Snohomish (and Island) County Bikes: The Classic Camano Island Loop

By Josh Cohen | Published July 8, 2014

Take the train to Snohomish County’s Stanwood and begin your circumnavigation of hilly and rural Camano Island. Snohomish County Bikes: an ongoing series highlighting great Snohomish County bike rides.

Distance: 50 miles
Elevation: 3,023 feet of climbing
Good for: Intermediate to advanced road cyclists
Highlights: Beautiful scenery, low traffic roads, challenging climbs, possible trail ride

The Camano Island loop is a classic western Washington cycling route. The 50-mile ride traces the perimeter of the island, offering scenic Puget Sound vistas, quiet roads, and punchy ups and downs to keep things interesting (not to mention the occasional roadside kitsch).

Most people ride the loop counterclockwise starting just across the bridge in Stanwood in Snohomish County’s upper northwest corner.

Stanwood is also a stop on the Amtrak Cascades line, making it an excellent option for car-free cyclists or those of you who simply want to leave the car behind for the day. The Cascades line is the only Amtrak train that allows bicycles on board that aren’t boxed up (though they’re expanding the service to 15 additional lines soon). Bikes cost an additional $5 and the train’s rack only holds 10, so reservations are recommended. Whether arriving from the Seattle or Bellingham directions, expect to arrive in Stanwood between 8am and 9am and expect to depart around 8pm. Keep in mind, schedules are subject to change so please check the current Amtrak Cascades schedule.

If you’re driving, the Seattle Randonneurs start their annual Camano Loop ride around the QFC/Starbucks in Stanwood.

As with most of the islands peppered throughout Puget Sound, there are hardly any flat stretches of Camano Island. And though none of the climbs are very big (the tallest of them are only about 200 vertical feet), you’ll be feeling those near-constant ups and down by the end of the day.

Camano Island State Park. Photo by Amit Chattopadhyay. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Camano Island State Park. Photo by Amit Chattopadhyay. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

About 17 miles into the ride, you will face an important decision. Many riders choose to dip down through Camano Island State Park for a stop at its beautiful beach. But, as any western Washington Cyclist knows, a ride to the shoreline almost always means a steep climb back out and Camano Island State Park is no exception. Skipping the out and back cuts off about six miles and the aforementioned climb.

Shortly after the park and about halfway through the loop, the route passes Elger Bay Grocery, a small convenience store where riders can fill up bottles and grab a mid-ride snack. From there the route takes you around the island’s southern tip and back up the eastside towards Stanwood.

Click here for a map and cue sheet for the Camano Island route.

Do you have a ride report from this route you’d like to share? Click here to submit it to Washington Bikes to inspire others to ride.

Planning to add this to your personal “#bikeit” list? Tweet this to tell people about it: [Tweet “Putting Camano Island bike tour http://ow.ly/yZ4Mt on my #bikeit list. Love to #bikeWA!”]

 

Josh Cohen is a freelance writer, editor of The Bicycle Story and a contributing author to the newly released Cycling Sojourner: a Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Washington.

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Posted in Adventure, Island County, News, Rides, Rural, Snohomish County, Tourism, Trains, Travel | Comments Off on Snohomish (and Island) County Bikes: The Classic Camano Island Loop

Create Adventure: Lopez Island Bike Camping

By Guest Blogger | Published July 7, 2014

Lopez Island - RebRoush

Today’s guest blogger is Rebecca Roush of Seattle. She is a bike commuter and edits the blog Seattle Bicyclist Portraits.

 

 

Q.  What happens when five women want to try bicycle camping, and they work with a woman who’s done it?

A.  A six-woman bicycle camping trip!

Washington Bikes board member Kirste Johnson took five of her coworkers from Sound Transit on a post-Bike Month tour and camping trip that she made sure was well-planned and well-supplied. It was a big success, and an added bonus is that we all became better friends.

The trip went from Seattle to Lopez Island and back over three days, and due to work schedules and a funeral, we met up at different points along the way. How did people do this before smart phone technology?

Skagit Valley road - RebRoush

Riding quiet back roads to Bow.

