Fields & Streams

Another atmospheric river is headed our way, bringing three or four days of heavy rain. Sunday I went out for a 20-mile random loop ride on a last-chance sunny day.

Over the summer I was passing by a nearby corn field about once a week, taking photos to track the progress of the crop. I missed a week, then when I rode by this week the harvest was done, just a few stalks left for the geese. There are nearby pumpkin farms in season, too.

As I was crossing the Nooksack River bridge on Slater Road I remembered that the new section of the river trail, between Slater and Marine Drive, was set to re-open after September 30, and I decided to turn off to try out the new trail.

End of the trail, at the Marine Drive bridge

This part of the river bank is prone to floods and wash-outs in the rainy season. I've ridden it several times in fall and spring, and taken many photos of the interesting effects of water over the banks. After the big floods a few years ago, the trail was closed for rebuilding and restoration, I think by state, county and tribal river management authorities

The trail had been blocked off for over a year; it was scheduled to open earlier in the spring, but apparently users (or abusers) damaged the work, and it was closed again to allow time for new plantings to take hold. Last time I rode the trail, before the restoration work, I encountered some people on heavy, fat-tire e-bikes, which are probably too heavy and too fast for this environment.

This time it was hard to recognize old landmarks on the way - the rooty or washed-out spots are gone now, and the trail has been shifted farther back from the river edge, with cedar and pine saplings and understory bushes planted between the trail and the water. The trail is flat double-track with a thick grass strip down the middle, and sandy or muddy stretches are gone. It seems the trail-builders put down a layer of ballast rock, buried it with dirt, then covered that with a layer of plastic mesh that allows grass and weeds to take hold on the surface.

I was riding my touring bike, which has somewhat wider 700x32mm tires but no shocks or suspension, and I know the ballast rock was there because I felt every bump and jolt for two or three miles. By the time I got to Marine Drive at the end of the trail, my wrists and shoulders hurt so much that I decided to leave the trail and return home on pavement via Ferndale Road. I wouldn't try my road bike on it again, and I'm sorry to say it's one trail where e-bikes probably shouldn't be allowed. It's a very pretty trail, but maybe better for walkers, runners and light suspension bikes. In fact, I'd like to walk it sometime so I can get a better view of changes to the river and sand bars along the way.