The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Islands in the Pacific Northwest

June 25th to July 7th

Ride Director: Marty Fink
Ride Co-Director: Marisa Fink
Ride Driver: Ben Satterwhite
Report by: David Burkhardt

Just as advertised by ride co-directors Marty and Marissa Fink, the Islands of the Pacific Northwest tour of June 25 through July 7, 2017 was a treat for the senses: sparkling ocean waters, cascading and snowcapped mountain views, rocky shorelines, and aromatic forests.

We began in Edmonds, one of Washington’s most picturesque waterfront towns.  Renowned world traveler Rick Steves calls Edmonds his favorite destination, and his hometown.  Riding was a solid 2B with five mandatory riding days and an additional six “choice” days allowing participants to choose from riding, sightseeing, or rest and relaxation.  The choice days were enhanced by a three-night stay in Sidney by the Sea, a year-round tourist destination on the southern tip of Vancouver Island in Canada, and a four-night stay in Friday Harbor, a tiny town with a rich history, and the gateway to several U.S. San Juan Islands.

Cue sheets were right on.  Food choices were abundant for the connoisseur and hamburger lover.  Accommodations were nice and well located, and the tour timeframe allowed riders to enjoy not one, but two, national Independence Day celebrations.

Routes and sightseeing were superb.  Road surfaces were good, shoulders frequent, and traffic generally light.  The islands have a well-deserved reputation for short steep grades, but they were infrequent, and not a problem for our group.  Official riding began on Day 2, after a ferry from Edmonds to Port Townsend, on the Olympic Peninsula.  Key sites were historic Port Gamble, the Hood Canal Floating Bridge, and Fort Worden State Park, a former U.S. Army base and filming location for An Officer and A Gentleman.  Much of the next day’s riding was on the car-free Olympic Discovery Trail, a scenic paved path that traverses forests and streams, ending in the town of Port Angeles, gateway to Olympic National Park.

Next, after a ferry to charming Victoria, British Columbia, we rode the coastal route to Sidney by the Sea.  During the extended stay, my wife and I loved a three-hour whale watching trip, cycled the north end of Southern Vancouver Island, and made the short trip to the gorgeous Butchart Gardens.  Others ventured to Saltspring Island or Pender Island, located between mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island.  On July 1, departure day, the town celebrated Canada’s 150-year anniversary with its unique small-town flair.

Then into charming Friday Harbor that evening by ferry, with accommodations in the harbor adjacent Islands Inn hotel.  Friday Harbor was a terrific base.  Our favorite route was a 31-mile, 2,900 foot climbing experience on San Juan Island, much of it through lush cool forests, then lunch in lovely Roche Harbor, topped off with a visit to the San Juan Winery.  Several riders sought out challenging Orcas Island with its breathtaking views and Mt. Constitution, a 5.5-mile Ventoux-like Tour de France climbing experience.  Lopez Island beckoned those seeking flatter riding, wooded forests, and picturesque beaches.  Our hotel provided front row seats for July 4th fireworks.

Next, we ferried from Friday Harbor to the Anacortes ferry terminal on Fidalgo Island, leading to one of the most breathtaking vistas of the trip on Deception Pass Bridge to Whidbey Island.  The bridge complements jaw-dropping Deception Pass, one of the scenic wonders of the Pacific Northwest.  After some lovely riding, we enjoyed lunch in Coupeville, home of the world famous local delicacy, Penn Cove mussels.  Then a return to Port Townsend, and our last riding day from Port Townsend to Edmonds on some different routes than our outbound trip.

This tour was nearly perfect in so many ways: routes, weather, accommodations, leadership, organization, food, and scenery.