A nice part about being retired is you can ride when you want to. Earlier in the week, I noticed the forecast for Friday was 60F and only cloudy. No rain. So when I woke up Friday morning and saw it still was good, I looked to see what was feasible with fewer hours of daylight. (During the winter in the Pacific Northwet, we don't call it "sun"light. We don't see the sun. But there is still a brighter spot in the sky, so it is "day"light.
)
I took a route that led me along back roads up to Anacortes, WA and then to Bowman Bay.
Bowman Bay.
Deception Pass is just on the other side of that low area between the hill on the left and the one on the right.
It's hard to see in this picture, but the "Sound of Freedom" was playing with about 6 F-18s flying around in the area. If you look closely above the island, you'll see one.
Beautiful reflection in this pond along the trail.
The sign says something about ...I gotta get just a little closer...
Then on to Deception Pass and Whidbey Island
From Wikipedia regarding Deception Pass:
Currents
Deception Pass is a dramatic seascape where the tidal flow and whirlpools beneath the twin bridges connecting Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island move quickly. During ebb and flood tide current speed reaches about 8 knots (9.2 mph), flowing in opposite directions between ebb and flood.[9] This swift current can lead to standing waves, large whirlpools, and roiling eddies. This swift current phenomenon can be viewed from the twin bridges' pedestrian walkways or from the trail leading below the larger south bridge from the parking lot on the Whidbey Island side. Boats can be seen waiting on either side of the pass for the current to stop or change direction before going through. Thrill-seeking kayakers go there during large tide changes to surf the standing waves and brave the class 2 and 3 rapid conditions.
Once on Whidbey Island, I headed to Libby Beach.
And then the ride home. I saw a herd of deer in one of the properties as I rode out and back home. It was a reminder that I needed to get back before they started wandering about.
Chris
There's no place like home!! Russ. (107 miles today)....
