Day 5 mileage amounted to zero, giving my legs (and saddle area) a welcome break. I did an hour of yoga outside in the sunshine by the gorgeous lake, feeling the stretch in hip flexors and in any posture that…Continue Reading

Day Four: Port Angeles to Lake Crescent

Today’s ride: More sweating ups and coasting downs heading from Port Angeles to Lake Crescent for some quiet time off the bike. I planned this short day to follow the long day, which was a Very Good Idea. We ran…Continue Reading

Day Three: Port Townsend to Port Angeles

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and can coast down them…. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motorcar…Continue Reading

Day Two: Mukilteo to Port Townsend

After yesterday’s mostly urban route, today’s very rural roads were a quiet relief — even more so thanks to the expert route advice of Island County planner Brian Woods. One of the reasons I blog about our travels is that…Continue Reading

Day One: Southwest Seattle to Mukilteo

Starting a tour from our own front door made for a pretty chill Day One. I puttered around a bit doing final chores like giving the garden beds and pots an extra-heavy watering. We ate a good breakfast and gave…Continue Reading

As Hubs and I got ready to set off on another multi-day bike tour because last year’s was so amazing and wonderful we first considered heading to the Route Verte in Canada, then decided we’d design an adventure that starts…Continue Reading

Riding my bike for ten straight days on a touring vacation gave me physical effects, of course, and also some policy/professional thoughts and these mental takeaways. Getting truly away from everyday routines and geography creates the most vacation-y vacation ever.…Continue Reading

A week after wrapping up the longest bike travel effort I’ve ever undertaken, what’s going on physically in addition to the mental and professional aftereffects? I did a reasonably good job of preparing myself physically for the trip and I’m really glad…Continue Reading

Now THAT Was a Vacation: Day 10 and Done

We made it! The final day started with the hotel shuttle back to the tiny ferry to get on the trail. While the sun was shining in a clear blue sky, the air felt much cooler than we’d thought looking…Continue Reading

Lest you think I’m exaggerating the shaking and baking on the C&O, today a bolt fell out of the rack on my bike, having vibrated loose along the way. Luckily we were close to Harper’s Ferry and the bike shop/general store…Continue Reading

Shaking It Up on the C&O: Days 6 and 7

As we racked up the miles on the first half of our trek, five days on the Great Allegheny Passage, we heard it again and again from the owner of Confluence Cycles, from B&B hosts, from little old ladies in…Continue Reading