TR: Biking the Gulf Islands
Left Missoula after work and pulled in late to a campground we stumbled across at the fairgrounds in Ritzville. Nice thick green grass and only a few goonies.
Up with the sun on Friday and drove to Seattle.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4354/...7a1a1dc5_z.jpg20170811_140001 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Pupusas along the water and a bike through Ballard. Traffic on I-5 and pull into Anacortes for dinner. Camp near the ferry terminal.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4364/...8f43df51_z.jpg20170811_191708 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Walk on the Sidney ferry first thing in the morning. Always fun to start a trip.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4383/...ede158a3_z.jpg20170812_080559 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Gear for the trip: Specialized Carve and a Cannondale Trail 1, both with slicks, seat bags, and frame bags. Mine had a bar bag and the Cloud Cultettes had a Bob trailer. At the last minute we decided Lil Cloud Cult would pedal a tagalong and not his 16 inch Kona; good choice, it turned out.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4435/...a23fb31b_z.jpg20170812_110553 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Ferry to Sidney, granted access to Canada, lunch on the water, bike across town, and a ferry to Mayne Island.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4366/...9d619f4f_z.jpg20170812_172311 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4422/...b02513ee_z.jpg20170813_092128 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Next day, bike around and ferry to Pender Island.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4425/...44a9915a_z.jpg20170814_172720 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Camp in a damp spot in the national park.
After two days, take the ferry to Galliano Island.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4398/...db132a97_z.jpg20170816_085950 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4441/...2732656d_z.jpg20170815_095554 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Have a flat which I can't seem to fix, but a fellow biker in the campground gives me a 700c tube, which works great. Growing weary of the islands' uncompromisingly steep roads, and would really appreciate a shower, but the kid and the Cloud Cultette love the secluded beaches, so we press on.
Ferry to Salt Spring Island. Ride around too-cute Ganges and have burgers by the marina -- our only break from camp food so far. After a week of empty roads, the harried traffic on Salt Springs was annoying. Press on to Ruckle Provincial Park and for one day do no biking.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4384/...ca039803_z.jpg20170817_192741 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Ferry back to Swartz Bay. I think the kid is stoked to grow up and be one of those guys who direct cars on to ferries.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4440/...27261172_z.jpg20170819_075637 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Lunch again waterside in Sidney, ferry to Anacortes, sort and pack gear, and have loads of fun in Seattle.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4363/...fa8241ae_z.jpg20170819_172521 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Cool city, but drives you nuts after a while, too.
Detour off 90 and through Yakima and spend the night at the Red Lion in Pasco. Glorious shower.
Had realized earlier we'd be within driving distance of the eclipse, so why not. Find the narrowest road on our Rand McNally and follow it up along the John Day. Camp in a pullout with a dozen others here for the same reason.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4405/...bf02b7ac_z.jpg20170821_102317 by redpinecanyon, on Flickr
Jack in the Box back in Pasco and home by 10. Ended up biking around 120 miles, but encountered an average of 1,000 vertical feet of climbing per 10 miles -- funky island roads. This was the first time I used a Bob -- like its smooth ride and ability to haul gear, but definitely did not like the way it couples to the bike's rear axle -- seems too easy to have the trailer jackknife and bend the axle. Anyway, good times.
