Riverside State Park

Ride #8

November 27th, 2014

Kendall Yards through Riverside State Park and back

17 miles

950 ft ascent/descent

Partly cloudy, 45-50 degrees

It was a beautiful Thanksgiving morning with unseasonably warm weather. We couldn't resist. For our 8th ride, we decided to head west on the Centennial Trail and see how far we could get in 45 minutes. We'd allocated ourselves a mere hour and a half for this ride because--really--Thanksgiving is for relaxing with the family, not dying on certain infamous Spokane inclines. 

Heading out of Kendall Yards and barreling down Doomsday hill at 35 mph, we tried not to think about the immense climb back up it at the end of the ride. We entered Riverside State Park just after the TJ Meenach Bridge and continued for another five miles northwest until we were just about inclined out. This part of the Centennial Trail is really pretty and it's amazing to think you're within walking distance of downtown Spokane as you whiz through the forest, occasionally catching breathtaking views of the Spokane River Valley. We stopped briefly for a water break before turning around for the return ride. 

We huffed and puffed our way back up Doomsday hill and took a short break at the top to reflect on our incredible accomplishment before continuing on back home. We decided this was a ride we should definitely keep doing in order to build our leg strength and prep for longer, harder rides. But for now, time for turkey! Happy Thanksgiving!