Day 84; Snohomish, WA to Anacortes, WA

July 28, 2021

The Fat Lady Is Warming Up

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Climbing Today; 1,149 ft Climbing to Date; 136,099 ft

I left Snohomish on the Centennial Trail, a paved path. I thought it would last for about 25 miles, but it actually lasted for 31 miles of today's journey. It was cold this morning and fog rose from the fields and ponds. The trail passed near the center of Arlington, and I diverted and rode down the main street until I saw the Blue Bird cafe. I enjoyed a nice sit-down breakfast and moved on. Today's ride was to be about 63 miles, but I was in no hurry. Today I would cover almost all of the remaining distance to the "official" end point of the Northern Tier, and tomorrow I will wrap it up. Like all endeavors that require an epic effort, once you can finally see the finish line it seems that you are in no hurry to get there. Perhaps it has something to do with enjoying the moment - I don't have the words to explain it, but I know that when it is all over I will feel strange and a little empty for a while.

Early Morning Fog Near The Centennial Trail

"Share The Road" Is Usually Meant For Bicycles

I stopped at a convenience store and got a couple of egg-rolls for lunch. Sitting outside at a picnic table, I got several calls from my dentist's office involving coordinating an oral surgeon's appointment to remove wisdom tooth #5. It may happen as early as next Monday, meaning I will arrive home at midnight on Saturday and have 1 day free before I'm "down" for a few days recovering from the surgery. Oh well, I remember the debilitating pain from the wisdom tooth infection that almost shut down this journey, so the sooner they get it out the better I suppose. Still, it is a "bonus" wisdom tooth and it's a part of me; wait a minute, what am I saying, get that thing out of me ASAP please. It's hard to imagine how horribly people suffered before we Sapiens advanced enough to have good dental care.

There's a lot I could say, but I'm tired. Today's ride was magical. When I got off the Centennial Trail, the roadways I followed were shaded and mostly traffic-free. I rejoined the ACA map system at Highway 20, which is a busy highway near Anacortes, but my path quickly diverged from the busy road and connected me to the Tommy Thompson Trail which took me along the bay and dumped me out about a block from my hotel in downtown Anacortes. Today's ride may have been the most enjoyable cycling of the entire trip. It seems as though the cycling gods were saying "Well done, you worked hard and fought your way this far, here's a great ride to help you finish."

Turntable Railroad Bridge In Padilla Bay

The Tommy Thompson Trail Provides An Easy Path And Entry To Anacortes

Lazy Day With The Seagulls Chattering Away

I have details to take care of in the morning; 1.) the "official" finish at the ferry terminal, 2.) sorting my gear so I keep what's needed and then ship the rest home at the UPS store, and 3.) getting to the bike shop with my bike for them to disassemble and pack, and 4.) after determining when they will have it ready, I have to coordinate with Bike Flights to arrange the actual pickup and shipping. No big deal, just things I need to take care of - I have all day tomorrow to do it, and I have an extra day on Friday in case there's any glitches. So I'll talk to you tomorrow after everything is (hopefully) done. Goodbye for now...

Today's ride: 64 miles (103 km)
Total: 4,250 miles (6,840 km)

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Kelly IniguezYou are squeezing every bit of life out of life! Congratulations!
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