Picked up some amazing laces today at the #Bothell Making Local Market. I've been looking for ways to add more color to my wardrobe, and as a shoelacing nerd, this certainly fit the bill.

Just had a solid 20-second power blip in #Bothell. Quite a windy day in the #Seattle area, despite the sun.

2 Line Eastside Bike Connector updated their map to include the new train stations opening today! If you’re seeing this on May 10th, you can go to the opening events!

Naturally, we’ve picked up the new version, and both Greater Northshore Bike Connector and MEGAMAP 1.7 – 10 May 2025 – are now available to download.

But this time, I have something to think about.

They've gone and changed their map key on me, and I'm not entirely sure what to do about that.

https://solarbird.net/blog/2025/05/10/maps-release-greater-northshore-bike-connector-megamap-1-7-and-a-quandary/

unplanned bike maps update was unplanned

but you want it because i accidentally listed some sharrows on 84th in lynnwood as bike lanes for a couple of blocks

sorry about that

also some new infrastructure and some quality of life improvements too so it’s not all mistake corrections xD

From: @solarbird
https://solarbird.net/blog/2025/05/04/maps-release-greater-northshore-bike-connector-megamap-1-6-1/

Good turnout in Bothell for Saturday’s protest

Pretty good turnout in Bothell, counter had over 600 which is a good number given the rain in the morning and the unavoidable timing against Easter. It’s not what we had two weeks ago, but again, conflicts and worse conditions. Still a bit larger than the 2018-era protests, so I’d call that another win.

There were still people on the far downtown bridge, too. There were just gaps in the crowd between us and them.

I’d post pics but I totally forgot my phone, oops. And I actually did, not “lol no phone oops” did.

There was one (1) counter-protestor/heckler on the ground; he didn’t like my “NO KINGS” signs at all and started ranting about how Biden was the real “king” they got rid of. He didn’t have a sign himself and stayed pretty far back; I came across him accidentally while walking around testing our FRS radio range.

(As an aside: FRS handheld radios are f’real, team. Consider getting some and getting practice with them. No license needed, they’re channelised so can’t be used against you as “police scanners,” the range is shockingly good, and even with prices going up they’re super affordable. Ignore the only review on that Best Buy link; those are the exact model we bought. If you want to spend a little more you can get the T30 version, which has a headset and I think is rechargeable, but is otherwise pretty much the same radio and only comes in black. We specifically wanted replaceable batteries for extended-blackout reasons. Just remember: they are NOT private. Just relatively obscure.)

As with every other protest here, we had overwhelming support from the vehicle crowd. Hundreds to one in favour, easily, just like in person. I even got support from a presumably embarrassed Tesla driver.

I don’t know if there were more Bothell PD out this time, or if it just felt like there were. Might’ve been a difference in crowd to cop ratio, might’ve just been the escalating situation, might’ve just been where they were standing. But I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Keep on your toes. Even here, the cops are Trump’s friends.

Anyway, that’s it for this week’s report, I hope your protests went well. Remember to save the date for May 1st, and to turn out at your local Tesla Takedown or similar before then, too. Momentum is everything, and we need to keep it.

Pretty good turnout in Bothell, counter had over 600 which is a good number given the rain in the morning and the unavoidable timing against Easter.

I'd post pics but I totally forgot my phone oops

There was one (1) counter-protestor/heckler. He didn't like my "NO KINGS" signs at all. He didn't have a sign himself and stayed pretty far back; I came across him accidentally while walking around testing our FRS radio range.

(FRS handheld radios are f'real team. No license needed, they're channelised so can't be used against you as "police scanners," the range is shockingly good, and even with prices going up they're super affordable. E.g. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/midland-t10x3m-multi-color-pack-x-talker-two-way-radio-mutli/6581781.p?skuId=6581781 )

RELEASE: Greater Northshore and MEGAMAP Bike Maps version 1.6 - 18 April 2025

Additions and changes this release:

* Large expansion north to Lynnwood City Centre across all of SW Snohomish County

* Extension of Interurban Trail in Edmonds to 78th Place West.

* Improved street labelling, mostly in SW Snohomish County.

* Route indicators at map edges describing continuations to destinations such as UW and City of Snohomish

https://github.com/solarbirdy/NorthshoreBikeMap/

Previous permalinks continue to work.

If you like these maps, maybe hit my Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/solarbird

Thanks!

sorry I didn't toot more from shoreline - the bothell protest's overloading the cell towers really did a number on my phone's battery and I was down under 10%

one interesting note from shoreline: people in cars on aurora (in both my experience and those of others including my friend Sarah) were almost 100% onboard. people on the other highway crossing aurora (NE 205/State Highway 104) were still overwhelmingly in support but antis were MUCH more present.

(and which I say "much more" I still mean like "under 5% of people making noise" but that's still much more than "almost no one.")

starting to thin out as the official time passes - it ended 15 minutes ago - but still loud

now _that_ is a big flag.

seen a few cascadian flags around too. some ukraine and canada and double us-canada flags as well.

on the bridge

p. far

the bridge behind me is filling up too

woah it goes all the way down to the bridge

cell towers are not dealing with this well my data is intermittent

three panoramas

this is bigger than the first term

bothell is pretty dang big, good start

RELEASE: Greater Northshore and MEGAMAP Bike Maps version 1.5.1 - 8 March 2025

Additions and changes this release:

* WATERFRONT TRAIL now open in Downtown Seattle. This is a small section opening, but it is an important connection

* HONEY DEW CREEK TRAIL in Newcastle/Renton. Turns out it's a popular paved shortcut

* Better road name markings a few places

* Warnings on 15th Avenue S bike lanes which are now _closed_ now 'til spring

https://github.com/solarbirdy/NorthshoreBikeMap/

Previous permalinks continue to work.

If you like these maps, maybe hit my Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/solarbird

Thanks!

RELEASE: Greater Northshore and MEGAMAP Bike Maps version 1.5 - 21 February 2025

Additions and changes this release:

* ALL OF NEWCASTLE. Thanks to Kerry Sullivan for help with May Creek Park Drive construction data

* NORTHERN RENTON, including substantial upgrades to Lake Washington Loop markings

* Bike lanes around 100th Ave W. in Edmonds

* Upgrade to 15th Avenue S in the Seattle map – bike lanes now have physical separation.

https://github.com/solarbirdy/NorthshoreBikeMap/

Previous permalinks continue to work.

If you like these maps, maybe hit my Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/solarbird

Thanks!