I ended my ride with a loop through our local airport.

#82 April 30, 2021

A drippy morning and some wind were not the most inviting conditions for a ride 😏. I had to do it though. This IS the final day of the challenge. My weather app said it would be best in the late morning, so I waited.

My plan was for a short ride around with no intention of mounting any miles. Just git ‘er done I said to myself. But it was more and a “git ‘er done” ride as I enjoyed my low paced, short mile ride around the neighborhood.

Golf course was empty of players.

The wind had eased and there was no rain for my mid- morning ride but it felt damp with the clouds all around and a chill in the air. The fallen petals from the flowering tree make it appear to have snowed pink ;’-). 

APRIL

YAY for me — I completed the 30 days of riding in April. Got all 30 of the days, and so did my friend Cindy. I am proud of both of us ;’-). A great part of this challenge is that there is no mileage requirement for each ride — just get on your bike and ride. Another fine part is the fb group that we follow as there are some fine fine people there from around the world who simply like to ride their bike, and have no need for speed or distance. Ride and enjoy.

This month was a mixed bag for weather. In the first week, our news said it was the “chilliest start to April in a decade”. We had days in the high 30s and low 40s. Our payoff came for the second week of the month with temps in the high 70s and low 80s — for the entire week.

Rain was light for the whole month and now it seems the news tells us it was the driest April we have had in a long time. It turned out to be a good month for those of us participating in the 30 Day challenge ;’-).

Susan and I enjoyed a couple of camping outings with one of those being with the two Grandboys, Etienne and Andre, where Andre learned to ride his pedal bike and then to start on his own. He and we were so happy!

Another happening for this month was that I felt safe and comfortable to join a few small group rides, following whatever the protocol is to keep us all safe. Hoping this is a good beginning for our new normal life as the Covid virus begins to weaken its hold on us. That has not happened quite enough and we do need more people vaccinated, but it seems that hope is on the horizon.

MAY — here we come.

RIDE PHOTO #76 & 77 WHILE AT GRANDY CREEK + A RAINBOW RIDE

#76 April 24, 2021

Rain this morning, and for the entire day, changed our plans. We did not ride to Concrete and I did a solo morning ride in some drippyness to ensure I would not miss a day of 30 Days of Riding in April ;’-). 

I got several nice views of country living as well. It was a little difficult to decide on my photo of the day, but this one is it. It kind of looks like an old school building. There is no historical marker posted so I guess it is anyone’s guess.

I did see what seems to be a true homestead...

...and a typical farm building in a picturesque setting.

I rode around a bit and took a turn or two that we did not do yesterday. The wall with birdhouses intrigued me.

As I was taking the birdhouse photo the horse across the road noticed me and came trotting toward me. Such a sweet horse. I include the photo he wanted me to take even though it is a bit out of focus.

Near the end of my short ramble I saw the somewhat dead tree that shows just how damp, rainy, wet it gets around here.

I was only slightly damp and a little chilled when I returned to camp, but warmed up nicely and quickly once in our heated RV home 😊. I got a second, shorter ride later as Susan had an itch to bike to the nearby pub to pick up lunch ;’-). Birdsview Brewery and Pub (in Birdsview 😉) is directly off the trail and all of about 2 miles from camp. How could I say no.

#77 April 25, 2021

Again I direct you to another page of the blog — to September 21, 2019. I posted about the tea and bike tour we did that took us through Northern State Hospital. Our group of nine Rainbow Riders did a version of that ride but did not go onto and around the hospital grounds that are pictured in the September post. I won’t repeat the photos here, but just a few things seen along the way to and from.

These cows were curious of us riding by...

...and Susan had to try her hand at the fishing rod...

...and she caught one ;’-).

We entered the hospital grounds and found a covered picnic spot for lunch and snacks before returning to our vehicles. I did take a couple of photos of the farm buildings.

Kristi (imagine, our in-house mechanic) had two — count them — two flats on the same tire. Here a few of us oversee the changing procedure. Our way of helping.

I LOVE our Rainbows. There is no other group that when I shouted “stopping” would stop, take feet off their pedals and turn around and wait for me to take a photo or three ;’-). They all did that for my photos of Susan “fishing”. This is indeed the only group that I have ever biked with that would do that. I didn’t really expect them all to stop, was just letting them know I was stopping. But they know me and photos ;’-).

RIDE PHOTOS #70-75

#70 April 17, 2021

Easy peasy nice meander on lightly traffic roads near home. After Yesterday’s long and tiring ride, I would take a ‘recovery day’ today with short and easy miles. It was such a delight.

Weather so perfect. I doubt that anyone appreciates such fine weather as much as we in the Pacific Northwest do. We never know when our damp, gray, cloudy, foggy days will open up for us and bring these clear blue skies with bright sun to warm us.  

My ride today was just what I needed: down from three to one light layer of clothing, slight warm breeze on my face, no traffic to maneuver around, and flat terrain. Simply enjoying the wheels beneath me floating me along as I enjoyed some birdsong and all the sights there were to see. 

Being Saturday I rode onto and in the back of the school campus for the photo of our “covered bridge”.

