Monday, August 15, 2016

Quimper Peninsula (2016-08-05)

A fun birthday treat!

Neil & Stormy Skies at Fort Flagler State Park: I struggled to get this with a timer, but one of the park staff was kind enough to take the photo for me.
Geotagged Album

More after the break…

Related albums:

Dabob Peninsula (Album)
Sequim IV (Album)
Quilcene II (Album)
Kitsap Loop (Album)
Sequim III (Album)

Part 1: To Ferry

Part 1: To Ferry

I started at about 05:00 and headed to the ferry terminal downtown. While I could've taken an earlier ferry as it was a weekday, I decided it wasn't necessary.

Another cyclist pulled up while I waited, and I chatted with her both at the terminal and on the ferry.

She was on her commute to Bainbridge. We discussed long rides, and she said she usually didn't do them alone like I did. The bicycle museum in Winslow came up in our conversation, and she mentioned wanting to go, but her work hours prevented her from doing so normally.

Part 2: Outbound

Part 2: Outbound

When I got off the ferry, I was stuck behind a guy who wouldn't switch to his lower gears to climb the steep hills. Traffic to our left prevented me from passing. He eventually turned of, thankfully.

As I rode, I saw many bicycle commuters around SR-305. It does seem like it'd be a nice commute, far away from the suburban sprawl cyclists on the mainland have to deal with.

As I descended toward Agate Pass, I saw a "CYCLISTS ON BRIDGE" sign with lights that started flashing as I rode on the shoulder.

Unlike last time, I took Port Gamble Road across the Kitsap Peninsula, which involved quite a bit of climbing. There was also more traffic than I'd expected, but it was a week day after all.

Something that caught my attention was how the intersection of Port Gamble Road and SR-307 didn't allow the former's traffic to cross the latter. I recall when that wasn't the case, but I don't have any photos from back then.

Port Gamble Road & SR-307: This was originally a normal intersection, but work was done to disallow going straight across SR-307.
Port Gamble Road & SR-307: This was originally a normal intersection, but work was done to disallow going straight across SR-307.
Port Gamble General Store
Stormy Skies at Port Gamble
Port Gamble

At Port Gamble, I unexpectedly saw a familiar face.

I left Port Gamble via SR-104, heading across the Hood Canal Bridge. I then started the steepest climb of my ride, which actually wasn't too bad.

Hood Canal Bridge
Paradise Bay Road: Quite a climb! The chipseal didn't detract from it.

After a lot of climbing and descending on Paradise Bay Road, I made my way into Port Ludlow. I thought I'd hit the town when I saw the bank, but the actual town was maybe a half-mile further on.

Port Ludlow: This is all I saw when I thought I'd gotten into town, so I didn't think much of it. I'd see more later
Paradise Bay Road
Port Ludlow Bus Stop
Port Ludlow
Port Ludlow
Oak Bay Road

After a little more climbing on Oak Bay Road, I got a better view and saw what appeared to be a resort and marina.

Port Ludlow
Neil & Stormy Skies at Port Ludlow
Oak Bay Road
Oak Bay Road
Mat Mats

I continued my way along Oak Bay Road to SR-116. When I stopped to make an adjustment, I saw that my 6mm hex bit had disappeared again. What a pain!

At SR-116, I hung a right to go along the southern end of Indian Island, then to Marrowstone Island.

SR-116: The fence there is for the Indian Island Naval Magazine.
Isthmus Beach
Marrowstone Island Isthmus
Stormy Skies at Marrowstone Island Isthmus

Heading north, I made my way through the town of Nordland.

Nordland General Store & Post Office
Nordland
Nordland
Mystery Bay

Then entered Fort Flagler State Park. The lady running the registration booth confirmed what the State Parks site says: non-motorized modes of transport don't need the pass. Nice!

Fort Flagler State Park Campground

After heading to the campground area, I realized that I'd need to turn back to visit the old military buildings. While doing so, I got the odd feeling of deja vu, that I'd been to the park as a child. (My father couldn't confirm nor deny it when I asked a couple days later.)

When I got to the old buildings, I put a lot of effort into getting a good shot with my camera's telephoto lens and its timer across the street. After trying a few times—and breaking my watch band—I realized that it wouldn't pan out.

Broken Watch Band: Even though I bored the band out to accept beefier 1.8mm spring bars, they still aren't enough for my lifestyle. Switching to 'NATO' bands instead.

Thankfully, a park employee obliged.

Neil & Stormy Skies at Fort Flagler State Park: I struggled to get this with a timer, but one of the park staff was kind enough to take the photo for me.
Fort Flagler State Park
Fort Flagler State Park
Fort Flagler State Park
Fort Flagler State Park
Fort Flagler State Park Main Office

Part 3: Inbound

Part 3: Inbound

Since I was done at the park, I headed back the way I came to the peninsula. I had a nice tailwind at this point.

Port Townsend Ship Canal Bridge
Port Townsend Ship Canal
Port Townsend Ship Canal
SR-116

At Port Hadlock, I got some coffee to help me head south.

Stormy Skies at Port Hadlock
Port Hadlock
Port Hadlock

After consulting my GPS, I was both amused and relieved when I saw that my route didn't involve going to Port Townsend.

Maybe a quarter mile down the road, I saw a hardware store. When I signaled to turn in using standard hand signals, a young female driver waiting to enter traffic was confused until I turned. "Oh, that's what that means." I guess drivers' ed is pretty ineffective!

Unfortunately, I didn't have any luck finding what I needed at the hardware store. The guy I asked suggested going to Napa, but I didn't know where one was and didn't put any effort into locating one.

I headed to SR-19, then started on my way south through Chimacum, where I saw an older guy on a Lynskey titanium road bike.

Chimacum Farm Store
Abandoned Chimacum Garage
SR-19

While I've been through the Beaver Valley a number of times in the past, I can't recall ever heading south through it like I was this time.

Beaver Valley

At the Jefferson County Visitors' Center, I stopped too use the restroom. The volunteer curator was talking about the old steel industry in Irondale to some visitors when I asked him if there was a restroom there.

Neil & Stormy Skies at Jefferson County Thresher

I then took SR-104 across the Hood Canal Bridge and started on my way down SR-3 to Bremerton. I stopped for some more coffee at the usual spot there, too. (I'd also previously chatted with some bicycle tourists over coffee there, for example.)

Traffic wasn't too heavy at all, which was nice.

After using SR-3 to avoid the steep ridge north of Silverdale, I dropped into Silverdale via its local roads.

I took Northlake Way for an easy 2% limb around Kitsap Lake, then followed Kitsap Way through Bremerton to the ferry terminal. Unfortunately, I didn't make it in time.

Bremerton Ferry Terminal: Barely missed the ferry, so I had to wait for an hour at the terminal.
Neil & Stormy Skies at Bremerton Ferry Terminal: Barely missed the ferry, so I had to wait for an hour at the terminal.

While waiting, I got some ice cream to celebrate, which was nice after being out in hot weather all day.

Another cyclist showed up shortly before the ferry arrived, and we talked about routes a bit. Another guy on a moped also showed up, too, which surprised me as I had no idea they counted as bicycles to Washington State Ferries.

Part 4: Return Home

Part 4: Return Home
Seattle Waterfront: A nice sight to return to.

While I took a different route from what the other cyclists took to get north out of downtown, I did see the moped rider on Dexter Avenue before he dropped me.

And when I got home, I was ready for a shower and bed.

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