Ride recap: Critical Lass and Friends Ride to Candy Cane Lane

Oh the weather outside was frightful (cold, heavy rain, off-and-on wind), but Candy Cane Lane with friends was so delightful! As mentioned in the Seattle Times article, One healthful thing we love: Spice up your bike ride with holiday-themed events with the Cascade Bicycle Club this week: “Steady rain, ice or snow cancels most rides, the Candy Cane Lane ride is an exception and will go in the rain.” We’re not gluttons for punishment–we just really wanted to ride as a group to more holiday lights. But still, extra points to everyone who showed up tonight!

Eleven lasses and friends on eight bikes (originally fourteen participants on nine bikes, but one family headed home early) met at the Wallingford Center for the 3.5-mile ride to Candy Cane Lane in Ravenna.

We grabbed snaps of a couple riders as they arrived, but it’s just too dark so bike portraits are on hiatus until our next daytime ride.

We rode the Wallingford Greenway (N 44th Street) and kept mostly to proposed Greenways until we got to Ravenna Blvd’s separated (just by paint) bike lane. Then, to avoid heavy car traffic, we took a dark and lovely (and gravelly) ride all the way through Ravenna Park. Here’s the map of our route:

Candy Cane Lane is a drive-through experience for most, so we formed a small group between cars:

We took some daylight pictures during the route-testing ride to give a better feel for the place:

There’s even a food donation bin at the end. We donated 🙂

We decided to skip the post-ride party and riders peeled off in small groups as we headed back to the Wallingford Center. We were all still together to traverse 20th Ave NE Bridge–a wonderful closed-to-motor-vehicles bridge with a breathtaking view (when it’s not pitch dark and rainy).

20th Ave NE Bridge during the day:

Big thanks to Cathy and Bill for leading the ride and taking group photos at the end. The second shot is from Bill’s fancy rain-capable camera…did we mention our next ride will be during daylight hours?

If you’ve got photos to share, stick them on Facebook or email us: seattlecriticallass[at]gmail.com.

Happy holidays!