9/12/14 Toledo to Castle Rock (31 miles)

I-5 Crossing the Cowlitz River (Note I'not on I-5)

9/12/14 Friday - Toledo to Castle Rock (31 miles)
Trip Total 471miles

Another "just traveling" day.  I'll be glad when I get to the coast. This area is a lot of farmland, with not a lot to see.  I did travel along the Cowlitz River for about 10 miles today which added some interest.  I got to see a salmon leap to catch a bug, but he wouldn't repeat the performance for me when I had the camera.

Tonight I'm "guerilla" camping right by the Cowlitz River.  It's an area suggested by a Castle Rock policeman.  He said fishrmen camp there all the time.

Tomorrow I should reach the Columbia River, the dividing line between Washington and Oregon.  It may take me another day to actually get across but it still exciting to have completly traversed Washington.

Kerry

This is Farm Country

Where your Washington Christmas Trees come from

Goats along the way

9/11/14 Maytown to Lewis and Clark State Park (Toledo) (40 miles)

Camping among one of the last stands of old forest - Lewis and Clark State Park

9/11/14 Maytown to Lewis and Clark State Park (Toledo) (40 miles)

Trip total 440 miles.

Chilly this morning.  I didn't want to get out of my sleeping bag.  Glad I brougth my sweater!

Another day of mostly just riding.  I would have made better time, but I got lost in Centralia looking for the bike shop (it doesn't exist!), and the Adventure Cycling map is wrong!  When I finally found what one guy described as the "bike store" (it was a sporting goods store with some bike accessories) the owner looked at the Adventure Cycling map and said "Do you like to climb?  That route has a major hill in it."  He suggested an alternate route that was shorter, and less hilly that turned out great!

Got to camp late (8:30) and had to set up in the dark ..., but I am here.  The park is about 8 miles North of Toledo.

PT Bob, are you reading?  Forget the Jambolaga with Cheese I had the other night.  Get the Zatarains Original Jambolaya mix and Jimmy Dean's precooked  Pork Sasuage and Bacon Crumbles.  Will make your nose run and your tummy happy.  Serves 5 according to the package, or one cycletourist (2 if your friendly and willing to share).  :-)  Bob the cat ... you can try it too, ask Val or Malcom.

Today I bought a little keyboard to go with my tablet.  I'll have to see how it is going to work out, but sofar I'm pleased.

Kerry

9/10/14 Shelton to Millersylvania State Park (Maytown)

Shelton - Any town that has a nice old Shay Locomotive can't be all bad!

9/10/14 Shelton to Millersylvania State Park (Maytown)
42 miles (401 trip miles)

Not much scenery today,  just pushing miles.  I'm going to try Adventure Cyclists' recommendation for crossing the Columbia, at Cathlamet.  This avoids the Astoria Bridge, which I really didn't like the last time I crossed it.  However, their route goes West from Shelton to Elma, then East to Centralia.  This adds about 25 miles to the route.   So today I struck out on my own and went straight down 101.  It was noisy with not much to look at, but definitely shorter. Tonight I am about 15 miles North of Centralia.

I got into the campground just as it was getting dark.  I couldn't find a grocery store before reaching camp so it's Ramen noodles and Tuna fish for supper tonight.

9/9/14 Belfair State Park to Shelton

Old Alpha-Romero Sprint on the road to Shelton

9/9/14 Belfair State Park to Shelton
33 miles (359 trip miles)

Well maybe not quite the route I took before.  I Started off from Belfair on 106 (my previous route) but then the Adventure Cycling route took me up away from the Hood Canal to Mason Lake.  What a climb!  I had to push the bike for the first 1/2 mile with another 3 miles of serious climbing.  At least there was very little traffic.

I found a barber in Shelton so I got a much needed haircut.  Then, since I never got lunch, I had an early supper.  After supper my body was rebelling against going further.  There didn't seem to be any campgrounds in striking distance so I ended up spending the night in luxury (compared to camping) at the Shelton Inn.

9/8/14 Kitsap Memorial State Park to Belfair State Park (Belfair)

Home, Sweet Home; At least for the Night

9/8/14  Kitsap Memorial State Park to Belfair State Park (Belfair)
40 miles

I now am on the route I traveled 11 years ago.  Right now I am about 18 miles beyond Bremerton, at Belfair.  This is at the tip of the hook at the end of the Hood Canal.  I'll have to backtrack about three miles tomorrow, but this was the only campground in the area.  Today was the first day I actually got to set up the tent while it was still daylight.  Tomorrow I'll be heading further South towards Elma. We'll see how far I get.

9/7/14 Port Townsend to Kitsap Memorial State Park (by Poulsbo)

Along the bike path leading out of Port Townsend

9/7/14
Port Townsend to Kitsap Memorial State Park (by Poulsbo)
37 miles

Got a late start today.  Bob suggested that I stop at Safeway for breakfast.   Good suggestion.   The breakfast burrito was good, cheap, and plentiful.  At the Starbucks (in Safeway) they had seating with AC power, and Safeway had open Internet.  I got caught up on two days worth of posting.  But, I didn't get out of there until 12:00 noon!

Worked my way South along the West side of Peuget Sound and across the Hood Canal Bridge; and I only got lost once!  I am now about 20 miles North of Bremeton, on the South side of the Hood Canal.   I'm not sure where I'll spend tomorrow night because I don't see much in the way of campgrounds in the area.

9/6/14 Oak Harbor to Port Townsend. 21 miles

Boats, boats, boats!  The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival

9/6/14 Oak Harbor to Port Townsend.  21 miles

No problems spending the night, just the sound of the water lapping at the shore.  Awoke at 6:30 when two ladies with a buch of equipment.  They were there to set up a half-way rest stop for a century ride.

On the ferry to Port Townsend I met another cyclist, Don, who told me there was a big Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend.  Don had three tickets, but his wife and son couldn't attend, so he gave me one of his extra tickets.  Another boat festival, that's the end of riding today!  Lots of beautiful boats, some of which I saw at the Victoria Classic Boat Festival.

As I was leaving the festival a guy on a nice Miyata 610 rode up and was admiring my 618GT.  His name was Bob and he owns a bike shop in Port Townsend.  He invited me to spend the night at his place, and since most places were booked up due to the festival, I accepted.  He let me do my laundry, shower, and sleep on the couch.   He has a great collection of bikes, many of them touring oriented.  And I fret about having more than one touring bike!

Today I'm heading towards Bremerton and will probably stop around Kitsap Memorial Park.  That should put me in a good position to head through Bremerton and out again the next day.

Big Boats, the Victoria V

Little Boats

And Music