Getting to Organized Bicycle Rides from Downtown Seattle by Mass Transit

May 9, 2006

Notes

Metro Transit's rule is that you can't load bikes on bus bike racks between 6am and 7pm while you're in the downtown Seattle "Ride Free" area: during these times, you can only load and unload bikes at that route's first and last stops within the ride free area. For the sake of reference, the ride free area extends from Battery to S Jackson and from the waterfront to 6th.
Since their published schedules don't always list every stop that Metro buses will make, it can sometimes be confusing exactly where the first and last stops will be for a given bus within the ride free area. Your best bet is to have the printed pamphlet with you, "Your Guide to Downtown Seattle Bus Service," which provides downtown station stop information for pretty much all the buses which run through downtown, with the notable exception of those which run along 1st Ave.
Bus boarding points in downtown Seattle will change once the Metro tunnels re-open in late 2007. Of course, once the tunnel re-opens, you'll only be able to load bikes at the first and last stations within the tunnels (i.e. at the International District Station and the Convention Place Station).
There are two main brands of folding paper street maps that cover our state: those by the "GM Johnson" company and those by "Rand McNally." The "Map" designations below indicate which street map includes the area around that ride point, and which company's map I used.
Corrections and suggestions concerning the following routes are welcome, and may be sent to webmaster@oboeguide.com: I should be clear that for the most part what follows is purely based on me studying maps and schedules, and as such in cases where a brief route from a bus stop to the ride start location is provided it may not present the best or safest route for cyclists or pedestrians. Concerns of this nature I am particularly interested in hearing about and correcting.

Getting to Common Ride Starting Points by Bus

TO ARLINGTON / TWIN LAKES PARK
Unfortunately there is no way to get from downtown Seattle to Arlington via mass transit that does not involve multiple transfers, long waits, and long periods of time in traffic. An alternative is to proceed by bus as if you are going to the Centennial Trail, and from there bike up the Centennial Trail to Arlington (admittedly a significant trip). Address: 16324 Twin Lakes Ave (Arlington). Map: GM Johnson Marysville.

