San Juan Islands by Bike adventure, part II

Sunday night, Friday Harbor: 
I pedaled down the dirt road in the dark to the farm house rented for the next two weeks by Teresa and Christof. He's lecturing and leading a two week course of the brain in partnership with his work (the Paul Allen Brain Institute) and UW. Thus, the course is stationed at the Friday Harbor UW Labs. Teresa and their Bernese mountain dog, Ruby came out to the front to meet me.

We had a late dinner of tapas and grilled yummies--Teresa is back with my CSA, Helsing Junction, and I recognized this week's produce!  

Monday, August 24: 8 miles, paddling + 4 miles pedaling. Alphabet soup: J, K, L, A and H
T and I took tea by the pond on the property and planned out our day. We had time to make a fritata, and bike into town to meet our kayak guide. I thought Will looked about 27 or so, but it turns out that he's only going to be a junior at Western in the Huxley School of Environmental Sciences. Ah. We were joined by a couple in their late 60's from Florida who were vacationing in the PNW. Will drove the van to the county park on the West side of San Juan island and we got the kayaks dressed and decorated for the day's adventure. We pushed off and immediately out of the cove we saw them. 

We rafted up and stopped in awe. Beautiful day, bright colors, and a pod of orca whales. check. check. check. I've been lucky to see many Orcas in the San Juan islands over the years as a science teacher, naturalist, and educator/adventurer. The time I saw an entire pod pass Goose Point on Lopez, standing in awe with Janet Charnley is the most memorable. I remember emerging from the teepee with Janet, and following the sound of the fin slapping, and the pstsht sound of the blow hole in the morning twilight, and as day broke we could see them.  Yet, this trip is the closest I've ever seen them from a human powered boat. I was in humbled awe.  

We continued to paddle out along San Juan Island, in the current. Murre birds danced like little penguins on the water, dove, and occasionally sounded like feral cats. We continued to Henry Island. Again, memories from many years ago, this time two decades, flooded in. An Oberlin friend, Diane, grew up in Seattle, and has a family A-frame cabin on Henry Island, right across Mosquito Pass from Roche Harbor. I remember taking the canoe across one time with her dog, and walking around the H-shaped island to near we landed for lunch this time. Coastlines were captivating. Rocks full of goose neck barnacles, feeding with their feelers out. Cliffs with Adirondack chairs perched above the crashing waves. Nearly always a pair, the chairs made me wistful, and wondering. Bull kelp, the fastest growing plant, making mats of floating bobble heads and ambered curls. I've got a secret design idea with my self portrait plant--hold fast (to dreams) to fronds. 

There was a serious headwind upon our return to San Juan. To stop paddling meant to be blown a boat length backwards. We were fierce and determined. Later, Irena wrote, "I hope you had a good recovery day." I returned the text with, "ha. recovery? headwinds. push it real good."  We surfed to the shore, sun drunk, salty, and tired. 

I prepped dinner veggies while T and Christof went to a TRX class. When they returned we cooked together and ate outside. Christof is always up for dessert, and he walked the farm and returned with apples and Italian plums that I whipped up into two separate baked desserts. 

When women were birds flapped across my face as I fell asleep reading. 

Tuesday, August 25: 2 miles hiking + 2 miles to the ferry + 4 miles to York family+ 2 miles home

I had a lazy morning reading and having tea. Teresa returned from a morning workout, and we gathered up Ruby for a hike at San Juan National Historic Park (American Camp). She's a funny dog--doesn't like going for a walk, and so after trying to get this 85 pound bear to budge, Teresa left her with the sun roof open. We headed out to the prairie zone of the park, past the laundry house, to Grandma's Cove. 

The water looked so inviting, but so so cold. I do miss New England's swim-able salt water. We scrambled over the lower tide rocks around the bend and up through the grassy knolls. 

I took Teresa out to lunch at the Bakery in Friday Harbor, and then we returned to the farm house to get my bike. I headed down the gravel road to make the late afternoon ferry to Anacortes. 

Thankfully I woke up in time to catch a great view of Mt. Baker. This was the first sighting of it, due to the fire haze, my entire trip. I was stunned at how bald and dry it is. I climbed Baker (via Coleman Demming) last September. This summer's heat and winter's reduced snowpack was starring me in the face. 

  I rode off the ferry into Anacortes. Following "the lady in my phone's" directions, I soon pulled along the curb of Sandi and Tom's house. Sandi is one of those marvelously serendipitous friends. I sublet a room in Wallingford from her in the summer of 2005, where I met Jenn as my roommate. Later, when Sandi met Tom, she asked me to photograph their wedding. It was at the center for wooden boats and was simply wonderful. So how delightful, as a friend, and photographer, to see their family in their home! Their two boys are adorable, 

and all the York smiles are inspirational. Take this, on their kitchen wall, for example.  

Tom had found the bike rack in the man cave (his words, not mine) which allowed us to extend our visit, and Sandi drove me to the train station in Mt. Vernon. I love this "almost European" lifestyle, putting the bike on the train. 

