The way points of this bicycle route:
Climb the steep but thankfully short access road from the boat ramp to Vantage Highway.
Turn right.
There are some bathrooms available in the parking lot.
High point of the ride. In an emergency, the Wild Horse Wind Farm maintenance facility (outdoor water spigots, staffed at least during normal business hours) is about a tenth of a mile from Vantage Highway to the right. Three miles and 900 feet of elevation further up the road is the Renewable Energy Center, a visitor center open to the public. Look west for striking views of Mount Rainier on clear days. To continue this route, proceed straight ahead on Vantage Highway. The descent from here is fast but not terribly steep with good road and no sharp turns (but watch for rocks on the roadway).
The Whisky Dick Triathlon bike leg currently (summer 2009) continues straight on Vantage Highway. This route leaves Vantage Highway here, to avoid its heavier traffic and because Lyons Road is more scenic (though the Lyons Road route DOES present the cyclist with a series of stop signs at approximately one mile intervals - obey them all!) Turn right.
Turn left.
Turn right.
Follow the pavement around the curve to the left. This is now Lyons Road.
Straight ahead.
Straight ahead.
Straight ahead.
Straight ahead.
Straight ahead.
Straight ahead.
Left turn.
Turn right.
Be careful - busy intersection, with awkward sight lines. Obey the stop sign at the top of a very short steep rise.
Bear right at the bottom of the Brick Road hill and merge onto University Way.
Turn left, carefully, across two lanes of traffic, with busy parking lots on every corner.
Imagine the wildly cheering throngs of Whisky Dick Triathlon spectators!
Welcome to Bikely, take a step by step tour of this path:
Press Start Tour - then use the navigation buttons below to move along the path.
The Whisky Dick Triathlon, held each summer in and near Ellensburg has a challenging bike leg. Here's your chance to give the toughest parts of the route a try before the big day. Strong headwinds, high temperatures and complete exposure to the elements along the entire route are par for the course - caveat emptor. This Kittitas Valley ride starts at the Vantage boat ramp and ends at Memorial Park in Ellensburg.
Tagged with: Training, Intermediate, Low traffic, Rural, Scenic
