Critical Lass and Friends: Last Loop with Madi

Sunday, August 13, 2017
10:00 a.m.
Solsticio (1100 N Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98103)
Facebook RSVP

Hi, Madi Carlson, outgoing keeper of Seattle Critical Lass, here. Five years ago, three friends and I started Seattle Critical Lass as a welcoming and inclusive social ride to get more women-identified/trans Seattleites bicycling, while appealing to both new and seasoned riders. I have very much enjoyed being at the helm of Critical Lass and using it as an outlet to share my love of getting everywhere around Seattle by bike, but I’m moving away. I hope you’ll ride a favorite loop with me one last time!

Note: this is a Critical Lass and Friends ride which means you don’t need to identify as a “lass” to attend. However, the regular kid rules apply: children should be able to keep up a 10-12 mph “leisurely” pace or else be bike-ily attached to parent or guardian (trailer, bike seat, trail-a-bike, tandem bike, you get the drift…).

Our ride will start from Solsticio along the Burke-Gilman Trail in Fremont at 10:00am. Go early if you want coffee or breakfast–they have a great breakfast! I’ll be there for eating and hanging at 9:30am.

Here’s our 14-mile route. It utilizes some terrific Seattle bicycle infrastructure:

Burke-Gilman Trail, multi-use trail in the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame
Separated bike lanes on N 34th Street
Bike counter on the Fremont Bridge
Ship Canal Trail, multi-use trail
Westlake Bikeway
Dexter Ave N separated bike lane
Mercer Street/5th Ave N separated bike lanes
West Thomas Street Overpass
Elliott Bay Trail, multi-use trail
NW 58th Street Ballard Neighborhood Greenway
Bike counter on NW 58th St Neighborhood Greenway
Intersecting Neighborhood Greenways! NW 58th St and 17th Ave NW
All-way stop sign for NW 46th St at 14th Ave NW of the Missing Link
Missing Link bike lanes on NW 45th St
I dunno what the latest Fremont Sunday Market bike detour is like so we’ll figure that out together! Or if it’s not too packed, we’ll ride slowly along the Burke-Gilman Trail. Or perhaps we’ll walk our bikes along the Burke-Gilman Trail.

We’ll end at Fremont Brewing, where there is plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.

Another note: NO WAIVER. While many of my Critical Lass rides have been led as Cascade Bicycle Club Free Group Rides, an awesome program for which I am very grateful to be a volunteer ride leader, this ride is off the books. I’ll still start with a quick safety briefing, but there will be no waiver to sign so if you are someone who does not like to sign waivers and/or chooses to ride without a helmet (though know that Seattle is one of the few cities with an adult helmet law), please join us!

What’s happening to Seattle Critical Lass?
Seattle Critical Lass will live on! I’m handing the reins to Morgan Scherer of Familybike Seattle, who has taught more people to ride bikes and led more rides than anyone I know. She’s incredibly cool and knowledgable and I’m so happy she’s game to add this to her collection of awesomeness.