Monday, August 8, 2016

Skagit City and Sedro–Woolley (2016-07-30)

More riding in Skagit County, away from the mess of the Seattle suburbs.

Neil and Toasty Tangerine at Hammer Heritage Square
Geotagged Album

More after the break…

After my problems last weekend, I knew I had to fix whatever was causing them. In the end, increasing electrolyte and B vitamin intake on non-riding days took care of it. I was able to finally get a real ride in!

Related albums:

La Conner, Swinomish Reservation, and Mount Vernon (Album)
Arlington Sans SR-9 (Album)
Arlington Again (Album)
Camano Island II (Album)
Camano Island & Lake Stevens (Album)

Part 1: To Freeway Station

Part 1: To Freeway Station

As usual, I left at about 05:00. This left me with a lot of time waiting for the bus to Everett.

Thinking about how I've been carrying a heavy Kryptonite U-lock, I decided that it wasn't really necessary when riding through areas where theft isn't as much of an issue. Instead, I could simply use a TiGr Mini, which would take care of folks simply walking away with the bike I'm riding on the trip. It wouldn't stand up to an angle grinder, of course, so I'd still use the U-locks in the city.

Part 2: Outbound

Part 2: Outbound

When I got to Everett, I stopped at the local Starbucks for water and a lightly-caffeinated beverage. Having these 3 liter bottles might seem like overkill to some, but I definitely was thankful for them as the day got hotter!

3× 1 Liter Bottles: Haven't done this on a road-oriented bike before.

I took my usual route north out of Everett, through Marysville, and past Smokey Point.

And then followed the Pioneer Highway through the Stillaguamish Valley and Silvana, where I saw some sort of festival going on. There were signs around about a big garage sale, but I have no idea if that was it.

Silvana Fire Truck: There was some sort of large event behind the Sons of Norway here.
Silvana Event?: There was some sort of large event behind the Sons of Norway here.

I then took Norman Road—still closed like last time— to Stanwood.

Norman Road Closure
Norman Road Rebanking

And then followed the low route to Conway in Skagit County. While there, I noticed that there was actually a small downtown west of the gas stations.

Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!
Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!
Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!
Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!
Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!
Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!
Conway: I had no idea there was an old downtown here. I thought Conway was just the convenience store and market!

I saw someone riding a road bike headed the same way I was right before I left, and eventually ended up passing her while in Skagit City. (It's not really a city today.)

Along the Skagit River
Skagit City: Not much of a city.
Skagit City: Not much of a city.

I would later find her stopped on the left side of the road, chatting with some other folks she knew.

And then I rode with her until she turned off to ride home.

Fir Island Farmlands
Fir Island Farmlands

Something that caught my eye while running through the photos is how the distortion caused by the hot, rising air made the photos look like paintings.

Fir Island Farmlands: I was hoping to get some nice photos with my telephoto lens, but ended up with the distortion from the hot, rising air instead.
Fir Island Farmlands: I was hoping to get some nice photos with my telephoto lens, but ended up with the distortion from the hot, rising air instead.
Fir Island Farmlands: I was hoping to get some nice photos with my telephoto lens, but ended up with the distortion from the hot, rising air instead.

To get off Fir Island, I took the same bridge near Rexville as last time, but then hung an immediate right rather than going straight toward La Conner. Among the farms, I saw a sign for Rexville Farm Power that piqued my interest (I'd look it up later).

Skagit Delta Farmlands
Skagit Delta Farmlands
Skagit Delta Farmlands

My directions eventually sent me onto a small road away from traffic…which quickly ended at a gate. While I could've tackled the gravel road behind it with my Troll, the 32mm tires on the bike I had this time would've been a bit too much work.

Behrens Millett Road: My directions unexpectedly led me to a dead end. I had to turn back and take the main road instead.
Behrens Millett Road: My directions unexpectedly led me to a dead end. I had to turn back and take the main road instead.
Skagit River
Dead End: The road kept going, but I couldn't because I wasn't in the mood for underbiking.
Behrens Millett Road: My directions unexpectedly led me to a dead end. I had to turn back and take the main road instead.