TO AUBURN / AUBURN GAME FARM PARK
Take MT150 Auburn from 9th/Howell, disembark at Auburn Station (located at Transit Roadway / A St SW), and if possible then transfer to MT186 and disembark at R St E / 29th St SE (which is located right by the game park). Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday evening ride, you could also take the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 30 minute trip). Address: R St Se / 29th St SE (Auburn). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO AUBURN / AUBURN SR-18 PARK AND RIDE
Take MT150 Auburn from 9th/Howell, disembark at Auburn Station (located at Transit Roadway / A St SW), and from there proceed eastward along SR-18. Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday evening ride, you could also take the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 30 minute trip). Address: State 18 / SE Auburn-Black Diamond Rd (Auburn). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO AUBURN / BRANNAN PARK
Take MT150 Auburn from 9th/Howell, disembark at Auburn Way N / 28th St NE, and proceed 0.1 miles east. If you need to arrive in time for a 10am weekday ride, then catch this bus at 8:31am. Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday evening ride, you could also take the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 30 minute trip). Address: 611 28th St NE (Auburn). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO AUBURN / W MAIN ST TRAILHEAD FOR INTERURBAN TRAIL
Take MT150 Auburn from 9th/Howell to the Auburn TC (Transit Roadway / A St SW), then disembark and proceed one block north to E Main St, and turn left and proceed to the Interurban Trail trailhead near Clay St NW. Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday evening ride, you could also take the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 30 minute trip). Address: 611 28th St NE (Auburn). Address: Clay St NW / W Main St (Auburn). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO BELLEVUE / ENATAI BEACH PARK
Take ST550 Bellevue from 9th/Howell to Bellevue Way SE / SE 16th St. From there backtrack until you get to 108th Ave SE, then follow 108th Ave SE south to SE 35th St. Address: 3519 108th Ave SE (Bellevue). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO BELLEVUE / HIDDEN VALLEY PARK
Take ST550 Bellevue from 9th/Howell to the Bellevue TC. Go east on NE 6th St to 112th Ave NE, turn left, and continue past NE 15th St to the park, which will appear on your left. Address: 1850 112th Ave NE (Bellevue). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO BELLEVUE / NEWCASTLE BEACH PARK
Take ST550 Bellevue from 9th/Howell to the South Bellevue PR, then proceed south to 4400 Lake Washington Blvd SE. Address: 4400 Lake Washington Blvd SE (Bellevue). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO BOTHELL / BLYTH PARK
Proceed as if going to Logboom Park, except disembark at Main St / 103rd Ave NE, and proceed 0.4 miles southwest. Address: 16950 W Riverside Dr (Bothell). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO BOTHELL / SAMMAMISH RIVER PARK
Take ST522 Woodinville from 6th/Pike, disembarking at Main St / 103rd Ave NE. Proceed south on 102nd Ave NE to get to the park, just across the Sammamish River. Address: 17995 102nd Ave NE (Bothell). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO DUVALL / DUVALL PARK AND RIDE
On weekday evenings, you could take MT311 Duvall from 5th Ave S / S Jackson St to Main St NE / NE Woodinville-Duvall Rd. [Note: In theory you could also take MT929 North Bend from the Redmond PR at NE 83rd St / 161st Ave NE to this same location, which will get you there by 10:25am if you get on the 9:54am bus, but obviously this wouldn't be much help for early morning rides.] Address: Main St NE / NE Woodinville-Duvall Rd (Duvall). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO EDMONDS / KINGSTON FERRY TERMINAL
If you're going on a weekend or outside of commuting hours, then take MT358 Aurora Village from 5th/Blanchard to the Aurora TC in Shoreline followed by CT131 Edmonds CC (note that King County Metro tickets won't work on this bus), but if you're traveling in weekday commuting hours then instead take the Everett-bound SCR, which takes 28 minutes and departs at 7:45am, 4:33pm, 5:13pm, or 5:30pm. Address: 199 Sunset Ave (Edmonds). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO FALL CITY / QUIGLEY PARK
Note that it's only practical to get to this location by bus from downtown Seattle in the evening on weekdays, and likewise buses only leave from this location for downtown Seattle in the very early morning on weekdays. That understood, you can take MT214 North Bend from 4th/Lenora to SE 42nd Pl / 334th Pl SE. Backtrack east on SE 42nd Pl and you'll find the park. Alternatively, to get to Salish Lodge (one of the only hotels in the area), wait and disembark at Railroad Ave SE / SE King St, then proceed northwest (i.e. backtrack) on Railroad Ave SE to about 0.25 miles past SE Snoqualmie Parkway to find the lodge on your left. Address: 335th Pl SE / SE Redmond-Fall City Rd (Fall City). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO FEDERAL WAY / PHIL'S SOUTH SIDE CYCLERY
Take MT194 Federal Way from 9th/Howell to the Federal Way TC at 23rd Ave S / S 317th St. From there, transfer to MT181 Auburn and disembark at the Twin Lakes PR at 21st Ave SW / SW 344th St. From there, proceed north on 21st Ave SW and turn left on SW 336th St to reach 2310 SW 336th St. Address: 2310 SW 336th St (Federal Way). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO ISSAQUAH / ISSAQUAH COMMUNITY CENTER
