lschank

Greetings. I hope someone will give me advice about where to live and bike. I just retired and plan to move to the PNW in late autumn. I'm not committed to a town, but I'd like to live somewhere between north Seattle and Bellingham. I lived in Seattle 30 years ago (U District) and have fond memories of the Burke-Gilman trail and my favorite ride to Snohomish. At least back then the roads to Snohomish were very quiet, with almost no traffic. I think Bellingham would be my preference for the right size and feel, but I'm not sure about cycling routes. I don't do much (extreme) mountain biking any more and I'm not wild about paved trails either (too many pedestrians and rude people blocking the trail). Any advice about where to live for cycling possibilities? Are there any areas in the northern Seattle suburbs that offer access to quiet country roads yet still within 20-25 cycleable miles of the city? I'm considering Bothell, Everett, Edmonds, Lynnwood, Mukilteo, Snohomish, etc. Thanks!

surak

Welcome and hope more informed people provide some good suggestions. I live in Seattle and agree with you that dealing with the MUP is no fun, and I ride out of the city to nicer roads whenever I can. I like riding toward the NE, around the Carnation area where in my experience the roads are mostly quiet road and drivers are respectful enough.

Edmonds seems like a very nice place (good enough for Rick Steves) but there can be a lot of cars due to ferry traffic, and heading east toward Snohomish isn't my favorite.

Lynnwood and Everett are not too bike friendly because there are just a ton of cars and not too many good road linkages. I've had my fair share of punctures riding on the bike lanes in that area because there's miles of crud deposited and blown into the shoulders by the heavy traffic.

lschank

Thanks Surak! I had a suspicion that Lynnwood and Everett might be more suitable as bedroom communities than cycling destinations. And you reminded me, another of my favorite cycling destinations when I attended UW was Snoqualmie Falls (I lived there when Twin Peaks was on the air). I'm not sure if I rode through Carnation, but I probably wasn't far. Any thoughts about Mukilteo or Bothell? And does Rick Steves live in Edmonds, or just write about it?

surak

Yeah Carnation isn't far from Snoqualmie Falls, and if you do any gravel riding the Snoqualmie Valley Trail (SVT) connects from Carnation (bit further, Duvall officially), then around Rattlesnake Lake you can get on the Palouse to Cascades Trail (nee Iron Horse / John Wayne Pioneer Trail).

I watched Twin Peaks pretty late, only a few years before the sequel was announced, so I dig going to the RR diner (Twede's) especially for the portion sizes after a big ride.

I don't know much about Mukilteo, I think I've only ever ridden by it without a second thought. Bothell still has too much traffic for my liking, but the area around it and Woodinville are close to good riding.

Rick Steves definitely lives in Edmonds. He was doing videos from his home and his view of the Sound is pretty nice.

lschank

Thanks again. The routes around Carnation sound like a winner, and I'd love to ride to the Falls and diner on a regular basis (I used to eat pies at the RR, on the way back to town). Thanks also for the tidbit about Rick. I always enjoyed his travel shows and the best suitcase I ever bought is one he designed (hidden pockets). For now, Bellingham is still my first choice, but I'm warming to the idea of moving back to the Seattle area, given how much I enjoyed the area when I lived here (89-91, plus Ft. Lewis in 85-86).

Seattle Forrest

Why Seattle? Have you been here recently? It's changed a lot. Most people don't get along with this sort of climate when they retire. Have you considered the east slope of the Cascades? The weather is much better, lower humidity is nice, and it's not so packed.

I worked in Lynnwood for years, lived in Eastlake (near U District) for most of that time. The drive home took an hour. Snohomish still has open farm land, but the parts of the county close to the metro area are ... there isn't a single traffic light in all of Lynnwood without a traffic camera, to give you an idea how crowded it is.

If I was going to retire on the west side (of the Cascs) it would be (1) Darrington area, (2) Marblemount or Rockport, or (3) somewhere on 542 E of B'ham, personally. But I would want to be on the east side, ideally in the Methow Valley somewhere. If you want to be closer to Seattle, Cle Elum can be a good choice, I know a few people who love Suncadia.

Caveats: the east side gets snowy winters (I think that's much better than rain) and fire can be an issue depending on the details.

Seattle Forrest

You mentioned MTBing, and it not being at the top of your list anymore. Do you like road cycling? If so what are your feelings about traffic? What about "gravel" roads? (Mostly hard packed dirt here.) Do you enjoy hiking, swimming, skiing, etc?