Kirste and I took the train from Seattle to Mount Vernon. She showed me how to “process” my bicycle for loading on the train (well worth researching prior to taking a bicycle on Amtrak). Kate boarded the train in Edmonds. Sue drove from Tacoma to Mount Vernon, and once there, the four of us rode our bicycles to Bow to camp at Harmony Fields, an organic farm run by Kate’s friends. This was a leisurely and lovely ride on Skagit County roads through farm country with little traffic. That evening we rode to The Edison Inn for dinner, and the ride back to the farm was extraordinary because of the sunlight, the blueberry farms, and three young men performing Tex Mex music in a garage.

We pitched our tents in a lawn with some mole hills. In the middle of the night, I could hear something moving underground under my pillow. I’d hit the ground with my fist and it would stop for a few seconds, and then take up the scurrying again. Ah, country living!

The next morning we broke camp and rode to the Farmhouse Restaurant on Highway 20 for farm-worker calories and to meet Candace, who took the train that morning with her new bicycle built by her sister. She rode by herself from Mount Vernon to meet us. We were all proud of her and admired her bicycle, which she said was “Awesome!”

Crossing Fidalgo Bay on the Tommy Thompson Trail.

Crossing Fidalgo Bay on the Tommy Thompson Trail.

Kirste guided us to Anacortes, which is impossible to do without travelling a few miles on Highway 20. While it’s unpleasant, there is a wide-enough shoulder to feel safe. This was made up for by the stunning Tommy Thompson Trail into Anacortes, which warns bicyclists to watch out for the pieces of clam shells left by seagulls, and the possibility of punctured tires. Along the way we passed an inlet at low tide that was full of fishing Great Blue Herons. It was “herondous”.

In Anacortes, Kirste met a friend for lunch at the Adrift Restaurant (510 Commercial Avenue) in old town Anacortes while the rest of us bought picnic food for dinner from the local farmer’s market and The Market at Anacortes, a fabulous local grocery store. We put air in our tires at bikespot, a small bicycle shop (210 Commercial Avenue) and headed for the ferry. By the time we left Anacortes, our panniers were bulging.

We pedaled to the ferry terminal, which took us through older residential neighborhoods with charming houses and yards. The shoulder along this busy route varied in width and quality. It was good to have a ride leader who pointed out scars in the shoulder. If we’d had more time, we would have stopped to visit Causland Memorial Park which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its stonework structures are sometimes likened to that of Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi.

Our last group member, Jan, was hightailing it by car from Silverdale, and just squeaked onto the ferry in time. I was waiting at the loading dock after everyone else had boarded, with her ticket in my hand. She breezed by with a grin on her face and grabbed the ticket, leaving me the last to board.

Happy campersThe route from the Lopez Island Ferry terminal is a steep one for the first mile, so after our deboarding, the ferry crew had us wait to the side until all cars had unloaded before our continuing to Odlin County Park, where we had reservations to camp.

Kirste had smartly made two campsite reservations. The campground was packed with kids, families, partiers, and other camping bicyclists. We set up camp, checked out the park, ate our picnic dinner with wine made by Jan and her husband, and settled in. We all sat at a picnic table and loved being there in the sunset’s rays, drinking wine, getting to know each other better and laughing as Candace and Jan imitated various regional accents from around the eastern seaboard. They was wikkit.

The next morning, Jan, Sue and I rode into the village on Lopez Road and discovered that the park in the village has showers and restrooms. Good to know as bathing opportunities at the campground were nonexistent.

bikes on ferries - RebRoushOnce we were all packed, we headed to the ferry landing. There had to have been 30 bicyclists waiting for the ferry with about 30 different kinds of bikes; so many that the ferry personnel appeared to be overwhelmed and ended up having us stow the bikes between cars on the upper deck. When the ferry landed in Anacortes, there was a steady stream of bicyclists unloading and heading up the hill.

We kept a good pace getting back to Mount Vernon, pedaling by the refinery in Anacortes, a bit on Highway 20, and past more acres of blueberry fields. We had a few hours to kill before the train, so Sue headed back to her car, some of us went to Skagit River Brewery, and some of us hung out in the comfortable lounge area in the Skagit Valley Food Coop  – a bronze level Bicycle Friendly Business.

Amtrak homeAt the train station, we scrambled to load our bikes on board (we were waiting at the wrong end of the platform) and once settled on the train, pretty much collapsed.

A few days after our return, I tested the waters by inviting the other five to a lunch-time planning meeting for our next bicycle camping trip. All immediately accepted the invite. Now that we’re seasoned camping bicyclists, we’re already wondering what our next trip might be.