Take ST554 Issaquah Express at 4th/Leonora and disembark at the Issaquah PR at SR-900 / Newport Way, then proceed east on NW Newport Way to Newport Way NW and turn right, turn left on E Sunset Way, turn right on Rainier Blvd S, and continue for two and a half blocks. Address: 301 Rainier Blvd S (Issaquah). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO ISSAQUAH / TIBBETTS VALLEY PARK
Take ST554 Issaquah Express at 4th/Leonora and disembark at the Issaquah PR. Proceed east to Tibbetts Valley Park Park, located at 965 12th Ave NW. Note that if you need to make it in time for an 8:30am Saturday ride, then you'll need to get on the 7:30am bus at the latest. Note also that if you're trying to get to the Klahanie Park starting point (located to the northeast of the Issaquah PR) your best bet is probably still to disembark at the Issaquah PR and ride to the park, even though it's a fair distance. Address: 965 12th Ave NW (Issaquah). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO KENMORE / TRACY OWEN (AKA LOGBOOM) PARK
Take ST522 Woodinville from 6th/Pike, disembarking at NE Bothell Way / 61st Ave NE. Backtrack one block and find the park towards the lake (i.e. on your left). Address: 6100 NE 175th St (Kenmore). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO KENT / MOUNTAIN BIKE OUTFITTERS
Take MT150 Auburn from 9th/Howell. Exit near 703 Central Ave S. Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday ride you also have the option of taking the Tacoma-bound 4:20pm SCR (a 23 minute trip). Address: 703 Central Ave S (Kent). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO KENT / RUSSELL ROAD PARK
It's only practical to get to this location by bus from downtown Seattle on weekdays. However, in that case you can take ST550 Bellevue from 9th/Howell to the Bellevue TC, then take either ST564 or ST565 from Bay 4 to Kent Station. From there, make your way to 24400 Russell Road (on the east side of Russell Road, between W James St and W Meeker St). Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday ride you also have the option of taking the Tacoma-bound 4:20pm SCR (a 23 minute trip). Address: 24400 Russell Rd (Kent). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO KIRKLAND / JUANITA BEACH PARK
Take MT255 Kirkland near 8th/Olive to 98th Ave NE / NE 116th. Proceed west to 9703 NE Juanita Dr. Address: NE Juanita Dr / 97th Ave NE (Kirkland). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO KIRKLAND / MARINA PARK
Take near 8th/Olive to the Kirkland TC at 3rd Street / Park Lane. Disembark and proceed to Marina Park at 25 Lake Shore Plaza. Address: 25 Lake Shore Plz (Kirkland). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO MERCER ISLAND / LUTHER BURBANK PARK
Take ST554 Issaquah from 4th/Lenora (or ST550 from 9th/Howell) and disembark at N Mercer Way / 80th Ave SE, then proceeding to 2040 84th Ave SE. Address: 2040 84th Ave SE (Mercer Island). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO MONROE / LEWIS STREET PARK
Take CT510 Everett from 4th/Union to Everett Station, then transfer to CT271 Goldbar and disembark at the Monroe PR (or farther east at N Lewis St, if the driver will allow it). Proceed east to N Lewis St, turn right, and continue south to Lewis Street Park, which appears on the left just before this street crosses the Skykomish River. Address: 561 S Lewis St (Monroe). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO MONROE / MONROE PR
Take CT510 Everett from 4th/Union to Everett Station, then transfer to CT271 Goldbar and disembark at the Monroe PR. Address: State Route 2 / 179th Ave SE (Monroe). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO MOUNTLAKE TERRACE / BALLINGER GOLF CLUB
If you're going on a weekend or outside of commuting hours, then take MT358 Aurora Village from 5th/Blanchard to the Aurora TC in Shoreline (otherwise take MT301 Aurora Village from 4th Ave S / S Jackson St to that same location). From there take CT130 Lynnwood Transit Center to 23000 Lakeview Drive and disembark. Address: 23000 Lakeview Dr (Mountlake Terrace). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO MUKILTEO / ALBERTSONS PARKING LOT IN MUKILTEO
Proceed as if going to the the Mukilteo Ferry Terminal, except depart the final CT bus at Mukilteo Speedway / Beverly Park Rd. Address: Mukilteo Speedway / Beverly Park Rd (Mukilteo). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO MUKILTEO / FERRY TO WHIDBEY ISLAND (ALSO MUKILTEO STATE PARK BOAT LAUNCH)
Follow the instructions for Edmonds / Kingston Ferry, except proceed to Edmonds Community College and from there take either CT112 Mukilteo or CT190 Mukilteo to Mukilteo. If you need to go to Widbey Island, then proceed to the ferry terminal and board the ferry from Mukilteo to Clinton, and from there use the free Island Transit buses to get from one end of the island to the other. Address: 701 Front St (Mukilteo). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO PUYALLUP / VAN LIEROP BULB FARM AND TRAILHEAD
Follow the instructions in "Getting to Tacoma Ride Points" to get to the Puyallup Station (though obviously, if a weekday evening arrival is OK, then take the southbound SCR for best speed). From there, proceed east on Main, turn right on S Meridian, turn left on E Pioneer Ave, turn left on 134th Ave E, and turn right on 80th St E where you should find the ride start point almost immediately, Address: 13407 80th St E (Puyallup). Map: GM Johnson Tacoma.

