2nd 100k flat flat flat ride

The route I rode today is known as the "if you need a 100k ride and are short on time or feeling off your feed" route. It's super-flat, and runs (depending on where you start) down along Lake Sammamish to Issaquah, then back up again through Redmond, Woodinville, Kenmore, Lake Forest Park on the Sammamish River Trail and Burke Gilman trails, turn-around at University Village QFC, and then back on the same route to the start.

Basically a big crescent done twice:

So today I was short on time, and it was a good fit.

I got to bed early so I could get some rest before the alarm went off at 5:35 -- in preparation for a 6:30 start.  I figured I could do the route in about 5 total hours and was shooting to get home by noon for weekend project work.

It was quite dark when I got up, dressed and out the door.  Peet's Coffee in Redmond opens at 6:00 and I was there at 6:10, buying a drip coffee and getting my first receipt.  Went to the car, got shoes on, all fixed up and ready to go -- and it's just 6:20.  So I have to cool my heels and wait until the official start time before I can head out.

Even as I started down East Lake Sammamish boulevard, the sky was beginning to lighten.  There was a layer of mist/fog/cloud hanging just 150 feet above me, and was visible across the lake as it obscured the rising land on the opposite bank.  The lakes in the Seattle area are remains of glacier activity, and the banks rise steeply off the water.  Same thing with Puget sound.  Any ride that hits the water will have a steep climb pretty soon!  This ride, however, hugs the shore and only has one "hill" of any substance -- and that one isn't over 150 feet high.

I zipped to the first control at the Issaquah McDonalds downed a sausage McMuffin.  Back on the road in 10 minutes.  If I could keep the 3 controls to 10 minutes each, I'd be doing good.

On the way back, I caught a view of a kayaker on the lake, and took a quick picture  The fog still was hanging low on the opposite bank.

I noticed that there is new construction along East Lake Sammamish boulevard, including this yet-to-be finished enormous mansion.  It will have nice views of the lake, even if it doesn't have actual waterfront:

Quick run up to Woodinville, control #2 at the ARCO AM/PM, and then back on the trail.  Along the trail in Kenmore, there's a great mural that depicts the "Rails to Trails" nature of the route.  Very well done.  Be sure you click on the picture to see it full-size, it's worth a closer look:

Uneventful ride to the QFC, 3rd control and then turn around and head back to Redmond.  I hit a headwind as I headed north up the west side of Lake Washington, but lost it when I turned east in Kenmore.

There were cyclists, runners, dog walkers and more using the trail today; but what I didn't expect was a full blown wedding party getting their pictures taken:

Round the bend at Wilmot Gateway park and then the final run south to the finish, and my legs started aching, like I'd been climbing a hill too hard.  And even though I'm now going south, I have a headwind AGAIN!  Really, I had been kind of pushing myself, but this seemed a bit odd.  I finally stopped for a short break 5 miles from the finish to get caught up to myself, and realized I smelled like ammonia.  Ketosis is the process where you don't have enough carbs to burn and start burning muscle instead, and ammonia is the byproduct of this process.  I guess even for a "short" 4 hour ride, it's worth eating and hydrating regularly.

Finished at Peet's in 4:30 of saddle time and just over 5 hours of door-to-door time.  Great weather finally peeked out about 2/3 of the way along, but even before that it was decent -- and with no wind.

I never really contemplated going after the RUSA P-2 award for 12 consecutive monthly 100k ride but I might just give it a shot, now that I'm up to P-2.  There are some nice routes around Seattle, and a 100k ride can be wedged into the schedule without taking up the entire day like a 200k or longer ride tends to do.