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Posted in Adventure, Encouragement, Ferries, Guest Blogger, Rides, San Juan Islands, Skagit County, Tourism, Trains, Travel | 2 Comments

Members Matter

By Louise McGrody | Published July 3, 2014
louise_daffs

It’s easy to stop and smell the daffodils when you’re on a bike.

This is my 20th year with Washington Bikes. That’s two decades of advocating for better and safer places for all of us to ride our bikes. And I feel the blood, sweat and tears are paying off. In every neighborhood and every community I visit in our state I see people biking!

So why do I bike? Plain and simple: it’s joyful! Riding a bike puts a smile on my face, a song in my heart, and lifts my spirits. Riding a bike keeps me connected to my inner child and reminds that simple pleasures are the best ones.

Why do I support Washington Bikes as a member? I want future generations to have the opportunity to experience the same joy that I experience today. As happy as I am to see the uptick in bicycling, I know things can be even better. I know that some of our kids do not get to experience the same joy and freedom on a bike that I did as a child.

My membership in Washington Bikes is also an investment in my own biking future. I want to ensure that the trails and bike routes that I use and enjoy today remain accessible and safe. I want stronger penalties for distracted driving and enforcement of those laws. I want other cyclists to follow the rules of the road and trails.

Washington Bikes works hard to pass policies and legislation that make our streets safer for biking, encourages safe behavior among all users of our streets, and makes it easier for folks to hop in the saddle for a pedal to the store, a park or a cross-state adventure.

I am proud of this organization and its contributions to preserve and enhance our quality of life in Washington. I will continue to support Washington Bikes and I hope you will too. Join us today and be counted. Members matter.

Posted in Accessibility, Attitudes, Membership | Comments Off on Members Matter

Capital Bicycling Club’s Two County Double Metric ride has highest attendance in four years

By Guest Blogger | Published July 2, 2014

Flagship event ride hosted 150% as many riders in 2014 as in 2013

Today’s post comes to us from Stephanie Randolph, Promotions Director for Capital Bicycling Club. The club organizes the Two County Double Metric ride and donates a portion of the ride’s proceeds to Washington Bikes.

two-county ride371 riders from across Washington and British Columbia converged on Tumwater City Hall on Sunday, June 22 to participate in the 32nd annual Two County Double Metric hosted by the Capital Bicycling Club. When asked their impression of the ride, most riders repeated one word. Wonderful. Wonderful weather, wonderful ride, and especially wonderful volunteers.

Cyclists highly praised the volunteer crew along the route. 56 individuals, including three kids, made the event a success. Volunteers welcomed and registered riders, served fresh fruit, sandwiches and burritos at rest stops, drove the course to provide SAG support, and offered mechanical repairs throughout the ride. Several volunteers did double duty, working before, during, and after the event, from 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

According to CBC president Bill Stevenson, “This was a perfect day for cycling in western Washington. Everyone I’ve spoken with had a great time, and loved the beautiful, rarely cycled roads. Riders really liked the fresh food served at rest stops. Kudos to ride organizer Anita O. for another great job in what she swears is her last year in the role.”

Past president Blaine Wheeler said, “It was wonderful the weather cooperated. In my experience, Lewis and Thurston County have some of the nicest bicycling roads in Western Washington. The roads are wide and well-maintained. The little traffic there is, drivers are polite. And it’s really scenic. Thanks to all the organizers’ and volunteers’ work, everyone had a good ride.”

The CBC’s second event ride this year, Ride the South Sound, is being replaced with a smaller-scale fundraising ride. Visit the club website for more information in August. The club is planning to offer more activities for the 2015 Two County ride and is seeking a new event coordinator from its membership rolls.

The nonprofit Capital Bicycling Club has been a mainstay of the cycling community in the South Puget Sound region for over thirty years. A 100% volunteer-run organization, we support all aspects of cycling, from recreational to commuting. CBC advocates real change in our community to benefit cyclists of all types.

In addition to weekly cycling activities year-round, the club hosts at least one major event ride per year and supports the annual Intercity Transit’s Bicycle Commuter Contest, the Thurston County Bicycle Map, and more. Rider registration fees for CBC events help support these and other activities, including Washington Bikes, the International Mountain Bike Association, League of American Bicyclists and the Thurston County Food Bank.

