The open road is yours for the taking – at least two and a half miles of it – because Bicycle Sunday is back. Starting May 3, and several Sundays throughout the summer, Lake Washington Boulevard is closed to vehicle traffic from Mount Baker Beach to Seward Park.
This super tradition is worth checking out. Easily three times as wide as the Burke Gilman trail, Lake Washington Boulevard affords you plenty of space to ride or run or glide. Whereas my family often has to ride single file on the Burke Gilman, we were able to ride side by side without fear of interfering with bicycle training teams or leashed dogs and their owners.
The views are gorgeous because Lake Washington Boulevard runs right along – yes, you guessed it – Lake Washington. There is plenty of shade (for those sunny days, which I hear occur in Seattle on occasion) and the terrain is fairly flat.
We saw runners and walkers, in-line skaters and roller skiers. There were balance bikes, tandem bikes, recumbent bikes and trikes. We even saw a crazy machine that was a cross between an elliptical and a bicycle. Basically, if you can power it on your own, it's welcome on Bicycle Sundays.
So, dust off the seats, oil the gears, grab your helmets and take over that open road. To learn more and see the full schedule, visit www.seattle.gov/parks/bicyclesunday.