TO REDMOND / MARYMOOR PARK
Take ST545 Bear Creek from 4th Ave S / S Jackson St to West Lake Sammamish / Leary Way, proceeding to Marymoor Park. Address: 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE (Redmond). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO REDMOND / OVERLAKE TRANSIT CENTER
Take ST545 Redmond from 8th/Olive and disembark at the Overlake TC. Note that if you want to make it in time for a 4:30pm weekday ride, you'll need to board the 3:56pm bus at the latest. Address: NE 40th St / 156th Ave NE (Redmond). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO REDMOND / REDMOND TOWN CENTER
Take ST545 Redmond from 8th/Olive and disembark at the Redmond PR at 8178 161st Ave NE. Proceed south to NE 74th St, then proceed east four blocks to the Redmond Town Center at 16495 NE 74th Street. Address: 16495 NE 74th St (Redmond). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO REDMOND / SAMMAMISH VALLEY CYCLE
Take ST545 Redmond from 8th/Olive (the earliest departure time being weekdays at 5:44am), disembark at NE 83rd St / Redmond PR Bay 2, then proceed 1/5 mile NE to 8451 164th Ave NE. Address: 8451 164th Ave NE (Redmond). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO RENTON / GENE COULON PARK
Take ST550 Bellevue from 9th/Howell to the South Bellevue PR, then transfer to ST560 West Seattle and disembark at Park Ave N / Lake Washington Blvd N. Address: 1201 Lake Washington Blvd N (Renton). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO RENTON / RENTON COMMUNITY CENTER (INCLUDING CARCO THEATRE)
Take MT106 Renton from 9th/Howell, disembark at Renton TC (i.e. Burnett Ave S / S 3rd St), and proceed east to 1715 Maple Valley. Note that if you need to make it in time for a 9:30am Saturday ride, you'll need to get on the 8:20am bus. Address: 1715 SE Maple Valley Hwy (Renton). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO RENTON / RON REGIS SPORTS PARK
Note that it's only practical to get to this location by bus from downtown Seattle in the evening on weekdays, and likewise that buses only leave from this location for downtown Seattle in the very early morning on weekdays. That understood, take MT149 Renton from 7th/Bell and get off at Maple Valley / 149th Ave SE: the park should be on the west side of 149th. Address: SE Renton Maple Valley Rd / 149th Ave SE (Renton). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO RENTON / BURNETT LINEAR PARK
Take MT101 Renton from 9th/Howell to the South Renton PR (Shattuck Ave S / S Grady Way). Address: 502 Burnett Ave S (Renton). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO SAMMAMISH / BEAVER LAKE PARK
Proceed as if going to Klahanie Park, and continue north on 244th Ave SE. Address: SE 24th St / 244th Ave SE (Sammamish). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO SAND POINT WAY / CASCADE BICYCLE CLUB OFFICE AT MAGNUSON PARK
Take MT71, MT72, or MT73 towards the University District from either 4th Ave S / S Jackson St or 8th/Virginia. Disembark at Brooklyn Ave NE / NE Campus Parkway, transfer to either MT74 or MT75 towards Sand Point, and disembark at NE 74th St / Sand Point Way NE. Address: 7400 Sand Point Way NE (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SAND POINT WAY / CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING
Proceed as if going to Cascade Bicycle Club Office, except disembark by NE 58th St instead of NE 74th St on Sand Point Way NE. Address: 5801 Sand Point Way NE (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / COLEMAN FERRY DOCK (AKA PIER 52)
There's no need for a bus: from downtown Seattle go north by bike to Wall St, turn left and proceed to Alaskan Way, then turn south and proceed to the WA State Ferry Terminal (it's about where Madison St would intersect Alaskan Way). Address: 801 Alaskan Way (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / GAS WORKS PARK
It's true that MT26 East Green Lake (picked up at either 4th Ave S / S Jackson or 3rd / Virginia) will pass by Gas Works Park, but it's about as fast to just ride there: north on 3rd Ave, right on Blanchard St, left on 7th Ave, right on Dexter Ave N, continue over Fremont Bridge, right on N 34th St, continue to Gas Works Park. Address: 2101 N Northlake Way (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / I-5 AND NE 65TH ST PARK AND RIDE
Proceed as if going to University Heights Center, except continue to NE 65th St, disembark, and proceed west to I-5. Address: NE 65th St / I-5 (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / LAKE CITY FRED MEYER
Take MT41 Lake City from 4th Ave S / S Jackson St to Lake City Way / NE 130th. Address: 13000 Lake City Way NE (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / MT BAKER BEACH PARK
Take MT27 Coleman Park from 3rd Ave S / Yesler Way to Lake Washington Blvd. Address: 2521 Lake Washington Blvd S (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / MYRTLE EDWARDS PARK (AKA PIER 70)
There's no need for a bus: from downtown Seattle go north by bike to Wall St, turn left and proceed to Alaskan Way, then turn north and proceed about six blocks to Myrtle Edwards Park (Broad St / Alaskan Way). Address: 3130 Alaskan Way (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / SAKUMA VIEWPOINT
Take MT71, MT72, or MT73 towards the University District from either 4th Ave S / S Jackson St or 8th/Virginia. Disembark at Brooklyn Ave NE / NE Campus Parkway and proceed 0.3 miles south. Address: 1303 NE Boat St (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / SAM SMITH PARK (I-90 LID)
Chances are you won't see the need for a bus, and would prefer to bike there: to do so head south on 3rd Ave, continue on 3rd Ave S (you must be in the rightmost lane to do this), bear left onto 2nd Ave Ext S, turn left onto S Jackson St, turn right onto Maynard Ave S, turn left onto S Dearborn St (note that you must be in the leftmost lane where S Dearborn St intersects Rainier Ave S to be able to continue on S Dearborn St), turn right onto Hiawatha Pl S, turn right onto the I-90 Trail just past the Dead End sign, bear left where the trail forks by the sculpture, and find Sam Smith Park where the I-90 trail intersects 23rd Ave S. Alternatively, you can bike to Denny Way / Dexter Ave and take MT8 ML King Jr Way to where it crosses I-90, then proceed west into the park. Address: 1400 Martin Luther King Jr Way S (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS CENTER
Take MT71, MT72, or MT73 towards the University District from either 4th Ave S / S Jackson St or 8th/Virginia. Disembark at NE 50th St / University Way NE. Address: 5031 University Way NE (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SEATTLE / VERITY CREDIT UNION IN NORTHGATE
There are quite a few Metro buses which serve this area, one example being MT16 Northgate Transit Center. Pick it up at 3rd/Virginia and disembark at Meridian Ave N / NE Northgate Way. Address: 11027 Meridian Ave N (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SHORELINE / CENTRAL MARKET
Take MT358 Aurora Village. Address: 15505 Westminster Way N (Shoreline). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO SNOHOMISH / MAPLE STREET (SOUTHERN) TRAILHEAD FOR CENTENNIAL TRAIL
The general approach is to take CT510 Everett from 4th/Union to Everett Station, then transfer to CT271 or CT275 Goldbar and disembark at the Snohomish PR. Alternatively, if you need to get there by 6pm on a weekday, you have the option of taking CT424 Snohomish PR from 4th S / S Jackson St directly to the Snohomish PR. Address: Pine Ave / Maple Ave (Snohomish). Map: GM Johnson Everett.

