March 27. 2009 - Biking – Orcas Island, Washington
So let’s get this started. Zida said let’s go to Camp Moran on Orcas Island in Washington. Now this was last year and things got in the way so it did not happen. Zida and Matt, not having a stubborn bone in their bodies, kept after it. Here we are. The weather was great if you like cold, 32+, wind, rain, snow, and a little calm. There was no 40’s. You got use to wearing every thing you brought and it was quite pleasant. We had a great time.
First day: Start drive from Milwaukie, OR, to Portland, to Vancouver, WA (Zida and Matt live there), and then Anacortes, WA to get the ferry. I met two young guys on the ferry and they took our picture (Matt, Zida, Caleb, Charis, Ilene and I) with the name of the ferry in the background. It was our first taste of “cold.” I thought it was cold at our house. It was fun to talk to the two guys on the ferry in the cold wind. We could have gone inside but then there would have been heat and a window between us and the view. What a sight to see!
The ferry landed and we got off and went down this narrow road for a long way or what seemed like a long way because it was far from wide or straight. It was fun to drive. It didn’t look like many people lived here.
Moran State Park is where we stayed. There were two other campers here; one of them left. The lake is not very big. The fishing was good! Zida and the kids got all we wanted to eat. Our camp sight was on a point on the lake (not out of the brisk wind when it blew).
The first day was just getting used to the weather and thinking about going for a bike ride on the trails.
Day two: I went for a hike (two miles) and Matt waited to go for a ride. He looked on the map and said he wanted a ride up to this spot and then we would ride down with him. I said, “Where is this spot? Let’s drive up there and see where to drop you off.” As we were driving up, it quit raining and was snowing instead. (Oh Joy) There was snow on the side of the road and Matt tried to tell me it was white flowers. It got a foot deep and I was not convinced it was flowers. This road was really narrow with switch backs and a lot of fun to drive if you were not in a hurry. Yes, it was steep, low gear coming back. No snow on the road.
Matt had on a lot of clothes so he went for it. I drove back to camp. While Matt was coming down, Zida and Matt’s kids were troopers (4 and 5). Zida, the kids and I walked a mile on the trail to a really elaborate wooden bridge with support timbers 2-1/2 ft. through. I would hide behind a tree and jump out at them so they had to do it back to me. I think they ran half the way because they took turns doing it. We didn’t do it on the way back and it took a lot longer.
When Matt got back two hours later, he looked like he was in a mud-flinging contest. He just had a great time. SO, now I want to go. Back up we go and another trail and it falls out of the sky. It is really steep. I have a lot of trouble with the switch backs and fell on two of them - over the bars I went. Don’t pull on the front brake when you go around a turn. This is a no-no. When you go off a rock that is a foot up, take your hand off the front brake. You tend to pull on the brake when you land and this is not good. What happens is you step over the handle bars and go for a very fast walk - you hope. Sometimes the other thing happens and you pick moss off of you. On these two falls I locked the front wheel and the bike stopped like it was supposed to do. I did not. I was bikeless from there until I stopped rolling. Yes, I had to walk back to get my bike.
Matt and I did around the outside of the park. We met a woman biker, the only other biker on the trail who was a local. She biked this all the time and gave us some pointers on where to go and what not to bother with, like fire roads. This kind of biker always makes me look bad. She said, “I followed you up the hill and rode all the way up.” (I walked.) She said she saw our tracks in the snow on the way up and then down the trail. This is okay but she was riding a very old bike with rim brakes and rigid frame. I have a high end bike and she is having just as much fun as me.
That night it rained and the wind blew. Zida and Matt’s tent collapsed on them and they had to get up in the night and put it back up. We were camped on a point next to the lake. It was a great place for summer but not good in 32 plus weather. All the hills have snow on them about 1,000 ft. up. Gloves and hat all the time but the riding makes it worth while.
Day Three: I went on a hike before everyone got up. It was called Surprise Trail and it was a surprise! If I told you what the surprise was, it would not be a surprise. He He
The wind blew all day. Zida, Matt and I had to do a tail, so we drove up to the gate. It was closed; so it is a 6 mile ride and walk to the top. Most of it was walk for me. Here comes Murphy’s Law - almost to the top and here comes the ranger. I bet you can guess what he said. Yes, the gate is open now. O joy! Two miles before the top, Zida is not feeling well. She takes the trail Matt and I did the day before when I fell two times. She only fell once.
