April Showers

Thanks to cold, stormy weather the tulips were late this year. But on Wednesday, between rain and wind storms, I made my annual visit to Mount Vernon, starting my ride from the Chuckanut Park & Ride Lot. Somehow I always take the wrong fork coming out of the roundabout after crossing the freeway overpass, and get stuck riding too far north on Hwy. 11. I caught myself early this year though, turned back toward the tulip fields at Cook Road and ended up riding about ten miles on Avon-Allen Road before I caught sight of the tulips. At least I had a nice tailwind. After that I just cruised around and admired the flowers from a distance. I rode about 25 miles total for the day, and somehow managed to keep the gusty winds mostly behind me.

It was about noon when I started though, and the chill, brisk ride made me hungry fast. I'd been craving fish & chips but I was too hungry to spend time looking for a good shop so I headed to my usual stop, the Skagit Food Co-Op.

The deli has a new automated ordering kiosk which I tried for the first time, ordering a half ham & swiss on whole wheat sandwich. I guess I missed some options, though, because I got one bare slice of whole wheat bread, one slice of swiss cheese, and a couple of thin slices of ham. No lettuce, tomatoes, mustard or mayo. I was disappointed, but too hungry to complain. My cafe americano was good at least.

I don't really mind losing cashier or food service jobs to automation, or to younger workers for that matter, but I do wish they did a better job. I can't complain, though, because I'm afraid of being called a Karen.

You can have your choice of weather in April

Travel Planning

Still not riding much in our usual dreary March weather, only about 25 miles a week. But I have been optimistically collecting information about some Washington state scenic trail and road rides for summer. And last week I noted a couple of news items about regional travel.

Good news first: Amtrak is restoring train service through Bellingham, after shutting down in May 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. The Cascades route from Eugene, Oregon to Vancouver BC, passing through Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett and Bellingham and other towns, has returned to normal service. Amtrak intends to extend direct service from Portland, Oregon and increase the number of daily trains to Seattle. More accurate, reliable schedule information is here: https://www.amtrakcascades.com/our-train-schedules

Too rough for fishing

Not so good news: Ferry service in the San Juan Islands is running again, but at reduced levels. Last summer ferry sailings were often delayed because of maintenance problems, and fewer reliable boats are available now. For 2023, ferries will be operating between Anacortes, Lopez Island, Shaw Island, Orcas Island, and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Fare is paid in Anacortes, and bicycle and foot passengers can still travel for free between the islands. Full schedule information is available here:   https://wsdot.com/ferries/schedule/scheduledetailbyroute.aspx?route=ana-sj

Unfortunately, the international route between Anacortes and Sidney BC on Vancouver Island will not be running this coming summer, and maybe not until 2030. The state legislature gives priority to providing essential service to San Juan Island residents, before offering tourist service between the US and Canada.

Private ferries or cruise boats will travel to Victoria BC from Seattle or Port Angeles, and there's the option of driving (or bicycling!) across the border into Canada then taking the BC ferry from Tsawwassen to Schwartz Bay. In Bellingham, San Juan Cruises offers small-boat whale-watch cruises. Several years ago they allowed me to bring my old pink Schwinn bicycle on board so I could spend an afternoon biking around Victoria Harbor, but that was an expensive day-trip and they might not welcome too many cyclists. As I recall, I had a little trouble getting the bike through customs and back on board for the return trip.

A Walk in the Woods

After last month's major snow-dump the weather has settled into alternating spells of rain and wind storms and sunny days. It has now been two months since I've been out for a bike ride, but I'm planning to put my bikes up in the repair stand for a thorough cleaning & tune-up this weekend so I can begin to ride again. I have kept up with my DIY physical therapy plan, and since New Year's I've been able to get out for a walk of at least two miles every day. I have begun to lose last year's winter weight gain, or at least haven't added anything to it.

Last week I tried out a new trail that is under development in a recently-acquired forest south of Bellingham. The land, called the Hundred Acre Woods, was originally planned for housing, which is sorely needed around here, but community groups pressed to change it to park land, which is also good to have. The controversy now is whether to designate it for recreation or conservation. In the meantime, foot paths are already going in. At the beginning of my walk I started up MapMyRide, but it didn't track the route along the way, just showed distance. However, when I finished a winding red line appeared, so I guess the trail is on the Google map now.