If you’d like more information about the Two County or CBC, or to schedule an interview with Bill Stevenson or Blaine Wheeler, please contact Stefanie Randolph at 360.464.5300 or stefrrandolph@yahoo.com.

Consult our Rides Calendar for additional upcoming rides that support Washington Bikes.

Posted in Bike Clubs, Events, Guest Blogger, Rides, Thurston County, Tourism | Comments Off on Capital Bicycling Club’s Two County Double Metric ride has highest attendance in four years

Mile for Mile: The Outerwall Team Cycles for a Good Cause

By Guest Blogger | Published July 1, 2014

Today’s post comes to us from Emily Hanning, Senior Sustainability Manager for Outerwall in Bellevue. They’re the company behind the brands Redbox and Coinstar. This post originally appeared on the company’s blog.

bikemonthIn May we celebrated National Bike Month by challenging our employees to reduce their carbon footprint, improve wellness, and – new this year – give back to cycling-related nonprofits. The challenge is our call to action for everyone on the Outerwall team. It’s a call to get fit, be eco-conscious and give back.

Thanks to the suggestion of our senior hardware engineer, Paul Graham, who is an avid cyclist, we tested a new approach to bike to work month this year. Based on the success of our Season of Sharing walkathon, where we made a donation to GlobalGiving for each employee who had volunteered and walked at least 3,000 steps per day that month, Paul suggested we make donations for the miles commuted by bike.

The idea quickly caught on! In our Bellevue office, employees formed teams based on the non-profit organization they wanted to support. And for the first time ever, employees in our Pasco customer service center joined in as well.

Mile for Mile Matching

outerwallWe donated $1.00 for every mile commuted by bike in May to cycling related nonprofit organizations selected by our employees. The donation opportunity proved to be an added incentive for participants.

“I would have done bike to work month anyway this year, but I am over the top about the nonprofit donations.  It motivates me and makes me get on my bike when I really don’t want to (like every morning when the alarm goes off at 4 AM)!”  – Denise Driscoll, talent management coordinator, Outerwall

Bike Works builds sustainable communities by educating youth and promoting bicycling. Since 1996 they’ve worked to educate and empower youth, and make bicycling accessible and affordable to the Seattle community.

Washington Bikes is a statewide organization that represents cyclists and works to make sure that they have convenient, safe and accessible places to bike ride.

World Bicycle Relief is a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides specially-designed, locally assembled bicycles to entrepreneurs, healthcare workers and students across rural Africa through sustainable work-to-own and study-to-own programs.

3 Rivers Bicycle Coalition is a bicycling advocacy and resource organization that promotes an improved quality of life in and around the Washington tri-cities area.

Are you leaning toward switching from the gas pedal to the bike pedal? If so, then keep reading.

Benefits of Cycling to Work

Whether you prefer to cycle solo or in a group, cycling to work is a fun way to start the day, no matter your fitness level. If you want to make a difference in your physical health, while also helping the environment, then cycling to work may be a great way to do so.

According to The League of American Bicyclists, bike commuting has grown an average of 47 percent between 2000 and 2011 across the U.S. And with nearly 50 percent of all auto trips in metropolitan areas at a distance of 3 miles or less and 28 percent at one mile or less – it is easier than ever to make trips by bike.

Here are a few reasons to join the trend:

1.   Health

Cycling is good for your health. Did you know that the average person may lose 13 pounds within the first year of cycling to work? Cycling is also good for your wallet. According to the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, thirty minutes of cycling a day can lead to $544 in health savings a year for an individual.

Additionally, through cycling, you can have a stronger heart, while also reducing your cardiovascular disease risks.

2.   Environment

If you live and work in a bike-friendly location, then making the bike to work commitment can lead to a lower reliance on vehicles and an overall improvement in air quality over time.

Did you know that driving a 10-mile roundtrip commute during a 5-day work week in a small, 35-mile per gallon car will consume 68 gallons of gasoline and emit 0.7 tons of carbon dioxide? You can reduce your environmental impact by choosing to bike to work, while also reducing vehicle expenses.

3.  Cost savings

It’s a lot cheaper to ride a bike to work than to drive a vehicle to work. Consider this:

“If American drivers were to make just one four-mile round trip each week with a bicycle instead of a car, they would save nearly 2 billion gallons of gas. At $4 per gallon, total savings would be $7.3 billion a year.” Sierra Club

What’s the annual cost of maintaining a bicycle? The cost is an affordable $308. The average operating cost of a car: $8,220.

