Ride to the Sounders vs. Timbers match

Come support the Sounders* as they take on their rivals from the south! We’ll be riding from South Bellevue Park & Ride to the Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers match at CenturyLink Field and will arrive in plenty of time for the 2:00 PM kickoff.

The ride will start promptly at 10:00 AM. We’ll head south around the lake and then swing west to Starfire Sports (the Sounders training facility) for a quick photo op with the Sounders U.S. Open Cup championship banners. From there we’ll head north to the stadium along the Green River Trail, the Duwamish Trail, and the Elliot Bay Trail. We plan to arrive at the stadium around 12:30, leaving plenty of time before the game to grab some well-earned food and drinks at one of the nearby restaurants or food trucks. After the game, we’ll take a more direct route back to the start via the I-90 Trail. About half of the route is on dedicated bike trails.

Tentative route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/9823010 (subject to change)

The final route and cue sheet will be posted by the Wednesday before the ride, and a limited number of cue sheets will be available at the ride start.

Please note that we will be parking our bikes at the bike racks on the north end of the stadium (along with hundreds of other bikes). Be sure to bring a secure lock (or two); if you own multiple bikes, you might consider riding your least expensive one.

Please be aware of the following stadium policies that may be relevant:

1. Bags are allowed but must be no larger than 12” x 12” x 12”
2. Beverages are not permitted, but empty personal plastic sports bottles (non-metallic) are allowed

The full set of policies can be viewed here: http://www.soundersfc.com/matchday/stadium-guide

Want to join us but don’t have tickets yet? You can purchase tickets here (if they’re still available): http://bit.ly/1J2h78c

Ride Leaders: Michael Boyer and Carl Wainwright

Regroups/Mechanicals: This is a social ride, so we will regroup as needed if the group gets spread out. We will stop briefly for mechanical issues, but please ensure that you have equipment to deal with flats or other problems on your own if necessary. Please also print a cue sheet or download the route map to your navigation device of choice in the event that you get separated from the group.

Rest Stops: There are no bathrooms or water at the start. If necessary, we can stop for bathrooms and water at Cecil Moses Park (mile 17), and of course there are bathrooms and water available inside the stadium (mile 27).

Cancellation Policy: Hard steady rain or otherwise unsafe riding conditions will cancel. Riders will be notified of the cancellation via comments on both the Cascade and Meetup postings for this ride. If the ride is cancelled more than two hours before the start time, ride leaders will not come to the ride start.

Please RSVP via Meetup (http://www.meetup.com/cascaderides/events/224724918/) for ride updates and to help us determine the appropriate number of ride leaders. Plan to arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the start time to hear the route briefing, safety presentation, and sign the waiver form for an on-time departure.

* Timbers supporters are of course welcome as well, but be prepared for some good-natured banter.