The Seattle-to-Portland Classic is Cascade Bicycle Club’s biggest and most famous annual ride. 10,000 people will bike the entire 200-mile distance in either one or two days starting Saturday.
The ride attracts a wide swath of people, from dedicated cyclists to folks who have never done anything like that before in their lives.
If you want to see them off, riders will leave in groups starting early in the morning (4:45 a.m.) and heading south on Montlake Boulevard to Lake Washington Boulevard.
Details from Cascade:
Bicyclists are coming from the world over to ride in the 34th annual Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic (STP). Nationally recognized and named “one of the best cycling events in the nation” by Bicycling Magazine, Cascade Bicycle Club’s STP will take place Saturday and Sunday, July 13 – 14, 2013. The 200-mile route, designed to be completed in one or two days, takes riders from the University of Washington in Seattle to Holladay Park across the street from Lloyd Center in Portland, Ore.
The ride is an excellent way to tour the Pacific Northwest and will draw 10,000 participants, ranging from kids with parents up to one 90-year old. The STP is Cascade Bicycle Club’s largest fundraising event to benefit bicycle education, advocacy, commuting and riding programs.
The sold-out event will welcome riders from 45 states and five other countries including Canada, France, The Netherlands, the UK and Malaysia. Many are first-time riders, but one person – Jerry Baker of Seattle – has participated every single year since the ride began. Of the 10,000 riders, nearly 2,500 make the entire 200-mile trip on Saturday in one push, arriving into Portland on Saturday evening. The remaining participants spend the night near Centralia, Wash., host of the midpoint festival.
Official rest stops, staffed by volunteer groups, are established in Kent, Spanaway, Lexington, Wash., and St. Helens, Ore. to provide riders with food, drink and a place to rest. In addition, there are many other “Mini Stops” along the route that are fundraisers for local community groups selling food and drink to riders.
Comments
10 responses to “Cascade’s Seattle-to-Portland Classic leaves Husky Stadium Saturday”
Sigh. Someday I will do this. Have fun, folks!
Still some tickets on craigslist.
[…] Bicycle Club’s 200-mile Seattle-to-Portland Classic leaves town Saturday morning. But if you didn’t get one of the 10,000 available spots in the ride, don’t worry! West […]
“From Southbound I-5, take Exit #169…” So, the better part of 10,000 participants drive their cars to the starting point, then get trucked back 200 miles from Portland. Way to cut down on that old carbon footprint. Holla back when “riders from 45 states and five other countries” find ways to get here and back without stanking up the environment they claim to be protecting.
FYI: UW Parking Lot E1 north of the stadium has 3,022 spaces. Where you planning to put the other 7,000?
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
@RogerDodger – It’s difficult to tell if you are joking or being serious with your criticism of the STP. I understand your argument, however, I don’t think the short term environment concerns come even close to outweighing the benefits of the event.
I can only speak from my experience. Training for and completing my first STP ride years ago was what got me passionate about biking. As I was training, I started commuting to work. Now, I commute nearly everyday.
I know there are thousands of stories similar to mine. The STP is really meaningful to many people. It also is Cascade’s largest fundraiser of the year, which goes directly to bike advocacy efforts to get more people riding.
No one is claiming to be protecting the environment. Cascade does not make that claim.
This is a fun bike ride that gets people into cycling.
[…] Leaves Husky Stadium in waves Saturday morning, heading south on Montlake Boulevard and out of town on Lake Washington Boulevard. For more details, see our previous post. […]
Counting down the days till my son & I make this sojourn next year. Hopefully the weather will be as nice as it was this year ~
[…] Gone are the days of trading the nine-to-five grind for a spot at the local old folks home. Retirees are summiting Mount Rainier, sailing throughout the Pacific Northwest, and competing in the Seattle-to-Portland (STP) bike race. […]