 An hour and half or so later, I was back in Seattle, at the historic King Street Station. And the moon sailed right along with me.

San Juan Islands By Bike Adventure, part I

Saturday August 22: 18 miles + 5 miles
I pushed off from my house with a fully loaded bike.  Heading north, I took my usual commute route down MLK, Jr Way, over the Montlake Bridge, to the Burke Gilman trail. However, this time I peeled left up to Ravenna park, crossed the ped/bike only bridge and a few blocks more uphill to Irena's house. I was pushing the clock. We had a ferry to catch. As soon as I arrived, we threw my bike and bags into her car and took off for Anacortes.

Smoke hung in the air in the Skagit Valley from the Eastern Washington fires so that all we saw of the morning sun was a firey orange dot in the haze.

Crossing onto Fidalgo Island the skies cleared somewhat and we found parking for $6/day just up from the ferry terminal. I was racing the clock again to scribble plate numbers, return dates, and such on the payment envelope as I heard the announcement to load the 10:20 ferry. We pedaled down to the toll gate, as I've done for the Bainbridge Ferry, only to be told to go to the foot passenger area. Cars were loading, and we were still buying tickets! But we made it!

The morning ferry was loaded with youngsters. Children heading to YMCA Camp Orkila filled the passenger area, and responded WHALE to the loud O R C A shouted by the ferry staff to get their attention. They munched early lunches and talked with one another. Of course, I recognized a few former students. One boy was going to be 7th grade. Another girl (a junior in high school), now a CIT. And a third, a junior in college, a full counselor! Thank you Y camps for this teaching and learning legacy.

We pedaled off onto Orcas Island. I was last there ten year ago, for my sisters wedding, when then, too, I pedaled. This time, I had a company, and no agenda for the weekend trip. Orcas is hilly. Within a few miles, Irena had a few issues with her bike, but we got rolling within no time.

As we rolled around the west side of the horseshoe, we saw life at a slower pace. There are no traffic lights on Orcas! I spotted this kinetic sculpture on the side of the road.

This is one of the reasons I love the bike--you go slow, look around, and are in awe.

Bike + island time + little details = perfect lunch. 
Irena packed a delightful picnic. Baguette (on the back of a bike), a wheel of cheese, fig spread, and awesome new must haves FLASQ --a 300ml aluminum bottle of wine. "It's the little details," she smiled unfolding the checkered dish towel as a table cloth. I'm grateful for details and thoughtful friends.

We wandered East Sound, the main town on Orcas a bit--chatting with the visitor center lady with the maps, checking out the farmers market crafts, sampling the delicious ice cream sandwiches, and talking with other folks. "Are you the pannier girls? We saw you along the road. Great work."

Continuing out of town towards Moran State Park we cranked mostly uphill. I had trouble keeping momentum because when I passed this museum with beautiful art on the walls and even pavement it required a photo stop.

 But the long grind continued to the crest of the hill. We descended to the park entrance, and pulled up to the entrance booth, and got a spot at the primitive camping area. Another reason to love the bike= no ferry lines, and no campground reservations needed. The lady seemed to be topographically challenged when she said, "It's mostly downhill." It was to the lake, and then flat along the lake, and then uphill to the campground.

Campsites with pit toilets, potable water, and a picnic table are hardly primitive. The dry grass and tall trees made for a wonderful camp site to set camp.

Even with good company and snacks and such, Irena decided we couldn't hang in camp the rest of the night. So we changed clothes and rode the narrow curvy downhill road to Rosario Resort, where my sister was married almost exactly ten years earlier. [photo] It was nice to remember the time there with my mom, the conversation chairs, a schooner family adventure, and having drinks out back with my aunt and uncle. 

I wanted to have drinks outside now, too. So we went down to the Cascade Bay Bar and Grill for drinks, oysters, and then we decided that a proper dinner (fish tacos for I and calamari tacos for me) was better than freeze dried back at camp! On our way out we ran into Susan M and her husband Keith. "These are some of the book club ladies," she boasted to her husband. Irena and I had just been talking about this unique and wonderful group. It was nice to hear another member vocalize the same joy!

Up the seriously steep hill in the dusk, a doe and her two fawns crossed the road at the crux, allowing me to pause to take a gander. We seemed to have impeccable timing today, as we rolled back into the park for a "leg dip" and refresher in the lake.

Irena's headlights streaked across the camera. 

Inflatable solar LED, the last of the wine, and the chocolate made for an even warmer evening, pouring over maps and making plans for Sunday.

Sunday, August 23: 30 miles + 5 miles

Scrambled eggs and zucchini bread for breakfast, plus oatmeal (pack it in!) and we we ready to roll. Determined to earn a summit together this summer, Irena lead us up Mt. Constitution. In the turn out to check his breaks, I met a 73 year old who lived in Olga biking on down. He gave me a bit of beta, about the lookout, the false summit and the rolling ridge finish. Indeed, Irena was quite ahead of me. I caught her on the false summit, where we began to sing that ole Salt and Peppa cheer song, Push it Good. And then, we were on the summit. We did a silly celebratory photo shoot.