Join the bike challenge

If you want to start your own bike to work challenge, visit the website National Bike Challenge to learn more.

Many thanks to our dedicated employees for joining us in our bike to work challenge! Keep pedaling!

 

Posted in Bike to Work, Commuting, Encouragement, Events, Guest Blogger, King County, Tri-Cities | Comments Off on Mile for Mile: The Outerwall Team Cycles for a Good Cause

Tour de France 2014 Poll: Would You Watch It In Pioneer Square?

By Barb Chamberlain | Published June 29, 2014

Tour de France logoWe’ve heard “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowds of 150-200+ who have packed Nord Alley in Pioneer Square during the lunch hour the past couple of weeks. They’ve come to watch the World Cup matches on a big-screen TV behind the Nord Building, which houses our offices/bike gift shop and Back Alley Bike Repair.

We’re looking into whether we could show coverage of the Tour in the Alley weekdays during July 5-27. Since we have a really small staff, we can only undertake the full outdoor logistics if we know lots of people will show up. We’ll provide the popcorn, you bring your favorite coffee or sports beverage, and we have a race viewing party.

NBC Sports Network hasn’t published its schedule so we don’t know whether we could run during the lunch hour or at some other time. The Tour partially overlaps the World Cup, which wraps up July 13, and that may affect the schedule as well.

If we can figure out a way to manage the logistics, would you come watch and would you bring friends?

Our decision depends on in large part on how many people say yes. Share this poll with your friends who live/work/bike in places that make Pioneer Square a reasonable destination for hanging out with a lot of people who love bicycling.

To receive notice on whether we’re going ahead, fill out the e-news sign-up form at the bottom of the poll. Share your ideas for other events that would bring you to Pioneer Square too.

Poll: TdF 2014 Viewing

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How You Can Support Events Like This and Bike Education & Advocacy, Too

 

Posted in Events, King County, Racing, Seattle | Comments Off on Tour de France 2014 Poll: Would You Watch It In Pioneer Square?

#wabikes on Instagram

By Louise McGrody | Published June 27, 2014

Washington Bikes is using Instagram to tell the story of bicycling in our state, so follow us @wabikes. We recently asked our fellow Washington IGers to share biking images from their communities with us by tagging their images #wabikes. Thanks for sharing! We have been regramming some of your images and here’s a sampling:

@cadenstockwell shared the pure joy of summer biking in Wenatchee’s Sage Hills.

@stephen70 gave us a glimpse of his morning commute in Spokane.

And we joined @lww76 on a family ride in Walla Walla.

It’s inspiring and reaffirming to see who is biking, where in Washington folks are riding, and why they are biking. Please keep sharing by following us @wabikes and tagging #wabikes on Instagram.

 

Posted in News | Tagged | Comments Off on #wabikes on Instagram

Snohomish County Bikes: Gravel Grinding the Stillaguamish Valley

By Josh Cohen | Published June 26, 2014

Darrington Gravel Grinding

Snohomish County Bikes: an ongoing series highlighting great Snohomish County bike rides. Share your own great ride with us here!

Gravel grinding is one of the cycling industry’s genres-du-jour. Loosely defined as any ride taking place predominantly on dirt and gravel fire roads, logging roads, or the thousands of miles of Midwestern “B roads,” gravel-grinder races and events are popping up all over the place from the original TransIowa race to Vicious Cycles’ Gran Fondo series in Eastern Washington. And though the terminology is as much marketing as anything, gravel grinding’s popularity makes sense. After all, who doesn’t love a good, challenging two-wheeled adventure with little to no car traffic to distract from the ride?

Nestled between impressive Cascade peaks at the northern tip of the Stillaguamish Valley, the town of Darrington is a hotbed of gravel adventure riding opportunities. Over 100 years of mining and logging industry have left a large network of gravel roads snaking their way through the forests around town. Darrington cyclist George Winters has spent years exploring and mapping gravel routes that leave right from town and offer terrific views of waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and, of course, the Cascade Mountains. He’s compiled that knowledge into a comprehensive map with GPS tracks, photos, difficulty rankings, and riding tips.

Darrington gravel routes

Extensive gravel griding opportunities exist in Darrington.

