“We need to plan a ride to Seattle”...
It started as a simple idea that
@smith_kyle_ and
@swildash had been kicking around since January. With FIFA swallowing up all reasonable accommodations in the city through the summer, there would need to be some semblance of a concept to convince a group to ride so far away with nothing waiting for them at the end.
They landed on something hard, simple, and rewarding. Hammer 300km to the Emerald City, catch the last train back to Vancouver, and sleep in the same bed you woke up in.
From there, it became about turning the idea into something executable. Route, timing, border crossing, fuelling, train tickets, content…everything had to line up perfectly. Then came the harder part: finding a group that wouldn’t just sign up for it, but would commit to riding it properly.
8 other legends bought in.
They kept the pace honest from the start and never let it drift. Pulls were controlled, stops were efficient, and everyone respected the plan. The temptation to put each other in the dirt on Chuckanut was ignored. No one rider trying to be a hero, just constant power through the pedals all day.
Nutrition was an important piece. It’s one thing to ride to Seattle, it’s another to do it in 9 hours. The group treated it like a requirement, not a suggestion. Bottles constantly rotating, carbs always coming in. Supplied fuel provided each rider ~1000g of carbohydrates, and it’s probably the biggest reason the group held together the way they did.
Everything clicked. The fellas were firing all day. No mechanicals, no crashes, no real low points. One of those rare days where the plan actually plays out the way you pictured it months earlier.
Having
@dev.franz there supporting the ride made a massive difference. Beyond this outrageous content, he ensured our stops stayed tight, bottles were ready, and no one had to think twice about what they needed next. It kept the momentum going and made a long day feel a lot more controlled. He is a legendary asset to us in moments like this, and we can’t thank him enough.
This one’s going to stick.
