[JP]

So we managed to keep the R-12 quest alive for December. About 14 of us from Seattle International Randonneurs rolled a couple of days ago on the new Mercer Island-Redmond-Orting-Mercer Island Permanent.

http://permanents.seattlerando.org/2008/01/pending-mercer-island-redmond-orting-mi.html

"531" seems like a fitting name for a perm. It's just ever so slightly thicker than the 753 perm and less prone to dents. In many ways it rides like a Columbus SL perm. Many people claim that the 531 perm has excellent comfortable properties, and I'm not one to disagree. I've got nothing against the new oversize perms, but I'll take mine in this traditional diameter, thank you.

This ride is about 200K and stays down below 400 feet, so we did our best to avoid the snow.

 

[JP]

There was one elevated bike path near I90 where the snow had not yet melted, so we had to walk a little. Of course we had some serious mud-flappage. We even rode past the salt mine.

 

[JP]

The mountain was even out a bit as we approached Orting.

 

[JP]

Then we hit a bunch of trails around rush hour that took us through Seattle and back to Mercer Island for a victory lap. I would say that this 200K was the longest 400K I have ever ridden. I really need to train a bit more if I expect to earn one of these some day. ;-)

 

[rcnute]

Congrats. Looks like a blast. Here's to '09 (or maybe 2011?).