Spent a week in Seattle in mid-September and discovered it by bike. Had been there on previous occasions, but always in a car to get from place to place. This time was different, did mostly everything by bicycle. The bike route network in that city is quite something else. Out of necessity, the people that ride bikes there have done some incredible things such as a mountain bike park under the freeway bridges, strong advocacy for bike paths, and training cagers to cooperate with people on bikes. Mercer island is a gas to fly around, and riding across the bridges is very different from other bridges I have crossed elsewhere. The one man bike shops are so neat people riding vintage bikes as though they were the norm seems to breath life into cycling out there.

I feel for the tourists that don't get to see the city by bike as they are missing truly something wonderful. One thing to note is that the smoke from forest fires in the mountains was a problem and messed with my sinuses and throat, but I soldiered through it and experienced the second best vacation I have ever been on.