The routes listed range from 5-23 miles. Because they all loop back to town, they can easily be combined for longer days in the saddle. Winters rides these routes on a 1.5-inch wide mountain bike tire and recommends people use a GPS unit for navigating.

If you’re only going to do one, Winters suggests Bridge to Nowhere-Whitehorse Trail as the loop to do. The route starts on the northern terminus of the Whitehorse Trail before connecting with DNR logging roads that loop back to the Whitehorse at the Bridge to Nowhere. At 12 miles, it’s short enough to be accessible, but features steep gravel climbs. It is rated 3 stars on a scale of 1-to-4.

Gravel Grinding - Bridge to Nowhere

Bridge to Nowhere. Photo by George Winters.

Other options to consider:

The Squire Creek Loop: A looped trail through mixed old and young forest with views of a beaver pond, and Jumbo and Whitehorse Mountains.

The North Mountain Climb: A challenging climb that rewards riders with wide-open views of Jumbo and Whitehorse Mountains and the Stillaguamish Valley.

The Gold Hill Loop: A scenic, 24 mile ride on paved and gravel roads with occasional views of Pugh and Whitechuck mountains, Clear Creek, and the Sauk River.

When you’ve had your fill of gravel adventure consider swinging by Mountain Loop Books and Coffee to refuel. The owner Tony bike toured across Ireland and loves to chat with his customers. Or quench your thirst at the newly opened Whiskey Ridge microbrewery located in the old City Hall building.

Josh Cohen is a freelance writer, editor of The Bicycle Story and a contributing author to the newly released Cycling Sojourner: a Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Washington.

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Posted in Adventure, Darrington, Guest Blogger, Snohomish County, Travel | 4 Comments

Snohomish County Bikes: Promising Work on The Whitehorse Trail

By Blake Trask | Published June 26, 2014

Since the Oso Landslide there have been encouraging things happening on the Whitehorse Trail, on the ground and in the news. Snohomish County Bikes: an ongoing series highlighting great Snohomish County bike rides, issues, and events.

Note: This post was originally published by the Centennial Trail Coalition of Snohomish County and written by its board secretary and Darrington resident, George Winters.

Whitehorse Trail

Whitehorse Trail spur off of the Centennial Trail. Photo by Debora Nelson

Completing the 27-mile Whitehorse Trail will connect Arlington and Darrington through the stunning Stillaguamish Valley and will tie into the Snohomish County Centennial Trail system. Activity to complete the Whitehorse Trail has gained traction in response to the SR 530 slide near Oso. As the residents of the Stillaguamish Valley seek to recover from the tragedy, completing the Whitehorse Trail serves as one economic redevelopment strategy to attract bike travel and tourism to the area.

Snohomish County’s recent purchase of the Snohomish County section of the Eastside Rail Corridor means that with adequate funding, a dedicated trail network from cities like Seattle and Kirkland will ultimately extend over 70-80 miles north up to Darrington. The Whitehorse Trail holds the promise to become a bike travel and tourism destination providing non-motorized access to some of the greatest Cascade Mountain vistas and wilderness in Washington state.

Securing funding in the upcoming state legislative session will be necessary for the trail’s completion. Washington Bikes is committed to working with local, county, state and federal partners to ensure coordination and funding makes this incredible regional asset a reality. Already Washington Bikes has worked at the Puget Sound Regional Council level, with multiple state grant programs, and with partners from across jurisdictions. We will continue to do so moving forward.  -bt

There have been encouraging things happening on the Whitehorse Trail, on the ground and in the news.

On June 20th, the last day of Spring, what one might call Summers Eve, I found an ambitious crew working away on the Whitehorse Trail near Fortson Mill Ponds. Snohomish County has hired several summer work crews as part of a community development plan.

This area of the Whitehorse Trail, popular with fisherman and bird watchers, has been in desperate need of brushing, and now there are people on the ground doing just that:

Whitehorse Trail

The trail near Forston Mill Pond is much wider than I realized, now that a crew has been out removing the old growth salmon berry and invasive weeds.

Now you can find the trail.  There is also new gravel on the access road.   The photo above shows the huge improvement compared with what the trail looked like before, which was similar to the photo below.

Whitehorse Trail

This is what an untended section of the Whitehorse Trail looks like just west of Swede Heaven Road.

There was only a small contingent of the work crew present when I encountered them, but the enormous effort and accomplishment in the past week is quite evident.  I have heard encouraging rumors of other improvements in the works: bridge decking and proper gates at the road crossings.  I look forward to future trips watching the progress.
Whitehorse Trail

With the new brush removal, the views of the river have improved.

