Seattle is a great launching pad for a bike tour. Lots of cyclists, bike-friendly streets, and a relaxed vibe. Last night Mark had an Independence Day shindig, and we enjoyed a spectacular pyrotechnic display with the Seattle skyline as backdrop.
Today was pretty mellow. I slept in a bit, then took the bike out for a little cruise around town. Met up with Mark for some brunch and checked out the Ballard Locks, an amazing creation by the US Army Corps of Engineering. The locks work on gravity, with no pumps involved. Pretty neat to watch. You can see the difference in water levels in this photo:
We also enjoyed watching the sockeye salmon on the fish ladder and admired a beautiful sculpture:
After the Ballard Locks, Mark and I headed to Kim's for a barbeque. There were lots of U Dub grad students there, including Colin who gave me a sweet orange crossing-guard vest with bright reflector stripes for better highway safety. Thanks, Colin!
On my ride home, I paid a visit to the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge. Some nice folks offered to take a picture of me with the Troll. Tomorrow I'm going to (hopefully) pick up my Old Man Mountain Ultimate Lowrider front rack at the UPS Store. It was supposed to be delivered to The Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos last week, but had to be diverted up here. Fingers crossed.
After I get the rack I'm going to swing by Recycled Cycles for a final tune-up, then Mark is going to show me around UW and downtown Seattle. If everything goes according to plan I'll be ready to roll out first thing on Tuesday morning.
Why go nutty?
Today was pretty mellow. I slept in a bit, then took the bike out for a little cruise around town. Met up with Mark for some brunch and checked out the Ballard Locks, an amazing creation by the US Army Corps of Engineering. The locks work on gravity, with no pumps involved. Pretty neat to watch. You can see the difference in water levels in this photo:
On my ride home, I paid a visit to the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge. Some nice folks offered to take a picture of me with the Troll. Tomorrow I'm going to (hopefully) pick up my Old Man Mountain Ultimate Lowrider front rack at the UPS Store. It was supposed to be delivered to The Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos last week, but had to be diverted up here. Fingers crossed.
