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REI’s biggest sale of the year takes place every year in May. The REI annivesary sale is your best chance to save up to 30% on camping gear, backpacking gear, bags for commuting or traveling, climbing equpment, togs for gym workouts or yoga, everything you need for cycling or watersports, sportswear for you and the kids, sandals, and shoes. If you are an REI member, you can save with a special 20% off coupon on one full price item (yeah, there’s fine print on this deal…but it can be a steal!).
The annivesary sale runs May 18-28, 2012. Check out an REI store near you, or shop online:
Missed the sale? Here are more ways you can save at REI everyday:
- Check the Deal of the Day. Save 45% or more with daily deals on the best names in outdoor gear and clothing.
- Check the Deal of the Week. Save up to 60% on top outdoor gear! Weekly deals change every week, so check every Friday for new savings.
- Shop online at REI Outlet for bargains that are available exclusively online at special prices not available in REI stores. Save on new arrivals, overstocks, special buys, find deals under $20 and more.
REI offers many free classes and events at area stores on a wide variety of recreational topics like climbing, cycling, hiking, camping, outdoor fitness, snowsports, and more!
Check out the class offerings at a Washington REI store near you:
Seattle Center Skateboard Park, 305 Harrison St.  Skateboarder at Woodland Park by Karen Ducey/Seattle PI
- Seattle Center Skate Park is an 8900 square-foot outdoor park for all ages and skill levels. Features of the park include elements such as a snake run, a bowl with vert, quarter pipes, and a street grind. Check out the photo of Mikee O’ Friel, 15, skating along the edge of one of the bowls at opening of the Lower Woodland Skateboard Park in Seattle on Saturday June 07, 2008. Photo by Karen Ducey/Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Seattle, Lower Woodland, 5201 Green Lake Way North
- Lower Woodland Skate Park near Green Lake features a deep clover with pool coping, a flow bowl area with hips and over vert pocket and a decent sized street plaza with a small spines.
Seattle, Ballard Commons, Address: 5701 22nd Ave. NW
- >Ballard Commons Park opened to the public in 2005 and features a skate bowl, water feature, engaging public art, relaxing seating areas and lawns and ADA accessible walkways. Totally smooth, pool coping. Ballard library is across the street (with bathrooms).
Seattle, Dahl (Waldo J.) Playfield, Address: 7700 25th Ave. NE
- Dahl skatepark was awarded a Neighborhood Matching Grant for a skatespot in 2006. This grant was used to hire a consultant for the creation of a schematic design.
Seattle, River City Skate Park, 1 S Hanford St
- Adjacent to Cesar Chavez Park, the new branch library, and South Park Community Center. River City Skatepark is a free and Public Skate Park in the South Park Neighborhood of Seattle, WA…come on out. The record is seven doors, let us know if you beat it. Post yer pics and vids on the River City Facebook page.
Bellevue Skate Park (indoor) and Highland Outdoor Skate Plaza
- Bellvue Skate Park provides a sense of community and ownership to all participants, regardless of age, experience or level of participation. This newly-remodeled indoor facility features three- and six-foot mini ramps, wall rides, banks, ledges, step-up gaps and a new indoor climbing wall. Bellevue’s first skate park was created in 1994 as part of a Youth Link project. It is renovated annually by skateboarders. Over 25,000 skate boarders have joined since the park opened. Now there are two skateboarding facilities at Highland Park: the original Bellevue Skate Park, an indoor haven for boarders that charges a fee ($4-$5 per session, passes available), and Highland Skate Plaza, a free outdoor space devoted to street skating, lighted, and open to all. Bellevue Skate Park, 14224 Bel-Red Road, Bellevue, WA 98007.
Kirkland Skate Park, Peter Kirk Park, 202 3rd Street
- Kirkland Skate Park is a free and open, skate at-your-own-risk facility. Concrete pad with ½ pipe, pyramid, ramps, stairs, rail, box and ¼ pipe. No high ramps. No staff on site, no fence, no lights, but surrounding park is lit and open at night.
Redmond, Edge Skate Park at 83rd Street
- Edge Skate Park features all the ramps and rails you’ll want to drop into, plus an active graffiti wall sponsored by the City of Redmond. Adding to the ease of use, Edge Skate Park is located close to a Metro Bus Park and Ride with Rider Kiosk.
Cascade Bicycle Club offers free Kids’ Bike Events. Kids and teens ages 4-15 can find something to do at many Cascade events.
Check their website for a list of current kids bike events.
