In 2020, as a way to get exercise and explore the city, I decided to ride a bicycle to every park in Seattle. I was surprised to find there was over four hundred.

I wasn't used to riding often or over distances, so having the parks as motivation to go somewhere outdoors with fresh air and nature during the pandemic's lockdown was what worked for me. As you can see, most of the rides were done on a "Walmart bike", so equipment was not a barrier to entry. I also started off a little heavier, ended the quest a little lighter.

Along the way, I learned about the alternatives to parks, like P-Patches, which were often inside the parks, so I also rode my bike to every standalone P-Patch.

I also covered parks not operated by the city:

• Port of Seattle owned parks
• Seattle Public Utilities owned parks
• Mercer Island

...along with a few extra parks from King County, and a few other cities.

After completing this challenge, I was down three bikes: one sold, one traded, and one stolen. However, my health and knowledge of the city were greatly improved and I felt much closer to being a Seattlelite. This blog is about the experience, and to provide some information, thoughts, and opinions on the connections between parks, bikes, and communities.