I'm moving to Seattle in less than a week and looking to bike daily to UW from Mountlake Terrace (Lake Ballinger). Parking anywhere near the campus is absolute mayhem, not to mention ridiculously expensive. Everybody I've met says that Seattle is a bike friendly community, but to beware of the hills and slick surfaces. They also say that biking from Mountlake to UW (about 9 miles) daily is nuts! Nevertheless, I hate sitting in traffic, especially aboard public transportation.
For starters, is this a realistic commute given all the hills and frequency of rain in the region? Next, if the ride is too grueling, are there any smooth bus/bike options that anybody might recommend? Apparently students can load their bikes aboard certain busses within the city. Finally, assuming I were to actually find a way to pedal through this terrain and considering the ample pavement along the commute, would I be better off with a cyclocross or roadbike for such a distance? I did notice quite a few potholes while driving through Lynnwood, Shoreline, Edmonds, etc. and other parts of north Seattle/King County last spring.
Curious as to what Seattle locals have to say...
Daveyboy
08-01-07, 02:29 PM
I wouldn't think it would be too bad. You should only have to ride in the streets until you get to the Burke Gliman trail, which will then take you straight to UW. Riding from Lake Ballinger to the trail is a little out of the way (East about 3 or 4 miles through Mountlake Terrace and then Lake Forest Park) and that road (205th street) is heavily travelled, especially in the morning. But once you're on the trail you'll be fine. I can't think of any major hills. There will be somewhat of a grade going south on the trail, but nothing to onerous.
Kwiksilver
08-01-07, 08:08 PM
Thanks for the prompt reply Daveyboy. Approximately how far of a ride (in miles) is it from the Mountlake protion of the Burke Trail to campus? Can a roadbike handle that terrain or would recommend something a little beefier?
Daveyboy
08-01-07, 08:21 PM
I would say it's 7-9 miles from Lake Forest Park to the University. You can ride pretty much anything on the Burke Gilman Trail, it's paved. We ride around Lake Washington using part of the trail. You just need to be careful because that part of the trail is used the most and it crosses lots of streets.
MillCreek
08-01-07, 08:30 PM
Actually, you can ride down to the county line at 205th Street. Ride east on 205th to just past the freeway and start doing downhill on Ballinger Way (SR 104). You can literally ride that all the way down to the lake and connect to the BG trail at that point in Lake Forest Park/Kenmore. Ballinger Way has some significant traffic during rush hour, but has pretty decent shoulders for most of the length.
Kwiksilver
08-01-07, 08:53 PM
Thanks again Daveyboy. If it's relatively flat and about 10 miles from Lake Forest Park to UW, then depending on the cross traffic, it shouldn't be more than a 30~40 minute ride. Is the trail packed with joggers and commuters? I'm imagining something like the Green Lake Park trail on a Sunday afternoon where we have to dodge joggers left and right? Still, I'd rather contend with people than cars any day.
Daveyboy
08-01-07, 09:18 PM
Kwiksilver - No problem, good luck on the commute.
MillCreek - Thanks, you had a better description than I about getting to the trail from Lake Ballinger (205th runs into Ballinger Way just East of the Freeway). You could almost coast down to the trail couldn't you.
Kwiksilver
08-01-07, 09:22 PM
Actually, you can ride down to the county line at 205th Street. Ride east on 205th to just past the freeway and start doing downhill on Ballinger Way (SR 104). You can literally ride that all the way down to the lake and connect to the BG trail at that point in Lake Forest Park/Kenmore. Ballinger Way has some significant traffic during rush hour, but has pretty decent shoulders for most of the length.
Millcreek, that doesn't sound too bad at all. Do you know of any way to avoid that hill on the commute back to Lake Ballinger?
MillCreek
08-01-07, 09:22 PM
Kwiksilver, the trail gets more crowded the closer you get to the UW, but even so, it is not like Green Lake. Be very, very careful riding the trail north of the Seattle city limits: there are some significant potholes, crumbling asphalt, and worst of all, root heaves from the trees. Nothing you cannot dodge, but you don't want to go zooming down the trail at 20 mph and hit a root heave: I have seen people do this and promptly crash.
MillCreek
08-01-07, 09:25 PM
Millcreek, that doesn't sound too bad at all. Do you know of any way to avoid that hill on the commute back to Lake Ballinger?
Actually, Ballinger Way is among the least steep, most direct and most bicycle-friendly of all the other options. There are not a lot of direct connections at all from where you are down to the lake. You can piece together a route using the residential side streets, but you will end up doing some backtracking, dodging traffic and going up some steeper grades. If I was riding that route, Ballinger Way would be my first choice.
