WASHINGTON
Stan Gregg
Owner, Gregg's Greenlake Cycles
 Locally, I enjoy the ride around Mercer Island. It's mostly on residential streets, so there isn’t a lot of car exhaust and few speedy drivers. It's good to find roads less traveled.
On this particular route I can go 37 miles and get 1,800 feet of climbing. There are curves in the road, and it's very scenic considering it is a mostly urban ride.
I start from Kirkland on Market Street heading through Medina on Evergreen Point Road, (essentially following the curves of Lake Washington) past Meydenbauer Park through Bellevue, past Chism Beach Park and across the I-90 bridge to the west side of Mercer Island.
I ride around the island counter-clockwise on West Mercer Way and then head north up East Mercer Way. This is a popular bicycling route and sometimes congested. I have not had problems with drivers as I avoid doing this ride in larger groups.
My other favorite ride is about 86 miles from Kirkland to Anacortes and then on to the San Juan ferry terminal. I take Highway 9 north from Woodinville to the Conway cutoff (Highway 534) then to Best Road near La Conner and Highway 20 which leads to Anacortes and the ferry terminal.
My favorite stretch is from Arlington to Highway 20. It's rural farmland with light traffic. In the spring, the fields of flowers are in bloom near La Conner. One tight spot is the bridge over the Snoqualmie River, but after that, the bike shoulder is wide for the rest of Highway 9 until Arlington. Allow at least four hours for this ride.
Another variation of this ride is a round-trip to Arlington or Conway that ranges from 80 to 100 miles. This can be four to six hours on the bike and has a fair amount of climbing, though not extreme. To refuel, try out the great Mexican restaurant in Arlington on Division Street, just west of Highway 9.
Steve Donahue
Owner, Recycled Cycles
 My favorite ride is from my home in Kenmore to Issaquah and back. I leave from Tracey Owen Station/Log Boom Park and take the Burke Gilman Trail out to Marymoor Park for a nice warm up and then head down the west side of Lake Sammamish. I stop for coffee at the Tully's in Issaquah and then ride back up the east side of Lake Sammamish and return to Marymoor Park and back on the Burke Gilman Trail. It's about 60 miles roundtrip, has a few hills, and good bike lanes for the majority of the ride.
My favorite place for mountain biking is Putney Woods on south Whidbey Island. Once called Goss Lakes Woods, this area used to be managed by the Department of Natural Resources and is now under the watchful eye of Whidbey Island and the Island County Parks Department.
With 600 acres to explore, Putney Woods has miles of trails with some challenging single-track and a wide variety of rolling hills, steep climbs and fun descents. If it's been raining, it's a mud bath. I like it because it's never crowded. Even though you're sharing the trails with hikers and equestrians, your path rarely crosses anyone else's. There's a great map on the web if you want to check it out at www.putneywoods.org/map.html.
Matt VanEnkevort
Managing Director, Full Speed Ahead
 Favorite ride? For mountain biking, it would be Mad Lakes (near Wenatchee).
Mad Lakes requires some effort to get into, but the scenery and riding is unmatched. Once you reach the plateau, you'll discover miles of rolling terrain including the two little lakes loop, Klone Peak, Alder Ridge, and of course the Mad River trail. And the descent back to the Chickamin Creek trail is about six miles of unbelievable twisting single track that will put a smile on any mud-speckled face.
Most local mountain biking guidebooks can provide trail specs, directions, and how to get there.
 Dave Hull
Intl. Sales Manager
FreeMotion Fitness
I think the Mercer Island loop is the greatest urban bike ride in the U.S. It has great scenery (Lake Washington, Mount Rainier, Mt. Baker on clear days, etc). It’s about the right length for a quick workout (about 25 miles), and has an 11-mile stretch on the island without a single traffic light or stop sign. It’s perfect for busy, out-of-shape people like me!
 Mike McQuaid
Outdoor writer, guidebook author
Bellingham is really living large when it comes to mountain biking. With Galbraith Mountain there're some 70 trails up there from super fun cross-country rollers to white-knuckle downhill rides to beginner trails for newbies. There are some epic climbs to equally epic views too - Mt. Baker and the Cascades, the San Juan Islands, and way into Canada.
Three years ago, my son and I started riding Galbraith together when he was seven. He started on some of more mellow trails (Lost Giants, Rock and Roll, Cedar Dust) and now he rides everything up there. Thankfully, the black diamond routes (Evo, Scorpion, Cheech and Chong's Wild Ride, etc.) have bailouts so one can bypass the scarier bridges and skinnies.
Speaking of the afore-mentioned epics, for folks like myself with too much time on their hands, there are several nearby humps and bumps - Chuckanut and Blanchard Mountains, Lookout Mountain, etc. These can be linked together with Galbraith for 30- to 50-mile rides featuring four or 5,000 feet of climbing . . . if that's what you're into. (I am.)
McQuaid is author of Day Hike! North Cascades; Day Hike! Central Cascades: The Best Trails You Can Hike in a Day; Train Running Guide to Western Washington: Over 50 Great Trail Runs; A Falcon Guide to the Mount Baker-Mount Shuksan Area, and Insider's Guide to Bellingham and Mount Baker.
OREGON
Portland
 David Mesirow, a veteran cyclist living in Portland, offers us two of his favorite in-city rides as well as a scenic 50-miler to Larch Mountain and back.
NE Marine Drive:
Two 10 to 12 mile In-city Rides
Before you go, pick up a free biking/walking map published by the city of Portland.