When I said where I would want to retire, my priorities are as a hiker, Nordic skier, and road cyclist.

lschank

Seattle Forrest, thanks for the suggestions. Admittedly, I'm conflicted. I like small towns and quiet roads for paved cycling (though I've spent many years on gravel and hard pack in north central PA and enjoy that), but I also like the convenience of walking to big city stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods. I don't mind moderate traffic (I'm used to it), but I don't enjoy it. As I get older, I find it more difficult to ride in heavy traffic, especially since I have balance issues at slow speeds and tight spaces. I have spent time in the eastern foothills in both WA and OR and agree that it's idyllic, but I prefer the coolness of the green places and want to be near the ocean. I guess I'll have to fly out and spend some time riding these areas. Thanks again. [p.s. For many years I lived for nordic skiing, but now I'm old and arthritic, so I can no longer do much on foot, to include XC skiing or hiking more than a mile or so]

Seattle Forrest

Have you thought about the Olympic Peninsula? I have a feeling it might not be right for you, but it has some things going for it like beautiful and mostly low traffic roads, lower population density, the small town feel is available if you want that but medium sized cities are too, the cost of living is lower than in Seattle. If I was going to live out there, Port Townsend would be my first choice (that includes the smaller surrounding towns), Port Angeles would get a close look, and down south near Hoodsport, Olympia, or Gig Harbor would be my third. The downside to the peninsula is that it's isolated, Seattle is much further than the map suggests. A 2 to 3 hour wait to get your car on a ferry is typical on weekends.

lschank

Good suggestions, and I have in fact considered Gig Harbor as a compromise between small and quiet yet still close to the big city. The OP would impress me, but I fear it's too isolated (though coincidentally, my best friend has an old friend he frequently visits in Port Angeles). Olympia could be another compromise. I nearly got a job there in 2014 (I was runner-up) and looked at housing. At the time I lived in Eugene (no desire to return) and was impressed by what I saw. Ok, I'll explore that area when I visit in July. Gig Harbor is consistently rated in the top 5 for retirement destinations, along with Bellingham, so I should give it more consideration. I suppose I don't need to live within cycle distance of Seattle, I can always drive in and spend the day visiting my old haunts. Thanks!

Seattle Forrest

I really like Seattle. I get the idea I'm in the minority about that. Don't let me give you the idea is not a tenable place to live. It has a lot going for it, it's amazingly beautiful, I've never seen so many parks anywhere, the food and culture are great, the road riding can still be pretty good and we have quite residential roads to ride on (they're obviously part of a dense weave). But it's ungodly crowded and the cost of living is tremendous.

Zillow is a good resource for housing prices. Strava's global heat map shows you which roads and trails are popular with cyclists, it's not as useful in the city because every road is lit up because the are so many cyclists here. It's great for looking at small towns though.

Darrington has fantastic road and gravel riding, plus hiking and rafting if they mean anything to you. They get colder winters though. Arlington is worth a look, and its surroundings; it's 45 minutes from Seattle without traffic, double with, hopefully being retired you can plan your trips to avoid the worst of it.

North Bend is worth a look too, it's close to Seattle, and especially verdant (backs up to rain forest). I don't think it's the best option, but it's not a bad one.

I haven't spent enough time in Bellingham, the San Juans, or down south to be able to say much of use about them.

Finally, you know from living here previously that there are a lot of microclimates. I really don't like rain, I would want to be in a rain shadow because of it. If that's important to you he's a rainfall map, you can see them Anacortes area and the San Juans don't get as much of it as the rest of the region.

lschank

Thanks again, the climate map was interesting. Granted, I haven't lived in the PNW for a long time (most recently in 2012-2014, in Eugene), but I don't recall ever being bothered all that much by the rain. I can swear I rode most of my 5 winters without much trouble. Besides, rain suits my perennially gloomy mood. As for new possible locations, I think Arlington has potential, though it appears driving may be required more than elsewhere (though there is a bike shop according to Google Maps). I'll definitely check it out. I also plan to look more closely at Olympia. I interviewed for a state job in 2014 and was impressed with the town. I also just read that Evergreen State offers free courses to anyone over 60. That would be a strong incentive for me, especially since it's such a respected school (I applied for jobs there but never got further than a phone interview). Much to think about!

surak

I'm not super keen on Arlington as a cyclist. In my experience there's a line somewhere beyond Seattle, above which the drivers no longer have any respect for cyclists, and Arlington is definitely north of it.

