Prowler 

Yes, creepy! Think Tower of London, Traitors Gate, skeletons still chained to the walls, “off with his head”. I think there’s even an oubliette. I’m used to it. Just dial in the classical station out of Temple and I’m fine.

It was a real treat to ride with “Doc” again. Such a gentleman. And don’t those two Voyageurs look different? Same year, model, color, size. But “the mule” has racks that surely hide the sleek looks of Doc’s bike. Thanks for the ride rccardr

zukahn1 

Likely the last day of Summer weather here in Fairplay it will likely snow tomorrow. Took a nice easy ride over to town on the SS Nishiki which is pretty much a good weather bike.

northbend 

Another short little spur of the moment 4 day bike tour beginning last Thursday.

I left North Bend and rode to Seattle, catching the ferry over to Bainbridge Island.

Turning onto the Snoqualmie Valley Trail at this crosswalk. Mt. Si in the background.

North Bend to Fay Bainbridge by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Arrival at Bainbridge Island. Do some food shopping then ride out to Fay Bainbridge Park campground.

North Bend to Fay Bainbridge by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I love this little park! They have hiker biker (HB) camping on a grassy area just off this beach for $7 per night. Beautiful warm day, I went swimming here after setting up camp.

North Bend to Fay Bainbridge by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

There is a small community lining the lagoon next to the park. A nice place to walk after dinner.

North Bend to Fay Bainbridge by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Smoke from wildfires moved in during the evening. Watched the full moon rise over my camp..

North Bend to Fay Bainbridge by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Tomorrow onwards to Port Townsend…

northbend 

Friday morning I Pass by Frog Rock leaving Bainbridge island for the Kitsap Peninsula via the Agate Passage Bridge.

Fay Bainbridge to Fort Casey by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Passage over the bridge is a bit nerve wracking due to traffic but thankfully it is short and I’m now on a quieter roads heading North. I stop in Port Gamble for lunch.

Fay Bainbridge to Fort Casey by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I make it to Port Townsend later in the afternoon. The place is crowded with tourists. Turns out this is the busiest weekend of the year - The Annual Wooden Boat Festival is in full swing. I pass through town to secure a HB camping spot at Fort Ward. I’m shocked when the park ranger turns me away saying they are full. I gently remind him that it is general policy in parks with HB sites to not turn any away but he was most adamant this was not the case here. Suggested I go elsewhere like the county fairgrounds. Huh…

Fay Bainbridge to Fort Casey by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

It’s after 4PM and I decide to take the ferry over to Whidbey island where they having HB camping at Fort Casey next to the ferry dock. The camping was decent enough for an overnight stay. I’ll go back over in the morning to enjoy the Wooden Boat Festival.

Fay Bainbridge to Fort Casey by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

That evening, I walked the bluffs inside the park before turning in. It was too dark for photos but I watched the moon rise over the old gun emplacements with their commanding view of the entrance to the Puget Sound.

A smoky sunrise Saturday Morning as the ferry slipped into the dock next door. Too early for me, I’ll have breakfast, break camp and take the next Boat..

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

The next boat is packed to the gills with cars, walk on passengers, bikers. Inside the passenger cabin a group called ‘the Shifty Sailors” is entertaining us with Sea Shanties during the 30 minute crossing.

The Shifty Sailors by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

…and the scrum to reach my bike as we were arriving was comical but somehow it all worked out.

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

1st order of business was finding a HB campsite - this time it was a few miles south of town at Fort Townsend where their sites are tucked into the woods by the Ranger’s residence.

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

The best thing about this campground is that you can ride paths nearly all the way back into town. Next time I visit Port Townsend, this is where my ‘primary’ residence will be.

northbend 

The Wooden Boat Festival

I spent the rest of the day wandering around the Wooden Boat Festival and happed by chance to run into forumite Alex Moll. He is an accomplished woodworker so this is a natural fit for him.

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr


Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

The bike parking area

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I like wild Ales. Port Townsend has a really good brewery for that sort of thing. I stopped at Propolis Brewing on the way out of town for a cold one and to pack away something for dinner that night…

Ft Casey to Ft Townsend and the Wooden Boat Festival by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

A quiet ride back to camp..

