just stumbled on this ! I used to live in Seattle and did a 65 mile out n back from Rattlesnake Lake, through the Snoqualmie tunnel and past the reservoir a ways before heading back. That tunnel was wild !
Thanks a bunch, tho I’ve watched many of your vids past couple yrs, overlooked this cool JWT adventure yall rode. As a former PNWer rider resident (25 yrs) only did the part from N. Bend to E-burg. Not a big fan riding E.WA, except around Spokane although scenery west of there to Col. River in Scablands is very cool. (Just ignore fierce windy/heat late summer & wildfires!) my next bucket list trip out there next summer planning to ride mostly Western Idaho rail trails after revisiting some awesome parts Olympic Peninsula. Thx again, Ride On, hope yall come back from Spain soon! 😅
Oh I really enjoyed this video. We have a little place just west of Cle Elum and I've ridden those same miles many times. This summer we have a Snoqualmie tunnel ride planned with my grandsons... Good luck on the DK.
The "Party Barn" in my area of Ohio where I grew up, was a Drive-thru Beverage store. You could pull in, by bottled drinks and snack, 2 liters, 12 packs etc without getting out of the car. A person would walk up to your door, ask what you wanted, get it, and collect your cash. Basically a Drive-thru convenient store
Welcome to the Kittitas wind tunnel it always blows from the west, that section from Cle Elum to Thorpe is the best, you should ride it in the fall lots of color and wildlife
Thanks for sharing! The Cle Elum heights can make for a good loop, also really recommend going south of Ellensburg through Canyon Highway (paved) and/or going over to Wenas to Naches (gravel).
I just discovered your site. I actually have ridden almost to your start point a few weeks ago. We are doing the whole thing end of month. Love your channel.
I ride that trail a lot in the summer. The canyon section near those 2 short tunnels is one of the best. The westernmost section along Keechelus Lake, through the big tunnel, and down to Rattlesnake lake is also great. The wind can be unpleasant, although you were lucky you had the tailwind on the way back instead of the other way around. West of Easton there is usually much less wind. There are a lot of good places to ride in the mountains north and southwest of Ellensburg.
I live a 50 minuet drive from the DK route. I've ridden out there in the cold winter, and autumn, and spring. Wind is something you should definitely expect. It's Kansas. The potential for mud would be my greater concern. When it's wet out there, it's like chunky peanut butter, or adobe. Sticky. Tough stuff to ride in. Getting as much road miles before getting there is a must. Having that head wind you had is good training. Good luck to you both!!! It ought to be a memorable experience!
Riding through old train tunnels, there is no such thing as too much light! The Route of the Hiawatha on the border of Montana and Idaho has one gnarly, long dark tunnel, and several shorter tunnels. That cold, wet, darkness... it does a number on your brain.
Thanks for the great video...would like to see more videos of Ironhorse/JWPT. Planning a ride from Tekoa to North Bend this summer and looking for as much info as I can find.
I used to ride this as a Boy Scout on my Motiv Mountain Jammer (google it) for the 50-miler for the Cycling Merit Badge. It was a quality gravgrav bike indeed. Riding the tunnel (on a different trail than you guys rode here, the John Wayne Trail) at Hyak-Snoqualmie Pass is one of my favorite memories growing up in Washington!
REALLY enjoyed this video, I like to see you two enjoy biking together!!!!!!! Are any of these trails a part of Rails to Trails? If so maybe a shout out to the RTT organization. Keep up the GREAT content, stay safe, and God bless.
Hey, my stomping ground. I work at cedar falls and ride/run the trail often. Especially, the west end going through the Snoqualmie tunnel. Awesome trail. Support the John Wayne Trail Foundation!
Hey there! Missoula is how far from where you started your ride from Ellensburg?? Kinda long drive to start a bike ride!!! LOL. Stll it was an excellent video. Hope you all go early to the DK early enough to acclimate.
Nice clip; do you know of concrete plans and timeline for constructing the trail all the way from Seattle to Missoula, as you alluded to in your video? Also, are those bikes a little overkill for gravel road?
Nice! Didn't realize you were near Seattle. Would love to ride together sometime. We're over here on Bainbridge, doing most riding in San Juans, Gulf Islands, and BC. On another note, how do you think a stock Salsa Fargo would do with 2.25 tires?
Great Video, as always :) You have camputred the atmosphere on the trail very well! What is your oppinion about the Peak Design Mount that you have clipped to your backpack compared to the gopro chestmount? Can you lease do a comparison video?
The Iron Horse Trail describes most of what my biking is like. But all the bike choices are very confusing. Within the context of the Iron Horse Trail and your type of adventure: 1) Can you tell us what bike specs are important and really matter? 2) What bike specs should we consider to include and exclude? 3) How do we make those bike spec decisions. 4) Leave out the stuff that doesn't make much difference. For example: 1) Tire sizes seem to be a huge differentiator. But I don't understand what any of it means. 2) I hear people talk about geometry, but don't know what that means. 3) Flat handle bars vs drop bars. 4) Steel, aluminum, carbon. 5) There's a lot of bike specs that I don't understand what people are really saying about the RIDE! For me, the Iron Horse Trail is about: 1) Efficiency (go the miles with less exhaustion; not about winning a race). 2) Comfort. 3) Reliability (no break-downs; needs to get there and back.). 4) Safe, low risk, stable (I don't want something squirrelly). 5) Packing. 6) Nothing technical. Anything that can help reduce the choices would be a great help. Thank you.
