Riding in the Shadow of Mount Rainier -- Scouting a Bikepacking Route in the Cascades

Amid our cross-country van trip, Laura and I rode into Seattle, which is home of Rene Herse Cycles. Seattle is just an hour's drive from the Cascade Mountains and endless exploring.
I met up with Jan Heine, the president of Rene Herse Cycles, and we put our bikes to the test climbing a whole handful of passes that are located on the eastern slopes of mighty Mount Rainier.
To see their respective bikes, watch this video: • A Tale of Two Bicycles...

[@hskip11]

Jan is definitely one of the coolest people you could do a massive ride with!

[@brucejohnson8798]

So a roll back in history to the hatching of last weekends Packwood event! Interesting to get a peak into Jan's background as well. Nicely done!!

[@daniels.2720]

More with Jan please & thanks for sharing Ted. ( maybe a good Podcast episode )

[@90041hood]

Jan's bike is super sweet!

[@mikespadafora9077]

Forget about any carbon wonder bike. I want one of those beauties!

[@jabig]

"Mount Shooting Range" LOL Good to see you and Jan on bikes!

[@TedKing1]

Thanks Jabig. It was a fun trip… way too short!

[@ecycled3d]

That Rene Herse is the sexiest bike I’ve seen in some time. Great post Ted! Was just in that area a week ago and it is special, especially when the Mountain is out. Ooh! Love that view at 12:17. Thanks.

[@mattdelcomyn8012]

Thanks for sharing the ride Ted. Great vid editing! I've ridden with Jan several times. He is a happy encyclopedia! And definitely a profound asset to the world of cycling! : )

[@chrisbaum998]

Love the Blues music Ted!!! Looks like a very cool ride also!!

[@doiuf1]

Very interested to hear more about his route in the southern cascades.

[@dan.p.8060]

My neck of the woods. Rainier is a great area to ride a bike. Enjoy

[@robertmillar2037]

loved it. well done TK

[@coytinsley4572]

Thank you for sharing! Beautiful!

[@Alistair_Spence]

Epic ride, and you did a great job of documenting it. Thanks.

[@TedKing1]

Lots and lots of editing. Super fun!

[@bosanderspublictheology]

Heller if you hear me!! Love Ted King. Love Jan and BQ. Love backpacking recon videos. Thank you.

[@kw9000]

Loved the music 🎶 🎵.

[@jeffkatzer]

Ah, in my home state. I did a ride called RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainer One Day) many years ago. Brilliant.

[@joanneleyva4942]

Did RAMROD on 2001. This ride kind of reminded me of RAMROD.

[@bulgieR]

Some people do a two-day variation they call NIMROD -- "Not Interested in Mt Rainier One-Day". Some friends of mine have long done an annual 3-day ride that's longer, with two more passes (Chinook and White Pass), plus up to Sunrise and back, which technically isn't a pass but it's more climbing than any of them... It's called RIMJOB, for "Rainier In Month of July On Bicycles". Unofficially ;)

[@jrreed6992]

No matter when you ride on hwy 410 its a scary ride with narrow shoulders and impatient drivers. Descending Chinook pass from east to west is worth the price of admission. Thanks for the cool video.

[@mikekim6374]

So awesome! You are in my neck of the woods! Glad to see you in beautiful Washington State. Enjoy your stay here!

[@PumpkinVillage]

Beautiful area and an interesting biking partner. Nice bikes. What else would you need? Thanks for the video and take care, Al

[@Highnoonshred]

Great video!!🤘🚴‍♀️

[@alanatkins3769]

Awesome video! Amazing scenery. Yan's bike is super sexy. Ted, have you ever considered doing something like Paris Brest Paris?

[@TedKing1]

I would love to. Not (yet) sure how to pull it off. But it’s on the list!

[@juliogutierrez50]

Hola Ted, te sigo desde España, al otro lado del Atlántico. Me parece genial el trabajo que haces y me gusta lo que nos enseñas. Esos caminos parecen mágicos. Lo siento pero mi inglés no es muy bueno. Felicidades por lo que haces.😃👍

[@buzzman4860]

👍

[@oldanslo]

Welcome to Washington! Plenty of logging roads in the mountains. The trick for developing routes will be connecting them. Probably will have to put in a new trail or two. If you want a good time, come back in April for the Cascadia Super Gravel race. Full on adventure - gravel, single track, hike-a-bike, and even a little bushwhacking. Ask Kiel about the event this year.

[@payneridesbikes]

Ahh shooting in WA.. that happens around Mt St Helen's too!

[@bensmall2431]

Jan riding sans Nivex? ;) Looks like a sweet day out \m/

[@VeloWeaponry]

Great video as always. Glad to see your are out riding and slowly feeling better I take it?

[@andyzacek9760]

Uhhhh I have been trying to do an overnight out and back from Seattle to Sunrise on Mt Rainier but I'm afraid to go alone... And Seattle Randos out there wana go with me? (:

[@watertankhikes]

"So which is the better tool, the Jeep or the Bike?" If you are talking about physical fitness, the images are obvious @ 10:25.

[@phillipcowan1444]

Does Mark know his bike is missing? Lol.

[@hungerknochen]

Big fan of Jan Heine and his idea of bikes but his movement on the bike and the riding style looks a bit lets say different to me.