#71 April 18, 2021

Cindy led us on a bimble around her community of Mill Creek and it was splendid. We are soaking up as much of this beautiful, flawless weather as possible before it turns the corner to let in the rain. The rain is however, what makes it so beautiful. ;’-)

#72 April 19, 2021

An errand ride to pick up a few items from Bartell (the drugstore where I buy everything but drugs) on another sunny day 🤗. I love the natural arch of the tree over the fence, and the sun face says it all for today’s weather. I will say nothing of the skull on the post in that photo ;’-). And just look at that blue sky!

#73 April 20, 2021

I joined the small group for the weekly club ride. This week was a stroll through the nearby country side between two towns. We started in Everett, enjoyed the ride along quiet roads to enjoy the mountains, horses and cows, and farmland that took us into Snohomish, the Antiquing town, for our lunch stop.

The view of south Everett as we leave on the Rte 2 Trestle bike lane.

Cows, horses and farmland with the Cascade mountains as a back drop are always beautiful to see.

A closer view of those mountains.



Snohomish is known for the antiquing it offers, and has some markings of the past.

Raquel shows off what she loves...

#74 April 21, 2021

I met up with Cindy and Kathy for our ride along the Centennial Trail for our lunch stop at Biscuit and Bean in Lake Stevens. Another gorgeous day, and it was such a treat to finally get to see Kathy again after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.

Crossing our own and only covered bridge that leads into Lake Stevens is fun.

#75 April 23, 2021

I direct you to August 25 & 26 blogs of this year to see and read more about this area we are in now. We will do the same rides we did back then but in reverse order. Today we rode the Cockersham route, tomorrow the route to Concrete. I won’t try to give more description about the route as there is much said in those previous posts

Today was another gift of sunny bright weather with temps in the 60s. No wonder we were enjoying this day in the saddle so much — in addition to this delicious weather, we were in Shangri-la! 

Such a great day up north in Skagit County along quiet roads that mainly followed the Skagit River.

We had our lunch stop here at the boat ramp in Shangri-la.

My seat is being saved...

Horses & cows; chickens & ducks; lots of dogs; a bear (;’-)), and a few people along the way for conversations that Susan so loves to have. 

Old buildings and tumble down barns and bygone machinery appear along the way as well. All of this in sunshine 😊.

Of course we were on the unpaved “Cascade Trail” for a bit less than half the ride, but it is well packed and offers a little challenge of soft gravel only in a few short places.

A glorious day for both of us. We will see if weather will allow us another good ride or a very short one around the campground. We are both hoping for a nice ride into Concrete.

NOTICE TO MY FEW FOLLOWERS

I just received notice that email announcement that about a new post on my blog is going away. I have not control over this and am sorry to see that announcements will no longer be sent to your email address. I guess anyone who has used that way to keep up with me will have to check in periodically to see if I have posted. Sorry for inconvenience. 

APRIL RIDE PHOTOS #66-69

#66 April 12, 2021

A luscious day — and they say it will get better for the entire week plus!! Sun and temps gradually increasing to 70+ by the end of this week. Well, today Cindy and I enjoyed the sun for a ride into Everett. The temps stayed somewhere in the 40s and we had a little wind at times, but what a gorgeous day on our bike ;’-).

Our mountains were shining all around us and views of the water were just as beautiful. We finished our ride with lunch at the waterfront cafe on their outdoor patio overlooking the bay and part of the marina. We were two of four diners for the hour we were there.

#67 April 13. 2021

Joined the weekly club ride that Cindy leads and rode from home to the start point. Made for a long ride and I was happy to have brought food this time!! Last time I bonked on the way home by running out of fuel; this time I stopped at the lake for my hearty snack on the way home. 

Weather: gorgeous 😊

#68 April 14, 2021

A late afternoon ride was short and sweet today. The weather has continued to be clear and warming each day with our glorious sun. Unexpectedly there was little to no traffic on our neighborhood area roads. Unespected because I usually think people are coming home at 4:00 and traffic would be picking up. I was pleasantly surprised by so few cars on the roads. 

It was a short and very sweet bimble kind of ride as I avoided almost every hill, took my time and pedaled slowly, and had no real plan to look for any photo for anything. I pass by this artful yard fountain all the time so thought that would make a good photo for this day. On this day — the golfer would not be waiting out any rain ;’-)

#69 April 16, 2021

There was no way that anyone could not enjoy today’s summer-like weather. Susan, loving to ride for a “reason”, wanted to ride to Krispy Kreme to get our free doughnuts ;’-). The nearest one is in Shoreline which means a 16 mile trip one way for a doughnut. For that many miles we couldn’t just get a doughnut. We bought six more to take home. A trail took us through Lynnwood Park to the Interurban Trail through Shoreline and to Krispy Kreme.

Success in getting our free doughnuts. Susan thanked the server for doing this and therefore helping to encourage people to get vaccinated. He said it is very popular and they give away a lot of doughnuts.

I say eat dessert first, then look for lunch. So we enjoyed our free dessert at Echo Lake before riding another four miles to Dick’s burgers. Yummm is the word for today.

Along the way I stopped for a couple of photos. This is one of a few places I know of that has a bike traffic light. We need more of these and in many more places. Makes so much sense. (Look at the blue sky!)

And these whimsical animal cut outs are made from a variety of traffic signs. The height of recycle-reuse I would say. 

As we neared home and looked for a spot at Meadowdale High School to sit and eat our burgers, we spotted this rather extensive looking tree house. I have to wonder if maybe it is used as an Air B&B (lol).

A long a tiring ride today that was just gorgeous and rewarding in a lot of ways.