TO SNOQUALMIE / LOG PAVILION (ALSO SNOQUALMIE RIDGE)
Note that it's only practical to get to this location by bus from downtown Seattle in the evening on weekdays, and likewise buses only leave from this location for downtown Seattle in the very early morning on weekdays. That understood, you can take MT214 North Bend from 4th/Lenora to Railroad Ave SE / SE King St. From there, to get to the Log Pavilion, proceed northwest (i.e. backtrack) on Railroad Ave SE one block and turn left on SE Fir St. Alternatively, to get to Snoqualmie Ridge, proceed northwest (i.e. backtrack) on Railroad Ave SE for 0.6 miles, then turn left on SE Snoqualmie Parkway and continue until you see Snoqualmie Ridge on your right [side note: to reach what was the 2005 starting point for the Courage Classic, continue for 2 miles on SE Snoqualmie Parkway and turn left on SE Center St]. Alternatively, to get to Salish Lodge (one of the only hotels in the area), proceed northwest (i.e. backtrack) on Railroad Ave SE to about 0.25 miles past SE Snoqualmie Parkway to find the lodge on your left. Address: Railroad Ave SE / SE Fir St (Snoqualmie). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

TO TUKWILA / CHRISTENSEN PARK (AKA BICENTENNIAL PARK)
Take MT150 Auburn at 9th/Howell, disembark at Southcenter Blvd / 65th Ave S and proceed to the park at Christensen Road / Baker Blvd. Note that if you need to make it in time for a 10am weekday ride, you'll need to board the 8:58am bus at the latest. Also, note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday ride, you also have the option of taking the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 16 minute trip). Address: Christensen Rd / Baker Blvd (Tukwila). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO TUKWILA / FORT DENT PARK
Take MT150 Auburn from 9th/Howell. Exit near 6800 Fort Dent Way. Note that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday ride, you also have the option of taking the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 16 minute trip). Address: 6800 Fort Dent Way (Tukwila). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO TUKWILA / TUKWILA COMMUNITY CENTER
Take MT174 SeaTac from 4th/Stewart, and disembark at Tukwila Intl Blvd / S 130th St. Proceed east on S 130th St to 42nd Ave S, then turn left and cross the Duwamish River to 12424 42nd Ave S. Note that if you need to make it time for a 9:30am Saturday ride, you'll need to take the 8:35am bus at the latest. Note also that if you need to arrive for a 5:30pm weekday ride, you also have the option of taking the 4:20pm Tacoma-bound SCR (a 16 minute trip). Address: 12424 42nd Ave S (Tukwila). Map: GM Johnson Renton.