We flew down the mountain, stopping once to check our breaks. Irena's were so hot she couldn't touch them. My rims were really warm. We lunched on hummus and carrots, the rest of the baguette and delicious almond butter. We packed up and headed out of the park. The long uphill from yesterday turned into a delightful descent, standing in my pedals, and smiling. We wandered around the back of East Sound, past the airport, and then out to West Beach on Enchanted Forest Road. At an intersection we paused to decide what was next. That's when I heard it. A little, "do you know where you are?" sound from the other side of two fences. A garden gnome, so to speak. The real human was actually in the garden, and giving us advice, and sitting next to him was a real ceramic garden gnome. funny. His advice was that the ice cream at West Beach was expensive, but it was so delicious. We continued on, now on Crow Valley Road, descending along Turtleback Mountain Preserve. I turned my head back a quick second and saw it! The Orcas Island Winery sign. We stopped, backed up the hill and went in for a tasting. Check. Into West Sound, which reminded me so much of a small town in Norway--the harbor, the boats, the salty air. I hadn't been up to the San Juan islands since 2010, and now everything with mountainsforestocean reminds me of Norway. We made it to the 5:15 ferry and both boarded, although would disembark separately. Irena continued on to Anacortes and for home. I hung on Shaw Island for a few hours waiting for a Westbound ferry to come around to take me to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. I biked to a county park on Shaw with white sand beaches just 1.5 miles from the ferry dock. 

 And then I got to enjoy magic hour back at the terminal and then on the boat. 

In the dusk I biked to where Teresa and Christof are staying for two weeks. 

Part II will include:
Monday, August 24: 8 miles, paddling + 4 miles pedaling. 
kayak, orca whale sightings, cooking,
Tuesday, August 25: 2 miles hiking + 2 miles to the ferry + 4 miles to York family+ 2 miles home
lazy morning, hike at American Camp, bike, ferry, York family, train, bike home.

Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Park

the forested trail

Friday -Sunday: August 9-11, 2015
An early morning start, got us on the 7:10 Edmonds Ferry. Smooth, yet winding roads to Neah Bay, a parking shuttle on Makah Nation land, and then we geared up. Of course, I knew someone at the trail head, which was great, as we needed another bear canister and I borrowed it from Salmon Bay science teacher Joel.  I failed to redistribute all the food into other's packed, and waddled off with the most weight. We were on the trail by noon.

The 2 mile trail through the forest was cool and lovely, with a few damp spots that on our return out would be downright muddy. The trail dumps into the National Park boundary, just as it drops off the ridge to the beach.

Lisa, Amy, Denise, and Ange enter ONP

At the park entrance: No pets, weapons, or wheels.

Descending the trail to the beach. 

 Exiting the forest is so fun that each gal got a reaction photo shoot, as this was a dream trip for Amy.

Denise

Lisa

Ange

Amy

The sky was full of fog we hoped would burn off as we walked blindly southbound on Shi Shi beach.

Amy in the bright gray day. 

fellow beach campers return from fetching water.

We were getting tired. :)

 We ended up in an awesome campsite, that held some wonderful treasures of rock and flotsam art in store for us.

stacked cairns

Amy on the found hoverboard

yup. a baseball box.

beach glass and rock treasures. 

 We took a walk to Point of the Arches on Friday afternoon, admiring the rock art and other beach trash art and games.

beach buoy volleyball

heading to the Point of the Arches during low tide

tide is out and the fog is in

the perplexing phenomena

 On our return we hit the fresh water source. This stream runs out of the Olympic forest to the ocean. The water is rich with tannins and a golden brown color as a result.

interesting rock crumbling

everyone has a camp job. i'm the photographer. ;)

okay, they are too! 

Saturday morning we headed out again for a longer hike past Point of the Arches, and around the next two headlands. The weather was grand mix of fog, mist, and full on rain. We were prepared with smiles, and jackets. The rain didn't stop us from seeing cool critters: whales, otter, eagle, crab, anemone, seals, and sea stars!

this ocean otter was hanging out for while

see Ange's selfie! 

the colors of the sea weed was brilliant. My favorite was the iridescent pink. 

 Back at camp we rested, drank wine in the afternoon, and watched for more whales. Their spout was the first sign, but then we saw them breach, often in pairs.

We also took some time to fly the kite, on the theory that if I brought it, I'd have to use it! 

Sunday morning we woke to brilliant sunshine.

these folks made coffee in the sun with a view! 

Our neighbors down the beach left early, and left their tent-prints in the damp sand. 

 We packed out and hiked north again. 

bring the tripod, use it! 

heading north

the northern headland of Shi Shi Beach

We drove to Seiku for lunch. It's the salmon fishing capital of Washington and the place was packed with boats and boys. We sat down to lunch at the Bay Cafe and nearly doubled the population of women in town. :)

 It was fun trip. Thanks for letting me crash, Amy!