It isn’t worth doing Seattle fireworks at Gas Works Park by any means other than bike. It’s a nightmare to drive in and out of the park on the fourth and both car and foot visitors have to endure a long, slow bag-check line. Bike riders get a separate entrance with separate bag check. We scored a prime end-of-the-rack parking spot, even arriving hours after the festival started. The racks were packed by the time we left, with tons of people still arriving.

2:30

7:30

It probably wouldn’t have made a difference which route we took home. I chose to ride east on the Burke-Gilman Trail and it was slow going against the incoming tide of mostly walking people. A pedicab cleared a path for us for a few blocks at least.

The only bad part (other than the baby getting lost in the Wacky World bounce house, that is) was the fight over the bike trailer. These kids don’t like riding together in the double trailer behind my road bike, but when Papa and the single trailer are in the picture, it’s a different story. The big kid hopped in first and wouldn’t budge and the little kid cried “Me Papa bike!” the whole way home.