Looks like the tunnel on the Iron Horse Trail has finally reopened. I will be planning the International Harper Day ride for Sunday, 28 August. Please feel free to travel from each and every continent to enjoy this long-standing traditional ride.
Sounds like a leisurely 36er ride?
If I can get my uni set up and a way out there maybe I can attend harper day.
Wish I could join you guys. My one ride on that trail (including tunnel) was on a borrowed Coker with a Viscount seat and no handle. It was an awesome ride even then!
Yay! I never expected the tunnel to reopen, figured it would cost too much. Sometimes I’m glad I pay my taxes.
Just saw this news in the paper. It would be great to tag along and meet the one and only Harper and some other locals.
My calendar is marked and look forward to more details near Aug. 28th.
Aloha!
Marking My Calendar
I am looking forward to this ride as well.
I met Harper only once, but of all the people I have ever met in my life, I have to say, Harper is definitely one of them.
I think that Begs the Question!
I was so excited to see the tunnel has reopened, but then came crashing down when I found out the ride is on the day we leave for our vacation.
What if we did it the day before, on Saturday 27 August. Would your excuse then be that you were packing? Who’s taking care of the chickens when you’re gone? More importantly, who’s harvesting the eggs?
Fixed it for you.
This is great news; I will be digging out my helmet torches this weekend.
For those considering coming in from other continents, here’s a teaser shot to tempt you. Two plus miles of pitch blackness and water falling gently from above, followed by 20 miles of the gentlest of downhill inclines, with a half handful of 200’ plus railroad trestle crossings as bonus. As Harper likes to say, it’s why God invented the Coker.
PS: Saturday is fine with me.
Can any of you ‘veterans’ of the IHD/IHT ride give me an idea of the planned distance and average grade/characteristics of the trail (aside from the tunnel)? I’m assuming, and it sounds like, a smooth and somewhat easy grade? The talk about 36er’s being preferred but I just have a 26er. Still doable without being left in the dust/dark? The way it’s going I should be in pretty good shape near the end of August.
Live Aloha.
There is a 200 foot long section of slight uphill. Other than that, it’s 17 miles downhill at a constant 2% grade to Ollalie State Park or 25 miles downhill at a constant 2% grade to Rattlesnake Lake. You are pedaling to maintain balance only…there is no energy expended on this ride other than that. The 17 mile point is the first bail point and we have had riders quit at that point. We just come back and pick them up later.
You would be hard pressed keeping up with a bunch of Cokers going downhill like that. Although in general we only average about 6 mph, riding is brisk, about 10mph, and we stop for lunch and to gawk at scenery. There is a possibility that you could borrow a Coker from someone local who is not going to go.
Thanks for the info Harper. I started learning to ride late march and have made great progress but this ride sounds a little outta my ability right now from a distance and speed standpoint. And hopping onto a Coker could most likely be disastrous, or by an off-chance dangerously addicting 
I’m trying to determine how that can be a bad thing. It’s not working for me.
Well, I’m highly prone to addictions and not in a position to by a 36er right now. I’ve just joined the ranks of the unemployed.
Kava, I have a 29" with a street tire and adjustable cranks. On the shortest setting, you can spin pretty fast. It would be more work, but a 29"er with short cranks can definitely keep up with a bunch of cokers that aren’t in a hurry (which describes the IHD crowd).
Depending on where you live, you could also pick it up a week early if you wanted to get in some practice time. But if you’re solid on a 26, it will not be a big adjustment.
Thanks for the generous offer Tom. I’ll keep it in mind. I’m going to keep working at increasing my distance, smoothing out my ‘spin’ and fine-tuning my ‘internal gyro’ and let you know in a couple weeks. I might also try to get out to a Bicycle Sunday ride with the Meetup group between now and the ride. I’m in Seattle (Ballard).
Thanks for the generous offer Tom. I’ll keep it in mind. I’m going to keep working at increasing my distance and smoothing out my ‘spin’ and let you know in a couple weeks. I might also try to get out to a Bicycle Sunday ride with the Meetup group between now and the ride. I’m in Seattle (Ballard).
Timing on the IHD ride? I have plans to be out of town but sometimes those fall through.
BTW: there is now a bus that takes you to/from Rattlesnake Lake to/from Hyak, which is where the tunnel is. You can read more here: http://www.busup90.com/
I believe there is a Washington State Parks charge for parking at Hyak if you don’t already have the proper permit, or take the bus.
This ride is also posted here: http://www.meetup.com/The-Seattle-Unicycle-Meetup-Group/events/25295971/
There are less than three weeks remaining before the IHD ride on the IHT. I have set the date for Sunday, 28 August but am trying to find out if Saturday, 27 August will work better for some. Should I make a poll?
Please feel free to attend. This is a fantastic route.
Historically, I have taken bicycles up in my truck with the Cokers. I will not be doing that this year. Bicycles are an incredible pain and take up an enormous amount of room.