My parents recently moved to the PNW. So far they love the climate, summers aren't awful like they are in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, winter is mild unlike the latter, and the air isn't as dusty and dry throughout the year like it was in the Bay Area, all places they've lived. The key for them is that they can go outside nearly everyday, wearing a rain jacket if need be.

lschank

I'd rather be damp and cool than hot and sweaty. And I prefer a rocky, green coastline to a white sandy beach (full of obnoxious tourists).

Seattle Forrest

You should take @surak's assessment over mine. I haven't personally felt less save riding near Arlington (and I drive my bike up there from time to time just for fun) but I'm unusual about my approach to cycling in some ways.

woodway

Late to the conversation, but I still add my thoughts


I lived in Woodinville for 18 years and thought that was a great place to road cycle from. From home I could head North and East to Snohomish and make big loops through Snohomish, Granite Falls, Monroe, etc. on country roads with little traffic. Or just ride the Centennial Trail north all the way to Skagit County (very little traffic on that trail). Or, I could head South and ride around lake Sammamish or the roads around Issaquah/Fall City. If I wanted City riding, I would head West and ride the Juanita loop, or around Lake Washington. I bike commuted from Woodinville to Bellevue and then the U-District for years on the Sammamish River Trail and the Burke Gillman trail and it was heaven.


Kids grew up and we sold our house in Woovinville in 2016, bought a condo in Newcastle and a house out in Cle Elum East of the Cascades. Newcastle is also a great place to cycle from. A little more urban than Woodinville, but you can still get to some great rides. Cle Elum is heaven to me, I've got great rides into the Teanaway, miles of roads out towards Ellensburg, a huge paved climb onto Table mountain and a lot of hiking and mountain biking. But, there is snow here in the winter, and then there is the wind. It's windy here - a lot. You've got to learn to live with it and it will make you crazy.


Good luck with your choice!

lschank

Thanks for sharing. I am familiar with Woodinville, though my last visit was probably close to 20 years ago. I know I should I consider Cle Elum (probably my sort of town), but my heart is closer to the ocean. For now I have more places to check out than I'll have time when I visit in July. My plan for now is to rent the first year, to decide if I really want to live in my chosen area, then buy a condo or town home.I suspect my decision will partly determined by what's available when I'm ready to move. Unfortunately, renters have fewer options. For now, my top three picks are Bellingham, Marysville/Arlington, and Mukilteo (and nearby).

birdmove

, Puyallup isn"'t north of Seattle, but I lived there for six years and drove or road motorcycles to work. There is a nice bike path that goes from Puyallup to Orting. Lots of scenic backroads around Bonney Lake, Enumclaw, Orting, etc, etc.I counted by car and MC into Seattle from Puyallup and Bonney Lake (Lake Tapps) for 40 years and retired in 2011 and moved to the big island of Hawaii. I understand the traffic is way worse now. Grew up in Burien.

Wildwood 

Did you make a choice?

SpeedyBlueBiker

Ok, this is even later than your original post. Did you make a decision on where you want to live? For me, I like Redmond but Woodinville, Bothell, Edmonds, and Mukilteo would all be pretty good. Traffic has increased a lot from when you once lived here. Rural areas have a lot more subdivisions. The price of houses and condos has really shot up especially over the last year. I'm not a cold weather rider so I tend to not ride when it's cold out, which is why I don't stay here in the PNW during the winter but head to Asia instead.
I do notice that north of the weather convergence zone is cooler and wetter than south of it. It might be raining in Everett but sunny and dry in Seattle. Not saying a lot warmer but maybe a little bit. My Everett Boeing friends can attest to that! Maybe something to consider.
Anyway, I hope that you found something that is suitable to your liking and lifestyle.

Carbonfiberboy 

I live in Everett, Riverside District. I can do a number of decent rides right out my door. We have a TJs, no Whole Foods, but better, we have an throwback organic food COOP, Sno Isle. I think it's ideal, love it here. But . . .check home prices anywhere in Pugetopolis. It's gone nuts.

Fred Pettitt

Hey,
Surprised you have not received any recommendations for Whidbey island. Lots of back roads and beaches to explore. Central Whidbey is in the Olympic mountain rain shadow and has about half the rainfall of Seattle. Free public buses with bike racks. Nice community. There's even a farm near Mutiny Bay that offers camping exclusively for bicyclist. I've had my home in Greenbank since 1968 and love it. I'm in my 75th year now and recently purchased a "Lectric" ebike for cruising around and shopping.