International Harper Day 2014 will serve a dual purpose as my birthday ride and as my retirement ride…not from unicycling, from work. It will be held on Saturday August 30 or Sunday August 31 whichever yields the most riders.
Excerpts from previous posts describing this ride:
We will ride the Iron Horse Trail from Hyak to Rattlesnake Lake which is about a 22 mile ride down a 2% railroad grade. You only have to pedal to maintain balance it’s so easy. There is a 2.3 mile long, pitch-black, dark tunnel right at the beginning of the ride. If you haven’t gone on this ride before you must realize that you will need a unicycle and a VERY bright light.
We usually meet at the lot just south of the Issaquah Park and Ride. Then we consolidate unicycles, riders, and vehicles and drive to Rattlesnake Lake to drop off a shuttle car. Finally, we haul all of the riders and cycles to the Hyak trail head of the Iron Horse Trail and we RIDE, BABY, RIDE back to Rattlesnake Lake.
International Harper Day will inconveniently fall on a Thursday this year. I plan to have the ride on Saturday, 30 August. This is the weekend following my 62nd and it is the day before my retirement from the University of Washington. A combination birthday/retirement ride. I again have a friend coming in from Arizona that week who will ride a bike on the outing like a big sissy. This will also mark 51 years of unicycling for me. I got my first unicycle on my 11th birthday.
We will ride the Iron Horse Trail from Hyak to Rattlesnake Lake which is about a 22 mile ride down a 2% railroad grade. You only have to pedal to maintain balance it’s so easy. There is a 2.3 mile long, pitch-black, dark tunnel right at the beginning of the ride. If you haven’t gone on this ride before you must realize that you will need a unicycle and a VERY bright light. Remember to take your sunglasses off in the tunnel, Jeff.
We will meet at the lot just south of the Issaquah Park and Ride between 9:00 and 9:30 AM Saturday 30 August. To get to the lot, take exit 15 on I-90 to SR-900 (Renton Road) southbound. Go about four blocks and turn left onto Newport Way. Then, turn right into the driveway to the parking lot. Lots of free parking and it’s easy to find people. There we consolidate unicycles, riders, and vehicles and drive to Rattlesnake Lake to drop off a shuttle car. Finally, we haul all of the riders and cycles to the Hyak trail head of the Iron Horse Trail and we ride back to Rattlesnake Lake.
If you are a non-US rider who can attend this event, please notify me as soon as possible so we can attempt to maintain the international status of this ride.
This looks like the perfect excuse to get me riding again. Bring the 36er for this ? I’ve biked that stretch before, maybe 10 years ago. Is it still hard packed dirt and gravel?
Cool. How many Cokers are you able to tote? I used to be able to take just about all of the unicycles in my old truck but now my truck is suspect and is unlikely to make it up to Hyak. If Kevin is able to ride with us, he might bring his giant, macho pickup truck and we’ll be fine. So far it’s a thin crowd with seven confirmed riders.
Alas, I am unable to attend this year. Unexpected but important circumstances have taken priority. I even purchased a better flashlight for the tunnel already.
I have never discovered a pass, and my blood isn’t 100% my blood, but I digress…
I have known Greg since… he was younger than he is now -and I’m sure that comes as no surprise to anyone but Greg. My biggest surprise today is that I remembered my name and password. I remember when I was 7 years old and couldn’t remember my name but the password has always been ‘swordfish’. Which one of the Marx brothers said “If you no say Swordfish, you no can come in”? But again, I digress.
The point is, Greg is retiring, but not from unicycling. Is the next challenge to be a level 7 by 70? Personally, I’m still hoping to be a level 3 by 30, even tho I am already 53. -It’s never too late and already I passed level 2. I also passed through Snoqualamie a few weeks back in my 1959 TR3 (that’s a car, not a unicycle), but did not stop to see Greg. I was driving to a wedding in San Fransisco from Houston, but time was not on my side. I didn’t see any time on the passenger side because Prudence was on the better side. I thought I saw thyme at one time, but I’m afraid it is too late now, and it’s also too late for me to attend the ride that will mark the end a carrier. But where one carrier ends, another begins. -Or is that where one character ends another wheel begin? In any case, I refuse to be deeply saddened about missing this occasion, but my thoughts (no matter how scattered) will be with you all. I am envious. Perhaps gregariously envious. Seriously gregariously envious.
Congratulations. I hope our paths cross again soon. If you happen to be in Houston, or New Orleans, let me know and maybe we can cross paths.
I was honored that you and Prudence actually made it up here one year for the ride. But you’re still a sissy for not showing up this year. See you in the future, Jerry.
This is kind of creeping up. The ride is next Saturday, 30 August. It’s time to start working out the logistics. I may try to drive my ailing truck up to Hyak because I have a friend who is attending who will be on a bicycle. I see that 7 people are planning to go but there is only the one bike that I know of. I will need to know if I need to buy any Discover passes for this ride. They are required at Rattlesnake Lake as well as the Hyak parking lot.
Who’s going, how many people can you take, how many unicycles or bicycles can you take, and do you need a Discover pass?
Harper, what you really need to do is drive that ailing truck up to Hyak, and have a back-up shuttle so you can just leave it there. Its mission on this earth will have been fulfilled, and either the elements or the state can take it from there.
I really regret not being able to do this ride this year. I console myself by remembering that the one International Harper Day ride where you didn’t show up, I still did. Now we’re even, although you remain older.
I even purchased a better flashlight for the tunnel already.