Day 3: Deception Pass State Park – Sequim Bay State Park 87 Km

Today seemed like a very long and very slow ride. Perhaps it was due to the infamous, ‘Third Day Blues’ but more likely it was the rain. It rained on and off the whole day, and the worst of the rain came in the last 3 hours of the ride.

The ride from Deception Pass to the ferry was pleasant we encountered a couple of small steep hills but nothing more than that. The most distressing time of this part of the ride didn’t actually involve our bikes. Just after we turn off Hwy 20 onto West Beach Road to enjoy a very scenic ride along the west coast of Whitby Island, the sky erupted. Seriously, I thought I had been transported to Afghanistan. Planes, or should I say a whole base worth of planes, took off from the near by naval base. The noise was so loud I could feel it travel through my entire body. I can only assume that for miles around the base, housing must be free because nobody in their right mind would buy a house anywhere close to the base. Side note, officially, we have seen more wildlife in the first three days of this trip than in the first three weeks of our Alaska trip. Suzanne eyed a doe with two beautifully spotted fawns. Once they saw us they were happy to continue to munch on grass by the side if the road, thus enabling us to get some great pics.
Insert pic of deer

The ferry ride from Coupeville to Port Townsend was short, just 25 minutes. We were hoping for an hour or two at the least. Down time, more specifically time away from the saddle, is always welcomed on a long bike trip. The crossing was uneventful other that the fact we had to queue with the cars to get tickets which was frustrating, but the price we paid was great. $8 for two people and two bikes. I think it would have been $800 on BC Ferries.

We stopped for lunch and to pick up groceries in Port Townsend and then headed for the campsite. As soon as we left, the heavens opened… The next next 35 Km were wet and difficult with several longer hills and certainly our most aggressive terrain to date. We rolled into late after 5:30pm and quickly set up our tent during a brief let up in the weather. Luckily the campsite had a large covered area to cook under, and double as a laundromat.

We’re both hoping for a dryer day tomorrow because our rain gear will definitely not be dry for tomorrow and worst thing in the world, when you are biking, is to have to put on wet gear in the morning.

It’s already 8:51pm I see, so there shall be no Modern Family tonight. Instead I’ll continue with my book. I’m reading about the life and times of Sir Alex Ferguson, and it is monumental!

Thanks

Christopher