I, like you, am height challenged...I ride a size small Mariachi and a small Marin 4 corners...curious...you went with a Medium on the Cutthroat...did you try a small and find it to cramped in the top tube area? Stand over is OK on the Medium with those 29 tires? Enjoyed the video you two...keep them coming
Stand over is not awesome. Decided to go with the Medium to maximize framebag room. Intend to use it more for gravel roads than single track so can live with the less than ideal standover.
And how about the rest of the fit, how does the bike feel like the top tube distance? What's the size of the other bike and Laura's height? Just to compare...
I'm so glad that I decided to go back in time and watch some of your older videos. These are great!
just stumbled on this ! I used to live in Seattle and did a 65 mile out n back from Rattlesnake Lake, through the Snoqualmie tunnel and past the reservoir a ways before heading back. That tunnel was wild !
15 mph is light wind for Eberg. 🙂Glad you were able to ride there. Beautiful countryside.
Thanks a bunch, tho I’ve watched many of your vids past couple yrs, overlooked this cool JWT adventure yall rode. As a former PNWer rider resident (25 yrs) only did the part from N. Bend to E-burg. Not a big fan riding E.WA, except around Spokane although scenery west of there to Col. River in Scablands is very cool. (Just ignore fierce windy/heat late summer & wildfires!) my next bucket list trip out there next summer planning to ride mostly Western Idaho rail trails after revisiting some awesome parts Olympic Peninsula. Thx again, Ride On, hope yall come back from Spain soon! 😅
I met you in Marathon, TX in 2010! I am still biking, glad to see that you are too! I might do this trail in 2021 or 2022.
Oh I really enjoyed this video. We have a little place just west of Cle Elum and I've ridden those same miles many times. This summer we have a Snoqualmie tunnel ride planned with my grandsons... Good luck on the DK.
You’ve been knocking out of the park lately! Really enjoying this new creative direction.
Great video! Pretty neat country side. Very inspiring!
Love you, Russ but it's great to see you back in the vids Laura! 👍
The "Party Barn" in my area of Ohio where I grew up, was a Drive-thru Beverage store. You could pull in, by bottled drinks and snack, 2 liters, 12 packs etc without getting out of the car. A person would walk up to your door, ask what you wanted, get it, and collect your cash. Basically a Drive-thru convenient store
Awesome ride
Thanks for the video
Welcome to the Kittitas wind tunnel it always blows from the west, that section from Cle Elum to Thorpe is the best, you should ride it in the fall lots of color and wildlife
Ha. Had no idea it was always so windy!
Thanks for sharing! The Cle Elum heights can make for a good loop, also really recommend going south of Ellensburg through Canyon Highway (paved) and/or going over to Wenas to Naches (gravel).
The trail is a great way to enjoy WA! I’ve ridden over and back to North Bend from Ellensburg. The tunnel at Hyak is great!
I just discovered your site. I actually have ridden almost to your start point a few weeks ago. We are doing the whole thing end of month. Love your channel.
I ride that trail a lot in the summer. The canyon section near those 2 short tunnels is one of the best. The westernmost section along Keechelus Lake, through the big tunnel, and down to Rattlesnake lake is also great.
The wind can be unpleasant, although you were lucky you had the tailwind on the way back instead of the other way around. West of Easton there is usually much less wind.
There are a lot of good places to ride in the mountains north and southwest of Ellensburg.
Thanks for taking me along.
That’s a trail I want to tackle sometime - thanks for sharing the adventure!
So happy you decided to ride down this trail, I've planning on riding cross state on the john wayne this summer!
Pretty cool ride, thanks for posting.
We have an Iron Horse Trail here from Pleasanton to Richmond in the San Francisco Bay Area 👍🏼😄
I live a 50 minuet drive from the DK route. I've ridden out there in the cold winter, and autumn, and spring. Wind is something you should definitely expect. It's Kansas. The potential for mud would be my greater concern. When it's wet out there, it's like chunky peanut butter, or adobe. Sticky. Tough stuff to ride in. Getting as much road miles before getting there is a must. Having that head wind you had is good training. Good luck to you both!!! It ought to be a memorable experience!
Good to know.
Riding through old train tunnels, there is no such thing as too much light!
The Route of the Hiawatha on the border of Montana and Idaho has one gnarly, long dark tunnel, and several shorter tunnels. That cold, wet, darkness... it does a number on your brain.
That would be the St Paul tunnel, 1.7 miles of darkness. We try to do that ride yearly.
Thanks for the great video...would like to see more videos of Ironhorse/JWPT. Planning a ride from Tekoa to North Bend this summer and looking for as much info as I can find.
Amazing! Great video guys! 👍🏼
So cool! Would love to ride this trail!
