Ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island then 75km on A305 to Port Townsend ( on the Larry Holmes trail)
Another crushingly early start: that flight certainly banjaxed my body clock (I thought it was supposed to be worse coming home?).
Not unhappy to be leaving Seattle behind. I haven't found it particularly congenial but that may be as much my fault as Seattle's. Bits of anxiety about hiring the bike, being ripped off and been compounded by a surprising number of down and outs on the streets, some begging, some just loitering, one with a sign saying "I just want a fat bitch". What's that all about?
Caught an early sailing on the MV Wenatche en route to Bainbridge Island, the first leg of my outward bound journey through the SJs. The day was spent largely on the main A road, which has a very wide hard shoulder that's generally very well tarmaced. No problems with cars or lorries: everyone gave me plenty of space and no horns.
The scenery was a bit boring: the road followed the coast but didn't often run down to it or along the water's edge. I only got lost once, at a big interstate junction where I was saved by the compass and one of the maps I bought yesterday that actually had some road names on it that tallied with where I was.
However it was worth the effort because, by mid afternoon, I found my first proper bike-only road (the famous Larry Holmes trail) which led me into Port Townsend which is very pretty and very alternative. It's a bit like Aldeburgh in the shops, but larger with a ferry terminal, more boats and a rather classy high street, which sports some interesting murals and has a Coop store that is so brown rice and sandals, it's a cliché! Fantastic stocks of healthy, organic foods and regular customers who plainly were all at Woodstock.
On my way into town I noticed there was a campsite in the National Park and, since I can't get the airbnb system to work for me atm, that's where I'll lay my head tonight! Pics to follow
No comments:
Post a Comment