SUMMARY

You’ll never be far from the ocean during this tour in the Pacific Northwest. It’s a treat for the senses as you’ll enjoy seeing sparkling waters and rocky shorelines, smelling the salt air and the aromatic forests, listening to the waves lapping on the shore, feeling the wind in your hair, and tasting the wonderful local seafood. You will be exposed to an amazing variety of experiences, from an exciting cosmopolitan city to sleepy island towns and from seaside artisan villages to funky bohemian communities.

DAILY ITINERARY

Day 1 - We’ll gather in Edmonds, Washington, an easy shuttle trip from the Seattle airport. Day 2 (43 miles) We’ll leave Edmonds and take our first ferry to Kingston on the Olympic Peninsula, then visit the National Historic Site of Port Gamble, ride over the Hood Canal Floating Bridge and finish at the historic military base of Fort Worden State Park with terrific ocean vistas. Day 3 (48 miles) We’ll skirt along the northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula and pass through the town of Sequim, famous for its lavender farms. Much of the way we will ride on the car-free, paved Olympic Discovery Trail that takes us through fields, forests and over fast flowing rivers on converted railway trestles while enjoying views of snowcapped peaks and ocean vistas. Our end city is Port Angeles, gateway to the Olympic National Park. Day 4 (14 to 30 miles) We’ll cross by ferry to Vancouver Island, Canada, (passports required!) where you’ll get a chance to spend some time in the beautiful, cosmopolitan city of Victoria. Departing Victoria, you can ride either on the Lochside Trail or the Seaside Touring Route to Sidney by the Sea. Days 5 and 6 we’ll base in Sidney where each day you will have an opportunity to choose between visiting either Salt Spring Island or Pender Island, or staying on the Saanich Peninsula to explore vineyards, formal gardens, go whale watching or many other options. Day 7 we’ll cross by ferry back into Washington to San Juan Island, where we will base for days 8 and 9 to give you an opportunity to once again customize your trip. Many riders will want to take the ferries to Orcas, Lopez and/or Shaw Islands to explore their spectacular beauty. Others may select to ride on San Juan Island or go sea kayaking, sailing, whale watching, or just relaxing with some “island time.” Day 10 (36 miles) We’ll leave the San Juans and cross by ferry to Fidalgo Island, ride through dramatic Deception Pass State Park, cross the historic bridge onto Whidbey Island then ride to Fort Casey State Park where we will take another ferry to Port Townsend. Day 11 (42 miles) We’ll leave the unique city of Port Townsend and ride back to Edmonds where we will celebrate together with our last group dinner. Day 12 we will say our “goodbyes” after breakfast.

LOGISTICS

The ride starts and ends in Edmonds Washington, which is an easy shuttle trip from the Seattle airport. (You may leave your bike boxes and cars at the Inn where we start and end the tour.)

RIDE RATING

This ride is rated 2B, with the average daily elevation gain being 2,100 ft. However, on a few days the total elevation gain will exceed 2,500ft. The hills that you will encounter will be short and steep. You will have good use of your lowest gears on this tour with numerous climbs of 10% to 15% on the hilly islands roads. While the climbs are not long, they will challenge you on the way up and thrill you on the way down.

ADMINISTRATION

The cost includes all accommodations, transfer of your luggage, daily “happy hour” socials, maps, recommended route sheets, four group dinners, and most breakfasts. The price is based on double occupancy. If you do not have a roommate we will assist you by providing names of others looking to share a room. Single riders are welcomed, but must pay a single supplement. Refunds from cancellations will be determined at time of withdrawal and/or during final accounting based on these factors: date we receive notice, availability of replacement rider(s) from waiting lists, and any unrecoverable expenses. To register for the ride, or get more information, use the sign-up link below. The Ride Director will contact you to discuss your interest in this ride and provide deposit instructions.