That light is awesome
Way to go. Great content!
great video russ. Had never heard of this trail, now I'm thinking we'll make it a destination for one of our #familybiketours
Would make a good one. Camping and some lodging options along the trail.
awesome video keep up the good work thats a long bike ride
Lokes like some good placees to fish on part of the ride
I used to ride this as a Boy Scout on my Motiv Mountain Jammer (google it) for the 50-miler for the Cycling Merit Badge. It was a quality gravgrav bike indeed. Riding the tunnel (on a different trail than you guys rode here, the John Wayne Trail) at Hyak-Snoqualmie Pass is one of my favorite memories growing up in Washington!
Same trail just the other end!
I’ve bike-fished that section of the Yakima. Nice!
How’d you do?
It was more bike-casting, tbh.
I’m riding Missoula to Seattle at the end of June, on this trail!
Great vid!!
riding in kanas, you'll want to find wind. go to Helena for some practice.
Nice vid. BBQ and back. Stay supple!
Doing this ride tomorrow on CrossRipenstein.
Pass was closed this am. Rode in town on West side instead. May get this ride in Tues.
The RidewithGps map is pretty neat also! Just clicked on your link!
orange bikes with gumwall tires rock, don't they? 😉 Keep it up!
I miss this music ... the one you use for riding!
My initial thought in the first five seconds was “Milwaukee Road was the railroad, Old Milwaukee is a beer. 😂🤣😂
REALLY enjoyed this video, I like to see you two enjoy biking together!!!!!!! Are any of these trails a part of Rails to Trails? If so maybe a shout out to the RTT organization. Keep up the GREAT content, stay safe, and God bless.
This was fun
Hey, my stomping ground. I work at cedar falls and ride/run the trail often. Especially, the west end going through the Snoqualmie tunnel. Awesome trail. Support the John Wayne Trail Foundation!
Hey there! Missoula is how far from where you started your ride from Ellensburg?? Kinda long drive to start a bike ride!!! LOL. Stll it was an excellent video. Hope you all go early to the DK early enough to acclimate.
Had to go to Seattle for business.
Nice clip; do you know of concrete plans and timeline for constructing the trail all the way from Seattle to Missoula, as you alluded to in your video? Also, are those bikes a little overkill for gravel road?
What tire pressure did u use. Ever coming to do pittsburgh to DC. Rails to trails. Thanks for the great videos
30/25 with the 50mm Caz.
Awesome video!!!! Which Blackburn light are you using? Looks awesomely bright!!!
Countdown 1600. It's pretty bright. Also lets you know how much time you have in each mode instead of guessing.
Thanks Russ
Looks like a nice trail. That will get you ready for the wind that never stops in Kansas!
That 2nd tunnel spooked me too! 😬😳 Does an app (Map My Ride) count your distance as well as a pedometer on the bike?
No snow!
Nice! Didn't realize you were near Seattle. Would love to ride together sometime. We're over here on Bainbridge, doing most riding in San Juans, Gulf Islands, and BC.
On another note, how do you think a stock Salsa Fargo would do with 2.25 tires?
Great Video, as always :) You have camputred the atmosphere on the trail very well!
What is your oppinion about the Peak Design Mount that you have clipped to your backpack compared to the gopro chestmount? Can you lease do a comparison video?
I use the peak with a mirror less cam and not gopros. It is great but I hate having weight there so I don’t use it as often.
Thank you for the information :) Okay I was mixing this product up with the Strap Mount from polar pro.
Folks, how harrd is this trail... gravel beginner here
Was it windy? :)
If you bought too much food, you could reduce how much you're carrying by eating it. ;-) How were the BBQ sandwiches?
how would the ride have been different with 29x3" tires?
Slower.
The Iron Horse Trail describes most of what my biking is like. But all the bike choices are very confusing. Within the context of the Iron Horse Trail and your type of adventure:
1) Can you tell us what bike specs are important and really matter?
2) What bike specs should we consider to include and exclude?
3) How do we make those bike spec decisions.
4) Leave out the stuff that doesn't make much difference.
For example:
1) Tire sizes seem to be a huge differentiator. But I don't understand what any of it means.
2) I hear people talk about geometry, but don't know what that means.
3) Flat handle bars vs drop bars.
4) Steel, aluminum, carbon.
5) There's a lot of bike specs that I don't understand what people are really saying about the RIDE!
For me, the Iron Horse Trail is about:
1) Efficiency (go the miles with less exhaustion; not about winning a race).
2) Comfort.
3) Reliability (no break-downs; needs to get there and back.).
4) Safe, low risk, stable (I don't want something squirrelly).
5) Packing.
6) Nothing technical.
Anything that can help reduce the choices would be a great help. Thank you.
I, like you, am height challenged...I ride a size small Mariachi and a small Marin 4 corners...curious...you went with a Medium on the Cutthroat...did you try a small and find it to cramped in the top tube area? Stand over is OK on the Medium with those 29 tires? Enjoyed the video you two...keep them coming
Stand over is not awesome. Decided to go with the Medium to maximize framebag room. Intend to use it more for gravel roads than single track so can live with the less than ideal standover.
And how about the rest of the fit, how does the bike feel like the top tube distance? What's the size of the other bike and Laura's height? Just to compare...
Samiches!