The Deception Pass Classic Comes to an End
Day Two of our MS 150 ride came to a close fairly early in the day. We had procured a room at Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island for that evening and had the remainder of the day to enjoy our surrounds. Our first stop for the day was Anacortes, Washington, where we found an enchanting patch of high ground to observe water activity.
Anacortes is located on the northern end of Fidalgo Island. It's bound on the north by the Rosario Strait, on the east by Padilla Bay, on the south by Similk Bay and on the west by Burrows Bay. The San Juan Islands Archipelago is sprinkled about to the northwest. Access to the open waters of the Pacific Ocean is southwest via the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The first boat to catch our eye was a tanker at anchor. This U.S. vessel is called the Polar Discovery. I think the ship was waiting its turn to dock.
Not real attractive, but quite necessary.
The following morning we commandeered a ferry from Coupeville, Whidbey Island, to Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula. Ferry rides are inexpensive and save lots of miles and petrol. Goodbye Whidbey, we'll be back. In the following pic, Mount Baker rises in the background.
Ferries passing in the day...
Welcome to Port Townsend. The peaks of Olympic National Park touch the sky in the background.
There's a lot of naval activity here. This is a telephoto shot across Port Townsend Bay.
Our ferry is about to drop us off in Port Townsend; then it's back for another load.
There's a lot of logging in the northwest, and this paper factory takes advantage of it.
I have more northwest to share; so check back in a few days.
Adios
These photos make me feel "homesick" for Washington! I hope we can all go back someday.
ReplyDeleteI think forgot to tell you guys that when we stopped over in Couer d'Alene on our way home, we met a cyclist in the hotel parking lot. He saw Mr. M packing up the bikes, and came over to ask where we'd been riding. When we told him we'd been to Bike MS Washington, he grinned and said, "Then you rode through my hometown! I'm from Anacortes." He had many nice things to say about the WA Bike MS, and told us he'd volunteered for it in past years, manning one of the service tents at a rest stop. A fun encounter a state's-width away from a great event.
I think we all will get back there. It's hard to stay away from The Pacific Northwest and the good friends it harbors. As for the Washington cyclist, it's amazing how small the world can be.
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