Matt and I go off to the top. Another mile of riding and walking is the real top. Matt says, “It is more like two miles.” He is not getting on my good side. Most of the road had no snow but this did. I rode the bike on the parts that had snow. The tires had more grip than my shoes. Finally, we were at the top and into the “castle” looking thing with a lot of history in it. The view from the top was another thing you have to see. You could see all the Islands, towns on them, and ferries here and there. The trail Matt picked was just great with a view of the lakes on the Island and the Sound. The good part was the snow was only a foot deep in some places with a narrow path to go through, then two inches of fresh snow. Yes, your pedals hit the drifted sides, so it was walk time again (thank you Matt). The fresh snow in the trees is just a great sight to see. We came to a trail - NO BIKES. Matt and I thought we could bike it. It is 6 PM no one is out there at this time in the cold (that is smart people). SO, off we went and yes, now I know why they don’t want bikes on this trail. There were a few places you could ride but half of it was carry your bike because it was too steep, too narrow, and too sharp of turns. So I am back to walking my bike (Thank you, Matt). Oh Joy again. At the end I jokingly gave Matt the hand signal of disrespect. Finally back to camp. I only fell once today. Camp never looked so good. “Matt, it was worth every part of the ride.”
The wind stopped and there was just a little breeze. Working so hard all day I just couldn’t get warm so at 8:45 pm I am off to bed. I had a beer and it didn’t help.
The last day was cold. Zida and Matt went for one big scenic ride up there and then on to the ferry and home. I am finally in the van and warm.
I stopped at the Lucky Eagle to see if Ilene could pay for the trip. She made $20. I had to do something for her for all the babysitting and driving back to camp she did.
We are now at our nice warm house - 51 degrees - and time for bed - Midnight. Ilene will build a fire in the morning and we will finally be warm. It is now the next day and 70 + in the house. It makes me think of the stampeders on the gold rush to Alaska – 40 degrees below zero and no warm house to go to - Just a tent. A great four days for us.
www.mrbontheside.blogspot.com For more adventures
So let’s get this started. Zida said let’s go to Camp Moran on Orcas Island in Washington. Now this was last year and things got in the way so it did not happen. Zida and Matt, not having a stubborn bone in their bodies, kept after it. Here we are. The weather was great if you like cold, 32+, wind, rain, snow, and a little calm. There was no 40’s. You got use to wearing every thing you brought and it was quite pleasant. We had a great time.
First day: Start drive from Milwaukie, OR, to Portland, to Vancouver, WA (Zida and Matt live there), and then Anacortes, WA to get the ferry. I met two young guys on the ferry and they took our picture (Matt, Zida, Caleb, Charis, Ilene and I) with the name of the ferry in the background. It was our first taste of “cold.” I thought it was cold at our house. It was fun to talk to the two guys on the ferry in the cold wind. We could have gone inside but then there would have been heat and a window between us and the view. What a sight to see!
The ferry landed and we got off and went down this narrow road for a long way or what seemed like a long way because it was far from wide or straight. It was fun to drive. It didn’t look like many people lived here.
Moran State Park is where we stayed. There were two other campers here; one of them left. The lake is not very big. The fishing was good! Zida and the kids got all we wanted to eat. Our camp sight was on a point on the lake (not out of the brisk wind when it blew).
The first day was just getting used to the weather and thinking about going for a bike ride on the trails.
Day two: I went for a hike (two miles) and Matt waited to go for a ride. He looked on the map and said he wanted a ride up to this spot and then we would ride down with him. I said, “Where is this spot? Let’s drive up there and see where to drop you off.” As we were driving up, it quit raining and was snowing instead. (Oh Joy) There was snow on the side of the road and Matt tried to tell me it was white flowers. It got a foot deep and I was not convinced it was flowers. This road was really narrow with switch backs and a lot of fun to drive if you were not in a hurry. Yes, it was steep, low gear coming back. No snow on the road.
Matt had on a lot of clothes so he went for it. I drove back to camp. While Matt was coming down, Zida and Matt’s kids were troopers (4 and 5). Zida, the kids and I walked a mile on the trail to a really elaborate wooden bridge with support timbers 2-1/2 ft. through. I would hide behind a tree and jump out at them so they had to do it back to me. I think they ran half the way because they took turns doing it. We didn’t do it on the way back and it took a lot longer.