The developed trail starts from the far back corner of Fairhaven Park, where the city has put in some seating and Japanese garden features, and an educational sign board. The trail starts out as typical wide packed-gravel Greenways surface, but quickly fades into a narrower dirt path, with some rocky, rooty or muddy patches. It's pretty flat most of the way, and goes for a bit less than a mile before connecting with the old Interurban Trail that leads to Arroyo Park. I've heard talk of creating a trail system that connects to Lake Padden Park, but I don't know how it would get to the other side of the I-5 freeway.

This area has been logged before so the trees are mostly second-growth Douglas fir, hemlock and cedar, with pretty sword-fern thickets. It's a little bit bleak in the winter but brightens up when the sun breaks through the clouds.

In some places the trail divides, with no signs to show which branch is the main trail, but the paths seem to join up again and end up in the same place. However, there are some small dirt side paths, and I walked up one steep trail with some ruts cut by mountain bikes. The park is so close to the city, probably the best way to protect and preserve its wilderness nature is to develop trails that direct human traffic and try to limit damaging use. That way people who are stuck in high-density housing can have a chance for an escape, close to home.

Joyeux Noel

7am - 12/20/22

A quick peek out the back door this morning. It's been a month since I've ridden my bicycle, and now my car is buried in snow. I was hoping for one more visit to the local holiday festivals and farmer's markets, but I'll be staying safe at home instead. Rain is predicted for the Christmas holiday weekend. That will be messy.

For several weeks the Ferndale library renewed the David-Dorian Ross taichi DVD's I had been using, but I finally had to return them last week. Now I am back to my own yoga improvisations, and a Bettina Gozo workout DVD purchased via Amazon a while ago. She does short, fast-paced routines, focused on the upper or lower body, or core muscles. They are short enough to finish while I brew and drink my first cup of morning coffee, and intense enough to get me sweaty and out of breath. Yesterday I did a legs-and-lower-back workout that didn't seem too hard at the time, but I'm aching this morning.

It reminded me of the time I did a fitness test before joining a local gym. I had never tried a stationary bicycle, which they used for the cardio test. Starting out I didn't feel any resistance at all from the pedals, so I cranked it up to about 13, which felt about like a bicycle feels on the first few pedal strokes as you get moving. Only I forgot that on a real bike, once you overcome the initial inertia, pedaling gets easier. The stationary bike stayed at 13 for three minutes. That had me sweating and panting by the end, and staggering a bit when I got down from the seat. I completed the tests and they let me in, then I was able to walk the half-mile home. But when I crossed the street I had to use the curb-cut ramps because it hurt too much to step up and down from the sidewalk.

I guess I need to do more. I get out for walks, at least. Here is a collection of festive and scenic photos from various locations, weather conditions and times of day.

Hovander Park sunrise

Ferndale lights have to survive the wind

At the Lynden Fairgrounds

Birch Bay State Park at about 1:30pm, looking roughly southwest.

I'm not sure whether the sun was rising or setting here.

Between Storms . . .

 . . . I still get out for bike rides about once a week on the sunny days. Between waves of wind and rain storms the days have been sunny but cold and sometimes windy. Yesterday I went for an impulsive ride to Bellewood Farms, a kind of touristy spot on Guide Meridian which specializes in locally made hard apple cider and distilled beverages. They also have a cafe, bakery and gift shop, a pumpkin patch, plus outdoor seating with fire pits, corn hole games and a tot-lot for the little kiddies to play while the grown-ups sample adult beverages.

When I looked up their location online the store website gave the travel distance as about 12-13 miles, but that turned out to be the round-trip distance. Guide-Meridian isn't the nicest bike route around, but I was surprised to arrive at the big red barn less than a half-hour after leaving home. I've never visited Bellewood's shop, though, so I stopped in for some hot apple pie and a look around. There's a well-stocked pastry case, appetizing soup & sandwiches, and tables displaying locally made gift and souvenir items. There's also a distillery on-site, and a cider-tasting event was scheduled for the afternoon, but since I don't drink alcohol I didn't sample those beverages.

Local shops are already setting up for the holiday shopping season. Normally I would complain that it's too early but after a couple of pandemic seasons, the lights, festive decorations and crowds of shoppers at the mall are a welcome change.

After my premature rest break I extended the route a little on Ten-Mile Road, for a 17 mile ride. Along the way I passed by a couple of small apple orchards and fields of young blueberry bushes, with views of craggy Canadian peaks in the distance. Also got stuck behind some trucks hauling manure - the farms are still pungent this time of year. Luckily they turned off after a short distance. Drafting behind farm trucks is not recommended.

