Fell Swooping the trails of Thrilla

Outdoor cycling is not dead. In the Pacific Northwest it has been long asleep, yes. But today brought proof that when the weather is good enough and the souls are hardy enough even a brisk January day can be enjoyed on two wheels.

Last Fall I made official my union to the Fell Swoop Racing team. As they are based in the greater Seattle area I don't get to as many team rides as I'd like. When the idea of riding the Thrilla loop was floated my interest was piqued. Six weeks of indoor cycling combined with the optimistic weather forecast made this team ride all the more appealing.

Thrilla was described to me as a mostly gravel and trail loop that threaded through the green spaces of Woodinville. I was advised beforehand that gravel and cyclocross bikes worked best for this loop. My Hakka MX fit that bill. Sunday was my in person introduction and it did not disappoint. The dirt roads and trails were smooth, fast, and fun. Very few of the miles were shared with motor vehicles.

Crossing the Sammamish with Z and Bart. The camera did not capture the joy of the sun was warming our skin and our souls.

I started my ride at Z-dog's house as did fellow Swooper Bart. We wanted the extra miles to fill out our weekly base season training goals. The skies were clear and the temperature hovered just above freezing. Z-dog led us towards the official ride start choosing roads and paved trails that skipped most of the traffic and ice.

When fully assembled we were a group of ten. Most were regulars but a few Fell Swoop 'Ambassadors' were also along for the ride including Adam who made the drive from distant Pierce County.

Travis fights the sticky bottle while taking point on one of the few paved sectors.

I cannot recall every section of the route. One that did make an impact was a short loop around a neighborhood called 'Tuscany'. The trails were smooth and fast with few road crossings. The group picked up the pace and I was happy to dangle at the back. This detour was a full three miles of near perfect single track.

Conversation topics pivoted throughout the day. Training for the upcoming race season was often discussed. The racing calendar was mentioned. But the most common theme seemed to be how well the weather cooperated and how nice it was to log some non Zwift miles.

 

Z-dog and his crew of cyclists.

My favorite section was certainly through the Redmond Watershed Preserve. The trails had a perfect balance of twistiness and speed. My imperfect tire choice, Panaracer GravelKing SS, was not ideal for a wet forest. But by mid day I had gained the confidence to up my pace and enjoy the sweeping corners.

As we neared the end of the loop we stopped for a group photo along the Tolt Pipeline Trail. The climbing was done. The sun was out and had pushed back the early morning chill. The Olympic Mountains popped out on the horizon. We were unable to hold back our smiles.

Photo courtesy Z-Dog.

Bart, Z-dog, and myself rolled back to our start point with just over 40 miles on the clock. We thanked each other for a great ride. As I loaded my truck for the drive home I couldn't think of a better way to have spent a cold January morning.