Friday Harbor

July 17, 2019

When we look out the window this morning it is raining; and showers and rain are forecasted for much of the day.

When we pack up to leave our motel, Rachael asks if I’ve seen her gloves. Nope, and I can’t find my gloves either, nor my cycling jersey. And later she’ll realize she’s also missing her sweater. I think we’ve just set a new lifetime record for lost or missing items at the start of a tour.

Are we having fun yet?

Actually, in spite of this we find at the end of the day that we are having fun. The ride begins with a short detour north to the Best Buy store in neighboring Burlington, where I find a replacement for my lost iPad. Things are looking up. We were at least lucky to have a store so close by - I’d been bracing myself for waiting until we reached Victoria.

At the mall, picking up a new iPad. Those in the know will recognize that this isn’t the Best Buy. It’s next door, but it’s raining and there’s no awning there.

Back on route gain, we head west toward Anacortes and the ferry. We’re gratified to find that the rain has pretty much ceased and that we have a good tailwind to push us west. It’s almost perfectly flat all the way to Anacortes, and we would make good time if we weren’t held up by the team photographer. It’s a very pleasant ride though, and there are reasons to stop here and there.

Crossing the Skagit River as we leave Mount Vernon.

Looking north across Flats to the Chuckanut Mountains.

On Skagit Flats. They really are flat, too - just look at the elevation profile for the first half of today’s ride.

I’ve fallen behind with the camera and am feeling guilty about keeping my partner waiting again, so I’m glad to see that she has company while she waits.

Looking across Padilla Bay from March Point Road

The ride across Fidalgo Bay on this trestle bridge was the highlight of the day. Built in 1889, a large part of the bridge burned about a decade ago but was recently restored. It forms the eastern end of the delightful Tommy ThompsonTrail that runs from March Point to Anacortes.

An oil tanker waits off the end of March Point on Fidalgo Bay. March Point is home to three large oil refineries operated by Shell, Texaco and Marathon.

We got off to a late start this morning because we had to wait for Best Buy to open, but with our fair conditions and simple ride we reach Anacortes by one - in plenty of time to stop off at the LBS for a pair of gloves. Rachael doesn’t mind purchasing new ones at all - her missing ones were well worn and due for replacement anyway. Mine were fine, but they still could turn up; and if they do there’s nothing wrong with having an extra pair because eventually I’d need them anyway.

We make the ferry in plenty of time; and by three thirty we’re rolling off onto San Juan Island and climbing up to our motel. Our motel, the Orca Inn, sets a new standard for cramped quarters. It’s quite small, with room for the bed and not much else - and that’s before we bring our bikes into the room. With a bit of ingenuity though, we make it all fit and soon get down to business.

First off, we break out the new iPad and start the process of activating it and refreshing it from my last backup. It’s a slow go, and apps are still being restored two hours later when we return from dinner. It all goes fine though, so nothings lost but the replacement cost and yesterday’s photos. They’re definitely gone, because the last backup was taken two days ago. So, you’ll never see them - which is a shame, because they were all definitely of prize winning quality.

Next, I call mom - because it’s possible that I left my jersey there yesterday. When she answers the phone, almost before I can say hello she blurts out “Hi, you left your black jacket here; should I mail it to you?”. So that’s great news. I don’t really need it on this midsummer tour anyway, so I ask her to just send it south with my sister the next time she comes up to visit. Unfortunately though, my cloves weren’t in it.

And finally, after confirming that we really don’t have Rachael’s sweater squirreled away somewhere, she has the good idea to call the restaurant where we had dinner the night before we left a Portland. And yes, they have that too and will hold it for us for the month until we return home.

So things could be way worse. We’re basically whole again, except for the unexpected hole in our budget. We enjoyed a great ride, and ended the day with a fine meal at a pub down on the waterfront - I had fish and chips, and Rachael had a salmon burger. And, the weather for the coming days looks just about perfect.

On the road again!

At Anacortes, waiting patiently in a light rain for our green light to board.

A breeding colony of pelagic cormorants, by the ferry slip at Anacortes.

The Orca Inn is such a big name for a place with such tiny rooms. I don’t think you could fit even a baby orca into one of these rooms. This tiny closet also contains the sink, and is just wide enough for Rachael’s bike, stood on end.

This photo does double duty. It shows my bike wedged into a narrow slot at the head of the bed, as well as a brand new 10.5”, 256gb iPad Air.

The last ferry run of the day arrives in Friday Harbor.

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Ride stats today: 27 miles, 500’; for the tour, 33 miles, 800’. Those Anderson’s are such brutes! How long can they keep up this torrid pace?

Today's ride: 27 miles (43 km)
Total: 33 miles (53 km)

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