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

northbend 

Late Sunday morning I lazily pack up and ride over to Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island to check out the camping there.

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

The Ranger at the park entrance suggested Site HB11 and she was so right! It was stunning. Located on the high bluffs above the beach.

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

A million dollar view for 12 bucks. I sat on that flat rock in the front after dinner and just soaked in the view. Several campers stopped and chatted and all agreed I had the best spot in the park.

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

I rode the paths all around the park and went for a brief swim at the beach.

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Fort Townsend to Fort Flagler by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

northbend 

Monday was simply a long (90+ miles) transit day riding back home. I took the ferry over to the mainland at Edmonds. Picked my way over to the Burke-Gilman Trail over by Kenmore and rode east to where it connects to the Sammamish River Trail. This is all familiar ground here. Taking the East Lake Sammamish Trail to Issaquah I stop at Boems for a well deserved Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Bar before heading into the foothills for home,

Fort Flagler to North Bend by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Then it’s off onto the Issaquah Preston, and Preston Fall City trails.

Fort Flagler to North Bend by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

Now I’m in the homestretch - climbing out of Fall City to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail that takes me to North Bend.

Fort Flagler to North Bend by Matthew Pendergast, on Flickr

There’s still some daylight left when I reach town. Early enough that I could stop for a proper sit down meal at the local brewery since I know my wife is at a friends house watching the Seahawks play on Monday Night Football against the Denver Broncos. Seattle recently traded our star quarterback to Denver during the last year of his contract. How good that trade was an open question but the way Russell Wilson forced the issue left a sore spot for many in Seattle.

With my belly full I felt like it would be a good idea to ride over to Robins Friends house, bust in after not showering for 4 days and ask: “Who Stinks More? Me or the Seahawks?”

Well, I didn’t know that Seattle was playing really well and in fact they ended up winning the game so the answer was unanimous: I really Stink.

droppedandlost 

Great stuff, as usual. Thanks for posting your travelogue.

Wildwood 

….and… I just wanna be, more like Matt P


just out and about for me. 2nd check ride. Notes: raise the saddle again a tad, bars,hoods,levers fine = shellac the cloth, tools are heavy - get light.


I did it justice @Andy Antipas = it’s a good rider

State of Reality Check USA

Relic of below \/\/\/ valley farming

With full clouds and chips of rain I had on long sleeves.


home again thinking about less weight and realizing the new Specialized tires with latex tubes are coming very soon. Can’t wait for the after pic.


Keep life sweet. Keep it free.
One World Is All

merziac

Last Saturday at Crater Lake, I sucked but all else was fantastic.

DQRider 

Can you feel it yet?



Art Bell, years ago on his late night "Coast-to-Coast AM" radio show, used to call it "The Quickening". This is the eerie feeling that events, even time itself, are accelerating, and there is nothing we can do about it except try to keep up.



In cyclical (NPI) terms, this happens every year as autumn approaches and the leaves begin to change for one last, glorious riot of color before they leap to their deaths on the cold, hard ground below.



It's Squirrel Time! Around here, you cannot fail to notice them. Rushing frantically, hither and yon, with acorns in their mouths, they cross and re-cross the roads, playing chicken with vehicles that could, and often do, crush them flat. Another free meal of roadkill for crows too lazy to fly south.



So too, the cyclist. As we transition from summer into fall, the urge to get in those last big rides of the season becomes irresistible. We procrastinate pre-winter chores and other preparations just to squeeze every last, sweet mile of summer into our memory banks, to last us through the coming months of cold and dark.



From the quality of the recent posts in this thread, one would think you folks in the PNW are feeling this too. Incredible photos of beautiful country! But, doesn't your riding season just keep on going over there? Just add another layer over the jersey, maybe a heavier pair of gloves, and go? Whatever it is, thank you all so much for posting these.

Oops... gotta go. I think I just heard an acorn drop!
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botty kayer

You take the blue pill, the story ends and you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe.

You take the red pill and you stay in wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes…..

You chose the red pill, and embark on a trip……

There will be London traffic, stationary as usual, but if your journey is by bicycle you ride straight on by….