TO WEST SEATTLE / JACK BLOCK PARK
Proceed as if going to the "Statue" starting point on Alki, but get off at 26th Ave SW / SW Spokane St instead, continue west on the trail by bicycle, turn right on Harbor Ave SW, and continue to 2130 Harbor Ave SW. The park is found on the right-hand side of the street, about halfway to the northernmost tip of Alki. Address: 2130 Harbor Ave SW (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO WEST SEATTLE / LINCOLN PARK (AND FAUNTLEROY FERRY)
Take MT54 White Center from 5th/Pine to 45th Ave SW / SW Wildwood Pl. Proceed northwest to Lincoln Park (the ferry terminal is just south of Lincoln Park). Address: 4829 SW Barton St (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO WEST SEATTLE / STATUE ON ALKI BEACH AT 61ST
Take MT56 Alki from 1st/Union. Address: Alki Ave SW / 61st Ave SW (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO WOODINVILLE / NORTHSHORE SPORTS COMPLEX
Take ST522 Woodinville from 6th/Pike to Woodinville-Snohomish Rd / NE 195th St, proceed east (following the road as it curves south for a while) to 144th Ave NE, then turn left and proceed to NE 194th. Address: 19460 144th Ave NE (Woodinville). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

TO WOODINVILLE / RED HOOK BREWERY
Take MT255 Kirkland near 8th/Olive to 116th Ave NE / NE 132nd St. Disembark, head east on NE 132nd St, turn left on 132nd Ave NE, turn right on NE 144th St, and continue to 14300 NE 145th St. Address: 14300 NE 145th St (Woodinville). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

Getting to Cascade Bicycle Club Annual Rides by Bus

Chilly Hilly: There's no need for a bus - from downtown Seattle just go north by bike to Wall St, turn left and proceed to Alaskan Way, then turn south and proceed to the Pier 52 ferry terminal (Madison is the equivalent cross street). Assuming you've pre-registered, it's recommended that you arrive by 7:40am if you wish to catch the 7:55am ferry. Address: 801 Alaskan Way (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle for the path to the ferry, GM Johnson Kitsap County for the ride itself.

Flying Wheels: It starts at the Marymoor Park Velodrome, so take ST545 Bear Creek from 4th Ave S / S Jackson St to West Lake Sammamish / Leary Way, proceeding east into the park to the velodrome. Assuming you've pre-registered, you should arrive by 8:45am if you wish to take the 70 mile route option. Address: 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy NE (Redmond). Map: GM Johnson Bellevue.

STP: This ride starts from the UW parking lot on Montlake just north of Husky Stadium, but unfortunately there's apparently no way to get there by bus from downtown Seattle on a Saturday such that you arrive just before 5am. Assuming that you don't want to arrive late, and likewise that you don't want to wait around in the parking lot for an hour, you'll need to either bike there (presumably via the Burke-Gilman Trail) or take a cab there (tell the dispatcher you'll need to load a bike, and be prepared to remove the front wheel). Either way, to avoid bike traffic it's recommended that you approach the parking lot from the north rather than the south. [As a related reminder, if you take the two day option you'll need to load your bike for transit back to Seattle by 7pm once you arrive in Portland.] Address: Clark Rd / Walla Walla Rd (Seattle). Helpful maps: GM Johnson Kelso.

RSVP: This ride starts from the Cascade Bicycle Club Office at 6:30am. In theory, from downtown Seattle you could take MT72 Lake City at 5:36am from 5th Ave S / S Jackson (or 6th/Virginia), then transfer to MT74 Sand Point at 5:48am from Brooklyn Ave NE / NE Campus Pkwy and continue to the CBC office. However, it's important to keep in mind that there's no earlier bus combination of any kind which will get you there in time, and buses have room on their front racks for only two bicycles: if those two are occupied, you're out of luck. In other words, this probably isn't a good idea. [Note: On the other hand, if you're cycling to the CBC Office via the Burke-Gilman Trail, exit to Sand Point Way NE at 77th if you're southbound or 70th if you're northbound.] Address: 7400 Sand Point Way NE (Seattle). Helpful maps: GM Johnson Bellingham.

RAW: The buses and gear vehicles leave from Magnuson Park (see above), with loading beginning at 8am. Realistically, if you're going to take comfortable camping gear you'll probably want to take a cab to the starting point: tell the dispatcher you'll need to load a bike, and be prepared to remove the front wheel. Address: 7400 Sand Point Way NE (Seattle). Helpful maps: GM Johnson Seattle.