When Matt got back two hours later, he looked like he was in a mud-flinging contest. He just had a great time. SO, now I want to go. Back up we go and another trail and it falls out of the sky. It is really steep. I have a lot of trouble with the switch backs and fell on two of them - over the bars I went. Don’t pull on the front brake when you go around a turn. This is a no-no. When you go off a rock that is a foot up, take your hand off the front brake. You tend to pull on the brake when you land and this is not good. What happens is you step over the handle bars and go for a very fast walk - you hope. Sometimes the other thing happens and you pick moss off of you. On these two falls I locked the front wheel and the bike stopped like it was supposed to do. I did not. I was bikeless from there until I stopped rolling. Yes, I had to walk back to get my bike.
Matt and I did around the outside of the park. We met a woman biker, the only other biker on the trail who was a local. She biked this all the time and gave us some pointers on where to go and what not to bother with, like fire roads. This kind of biker always makes me look bad. She said, “I followed you up the hill and rode all the way up.” (I walked.) She said she saw our tracks in the snow on the way up and then down the trail. This is okay but she was riding a very old bike with rim brakes and rigid frame. I have a high end bike and she is having just as much fun as me.
That night it rained and the wind blew. Zida and Matt’s tent collapsed on them and they had to get up in the night and put it back up. We were camped on a point next to the lake. It was a great place for summer but not good in 32 plus weather. All the hills have snow on them about 1,000 ft. up. Gloves and hat all the time but the riding makes it worth while.
Day Three: I went on a hike before everyone got up. It was called Surprise Trail and it was a surprise! If I told you what the surprise was, it would not be a surprise. He He
The wind blew all day. Zida, Matt and I had to do a tail, so we drove up to the gate. It was closed; so it is a 6 mile ride and walk to the top. Most of it was walk for me. Here comes Murphy’s Law - almost to the top and here comes the ranger. I bet you can guess what he said. Yes, the gate is open now. O joy! Two miles before the top, Zida is not feeling well. She takes the trail Matt and I did the day before when I fell two times. She only fell once.
Matt and I go off to the top. Another mile of riding and walking is the real top. Matt says, “It is more like two miles.” He is not getting on my good side. Most of the road had no snow but this did. I rode the bike on the parts that had snow. The tires had more grip than my shoes. Finally, we were at the top and into the “castle” looking thing with a lot of history in it. The view from the top was another thing you have to see. You could see all the Islands, towns on them, and ferries here and there. The trail Matt picked was just great with a view of the lakes on the Island and the Sound. The good part was the snow was only a foot deep in some places with a narrow path to go through, then two inches of fresh snow. Yes, your pedals hit the drifted sides, so it was walk time again (thank you Matt). The fresh snow in the trees is just a great sight to see. We came to a trail - NO BIKES. Matt and I thought we could bike it. It is 6 PM no one is out there at this time in the cold (that is smart people). SO, off we went and yes, now I know why they don’t want bikes on this trail. There were a few places you could ride but half of it was carry your bike because it was too steep, too narrow, and too sharp of turns. So I am back to walking my bike (Thank you, Matt). Oh Joy again. At the end I jokingly gave Matt the hand signal of disrespect. Finally back to camp. I only fell once today. Camp never looked so good. “Matt, it was worth every part of the ride.”
The wind stopped and there was just a little breeze. Working so hard all day I just couldn’t get warm so at 8:45 pm I am off to bed. I had a beer and it didn’t help.
The last day was cold. Zida and Matt went for one big scenic ride up there and then on to the ferry and home. I am finally in the van and warm.
I stopped at the Lucky Eagle to see if Ilene could pay for the trip. She made $20. I had to do something for her for all the babysitting and driving back to camp she did.
We are now at our nice warm house - 51 degrees - and time for bed - Midnight. Ilene will build a fire in the morning and we will finally be warm. It is now the next day and 70 + in the house. It makes me think of the stampeders on the gold rush to Alaska – 40 degrees below zero and no warm house to go to - Just a tent. A great four days for us.
www.mrbontheside.blogspot.com For more adventures
posted by Byran on the side at 2:26 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home