By bike you never know who you will meet, a pretty girl with cool glasses,...

….or big angry scary smelly chunks of meat…

...dude chill out, and errr get some mouthwash bro.

Despite what the signs say there’s more than one way...

...oooh lets go down here....and again led astray, I can lose hours exploring this way but the sun still sets at the end of the day.

But the days have got shorter and I start to fret, as I’ve not fitted my winter lights yet. If I get my legs pumping and cut through the park, I’ll burn some rubber and get home before dark.

DQRider 

Oh yeah, I really like where this thread is heading now! ☯<--- Red Pill, anyone?
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merziac

Yesterday, the Gorge, ok weather, good ride.

John B. Yeon State Park to Cascade Locks and back.

Regular favorite ride, probably 6 times a year and several other different ones out there.

This Merz, RR150 lived in Cascade Locks when it was built for the locks manager at the time.

I normally hang out a bit at the Bridge of the Gods and then head back, this time I went down to the park with the locks and.....

SurferRosa

Up the trail a piece.



.

bironi

Nice trail, where is it?
Thanks!

Drillium Dude 

Burke-Gilman. The particular section in the photo is between the neighborhoods of Hawthorne Hills and Laurelhurst, running parallel to Sand Point Way.

DD

esasjl

Regular out and back to Stocks Reservoir. Bright, clear weather today, but autumn chill is here. The leaves will be falling soon.



It's been a dry summer so not much water left in the reservoir.



Clear view over the Yorkshire Three Peaks on the way back over Bowland Knotts.

Spaghetti Legs 

Great pics and write ups everyone! Matt, what is HB camping? I know it will be obvious when someone tells me but can’t think of what it stands for.

There is a lot of talk of approaching autumn and cold weather but here in the Southeast - Mid Atlantic, we’re spreading our wings, hopefully leaving the worst of heat and humidity behind us for a few months and looking forward to a couple of months of good weather riding. A lot of Bianchi here the past couple of days and as it happens I wrestled mine up the hills on the Blue Ridge Parkway today. A lot of my pics are in the Rockfish Valley looking up at the Blue Ridge at Rockfish Gap. This is the actual gap, looking down the other side at the Shenandoah Valley. The overpass and hill to the right is the transition from Blue Ridge Parkway to the south entrance of Skyline Drive. I 64 runs underneath. This spot has a couple of old gutted hotels and run down parking lots. It’s always crowded with parked cars and motorcycles. I can’t imagine why no one has revived it. I’ve always wondered if someone is using it a some sort of tax dodge or money laundering op. Bike riding thoughts today of opening a hotel/hiker hostel/bike shop/cafe there. Who’s in?



These rocks say my Celeste is the wrong shade

nlerner

When it comes to Matt, I think it stands for “hahd bastahd” as they say in the Boston area.

bironi

Thanks much,
I rode that section for years, but it's been too many since.
By

SurferRosa

​​​​​​


Sing it loud, you old sea dog.

bironi

Today's ride without pics again.
I took an easy urban spin around Olympia today on my DeRosa fixed.
Visited two outdoor venues for a total of 4 scoops of Olympic Mountain ice cream.
2-espesso flake scoops, 2-salt caramel vanilla
This is my IPA substitute diet.
I did pick up on some good riding technique by following a woman on an upright flat barred bike for about a half mile.
She had a couple panniers on the rear and appeared to be riding a neighborhood commute route.
She had music playing from one of her bags, and would make loose back and hip movements along to the music.
She kept her whole upper body loose and flexible.
These are lessons I wish I would have learned years ago.
I would likely be less creaky than I am today.
I might follow down that same path soon.
By

Wildwood 

one Earth is all we have, now and forever.


Glad to ride earlier in this day - wool jersey weather.


Floating a shallow river on a cool, quiet morning.

Been a while since on this trail

Seismic waves?

International Peace Garden

3 year olds take pretty good pics of Grandpa’s arrival.
20year old titanium and that obsolete mechanical 10spd stuff. Must be vintage. Or exccuuuse me.

obrentharris 

"Hike and Bike."
Brent