Cascade Spawning Cycle: There's no need for a bus - from downtown Seattle go north by bike to Wall St, turn left and proceed to Alaskan Way, then turn north and proceed about six blocks to Myrtle Edwards Park (3130 Alaskan Way). Address: 3130 Alaskan Way (Seattle). Map: GM Johnson Seattle.

Kitsap Color Classic: Take MT358 Aurora Village from 5th/Blanchard to the Aurora TC in Shoreline, followed by CT131 Edmonds CC (note that King County Metro tickets won't work on this bus) from the Aurora TC to Edmonds, and from there cycle to the Edmonds Ferry Terminal for the ferry ride from Edmonds to Kingston. To get an early start you'd want to arrive in Edmonds by 8am. Address: 199 Sunset Ave (Edmonds). Map: GM Johnson Everett for the path to the ferry in Edmonds, GM Johnson Kitsap County for the ride itself.

Getting to Tacoma Ride Points

To get to Tacoma take ST590 or ST594 from 8th/Westlake and disembark at S 10th St / Commerce (note that the last bus for downtown Seattle departs from Tacoma from this same location at 9:45pm). To get from this location to Tacoma Community College at 6501 S 19th St take PT28 TCC (which gets there fastest), PT16 TCC (which takes longer to get there but also passes by University of Puget Sound), PT1 Inbound, or PT2 Outbound. To get from this location to the Tacoma Mall take PT3 Lakewood (which gets there fastest), PT53 Outbound, or PT57 Tacoma Mall. To get from this location to the Puyallup Station at 131 W Main (e.g. to reach the Western Washington Fairgrounds, by going six blocks farther south on S Meridian) take ST582 Bonney Lake. Note that if you need to get to Tacoma or Puyallup Station in the evening on a weekday, you also have the option of taking the 4:20pm, 4:45pm, 5:10pm, or 5:40pm Tacoma-bound SCR (which takes 43 minutes to get to Puyallup Station or 60 minutes to get to Tacoma). Map: GM Johnson Tacoma and/or Pierce County Bicycle Guidemap.

Getting to Tukwila, Kent, Auburn, Sumner, Puyallup, or Tacoma on Weekday Evenings, and Getting to Edmonds or Everett on Weekday Mornings or Evenings, by Sounder Commuter Rail

If your ride's time and day permits, the fastest and easiest option for getting to these locations is the Sounder Commuter Rail, which leaves southbound from the King Street Station at 3rd Ave S / S Jackson St at 4:20pm, 4:45pm, 5:10pm, and 5:40pm, and which leaves northbound at 7:45am, 4:33pm, 5:13pm, and 5:30pm. Board at one of the doors marked with a bicycle symbol.

Note that when you disembark the Sounder Commuter Rail at the Tacoma Dome Station, seven days a week you have the option of hopping on the free Tacoma Link train (which leaves every ten minutes most of the day) to more easily get to the downtown Tacoma transit center at S 9th St / Commerce St.

Getting to Eugene (EUG), Portland (PDX), Centralia (CTL), Olympia (OLW), Bellingham (BEL), or Vancouver BC (VAC) from Seattle (SEA) by Amtrak

Your best bet is to take the one of the Amtrak Cascades trains from the downtown Seattle King Street Station at 303 S Jackson St. This train (unlike the Amtrak Coast Starlight or Empire Builder trains) has onboard bike racks, so you don't need to box your bike or have it tied down with the other luggage, and so that you can exit the train at any stop regardless of whether passengers can retrieve baggage at that stop. When taking advantage of this feature, you need to specify that you'll have a bike at the time you buy your ticket. Note, however, that the Cascades onboard bicycle racks will not accommodate tandem or recumbent bikes.

Note that in addition to the aforementioned station stops, the Amtrak Cascades trains also serve the following stations: Albany OR (ALY), Salem OR (SLM), Oregon City OR (ORC), Vancouver WA (VAN), Kelso WA (KEL), Tacoma WA (TAC), Tukwila WA (TUK), Edmonds WA (EDM), Everett WA (EVR), Mount Vernon WA (MVW).

For connecting trips, note that some of the Amtrak Thruway buses have bike racks and some do not: if you need to know whether a particular one does or not, then call Amtrak at 1-800-872-7245 and ask for "Agent."

