I was on Lopez Island to learn more about my family and spend a couple days exploring, mostly by bicycle. It was beautiful and moving on many levels. This island is quiet, friendly, and is lovely from farmland to seaside.
This island is also hilly! I'm told it is the least hilly of the San Juan Islands, but that does not make it flat. I definitely got in a workout pedaling up the rolling countryside. What goes up must come down though, and it was a lot of fun to coast down through field and forest once I earned a hilltop.
Apple Watch stats:
Day 1 - 11.35 miles, 668 ft of total elevation gain (including my wrong turn)
Day 2 - 22.48 miles, 1315 ft of elevation gain
Day 3 - just short of 5 miles, 374 ft of elevation gain
There are very few shoulders on any of the roads there, and while all the vehicle traffic was very courteous and traffic was sparse, just be aware that you are definitely going to be sharing the road. There are signs asking bicyclists to avoid Center Rd and Mud Bay Rd, which I did as much as possible, but I don't think they are 100% avoidable, depending on what you want to get to on the island.
My mom grew up on Lopez Island, but the last time I was there I was too young to appreciate that. This time I was really interested in and moved by the connections she had with people and places - I felt connected as well. I tried not to include too much for those of you who just wanted to see the cycling part, but did want to show the full experience of the weekend as well.
Birding would be spectacular on Lopez Island - I was not able to capture every bird I saw on film, but I saw a lot of bald eagles, rufous hummingbirds, white crowned sparrows, and sea birds as well. There are a lot of deer and large rabbits (I believe these are of European domestic rabbit descent), as well as fields of fun farm animals you'll pass. I was stoked to see a team of horses plowing a field, and spring is great for calves and lambs.
Happy adventuring!
Music:
Believe by NEFEX
Snowy Peaks Pt I by Chris Haugen
Sunshine on Sand by Unicorn Heads
Nimbus by Eveningland
Fern by Ann Annie
Beth by VYEN
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21 авг 2024
