Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans [Paperback]

Bill Thorness (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2007

Explore the 50 best bike tours in the Puget Sound area.

· Outings rated from easy to difficult, between 10 and 50+ miles round-trip
· Most trips are within an hour's drive of Seattle
· Handy "At A Glance" chart compares routes by features, including difficulty, length, elevation gain, biking time, and points of interest

Puget Sound offers amazing scenery, and there is no better way to see the awe-inspiring mountains, dramatic shorelines, and tranquil fields than by bicycle. This guide points you to the 50 best outings in the region, from Olympia to the San Juans, with most tours located close to Seattle. There is a mix of major bike trails, such as the Burke-Gilman, and the Centennial Trail, along with on-road bike routes. All trips can easily be done within a day, however, some trips can be combined to make longer outings. There are also overnight options at popular weekend destinations, including the Skagit Valley and the San Juan Islands.

For each tour, there is a comprehensive description noting points of interest, food and drink stops, bike shops, road or trail hazards, and more. You will also find clear driving directions and information on where to leave your car, along with turn-by-turn bicycling directions. Helpful tips are included on preparing for a ride, what to bring, bicycling safety, commuting by bike, and riding with children.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bill's creation is all someone would need in order to select an enjoyable route for a two wheeled adventure.." -- --Washington State Grange News

"Thorness will steer you off the well-pedaled path with his new guidebook, which features clear, easy-to-follow maps.." -- Seattle Weekly

About the Author

A freelance writer and editor, BILL THORNESS has written for print and online media on topics such as health care, gardening, photography, and travel. An avid cyclist, he resides in Seattle, Washington, and is a member of the Cascade Bicycle Club.

Product Details

• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Mountaineers Books (April 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0898869439
• ISBN-13: 978-0898869439
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #444,271 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #81 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Individual Sports > Cycling > Excursion Guides

More About the Author

I am a Seattle-based writer and editor who has somehow finagled publishers into letting me write books about two of my favorite pastimes: gardening and biking. (Sometimes I even combine the two, and give free bike tours to community gardens and local organic farms.)

Gardening:
I've been growing heirloom vegetables since starting my first garden in Seattle in the mid-1980s. I come from a farm family in North Dakota. I'm editor for Seattle Tilth, an organic gardening education group (www.seattletilth.org). I have a home garden and also have space in a "P-Patch" community garden. Favorite things to grow are garlic, peas and tomatoes. Don't let people tell you that you can't grow tomatoes in Seattle - it's possible! Most years I get a great crop, but it does take a bit more effort than it would in a warmer summer climate.

Biking:
I'm often out biking around Seattle to go to meetings, run errands or research new bike routes. I am a certified ride leader for Seattle's Cascade Bicycle Club (www.cascade.org), one of the nation's largest bike clubs. I am also a member of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington (www.bicyclealliance.org), which advocates on behalf of cyclists. I'm a law-and-order guy when it comes to urban biking, and always stop at stoplights and stop signs. Really. And I'm a strong promoter of biking safety, encouraging people to always wear a helmet, to use lights and wear bright, reflective clothing.

Other writing:
I've been working in journalism and publishing for 25 years. Past jobs include editing a national business magazine, editing a monthly newspaper for rural people, and producing content for a large health insurer.

Since 2001 I've been a freelance writer/editor full time, working for both corporate and media clients. I write about healthcare, property/casualty insurance, and general business topics, as well as (of course) gardening and biking. I've written broadly for the regional media around Seattle; one of my favorite assignments was a column called "The Practical Gardener" for The Seattle Times, which was discontinued due to the paper's budget cutbacks.

Thanks for visiting my page, and I hope you check out my books. To drop me a note or to read more of my writing on biking, gardening or other topics, visit my website, www.billthorness.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide, June 9, 2007

By 

D. Howard (Lebanon, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans (Paperback)

This book is all someone would need in order to select an enjoyable bike route anywhere between Thurston County and the San Juans. Thorness has chosen 50 different tours, providing for each a clear map, elevation profiles illustrating terrain, and an interesting narrative describing the route and distinctive sights along the way. Each ride is ranked by difficulty; mileage and approximate riding time are also listed. Ranging from easy to difficult and from 10 miles to 50, there seems to be something here for any rider. A special benefit of the book is thorough description of many routes in heavily populated King County but those for other locations are equally helpful. Bill has ridden every one, most more than once I'd guess. In his introduction he says, "We are fortunate to live in a cycling wonderland, with the beauty of nature found everywhere, from diverse city parks to agricultural valleys, from waterfront lanes to island coastlines to mountainous back roads." These settings are accessible to bicycle riders and Biking Puget Sound contains all the details.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration to bicycle again, June 8, 2007

By 

kathleen helfrich (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans (Paperback)

The book covers city rides, the suburbs and country rides. My favorite part was the San Juan Islands, a great place to get away for the weekend. the maps are clear, the book is easy to read and the route guides are simple. You won't get lost. I'm just getting back into bicycling again and this book has inspired me. It's a good book from new bicyclist to experienced riders.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Resource for Seattle area bicyclists, September 14, 2009

By 

P. OHara (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biking Puget Sound: 50 Rides from Olympia to the San Juans (Paperback)

We've been biking in Seattle for the past 8 years and have pretty much stuck to the same routes. After our 3rd trip on the Burke-Gilman out to Redhook this year, I picked up this book, and I'm sure glad I did!

The book begins with the Seattle standards, Burke-Gilman, Green Lake etc. which are all great rides and the maps and info are perfect for anyone that is new to biking in Seattle. But where things get really exciting are the abundance of rides that begin within a short car ride outside of the city. Thorness helps you navigate the network of trails that we have available to us and gets you out on beautiful country roads that are safe and comfortable for even novice riders. Once you've done a few you can combine various rides to make for longer trips.

Each ride is well researched and consistently labeled, ranked for difficulty, elevation gain, distance and rough timing. This info has definitely helped in choosing rides based on the comfort and mood of the group. Rides are explained in a fun way, pointing out interesting places along the way to stop and eat or snap a photo. The trip logs are accurately detailed to keep you headed in the right direction.

This is a great book!