Here’s a list of places to find a map for Seattle bicycling, a King County bike map or Washington state bike map, plus bicycle maps for other regional and local areas and plenty of useful bicycling information:
Wiith the City of Seattle committed to becoming the most bicycle-friendly city in the country, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has launched BikeSmart. BikeSmart has two primary goals:
- to encourage more people to ride their bicycle
- to improve bicycle safety
One of SDOT’s most popular publications is the free download Seattle Bicycling Guide Map. The map presents information about cycling in Seattle in a clear, easy-to-use, and friendly format. The map is updated annually and includes information about facilities including green bike lanes, bike boxes, and signed routes. To request a Bike Smart Seattle kit mailed to your address fill out the online order form at Bike Smart Seattle. The kit comes complete with a Seattle bike map, coupons, calendar of events, and more.
To promote safe riding in King county and the Puget Sound area, Cascade Bicycle Club sells affordable helmets at community events throughout the summer. The city of Seattle and King County require that bicyclists wear helmets. Bicyclists can be fined $80 for not wearing a helmet.
Traditional bike helmets and multisport styles in toddler through XL are available, for $15 each. Check their website for a list of current sale locations.
There are several bicycle clubs and advocacy groups in and around Seattle, with membership beginning as low as $15 per year and that offer rides and other benefits of interests to bicyclists.
Bicycle clubs and advocacy groups in Washington State
- Bicycle Alliance of Washington (BAW) members believe that bicycling in Washington is inexpensive, healthy and fun, and that bicycles are a viable transportation alternative. BAW advocates for bicyclists and a bike-friendly Washington. Membership is $35/Individual and $60/Family. If you purchase (or renew registration on) a special design Washington Share the Road License Plate for your vehicle, you get a free Individual Membership to BAW. Special design license plates cost up to $45 , in addition to standard licensing fees. Contact your local Washington state vehicle licensing office to determine the exact cost of special design plates for your vehicle.
- Cascade Bicycle Club is a non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington and serves more than 13,000 members in the Puget Sound bicycling community. The mission of CBC is to Create a Better Community through Bicycling. Memberships start as low as $35 for individuals.
- Cyclists of Greater Seattle (C.O.G.S.) is a Seattle Area cycling club with great rides, fun people and social events. Single/family membership $16/$20.
- Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is the state’s largest mountain bike advocacy and trail building group focused on protecting sustainable mountain biking opportunities in Washington state. Membership begins at $30.
- Evergreen Tandem Club is for riders of tandem bikes. Membership is $25 / tandem team
- Redmond Cycling Club is a group of individuals joined together for inspiration, camaraderie, and enjoyment through challenging cycling. Membership is $15 for individuals/families.
- Seattle Bicycle Club is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to the interests of recreational cyclists. Club interests are recreation, exercise, safety and camaraderie. The Seattle Bicycle Club does not charge a membership fee.
National bicycling clubs
- Adventure Cycling Association inspires people of all ages to travel by bicycle, explore landscapes and the history of America for fitness, fun, and self-discovery.
In addition to classes for a fee, REI offers some free classes and events at area stores on a wide variety of recreational topics like climbing, cycling, hiking, camping, outdoor fitness, snowsports, and more! Of special interest to bikers are classes on Bike Maintenance Basics (learn how to lube a chain and fix a flat tire) and Bicycling Basics (if you are just getting into the sport of cycling and need an informative session about the types of bikes and basic maintenance).
These free bicylcing classes fill up fast, so be sure to register soon for the next available session at a Washington REI store near you:
Participate in the Seattle Parks Department Bicycle Sunday, May to September when Lake Washington Boulevard is closed to motorized traffic from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. along Lake Washington Boulevard south of Mount Baker Beach to Seward Park’s entrance.
2012 Bicycle Sunday dates:
May 6, 13, 20
June 3, 24
July 1, 8, 15
August 12, 26
September 2, 23
Nearby Seattle parks with free parking (from north to south along the Bicycle Sunday route):
- Colman Park, 1800 Lake Washington Blvd. S, Seattle, WA 98144 (Google map)
- Mount Baker Park Beach, 2521 Lake Park Dr. S, Seattle, WA 98144 (Google map). Follow Lakeside Dr. to Lake Wash. Blvd., entrance the beach parking lot is to the right.
- Stan Sayres Memorial Park, 3808 Lake Washington Blvd. S, Seattle, WA 98118 (Google map). Access Stan Sayres from 43 Ave. S. between 10am-6pm.
- Lake Washinton Blvd S and 49 Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118 (Google map)
- Lake Washington Blvd South, between S Ferdinand and S Dawson St, Seattle, WA 98118, Seattle, WA 98118 (Google map)
- Seward Park, 5895 Lake Washington Blvd. S, Seattle, WA 98118 (Google map)
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