September 2007

Follow the Route of Salmon on Family Bike Ride

The Cascade Bicycle Club’s annual Spawning Cycle ride on Sept. 16 loosely follows the route of spawning salmon. Starting at the salt water at Myrtle Edwards Park, riders on the full route work their way upstream to the fresh water of Lake Washington at Seward Park, back to the Sound by way of the fish ladder at Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, and finally over and around Magnolia Bluffs to the downtown waterfront.

This year’s event has two new family friendly features: Two shorter and flatter routes for beginners and families with small children, and a chance for riders to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

ROUTES INCLUDE:

Family Fry: 4-mile flat loop on bike trails from Myrtle Edwards Park to Smith Cove Park and back (with a food stop at Smith Cove);

Chinook Explorer: 8-mile flat route on bike trails and bike lanes from Myrtle Edwards Park to Commodore and Smith Cove Parks and back;

Chum Run: 14-mile loop with a total elevation gain of about 250 feet and one climb over Discovery Park;

Fit for a King: 33-mile loop with total elevation gain of about 1,000 feet and three hills to climb; downtown to Mt. Baker neighborhood, Lake Washington Boulevard to Interlaken Boulevard and Discovery Park;

Copper River Special: 55-mile loop with total elevation gain of about 1,700 feet, four hills to climb and terrific views of the city from all four sides.

Food and mechanical support will be available along the routes. Route maps are available online, and will be distributed the day of the ride.

Registration is open 8 -10:30 a.m., and the course opens at 8 a.m. at Myrtle Edwards Park, 3131 Alaskan Way W. on the north end of the Seattle Waterfront. The finish line festival, 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., includes prizes, kids’ crafts and food. A free “Bike Skillz and Thrillz Rodeo and Stunt Course” is open 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., with bike games for kids ages 4-14. The course combines mountain bike jumps with safety and skills lessons addressing the most common accidents of kids.

Online registration (by Sept. 12) is $20; go to www.active.com or www.cascade.org. Mail in registration (by Sept. 8) is $25; download the form at www.cascade.org or call 1-888-334-BIKE (2453) to request it, and mail it to Cascade Spawning Cycle, P.O. Box 15165, Seattle, WA 98115. Day of race registration at Myrtle Edwards Park is $30. Kids 6-12 are $5, and kids 1-5 are free. Proceeds benefit the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a one-on-one mentoring organization, serving about 2,000 families in the Puget Sound area. To raise money for BBBS, while participating in the Spawning Cycle, go to http://spawningcycle.kintera.org.

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Seattle's Child, a publication of the Washington Post Company
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