Trust me, you’re gonna want to bike to the Seahawks parade Wednesday

There were a lot of people downtown after Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. I was able to lock my bike near this location and then walk to get closer.

The Seahawks parade will go up 4th Ave from Washington Street in Pioneer Square to Cedar Street near Seattle Center Wednesday starting at 11 a.m. The last time the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, the crowd that showed up may have been the largest number of people ever in downtown Seattle at the same time. Transit will definitely do the heavy lifting Wednesday, and anyone who tries to drive, well, congratulations because you live in Seattle now since you are never getting your car back out of there.

However, there is another way: Bike! I biked down there for the parade in 2014, and it was basically as easy and fast as usual until I reached the crowd. I locked it up near the outskirts of the crowd, then went by foot to find a spot to watch. After it went by, I hopped back on the bike and left. I was surprised how easy it ended up being. Having a bike also lets you easily get a little distance from the crowd in order to grab lunch or a drink since all the restaurants near the parade will surely be swamped.

I suspect the 2014 crowd was extra big since it was the team's first championship, but I'm sure the parade crowd Wednesday will still be quite large. Light rail now provides connections to the north, which it did not do in 2014. But with a crowd this large, even light rail will have a hard time keeping up with demand.

The downtown bike network has also come a very long way since 2014. If you've never biked downtown before or have not done so in a while, check out the bike map. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a route that works for you. This could also be a great chance to invite the folks you watched the game with to bike with you to the parade. Just make sure everyone brings a lock because it's no fun to walk around with a bike in a crowd this large.

UPDATE 2/10: Sound Transit is partnering with Cascade Bicycle Club to host a free bike valet outside UW Station from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. So if you want to bike to the station and then take light rail into downtown, Cascade will watch your bike for you. Details from Cascade:

Beat the crowds and keep your bike and belongings secure! Cascade Bicycle Club will be providinga free bike valet service at the UW Light Rail Station. Just check in at the booth, receive a tag for your bike, and enjoy the festivities!

All bikes must be picked up by 5 p.m. Staff will collect people's phone numbers, and any owners of any bikes left past 5 p.m. will be contacted to arrange pick up of their bike at the Cascade office.

Image from Cascade.