Trumpeter swans still gathering in the stubbly fields

Endless Summer

Autumn crocus

In September I got myself together and started logging some miles, mostly thanks to MapMyRide. Also thanks to some taichi workout DVDs I found at the library, which have helped to strengthen and limber up my neck, spine and hips. Now I'm finally feeling more energetic and getting out for some favorite late-season rides. On Thursday I rode a 40-mile round-trip to Blaine for lunch at my favorite Bordertown Mexican Grill.

Usually I take a zig-zagging route on farm roads, but this time I followed Sunrise Road straight up to H Road, which runs parallel and close to the Canadian border into Blaine. It also has some challenging rolling hills - my speed varied from about 6mph going up, to over 25mph going down. I could have gone faster, but I'm more risk-averse than I used to be and I was holding the brake levers a bit. I took the flatter, zigzag route going home.

The morning started out brisk enough for a jacket and full-finger gloves, but I got warm and sweaty on H Road, and it was warm going home. Also a little hazy from distant wild fires. But a lovely day, pretty fall weather, interesting and entertaining sights, and a nice light lunch in the middle. It was a good day.

Hello!

From across the road, I thought this said "Bud Dood"

Hills, Trails & Terrain

The weather has been turning crispy over the last week of September. Saturday I realized that I haven't ridden the Interurban Trail yet this summer and might not get another chance before the rains start. In the past I've ridden the whole way starting from Ferndale, making about a 50-60 mile round-trip, but this year my energy level hasn't been up to such a long ride. Instead, I took my bike by car to start from Fairhaven Park, riding only about 16 miles, including a detour into Fairhaven for an affogato to revive me at the finish.

The trail was pretty as ever, the shaded parts cool enough for long sleeves even in the afternoon. At a couple of road crossings there are gulleys that would have had trestle bridges back when the trains were running, but now there are just steep down- and up-hills with a lot of loose gravel. In previous years I've ridden down (and even up once or twice) on skinny tires or on thicker knobby tires, but this time my front wheel slithered around so much that after one try I walked my bike on the steep parts. Not sure whether it was from nerves or poor condition - but the uphill pushes were a good workout for the ol' posterior chain. 

This sign board map is probably out-dated now

Halfway out I stopped at the Fragrance Lake Trailhead lot, thinking I might try riding up the trail for a change, but only about two turns up the hill the upgrade and loose gravel got to be too much for me and I turned down. Instead I went back to Chuckanut Drive, and rode as far as that one viewpoint with the big tree in the middle, where I took in the view of the bay before heading back to town.

When I rode up Lemonade Hill, the last climb on Chuckanut Drive before getting back to Fairhaven, the slope seemed much easier than before, but realistically that's probably because I've usually ridden it at the end of a much longer ride.

On Wednesday when the weather was turning cool and a little cloudy, I went back for another last-chance day trip, to walk the Fragrance Lake Trail that I couldn't ride up. For most of the way the trail is a wide dirt and gravel road, steep enough to make me breathe hard at first when walking briskly, but I huffed and puffed until my metabolism got revved up.

For any mountain bikers reading this: Near the start of the trail is a sign where the Double Down mountain bike trail ends, warning hikers not to go up that way because of the chance of meeting fast-moving (out of control) bikers coming down. The foot trail curves around for about a mile and half, until you come to the top of the mountain bike trail, which drops down very suddenly off the main road. Farther up the hill is another mountain bike trail called the Double Black Diamond; I didn't go that way, either.

Bottom of the mountain bike trail

Top of the trail

About halfway up a small landslide has taken out about half the roadway, enough that trail crews couldn't get their trucks past, but it was easy and safe to walk by and continue up to the lake.

Fragrance Lake is really a pond, only about three quarters of a mile around, but it is clear, cool and pretty, with impressive rock formations along side the trail, mostly weathered sandstone that can be crumbled with the fingers. In a few places there are small footbridges over dry creeks that must have been gully-washers feeding the lake during the rainy season.

A few couples sat here and there at the water's edge but I enjoyed quiet and solitude, listening to birds and wind, and once to some sort of purring or growling and chuffing from back in the brush beside the trail - a mountain lion maybe? We gave each other our space. It began to rain lightly as I walked around the lake, but the leaf cover overhead was still dense enough to keep the rain off.

Fragrance Lake

As I walked around the lake at the top of the trail, several times I heard jet airplanes crossing over the bay, and once a helicopter passed by behind a hilltop ridge, probably from the air force base at Whidbey Island. I had a passing thought that maybe they were scrambling for Iran or Ukraine, but some more deep breathing and listening cleared my mind.

dry waterfall by the trail