Ode to Snoqualmie Falls Ride, April 9

The ride report from Richard, our ride leader, in prose:

We started from Sunset around half past nine
A morning blessed with broken clouds and sunshine

A prayer to begin with thanking God for his grace
Then a few words about our route and our pace

Down the hill past Lake Sammamish all of us went
On a morning that seemed it was Heaven sent

We wound on the path, past Pickering’s place
For a farm or a trail, it’s a really nice space

Across Front Street, onward and upward we rode
Past the Issaquah Highlands and many abode

Along Klahanie, a subdivision growing for years
Phebe took time to practice shifting her gears

Down the staircase we went, pedaling with ease
Going the other way is hard on the knees

Picking up speed, we flew past the trees
William, take care not to miss the turn please!

In Fall City we stopped for respite to take
It had been quite a while, we needed a break

We stopped for some water and to warm up our toes
And to see a young lady tending primrose

Onward we pedaled down Fish Hatchery Road
On a bike, this way is the perfect mode

Heather shrieked with excitement, pointing down toward the dale
What on earth was it, a mouse or whale?

We all gathered around and what did we see?
Not one, not two, but three Wallaby!

Pictures were taken to prove it was true
So others couldn’t say we hadn’t a clue

Finally we reached our last uphill climb
This was our goal since half past nine

We took our sweet time winding up the steep grade
In not long at all the summit was made

Some sped to the top like they had not a care
Phebe made it up with 3 gears to spare!

To amazement of several, someone had tipped
Richard fell over, in his pedals still clipped

A photo was taken overlooking the fall
Of several happy riders, thirteen in all

The time had come to leave this nice place
We zipped down the hill with wind in our face

Foti had stopped, his stuck chain to release
Kurt shared his towel for our hands and the grease

Paul led the way back via the Preston bike trail
To spare us the staircase, going up like a snail

From High Point to Sunset on I-90 we rode
Dodging all sorts of debris from the cars on the road

From Sunset to Newport we pedaled with care
Many cars and congestion, take time to beware

Up the last hill to Lakemont, Mikkel picked up the pace
From the back of the pack, Richard gave chase

Most were content to simply ride in a line
They’d been in the saddle since half past nine

Back at Sunset around a quarter past one
Each of us celebrated a ride well done!

(Riders: Paul, Elda, Bart, William, Victor, Jason, Mikkel, Phebe, Richard, Kurt, Heather, Foti, and Doug)