Gimble_Shivers

I have enjoyed lurking about for about 2 weeks and decided to become "legit" and sign up. Great forum for my newest obsession!!! I am currently a 3-4 day a week commuter with a 39 mile round trip/day from the East Hill of Kent to the SoDo area... so far this summer i have logged near 2000 miles on commutes as well as a couple century and double century rides over the summer and look forward to challenging myself over the wet and windy Seattle winter!

Great to be here!

riding a 2006 Raleigh cadent 3.0

East Hill

What are you riding, where, and when?

I've probably gone past you!

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

Gimble_Shivers

I am riding a white and silver Raleigh cadent 3.0... although i don't usually pass anyone in my normal morning commute... i am out the door at 4:45am headed to Seattle . I have had my share of run ins with animals on the interurban tho... lots of rabbits and once, a pack of 7 raccoons! haha.. I need to get out on the weekends more and "unload" my commuting accoutrements.

I am in the north end of the east hill, down by Panther Lake on the boarder of Kent and Renton. I did see in one of your posts that the Soos extension has been opened up on the north end; how far does it extend? I take the Soos to visit my parents who live down by Lake Meridian and usually catch the trail where it crosses 212th; sometimes with a trailer in tow with the kids.

East Hill

I'll have to watch for you...even though I get off work at 4.30 am, I work a lot of overtime, so I get onto Interurban around 7.15 or so, usually (I'm coming down from the airport).

You are very close to me! I'm on the south side of 208th SE, off 120th. The new extension runs out to Meeker Junior High School, and it's about a mile long.

East Hill

Gimble_Shivers

WOW! that is Close! I actually used to live right behind Kentridge HS until about 3 months ago, and used to ride through your neighborhood on my way back from work, cutting through and then connetcting with 124th! (was over on 203rd pl.)

I have moved a bit further west, by about a mile but still on the hill. What route do you take to get up the hill? I usually go up 208th by Boeing Surplus, left 92nd, then up a steep little rise on 202nd st.

that is alot of street numbers! i wish i was that good (with the memory), but i owe it all to google maps

East Hill

You know, I think we are slowly but surely getting up an East Hill Bike Forums group! Slotibartifast, smurfhunter (well, down Auburn way), Fractal Squirrel, you, me, and a few others.

I usually go up the hill the same way as you, but go all the way to 200th. 202nd is so steep that it can give me a migraine if I'm not careful, especially if it's hot out. I also sometimes go up Benson Highway if I'm starting down in Renton, and occasionally I'll go up via the 277th Recreational Corridor.

East Hill

Gimble_Shivers

I agree, 202nd is steep and is quite the capstone on my commute during the summer months. i used to go up 200th before the move, but now i am in the neighborhood near the top of 202nd.

speaking of migraines, this week has been awful for some reason... nothing debilitating, but it did force me to drive in today due to tossing and turning last night. maybe the weather change, who knows. i just put the fenders on and got some new shoe booties and have yet to get them wet!

it is nice to know i am not the only one out here in Kent pushing the chain around! leaving as early as i do, i don't see to many kindred spirits along the way... i pass someone regularly down near southcenter, but at that time of morning they are a bell and a headlight...tough to make out any details!

got a funny little anecdote for you that maybe you can relate to:
about a month ago i was on the interurban headed north at about 5am and as you may know there are TONS of bunnies along that strip from auburn to north kent. usually they dart in front of me, and I do my best to hit the brakes and avoid as best i can. but on this occasion i was clipping along at 20mph and i see a flash from the left as a bunny makes a break for it. He runs into the side of my front tire and the spokes pick him up, and FLING HIM INTO THE AIR where he struck me in the upper chest, then bounced off my thigh and back to terra firma!

I was in disbelief the entire morning... i felt like King Arthur and his merry troupe in Monty Python's search for the Holy Grail!! I was reaching for the holy hand grenade the rest of the ride!

when they take to the air all bets are off!!

East Hill

When I started getting off at 4.30 am I was surprised at how many people pass by me in the opposite direction (remember, I'm leaving SeaTac and going home to Kent). When I used to get off at 6.30 it must have been that the majority of the commuters had already gone through. I must have about 20 to 30 people pass by me on a fairly regular basis now(this is on the Interurban).

Yes, I can relate to your rabbit story! I have been lucky and not hit any yet, but they sure do come out of nowhere along that one stretch in particular!

I have not seen any raccoons along there, though. That would be cool...

East Hill

Gimble_Shivers

I only pass a few people on my ride home as well... one grumpy looking fellow on a hybrid in particular that looks none too happy most days. i probably need to slow down to make a real connection i tend to push it pretty hard to maintain a 19-20 average. it is always nice to find someone going the same direction, or stop to help someone broken down.... usually i feel like the only one out there... i was extremely happy to come across this site!

the raccoons were a bit of a suprise. i was at a especially dark section of the trail down by the Ft. Dent Playing fields and a pack of them (who knew they traveled in packs?) ran both across, behind and between my tires when i came to a brief track stand stop! i was in a river of ringtails and all i could do was shout "AHHHHHHH!" not really out of fear or anger, but disbelief. those guys were BIG. it was about 2 weeks after the flying rabbit and i was having some serious doubts about my place in the food chain. the next day i was driving down by the stadium and a crow refused get out of the way of my truck.. i actually had to stop and honk. and then the news report about the mountain biker being attacked by the black bear... i was certain an uprising was in the making!

East Hill

Well, if you ever see a short redhead on a different bike every day--that's me .

That's a way cool story about the raccoons. Too bad they can't do that when the footie mums and dads are loitering on the trail, that would clear out the lot ! I am sorely tempted to get the Airzound just to blast them off the trail at Fort Dent...

Did you know that there's a resident black bear at Lake Youngs Reservoir?

East Hill

Gimble_Shivers

I had no idea we had bears in Kent! Wow!

I just took a quick look at your blog. Very interesting! i never thought about taking my camera with my on my commutes/rides, what a great idea. I guess i am new to all this! i am just discovering the virtues of seeing the world on the bike. perhaps if i slow down a bit....

East Hill

Yeah, I enjoy taking the camera with me. One of these days I'm going to spot that bear at the reservoir, and I need to be ready . Truly, digital cameras have opened new worlds for a lot of people. I'm not saying that I'm a great photographer (I'm not), but I really enjoy looking at what I see out there.

Keeping the blog in connection with the Wildlife UK site has opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities right in our very neighbourhoods, and what can be better than joining two of my favourite activities ?

East Hill