August 6 Crossing America

Posted by Frank Briscoe on Aug 9, 2011 in Crossing America | No Comments

San Juan Island, WA Loop Ride, distance 26 miles
Distance Traveled thru today 3,946 miles, on my bike 3,280.

Ferry ride to San Juan Island

Larry was up at 4:30 fixing us a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns with green peppers and onions, toast and coffee. With a very full stomach we were heading north to Anacortes by 6:24 AM. As this was a Saturday we were able to make great time on the 405 around Seattle arriving at the Ferry dock by 10:30, had to wait an hour for the next ferry but we made it on. The weekend tourist travel to the islands made it iffy for us but luck was on our side.

Kayakers looking for Orca whales

Larry and me looking at Kayakers looking for Orca whales, wishing we were in those kayaks

Arriving at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, I quickly changed into my riding clothes and mounted the S-Works for a counter clockwise ride around the Island, the first of three islands we’d be riding today and tomorrow. I was surprised and somewhat disappointed as the majority of the ride was inland thru landscape very similar to riding
northern Illinois or southern Wisconsin with many farms and few horse ranches. It wasn’t until I was on the last 3 miles back into Friday Harbor I was able to view Griffin bay, stopped at an overlook to view Orca whales but didn’t spot any. Continued on another half mile and hooked up with Larry. Larry had the task of getting the mini-van in position for the next ferry to Orcas Island. Thus, he was only able to ride a 9 mile stretch of the island. Thank you Larry for sacrificing your ride to assure I would be able to ride. There was an elderly local couple where Larry and I met up and they were kind enough to take our picture. I inquired as to where were the Orca whales and the gentleman said they were on the Canada side today feasting on salmon there.

Orcas Island in the distance

Our luck still holding we were able to catch the next ferry to Orcas Island arriving there about 5:30PM. We drove to Eastsound about half way across the island where we stopped for dinner. Then drove onto Moran State Park where we hoped we’d be able to secure a
campsite. Arriving at the campground the about 8:30 PM, the campground attendant asked for our reservation number, when
I told him we had none. He looked at me as if I were crazy and said, “You came here this late on a weekend thinking you would find a campsite? You must have good Karma as out of 168 campsites I have one available”. I said we’d take it, then we found out it sat just below the toilets and we had a constant stream of folks walking through
our campsite overnight. Hey, at least we had a legitimate campsite. Had we not been able to secure a campsite I had told Larry I’d begin asking home owners in the area if they would allow us to pitch a tent which may or may not have worked out. By the time we set up our
tents we were both exhausted from this very long day didn’t even bother taking a shower before climbing into my sleeping bag. Good night.