Thank you Snohomish County.

This news in the Everett Herald recently: County awards $6.4 million contract for Oso debris sifting

The article is mostly about the progress of re-opening SR 530, but also of note, it states:

“The contract also calls for clearing portions of the Whitehorse Trail, a former rail corridor roughly parallel to Highway 530.”

It is good to hear that the County is committed to this additional luxury along with all the needed restoration work. The Oso Slide has created many huge needs.  Helping families recover, and re-establishing full road access to Darrington are the current priorities, but the future of the Whitehorse Trail is still a promising work in progress.

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Posted in Advocacy, Arlington, Darrington, Economic Impact, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Legislature, News, Oso, Rural, Snohomish County, Tourism, Trails, Transportation | 1 Comment

Even local bike travel can take you far from the familiar

By Kevin Henderson | Published June 25, 2014

Why do we travel? Often, to see something different, or have new experiences, or for some of us even to have adventures. You might think that the farther you go, the bigger the adventure or the more amazing the experience, but that’s not necessarily so.

I was reminded of this recently while on a bike ride from Seattle to Spokane with about 40 people, arranged cooperatively between the Spokane Bicycle Club and Cyclists of Greater Seattle (COGS).

An inspiring variety of sights and sites are available right here in Washington, and what better way to travel amongst them than on a bike.

1-uptoskykomish

We left on a wet Monday morning, and as long time West of the mountains people know, June is pretty much an even call on whether it will be sunny. As it happened, we rolled out in the mist. However, it also rarely rains hard here, so it’s not like it was a hardship. We followed parts of the RSVP and Flying Wheels routes until we got to Monroe, and then joined Highway 2 for the journey out to Skykomish, our first stop for the night. At the campground, my campsite was surrounded by trees, some of which had diameters twice the length of my bike. Even though it rained most of the night, the branches provided such a solid canopy that few raindrops actually touched the tent.

Day two brought our climb up to Stevens Pass. It was predictably wet, but the road shoulders were generally wide, and short detours onto the Old Cascade Highway presented pristinely quiet wilderness. Once we topped the pass and started down the mostly downhill leg to Leavenworth, conditions changed from cool and wet to gradually warmer and, finally, the sun broke out along with that way that east of the mountains smells different, and the dense forest became more widely spaced Lodge Pole pines.

2-sunrise

On a bike, you are more likely to visit small towns you’d never see from the Interstate. We overnighted in Quincy, where the owners of The Idle Hour restaurant actually closed for the evening just to serve us. Later in the ride, we nearly filled a Mexican restaurant for dinner in Davenport, and it was something to see the confused faces of people walking in from a nearly empty parking lot to find the place bursting at its seams with people.

Of course another facet of travel that becomes more special on a bike is the feeling you get for the physical topography of the land. Out of Quincy we climbed slowly via snaking remote roads up to a place called Pinto Ridge, which it turns out, is the highest point in Grant County. Sure, it was warm and slow, but then comes the reward for what you just invested. There’s nothing like watching the terrain unfold in front of you while coasting at whatever speed you’re comfortable, ever deeper into the coulee, spotting the blue water as it first peeks out of the rock and brush, as well as the cooler air that replaces what you just sweated through.

3-canolaflowers

After Coulee City, we rejoined the now mostly straight Highway 2 for the final eastward legs to Spokane. Thanks to a generous tailwind it felt almost downhill, and because it’s early summer, the colors are brilliant. For some of us, the start of the trip was familiar “back yard” territory, and for the other half it was the other way around, and for a couple who came from out of state to ride with us, it was all new. Riding with new friends helps you see the familiar in new ways, and to appreciate the richness that we have right here in our mutual backyards.

As a postscript, I’d like to add that because I wanted to end up in Cheney, I took off solo down the Fish Lake Trail out of Spokane, which gets you halfway there before you need to jump back up to the highway. It is a jewel, smooth pavement that takes you right out of town and into quiet forest with a view of the Marshall Creek valley. Between this and the Centennial Trail that takes you out to Coeur d’Alene, the Spokane area has some wonderful trail riding opportunities.

If you would like to receive a cue sheet of Kevin’s cross-Washington ride, fill out the info below and we’ll send you one!

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