Getting Across the Sound Via the Washington State Ferries

The ferries to Bainbridge Island (e.g. for Chilly Hilly) and Bremerton depart from the downtown Seattle ferry terminal at Pier 52 (i.e. on Alaskan Way S in line with Madison St). The ferry to Kingston (e.g. for the Kitsap Color Classic) departs from the Edmonds Ferry Terminal (i.e. on Main St at Sunset Ave). Some reminders about scheduling:

The first ferry leaves Edmonds for Kingston at 5:50am, and the last ferry leaves Kingston for Edmonds at 1:00am.
The first ferry leaves Seattle for Bainbridge Island at 5:30am weekdays (6:10am weekends), and the last ferry leaves Bainbridge Island for Seattle at 12:55am weekdays (1:25am weekends).
The first ferry leaves Seattle for Bremerton at 6am, and the last ferry leaves Bremerton for Seattle at 11:40pm.

Mass Transit Schedules and Routes

Metro Transit (MT):      http://transit.metrokc.gov
Sound Transit (ST):      http://www.soundtransit.org
Community Transit (CT):  http://www.commtrans.org
Pierce Transit (PT):     http://www.piercetransit.org

Sounder Comm Rail (SCR): http://www.soundtransit.org/riding/fac/sounder/
Tacoma Link Light Rail:  http://www.soundtransit.org/riding/fac/link/
Amtrak:                  http://www.amtrak.com

Washington Ferries:      http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/

If You're Willing to Box Your Bike...

No form of transportation described above requires that you box your bike, or load it into a common baggage area. However, if you ARE willing to box your bike, then you have plenty of additional options including:

Taking the Amtrak Empire Builder train to Wenatchee.
Taking the Airporter Shuttle to a variety of locations, including Anacortes, Yakima, Cle Elum, or Ellensburg. Note that these shuttles generally leave from the Seatac Airport (next to 17801 International Blvd in Seattle) rather than from downtown Seattle.
Taking Greyhound from the downtown Greyhound Terminal at 8th/Stewart, or a plane from the Seatac Airport, to just about anywhere. To get to the Seatac Airport from downtown Seattle, take MT194 Seatac from 9th/Howell.

If You're Willing to Rent a Car to Get to Remote Rides...

You'll first want to buy a simple trunk bike rack: obviously, you'll want one of the models which doesn't require screw-in installation of any kind, and is easily taken on and off. See Priceline for vehicle rental information, and Rack n Road for bike rack rental information.

Finding and Planning Rides

Print ride calendars include the annual Northwest Tour Guide, the annual Cascade Bicycle Club Event and Activity Guide, the monthly newspaper Bicycle Paper, and the monthly newspaper Cascade Courier.

Online ride calendars include Jim Carson's Northwest Bicycling Calendar, and the events listings published by the Seattle Bicycle Club, the Seattle International Randonneurs, and the Redmond Cycling Club.

Routes for self-directed rides may be found in the Seattle Bicycle Touring Club Library, the Seattle International Randonneurs Permanents List, and the Friends of Seattle's Olmsted Park's Bike Tour Maps.

Printed Maps for Navigation in Washington State

Mass Transit Maps

King County Metro Transit Map and Rider's Guide
Sound Transit Get Ready to Ride Transit Guide (also includes Sounder Commuter Rail and Tacoma Link Light Rail)
Community Transit System Map
Pierce Transit "The Bus Stops Here"
Amtrak Cascades Timetable
Washington State Ferries Sailing Schedule

Cycling Maps

State Level
- Washington Bicycle Map (note: for seeing the "bigger picture" when preparing for long multi-county trips, not for street-level navigation)
County Level
City Level

Street Maps (Folding Map Format)

State Level
- Washington State (GM Johnson)
I-5 Corridor South to North
- Portland (GM Johnson)
- Vancouver / Clark County (GM Johnson)
- Kelso (GM Johnson)
- Olympia (GM Johnson)
- Tacoma (GM Johnson)
- Renton (GM Johnson)
- Seattle (GM Johnson)
- Everett (GM Johnson)
- Marysville (GM Johnson)
- Skagit County (GM Johnson)
- Bellingham (GM Johnson)
- Vancouver / Fraser Valley (Rand McNally)
Islands Just West of Seattle
- Kitsap County (GM Johnson)
- Whidbey Island (GM Johnson)
Cities Just East of Seattle
- Bellevue (GM Johnson)

Street Maps (Book Format)

The Thomas Guide: King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties Street Guide (note: this book is too big to take with you on your bike, but for double-checking cue sheets away from the bike there's nothing finer)