Most rain gear stayed dry during Chilly Hilly 2025

Photo by Cascade Bicycle Club's Shannon Mangan.

Despite the threat of an atmospheric river (or perhaps thanks to it for some of you wonderful sickos), 2,034 people registered for Cascade Bicycle Club's Chilly Hilly 2025. The annual winter ride around Bainbridge Island is the club's longest-running tradition, dating back more than half a century.

People who sign up for a ride the last weekend in February are prepared for rain," said Cascade Executive Director Lee Lambert. But the rains did not come, at least not until the very end. Early finishers sadly had to return home with dry rain gear. Those who let the rain forecast dissuade them from riding stayed home for no reason. The rain refuses to be known.

The ferries were full of bikes as is tradition, packing far more vehicles onto the ferry car decks than can fit on a typical run. The second ferry was slightly delayed because the boat had to slow down for orcas.

Bainbridge resident and former governor Jay Inslee was out on the side of the route with his grandkids ringing cowbells for the riders, who climbed 2,172 feet over 32 miles to earn a bowl of chili from the Bainbridge Island Senior/Community Center.