Begin at NE Marine Drive (at the flashing signal light just east of NE 33rd, past Salty's Restaurant). Park on the north side of the road or in the parking lot south of Marine Drive. I have parked in both spots for over 10 years and have never had my car vandalized.
Ride 1: Heading west
Ride west toward Interstate 5 in the bike lane on NE Marine Dr. The traffic is light when you ride early in the morning. Travel under the freeway and look right for signs for Ross Island Sand and Gravel. The Columbia Slough will be on your right. Riding along the top of the dike, you'll see a railroad bridge. Continue under the railroad bridge and up and over the overpass of the railroad yards. (You should be traveling out to Terminal Six.) There is a wide bike path on the south side of the dike, set back from the road.
Ride into Kelly Point Park and follow the road to the first parking lot. At the southwest tip of the parking lot, there is a path that will lead you around the park. It ends at the north end of the park and puts you on the road back to NE Marine Dr. Your return is essentially the way you came out.
Ride 2: Heading east
Going east from the flashing light (described above), take the bike path that is on top of the dike along the Columbia River and separated from the highway. Just past the I-205 Bridge there is a crossing to the bike path along the I-205 Freeway. You should be heading south now. The hill in the distance is called Rocky Butte. Continue on to the traffic light at Killingsworth and Sandy and cross both streets. Pick up the path again in about 500 feet. (You should see the Parkrose Tri-Mets station ahead.) Ride along this path all the way to the Tri-Met Transit Center at Gateway, circle around the Center heading back north to NE Halsey where there is a traffic light at the crossing to the north side of the street.
Continue west across the NE Halsey overpass to the first light and turn right (north) at 92nd and make your way to Rocky Butte Court. Go up the winding road to the circle at the top - and if you?re early enough - you can watch the sun come up behind Mt. Hood. Double back to the flashing light at the parking lot where your car is parked. Again, in the early morning, the traffic is quite light.
Scenic Highway to Larch Mountain and Back (50 miles)
Another two favorites are 1) starting from Glenn Otto Park, just east of Troutdale, on the Scenic Highway, or 2) starting farther east on the Scenic Highway at the Women's Forum for a ride up to the parking lot on Larch Mountain.
Set out early in the morning from either starting place. From Glenn Otto Park to the top of Larch Mountain, one needs to be in good shape as it will be 25-plus miles of fairly continuous uphill climbing, and will take a good part of the morning (40 miles round trip) to go up and come all the way down.
One can bob-tail this trip by going directly to the Women's Forum, park, and start the ride from there. From this point, it is a 15-plus mile trip to the top. It takes me approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes to go up (I am 71), and between 30 and 45 minutes to come down. It can be a little tricky on these two routes because there is no defined bike lane and you have to be watchful for the occasional car or pickup.
Bend
Twin Bridges Loop
Robin Laughlin who lives in Bend and races mountain and cyclocross for Sunnyside Sports, suggested this 32-mile loop. She enjoys road rides for training as much as she enjoys riding with her roadie friends and for the bakery treats at the end of the ride.
Download a county map of the area at:
http://www.deschutes.org/download.cfm?DownloadFile=575FDE46-BDBD-57C1-90BE7ADE5A3F4107
Twin Bridges Loop, 32 miles
http://www.deschutes.org/go/objectid/D9531619-BDBD-57C1-92865E7D3C09D97F/index.cfm#sisters
 Robin: "A couple of reasons I like this ride is that it is short enough to do at lunch and is not so tough that you are dripping when you return. It is also nice after work since you can get home before dinner, and before dark."
Directions:
Head out of town on Shevlin Park Road. Crossing Tumalo Creek, the road changes names to Johnson Market Road.
Follow Johnson Market. At the top of a small rise, go left on Tyler Road, Johnson Market bends sharply to the right here. Dropping down Tyler, watch for great mountain views at the bottom. The road rolls along past open horse pastures.
At a "T" intersection at the top of a small hill, go left on Tumalo Reservoir Road. Follow this road and take the second right onto Collins Road. At a "T" intersection, take a right on Couch Market Road. Follow Couch eastbound to the first left. Take a Left on Tweed Road, follow it as it twists and turns to Highway 20.
Crossing Highway 20 takes a bit of time, watch for fast-moving cars coming from either direction. Highway 20 has a shoulder for this portion. Follow the highway for a short distance to the first right at Innes Road. Innes rolls east with two low-traffic roads to cross, eventually getting to a "T" intersection with Colt Way - go right here.
Follow Colt for a short distance until it bends to the right and becomes White Rock. Follow White Rock for a short distance. Make a left on Lower Bridges. Follow this downhill, cross Tumalo Creek, and climb back up the other side to Swalley Road. Right on Swalley for a straight ride to Tumalo Road. Right on Tumalo Road, once again crossing Tumalo Creek.
At the stop sign, take a left and roll through town. Tumalo is just a few blocks long but features good coffee and a nice fruit stand for a quick break. Continue on to cross Highway 20 again as the road changes names to OB Riley. Follow around, crossing Tumalo Creek, passing Tumalo State Park, and up the hill. The road continues as farmland gives way to subdivisions. As OB Riley meets Business Highway 20, take a right and follow this busy road to take the first right at Division Street. Follow Division past Riverview Park, under Highway 97 ("the Parkway") overpass, and to Revere Avenue. Right on Revere, back under the parkway, and left at the light onto NW Wall.
Here there are options.
A rider can continue straight to downtown; go right on Portland Avenue, up to 10th take a left, and cross Newport to end up at my favorite bakery, Nancy P's; or stop by my favorite shop in town, Sunnyside Sports at 9th and Newport.
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