Well, duh!

Who knew that West Seattle has two bridges, not one?

Yesterday was clear and warm in the Pacific Northwest, so I planned on going to West Seattle by bike for the first time.

Crossing the Ballard Bridge, I espied the distant snow-capped Olympic Mountains (pic #1).

Then, downtown, Pier 66 (the summertime concert pier) enticed me to ride across rough-hewn boards, towards the railing, where two lone fishermen stood, trying to catch who-knows-what in Puget Sound. The day's second view of the winter Olympics (pic #2) is specifically what grabbed my attention.

The Seattle Bike Map was unclear as to the route to West Seattle--I thought there was a road-level way across the water. And so I looked for that road by going under numerous overpasses, around abutments, past trucks and cranes, in serpentine fashion until I finally decided to stop in at a deli for OJ and info. It turned out that there is a lower as well as an upper bridge to West Seattle, and, according to the helpful woman in the deli, I had to take the lower-yet-very-tall bridge. I rode the bridge's wide bike path, completely separate from the cars.

I traveled the back roads of West Seattle, including a long downhill ride and then a steep uphill climb (that I couldn't have ridden up, even if I were a 20-year-old Lance Armstrong) along Genessee. My first official stop, of course, was a bakery, where I met my friend and had a pastry (double-baked almond croissant--oh, my!--well worth the trip!). Cafe Nouveau (pic #3) should definitely be added to your bakeries-by-bicycle list.

After the refueling and the chat, I headed down to Alki, where I rode along the beach. Pic #4 shows downtown Seattle from lower Alki. Then I wheeled back to and across the bridge. As I passed downtown, in the Olympic Sculpture Park, I caught a glimpse of a statue I hadn't noticed before, backed by the old P-I Globe (pic #5). Friday afternoon workers were heading home early, and I rode the Burke-Gilman Trail with them, reaching home by 4:00, with lots of daylight left, and a huge appetite for dinner.

Today's mileage: 50 miles