65 km Route Around South Lake Washington And Mercer Island

I got a late start today, and since I didn't leave until 1 PM I had to limit the route since it's gets dark at 4:30 these days!!

I did what I call the "double U" route, a 40-miler that's pretty flat, and allowed me to see just how fast I could go without hills getting in the way too much.

Here's the elevation profile of the route, with the clock-wise Mercer Island Loop starting at about mile 22:


With a 10 mph wind out of the North, I was able to average 33.0 km/hr (~20.5 mph) all the way to Seward Park, where the little climb starts at about mile 7.5 or so. I was cruising at a good 36-38 km/hr (~ 24 mph) on the flats, and since my legs aren't sore anymore, I could push about as hard as I wanted without pain.

Mercer Island was really cold on the shady (Eastern) side at about 2:30 PM when I rolled through. I saw more cyclists than I expected, but I guess with the day off it makes sense.

Totals:

Total Distance: 65 km
Total Rolling Time: 2 hrs 20 minutes
Average Speed: 27.3 km/hr
Max Speed: ~65 km/hr (40 mph)
Max Temp: 45 degrees
Turkey eaten: 0 lbs