Day 3. Rasar State Park
48.9 miles 988 feet
This was the formal beginning of the Northern Tier which begins at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal. It took 2 days to get here from Seattle but it allows me to start at the beginning. Hence the photo of the traditional dipping of the rear wheel in the salt water of Puget Sound.
We biked into Anacortes and had a full breakfast with Amy at the Island Cafe, then joined the Adventure Cycle route through Anacortes and on to the bike path that crosses the bay, then rises over Swinonmish Slough and winds east across the Skagit delta. The weather was great—cool, little rain, and a southerly wind that converted to a tailwind as we entered the Skagit valley east of Interstate 5. We had lunch in a small cafe that had a fire department truck outside—an endorsement. We then bought some groceries to last us till Mazama and biked on a beautiful green, verdant quiet route east up the valley. Part way we peeled off on the Cascade Trail on an old railroad grade. It is separated from all traffic and idyllic. It took us nearly all the way to Rasar State Park, our destination for the night. We had beers and dinner at Birdview Brewery and Restaurant, took hot showers, and climbed into tents/bivvy sacks to end the day!
This was the formal beginning of the Northern Tier which begins at the Anacortes Ferry Terminal. It took 2 days to get here from Seattle but it allows me to start at the beginning. Hence the photo of the traditional dipping of the rear wheel in the salt water of Puget Sound.
We biked into Anacortes and had a full breakfast with Amy at the Island Cafe, then joined the Adventure Cycle route through Anacortes and on to the bike path that crosses the bay, then rises over Swinonmish Slough and winds east across the Skagit delta. The weather was great—cool, little rain, and a southerly wind that converted to a tailwind as we entered the Skagit valley east of Interstate 5. We had lunch in a small cafe that had a fire department truck outside—an endorsement. We then bought some groceries to last us till Mazama and biked on a beautiful green, verdant quiet route east up the valley. Part way we peeled off on the Cascade Trail on an old railroad grade. It is separated from all traffic and idyllic. It took us nearly all the way to Rasar State Park, our destination for the night. We had beers and dinner at Birdview Brewery and Restaurant, took hot showers, and climbed into tents/bivvy sacks to end the day!
