Team Recs – Bike Routes

Recommended by: Murray Longbotham, Civil Engineer

Why I love it: If you don’t have hulk thighs to attack hills, bike commuting around Seattle can be tough. After work, I will often bike north along Alaskan Way to the Sculpture Park, then continue along the Elliott Bay Trail to Elliott Bay Marina. It’s a short 10-mile route that’s flat and easy to get to from our office. And if you’re feeling it, I’d recommend grabbing a beer or burger at Maggie Bluffs!

Pro Tip: Skiing gloves are your friend during the rainy months.

Image Credit: AllTrails

Recommended by: Andrew Ayling, Structural Associate Principal

Why I love it: It has a little of everything! Amazing views of downtown Seattle and the Puget Sound, lots of relatively easy hills, and very light traffic. And for all you Strava users, there are over 60 segments to chase along the way!

Pro Tip: While this route was made popular by the Chilly Hilly Group Ride in February, I would recommend riding it during the summer for better weather and no crowds.

Image Credit: Cascade Bicycle Club

Recommended by: Kristen Smith, Structural Staff Engineer

Why I love it: My favorite route starts at Lake Union, taking the Lake Union trail up to Gasworks Park, then continuing the Burke Gilman through Fremont and Ballard and onto Golden Gardens. I love biking next to the water and seeing the different parks and people along the way. At Gasworks, there’s usually a big drum group practicing which is always fun to see. And then Fremont and Ballard are perfect for a more leisurely ride because there are a ton of restaurants, breweries, and farmers markets to stop at. Finishing up at Golden Gardens is the best for a swim! I couldn’t recommend this route more – it’s a perfect summertime weekend ride. And bonus, you can ride on true bike trails the entire way!

Pro Tip: Just have fun! I think this route would be a great way to get non–biking friends along for the ride. Plus, there are generally scooters and e-bikes along the way if they don’t have a bike or don’t feel like going that far without the help of electricity.

Image Credit: Seattle.gov

Recommended by: Sam White, Structural Project Engineer

Why I love it: This mountain biking park in Issaquah has a good variety of trails ranging from beginner to expert. For anyone wanting to learn how to jump their bike, this is a great place to do it. If you’re already comfortable jumping, there are plenty of trails with big jumps to hit. Overall, it’s just a great, well-rounded local spot to ride.

Pro Tip: Start small and ease into it to find where your comfort level is. Then work your way up from there!

Image Credit: Sam White