Interlaken Blvd to Volunteer Park

[generally 9-13 Miles, 450-720 feet total elevation gain]

Some portions of the path ... a challenge to photograph but here are some sun dappled views.

Wendell (of Jack's Pass fame) also owns this simple ride which I call a cocktail ride. The ride is short but sweet and is guaranteed to give you an aerobic hit ...well a little heart pounding.

  • Start at Gasworks Park Take the Burke Gilman Trail to the University bridge.
  • After the bridge you'll be right near the Le Fournil French Bakery which is a great place to pick up a super sandwich, pastry and drink for a very reasonable price ($6.99 in 2006). In 2002/3 I'd get a French bread Camembert sandwich with tomato, lettuce and mustard for $3.50! In 2006 it's $3.99 - which is still a worthwhile bargain.
  • With the precious sandwich (optional) on your bike:
    • Go about two blocks to the light
    • Turn left on Harvard Ave (hill)
    • In a few blocks turn left on Selby
    • Continue on Selby to 11th and then South to East Roanoke by the playground. This is pretty trafficky as it is an I-5 collector
    • Going left on East Roanoke, bear to the right and you'll see Interlaken climbing off to the right. It is past 11th ave (you can take 10th or 11th to Capitol Hill).
  • Interlaken Boulevard is Seattles first bike path (built in 1907 as part of Seattles Olmstead park legacy). It is certainly my favorite mile long bike ride in Seattle.
  • After about a mile, Interlaken Boulevard branches - take the right hand up hill route (the left hand route continues to the Arboretum. (This hill is the bit of the aerobic hit mentioned at top - if it's not a challenge for you do it 2-3 times.)
  • At the park exit, cross Galer and go south on 19th avenue for a few blocks to E. Prospect.
  • Climb a few more blocks to the entrance to Volunteer Park.
  • Take a circuit around the park (optionally eating your sandwich in the park)
  • Exit right and continue down E. Prospect and turn right on 10th avenue and go over the University bridge and return to Gasworks.
  • In 2002/3, I simply reverse my steps to take Interlaken Boulevard back to the bridge - I like its sylvan downhill rush rather than the normal return.
Wendell led this short ride every Tuesday night (rain/snow/hail) throughout the whole year during the early and mid 90s. There's a couple of hard-core riders (Rampa and Tamara) who joined Wendell all year . ..myself I'm a fair weather Tuesday night rider ...going when it's warm and clear! Come join us at 6PM at Gasworks Park ...with an option to eat in Fremont afterwards.

In 1996, Rampa (1999: Rampa has moved to Sacramento) and Tamara (1999: Tamara can be found at the velodrome) continued the Tuesday night ride (through rain, sleet and snow) and it looks like in 1997, the ride is not being done as some-one else is doing RRR rides from Gasworks at 6:30 PM on Tuesday. But if you see a tall bearded rider whizzing past Gasworks around that time ...follow me, I'll be doing the Wendell cocktail ride just for the ride of it!

Update 2003: This listed ride hasn't been offered in this millenium. Easy to see why - it is only a small 9-13 miler and not that interesting for most. However, I still ride it - albeit with the Le Fournil sandwich and if you go on Scotts Thursday evening rides during the summer, chances are that at least once - you'll take the route described here.

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Last update: 06/05/04