Saturday - May 17, 2008 - Fauntleroy Ferry - Vashon - Tacoma- Des Moines Loop 
Date:              Saturday, May 17, 2007
Ride Start:     Fauntleroy Ferry, West Seattle (bring money for ferry)
Meet at:         8:10 a.m. inside the ferry terminal after you purchase your tickets. I am not sure of the current cost but believe it is about $7 or so
Start at:         8:35 a.m. sharp  (that's when the ferry leaves).  Meet in the forward starboard main deck to sign in.
Distance:      About 65 miles

Pace:             14-18 mph. Pace will vary with the terrain
Regroup:      This is mostly a stay together ride that will regroup periodically at designated points on the cue sheet and on top of hills. If you are not at a regrouping point within 10 minutes of the Ride Leader, you will need to catch-up with us further up the road.  You should thus be able to read and follow a cue sheet just in case you get dropped. The ferry for Point Defiance leaves at 10:35 a.m.  We will take that ferry if at all possible. The next ferry leaves at 11:25 a.m.  You thus need to be able to cover the first 15 miles from your arrival at Vashon to make the 10:35 a.m. ferry.  If you don't want to ride under these protocols, I will be happy to give you a cue sheet on checking in and let you do your own ride. However, if you start with the group, the ride leader expects you to more or less stay with the group. Feel free to skip this ride if these guidelines don't fit your personal style, time or desire for hammering.
Ride Leader:  Gary Strauss - prefer email contact at garystrauss@gmail.com (day of ride cell 206-948-9024; day phone during week 206-816-1300; home 206-937-1852)
Co-ride leader:  Open for volunteers
Rain Policy:      Sprinkles ok but heavy rain and really bad weather cancels. While it is supposed to get to nearly 80 degrees in the sun, our weather is not guaranteed. So, bring your sunscreen and perhaps only carry a very light rain jacket. Of course, this is Seattle. Who knows what will happen. Up to you to be prepared for whatever the weather brings us.

Ride Details: A marvelous ride (after the famous first steep climb of about 1.3 miles on Vashon) with fabulous scenery along the west coast of Vashon to the Point Defiance Ferry (1035 a.m.). We do the Loop of Point Defiance Park, stop to gawk at the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and head for a brief snack/lunch. We ride by the famous Stadium High School and circumvent the Port of Tacoma. We then head north along the coast road from Browns Point to Dash Point to Des Moines and back to Fauntleroy. Cue sheet provided.  Lunch and/or coffee breaks planned during ride, so bring money. Be prepared to do a few fairly steep climbs, but we mostly bike over and down a lot of rollers. Bring at least 2 new tubes, tire levers, a patch kit, and a pump or CO2 cartridges. Please check your tires and bike condition before leaving home. This ride will take quite a bit of  time depending upon conditions, ferry crossings,  group size, length of breaks, etc., so please do not join us if you are under a deadline. If you miss the 10:35 a.m. Defiance Ferry, you will be on your own. This is not a beginner's ride.  We won't be able to ride for riders unable to keep up with the group, but we will be somewhat slower on hills (largely because I don't climb hills quickly).