Blog: Bike Ride on the Shoreline Interurban Trail

Blog: Bike Ride on the Shoreline Interurban Trail
As part of my rehab I am trying to ride my bike every day in the way that most people would walk or run.  When I woke up my right leg was hurting and the left leg was not working so well.  I had an appointment with a personal trainer, Leo Novsky, http://leonovsky.com/default.aspx   I rode my bike to the gym and I got a workout.  It hurt in the best way.  I worked muscle I am going to need when I get back on the ski slopes this season.

After being out for most of the day I was heading back home and realized I only had a short two and a half mile ride this morning on the way to the gym and last night I had done eight miles on the Interurban trail in Lynnwood.  The Shoreline Interurban trail [map] is only three miles one way and the north end is where I stopped last night so why not continue?  I could not come up with any answer.  The closest thing I could muster was that I was in a lot of pain and it was getting dark.  It did not stop me last night, so….

I parked at the Echo Lake Park, parking strip on Ashworth just south of 200th.  Within a couple of minutes I was on the trail on my bike.  Even though the sun had gone down, this part of the trail had so much more lite than the Lynnwood section did.  The other thing that was better about the Shoreline section of the Interurban Trail was that most of it was completely paved.

I started to get moving along the Echo lake section.  The trail started out with a steep slope up and I noticed a lot of very nice houses tucked away along this section of the trail. Nothing as impressive as the ones along the Lake Ballinger section of the trail I had seen last night.  Then the trail levels out a bit.

The new Dale Turner YMCA was visible from just at the south end of the lake.  At 190th cross with caution.  There is a sign on the west side of the trail that says “you are here” and it points out where you are on the Interurban trail map.

Just south of 190th there are two options.  The one to the right shows it is wheel chair accessible.  I think it was put in before the main trail was complete.  A couple of years ago the main trail was still gravel.   I think a wheel chair can make it up the mail part of the trail.  On a bike it was fine.  The street levels off again.

At the Sky Nursery the trail merges with the extended sidewalk.  When you get to 185th proceed with caution.  Tonight the trail was still under construction.

There were orange cones, ribbons and signs marking the “sidewalk closed”.  I noticed there were people walking on the sidewalk anyway.  I stayed on the street and it was a good thing because there were several points where the cement stops and jagged edge rocks, concrete forms and re-bar were exposed.  This was all on the south side of 185th by the drugstore.  I went through the parking lot past “aim copy and mail center” and towards the “Dinners Ready” shop.

At the Chase bank there were sections open and closed so I used the parts of the trail that were open.  By the time I got to the Key bank there were more parts of the trail that were pretty bad.  I stopped for a moment to admire the new City of Shoreline City Hall and the light turned green so I skipped the trail and headed into the Top Foods parking lot.

Just after that the construction ended and the Interurban trail got smooth again.  It was interesting to notice there was a cemetery in Shoreline that I had never seen before.  It is called the Seattle Sephardic Brotherhood

I could see the Shay’s Irish Restaurant green stairway up to the Interurban trail and then the Rich’s car corner extra cars everywhere.

Then the bridge.  The cool color changing icon of Shoreline.  I had to stop and take some pictures.  Check the photo album later to see more of this.  The lighting was not so good but I had to try anyway.

As I crossed the bridge I could see SEARs, Big Lots, and the Denny’s lit signs.  After coming down off of the northern most bridge I had a challenge with the signs.  I looked like the sign was telling me to turn right before the stairs.   My friend Ted had a similar problem a few months before when we were with the Rotary Club of Shoreline cleaning up the streets.  The sign makes it look like wheelchairs should go West just North of the stairs.  Don’t do it.

For wheelchair and bike access you need to go left of the stairs (when southbound) staying East and on the south end sidewalk/ trail.  Then turn right (West) under the bridge to get wheelchair and bike access to the bridge.   I dropped into low gear and headed up the ramp.

On the bridge I could see the trail almost to 145th, my goal for the night.  I started to crank it fast and headed down the ramp off of the bridge.  I got up some speed and noticed someone walking with a dog. It was dark and I do not have a light or a horn so I changed gears a lot so they could hear me coming.  I do not recommend riding at night in the dark without a light but as I had mentioned before I see very well in the dark.

Before I knew it I was at 145th.  I circled around the bench that looks a lot like a train depot and stopped to take a few pics.

Then back on the bike and back North again.

The ride was even better knowing I had made it and was on my way home.  After adding up tonight’s miles and this mornings I would be over eight for the day.  I am a little slow so my eight miles takes a while.

On the way back I had to stop on the bridge for some more pic and a couple of videos.  The videos will be up on the LIFESUITnews channel soon on YouTube.

On the way back I noticed the northern bridge was easier to get up, probably because I was closer to my personal finish line.  The Fuji Steak house was putting out some delicious smells.  I started to get hungry.

I noticed I was peddling faster than before and all of a sudden I was at the Shoreline City Hall again.  A meeting was in session,  I forgot it was tonight.  I knew there was something I was supposed to do.  Before I knew it I was back at Echo Lake Park.  I took a drink of water and loaded up my bike to head home.

I plan to ride up a Snoqualmie pass this weekend.  I need to get a bike trail guide.  I found out the Pacific Crest trail dose not allow bikes, well at least the area I was snow shoeing earlier this year (the end of last ski season).  If you know of a good resource for Washington Bike Trails please make a comment or send me an email.

Several people have expressed an interest in a “They Shall Walk and Roll Across America”
This event would include: Wheelchairs, bikes, scooters, skates, walkers and rollers of all types.  The basic route would be Seattle to Florida.  One of the focuses would include cities where there are fans of They Shall Walk.  We would hold a series of “They Shall Walk and Roll a thons” in those cities.

If you are interested in joining us for the They Shall Walk and Roll Across America send me a comment or an email with your name, your city, and the part you want to do (local or the whole thing).
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Monty K Reed, Founder They Shall Walk http://www.facebook.com/TheyShallWalk