Ocean in View! Oh! The Joy!

Ok so maybe we weren’t quite as joyous as Lewis and Clarke, but nonetheless we were pretty excited to see the big blue expanse of the Pacific on the horizon yesterday after descending from the heights of the North Cascades. 

Note: There are no pictures with this blog being as I accidentally left my little point and shoot camera at our hotel. It’s being shipped to Fort Collins, and in a couple weeks when I see my family, photos will promptly be added.

With the recommendation of a close family friend who lived in the area, Ryan and I decided to stay in Anacortes, a cute coastal town with access to the San Juan Islands. We caught the ferry and with our bikes, crossed the big blue water to Friday Harbor for some island fun.

Friday Harbor via Google Images

We really had no idea what to expect on the island, but we figured bringing our bikes would offer some flexibility as a means to get around and see the sights. The reality was not quite as ideal as we expected. We started off from the town headed towards the American Encampment National Historic Park via the San Juan Scenic Byway road that had a pretty tiny shoulder, a good amount of traffic, and lots of vicious hills. I was wearing jeans and a flannel shirt thinking we’d be beach cruising on our bikes, but soon we realized just how silly trying to bike the island really was. Especially with all the private residences on San Juan Island, there’s not much one can do via bike that doesn’t involve trespassing or sweating profusely.

Instead, we headed back into town and decided to treat ourselves to – what else? – but seafood! I have amazing pictures from the Blue Fish Grill where we ate. I ordered battered cod fish tacos and Ryan had del mar pasta. We also shared a big bowl of clam chowder to be sure we got our fill. In fact, since my recovery from the Tetons, my body has been acting like it cannot get enough calories, and after our bike ride, Ryan was sorely upset that “sharing” our meal actually meant splitting it halfsies rather than the usual 60-40. We were practically licking our plates.

The ferry ride back to the mainland was very relaxing, with the sun setting slowly over the islands in the distance. Bellies full and thighs nice and sore, we felt we earned the hotel waiting for us in Anacortes. Never has a bed felt better.

Now we’re headed for the Olympic Peninsula and Olympic National Park. This does involve putting the car on a ferry to the peninsula, which Ryan is slightly nervous about, but should be just another part of the whole experience. So far Washington still has us pretty impressed!

Oh! Another fun fact. We may have a mouse in the car. Ryan noticed his sunflower seeds had been nibbled on. I'll keep everyone posted on that one.