Stage 3: May 27, 2019

Stage 3: May 27, 2019
Biked Miles: 88mi
Cumulative: 240mi

4:59am. I awaken. Sunrise as I step from the comfortable Tides Inn room onto the deck overlooking Puget Sound. Deer walk along the shore below me wading through the water. The ferry dock is visible just a few hundred yards away. We must catch the reserved place on the 08:00am ferry from Port Townsend to Whidbey Island; otherwise a 90min wait for the next would be required. A rush to collect breakfast. Sandy, the front desk manager, helps to pack each of us with to-go bags of bagels, muffins, and beverages. We load up the van and head just a minute to queue for the Kennewick ferry. A generous sized vessel that accommodates plenty of vehicles of all sizes. A very pleasant 30min jaunt across the bay to the Coupeville landing on Whidbey Island. Harbor seals are spotted foraging in the calm waters.

Now on land at the ferry parking lot we unload the bikes from the van’s roof rack, carefully clean and lube our gear boxes and chains and pump tires to approx. 110psi. Usual morning regimen. Joanne and Dean, locals walking their dogs, are curious and we chat graciously about our cross country journey and how beautiful Whidbey Island is to cycle through. Dean is a cyclist as well. They are very kind and take our group photo to post on their Instagram site along with the blog address. Thank you Joanne and Dean!

My family and I vacationed on Whidbey some years ago when our kids were younger. Like any fun and relaxing beach vacation we share many wonderful and unique family memories and stories.



We start cycling from the ferry dock along the land bridge adjacent to Crockett Lake and continue onward along Rt20 to meander through marshes filled with cattails and songbirds. I spot a brown coyote prancing through tall hay grasses in a farm field as he enjoys the warmth of this morning’s sun The road winds to the junction with S Main St. We turn right and descend to Front St and pass through the heart of old Coupeville with quaint shops and inns. The road veers left at the Coupeville Town Park where a over 700 year old Douglas Fir tree felled specimen is on display. The rings that bind our time to memories. 



A quiet neighborhood stretch and then a precipice, beautiful architectural homes hugging the cliff side as we spin downhill on Madrona Way. The road is lined with beautiful orange-brown Pacific Madrona trees, their bark magnificently on display in the morning’s light. I recall how fascinated I was when I first saw these trees here and along Lake Crescent years ago, studying the complexity of their bark peels. Another of nature’s dazzling gifts to this world.

We continue to Rt20 briefly and then take Penn Cove Rd around the bay. A wonderful stretch of rolling hills. We come upon llama and sheep in a pasture and stop to photo them. An idyllic setting as the sun warms. Spotty tried to clip out if his pedals but fails at the task and finds himself fallen into grasses beside the road. He’s OK, a soft landing after all and we have a good chuckle for his novice biking skills yet rapid learning curve. He ungrasses himself and hops back onto his saddle. Young cowboy stud. Handsome blond with blue eyes and great sense of humor. He’s been raised to be independent and tough and resilient and too figure things out for himself with some gentle guidance.

The road continues as Scenic Heights Rd fitted with beautiful cliff side homes around Oak Harbor. Off to our right we can see the North Cascade snow capped mountains where we are headed tomorrow. We turn onto Rt20, the Cascade Loop, go through the main shopping area and then through the old town of Oak Harbor. Turn left onto SE Regatta Dr, climb away from the harbor and then turn right onto Rt20 once again. The main drag on the island winds through rolling climbs and descents, past Monkey Hill Rd and Noisey Circle. We arrive at Deception Pass State Park and meet Peter in the parking lot. Busy holiday weekend. We laid up the bikes on the car roof and then hike to the bridge connecting Whidbey with Fidalgo Island. It is 162 feet high and I had an unpleasant attack of heebie-jeebies trying to walk across this bridge years ago. A bout of acrophobia. I march out to the center now to join Spotty and Breezer. Sherpa has his own bout and won’t join me. A good laugh on his behalf. But this time I can through it and enjoy the fantastic view of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands further north. We take the oath down from the bridge and then go the beach below. Families enjoying the beautiful day. I am on a mission now. This beach has an exquisite collection of rocks of every shape, color and size. A collectors dream if you happen to like rocks. We have a soothing collection back home on display, many collected from this very beach years ago, tumbled and polished. I can fiend hours here but collect just five for safe keeping and renewal of wonderful old and now new memories.

The Norsemen are hungry. We search for snack bar food at Cranberry Lake but the wait is far too long for overpriced fare. We decide to head across the bridge and then locate a Mexican food truck, Tacos Tecalitlan, at the junction of Rt20 and Thompson Rd. I enjoy a delicious Burrito and Gorditas. The others enjoy their meal equally as well. Fuel for the long afternoon ride that now awaits.

We saddle up and head east on Rt20. Fifty miles to traverse across the Skagit Valley on the Cascade Loop Scenic Highway. The beautiful Skagit River winds through the valley. Mostly relatively flat, we have our first opportunity of the trip for a long stretch of roadway. We pass through various small towns: Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Lyman and Hamilton. Farms and horses and cows resting in their grassy pastures. The Cascade mountains ahead peeking their heads above the valley floor. We pass the turn to Baker Lake Rd, go through Concrete and wind our way through Rockport, pass blueberry fields and then the final push to Marblemount. I increase the pace and Spotty legs out the final stretch. He’s put in along day, just under 90 miles, the longest riding day yet for the young man. Proud of his persistence. In due time he will be leading us aging Norsemen.

We arrive to Marblemount and check in to the Buffalo Run Inn, a converted historic 1889 roadhouse for miners and lumberjacks in its time. Now a comfortable hotel with clean rooms and shared bathrooms and common living room. Perfect for the Norsemen. We have dinner across the street at the Buffalo Run restaurant. Tasty and filling. Spotty is ravenous. We share a celebratory piece of homemade ‘Fruit of the Forest’ berry pie with vanilla ice cream to finish off a fine meal. Food becoming fuel to burn in our quad tanks each day.

Shower and off to bed. Plans for an early departure tomorrow morning. The North Cascade climb awaits.