Categories: Routes

The Seattle Tre Cime

Here’s the funny thing about cycling: I go out of my way to find the biggest and hardest hills I can, and I start to talk excitedly about how “good” the climbs are. “Good” in this application is taken to mean hard, steep, and long. Then, when I actually ride these “good” climbs, I suffer like a pig and find all I can do is try to keep my lungs from popping out through my eye sockets. I am increasingly certain this can in fact happen.

I found a site called MapMyRide. When I say, “found” what I really mean is “VeloNews posted a Site of the Day which happened to be MapMyRide and I clicked on the link and when the web site loaded, I saw it was cool.” I used a similar technique to “find” the Google on the Internets.

Anyhoochiemama, I played with this site, and it is awesome. I highly recommend that you sign up (free) and use the site even if you don’t ride, but partake in any activity which involves a route, such as walking, hiking, or Embrioing.

Naturally, I mapped the regular training route that Michelle, Jim, and I have painstakingly put together. Since I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, this took about an hour and a half. (I was really freaked out about doubling back on the route since the little green line looked wavy when doubled up, so I redid all the parts of the route that had doubled up sections and made sure the little green line stays neatly on opposite sides of the street in those areas. That was another solid 35 minutes.)

Here’s a screen shot (no, Paris, that is not the same as a money shot):

Coolest part of this tool: there is an elevation option which shows the elevation of the route and displays a neat little profile along the bottom of the map. To my delight and surprise, the little elevation tool told me I’m not a ninny and that the 36km route has a total elevation gain of 1500m (that’s almost a mile, for you Americans out there).

Check the route out here: MapMyRide.com

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Steampunk says:

Jul 2 2010 at 4:34 pm

@Joshua
Oh it's on! (and looking forward to it"”it'll be nice to finally meet you).

@frank
I'm still struggling with this one, too. But I think it's inner truth is the essence of a true hardman...
david says:

Jul 2 2010 at 5:03 pm

@steampunk: "I'm still struggling with this one, too. But I think it's inner truth is the essence of a true hardman."

Or someone too lazy to fix his broken rear derailleur cable.
Steampunk says:

Jul 2 2010 at 5:38 pm

@david
Hmmm. Perhaps: I'll have to check. I've never used it before...
Geoffrey Grosenbach says:

Sep 29 2010 at 5:43 pm

I'm a few blocks from Blue Ridge which has some nasty hills that could be an extension to this ride or a hill repeat route on its own.

Today was supposed to be my easy day, but I took two climbs in there. I didn't have any meter so I have no idea how much climbing it added up to, but I think I'll try to sketch out a route and use it as a climbing-only ride.
frank says:

Sep 29 2010 at 7:10 pm

@Geoffrey Grosenbach
Oh, man - I love Blue Ridge. We do lots of riding up there; it's the perfect area because it's so calm traffic-wise. We do a ride up there we call the Northern Loop, which does what we call Sea-to-Sky which starts at Golden Gardens, follows the coast up to what we call Sea-to-Sky, and goes up into Carkeek park. It's a good deal of climbing.

The ride we call the "Double" (pronounced doo-bluh) combines the two routes. It's only 75km, but it's a monster, climbing-wise. We should catch up for a ride one of these days.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/wa/seattle/647905883

This map appears to be from before the climb up Golden Gardens was opened up again; we pop down to Shilshole and then up Golden Gardens. We've aslo mod'd the ride back to sneak in a better climb. I'll update the route one of these days...
Geoffrey Grosenbach says:

Oct 19 2010 at 8:12 pm

I think 4th Ave N in Queen Anne should be on this route somehow.

On the other hand, I'm impressed that you go down Perkins Lane and up Raye. I went the other way today and I think I need to take it in the other direction to get the full experience.
mcsqueak says:

Jan 27 2012 at 12:41 pm

The Mapmyride link to this route appears to be broken, Frank. It would be sweet to come up and ride it with you guys some time.