MillCreek
08-01-07, 09:29 PM
Oh, I forgot to mention: you must not be a native. If you intend to bike commute between late September and early May, you should invest in a good set of fenders, hi-viz rain gear and front and back lighting. Once the rain starts, it lasts for a good seven months and you will see the wisdom of my words. There is good Metro service to the UW from Aurora Village, but the buses have bike racks in the front that only hold two bikes. They go on a first come, first served basis, and you have to get there early to try and get a spot on the bike rack on the commuter routes to the UW.
Daveyboy
08-01-07, 09:30 PM
Sorry, I should add that you will probably see a few cyclists and maybe some walkers on the trail at that time of the day. The times I've ridden it were morning to afternoon on the weekends. There were a few people at times, but quite manageable. Just be sure to yell out 'Left' when passing others.
Also, about that rain. If you don't mind riding in the rain you should be ok, because it does happen occasionally here, just not as much as you're probably led to believe. Alot of times it's just overcast or lightly sprinkling. This spring I would say it looked like rain probably 40% of the time I rode, but it really only rained the whole ride twice that I can remember. My suggestion would be a good rain jacket and fenders.
However, I know a few people that commute year round and the rain doesn't seem to bother them.
Kwiksilver
08-01-07, 10:09 PM
Daveyboy and Millcreek, your insights have been extremely helpful. I'll probably stick with a lightweight cyclocross with fenders, lights and lots of rain gear. Appreciate the heads up about the tree roots because yes I do tend to ride a little faster than most people. Ballinger Way to Burke Trail seems like the safest bet; I'm estimating 20~25 miles RT, or about five miles further than my current commute here in Japan.
Just out of curiosity, do either of you ever ride into Seattle from Snohomish County?
Daveyboy
08-01-07, 11:08 PM
I've ridden into King County in the past a few times. When I was in school on Queen Anne hill I would ride alot around the Burke Gilman and sometimes over to the Sammamish River trail on the east of Lake Washington. But now since I live further north, I'm usually riding in East Snohomish County. I have been finding a lot of good rides out my back door in the Snohomish, Monroe and Arlington area. Since I'm not riding to commute, I try to find roads that are less traveled (by cars at least.)
By the way, the Burke Gilman trail also heads east and eventually connects to the Sammamish River Trail. That trail meanders along the eastside of Lake Washington and there's some good restaurants and a few wineries close by (St. Michelle Winery, Redhook Brewery to name a few.)
MillCreek
08-02-07, 06:53 AM
I don't do a lot of recreational riding any more from here down to Seattle, although I will do the occasional club ride with Cascade. Like Dave above, I prefer riding in my own backyard. I give lectures at the UW medical school a couple of times per year, and I will sometimes ride my bike to and from those along the BG trail, connecting onto the trail up at Bothell Landing.
What I am looking forward to in a few years is the conversion of an Eastside rail line to trails; when complete, it will offer a 40 mile long trail from Renton to Woodinville, and then will hopefully connect onto the Centennial trail from Snohomish to Arlington.
goldbam
08-10-07, 02:22 AM
Well, that's really a coincidence. I live on lake ballinger...230th st exactly, and I've been riding to the burke gilman for years. It's very easy, but there are certain routes I take to avoid most of the busy parts of ballinger way. To the UW from my house is about 30 miles RT, and I would say takes about 45 minutes on average to get there one way. But I've never really commuted there in the morning. I ride there just to train.
mattm
08-10-07, 11:30 AM
i hear they're 'cracking down' on cyclists that run the stop signs (there's about five or six of them!) around all those driveways in Lake Forest Park - supposedly there are cops writing tickets out there, lame!
besides the stopping and crowds on the trail, there's also the bumps! some of those sections really make bike riding not fun at all, i don't use the trail anymore.
when doing the lake wa loop i use 5th ave instead - hilly, but decently wide streets: http://veloroutes.org/bikemaps/?route=2775
that route would dump you out on ravenna more or less, pretty straight shot to UW.
ngateguy
08-10-07, 12:08 PM
There is also bus service from the UW to Mountlake Terrace the 851
I also vote for N 205th/ Ballinger Way as the best route to the trail. Plenty of room and wide shoulders to ride on.
Kwiksilver
08-12-07, 11:58 PM
I arrived last week and made the ride for the first time just to "test the route." Ballinger Way is faster but I did have to contend with a few cars until the trail picks up at Lake Forest Park. The trail really doesn't get smooth until Lake City or Matthew's Beach. On a Trek hybrid I made it in just under 45 min and my legs were pretty sore. I'm thinking about switching out to a lighter road bike or Specialized fixed gear to shave 5~10 minutes of time.
spyder
08-13-07, 12:02 AM
Last time I went through the area near the campus (2005) it was a bit bumpy in spots and actually got scary at times with the traffic. Just depends on the conditions I guess, its been a few years.
Kwiksilver
08-14-07, 08:30 PM
Gonna try riding around the East side of the lake tomorrow if this sunshine continues :D