I turned back to the main road, then headed through Mount Vernon without any significant stops.

Skagit River Bridge
Mount Vernon Farmers' Market

My route to Sedro–Woolley involved a short leg on the Kulshan Trail, which was fairly empty.

Kulshan Trail
Kulshan Trail
BNSF Siding: My guess is that the Kulshan Trail took over this right of way.

At its end, I followed a jumble of roads that took me to what appeared to have been a bike trail into a residential neighborhood that subsequently turned into a wide sidewalk.

North 30th Street "Trail"?: The "bike route" lasted a block and the trail kept going until it was replaced with a wide sidewalk.
North 30th Street "Trail"?: The "bike route" lasted a block and the trail kept going until it was replaced with a wide sidewalk.

Following that was another jumble of roads that wound up at SR-9, which I took north to Sedro–Woolley. There was a lane closure while a roundabout was being constructed just south of the city.

Hammer Heritage Square
Hammer Heritage Square
Hammer Heritage Square Mural
Sedro–Woolley
Fish & Chips
Sedro–Wolley Mural

I first tried to find water at a convenience store, but they didn't have a fountain or public sink (common in rural areas). I ended up getting water at a pizza restaurant, with a small pizza.

Part 3: Inbound

Part 3: Inbound

After digesting it a little, I started on my way south through and out of town.

Sedro–Woolley Post Office
Neil and Toasty Tangerine at Sedro–Woolley Post Offic
Northern Pacific Skagit River Bridge
P7300132
South Skagit Highway

I first passed through Clear Lake, which I'd completely forgotten about.

Clear Lake
Clear Lake
Clear Lake
Clear Lake
Clear Lake

In the past, the climb between Clear Lake and Big Lake killed me, but I didn't have so much trouble this time with the saddle higher. However, it still felt a bit wrong, with my knees telling me either "too high" or "too far back." In moving the saddle forward, I discovered that the driver bit in my baby socket wrench had gone missing, and had to resort to a multitool for the meantime.

When I got past Big Lake, I saw the pavement turn to chipseal, which I dreaded. There's apparently a program underway to redo a bunch of roads in it. I guess I'll be going through Conway in both directions more often now! Sure, the car tires will smooth it out eventually, but it was worse than the pavement in Seattle as far as comfort goes!

SR-9: Now Chipseal: I won't be so enthusiastic about using the highway anymore, and might instead go via Conway in both directions from here on out.
SR-9: Now Chipseal: I won't be so enthusiastic about using the highway anymore, and might instead go via Conway in both directions from here on out.

While stopped for a minute, I saw a bunch of randonneurs head south ahead of me, and later on I saw two headed north. (No idea if the latter group was a splinter of the former.)

When I got to Lake McMurray, I was pretty dehydrated in the normal sense (rather than low on electrolytes) and drank straight water purchased from the store.

From there, I worked hard to get to the hardware store in Arlington by 18:00 for a new bit for my wrench. With all my efforts (and the saddle too far forward probably!) I made it there five minutes before closing after having trouble finding it.

The store was huge! It had assimilated four store fronts in downtown Arlington, and each space had different floors and walls. I was only able to find the 6mm hex bit I needed in a set of 30+ bits, but the set also had some I didn't already have. I bought two sets.

The only coffee shop open at that hour was an espresso stand, where I got both an iced americano and more water to offset the electrolytes.

Once done with my coffee and water, I started on the ride south on the Centennial Trail. Culpeper Hill was significantly easier than before, though my knees didn't like the saddle being cocked so far to the side.

In the end, I gave up on that and decided to try some more 'normal' options.

By the time I was heading west out of Snohomish, it was starting to get dark.

And I had to catch the last bus south out of Everett.

Part 4: Return Home

Part 4: Return Home

I really had to use the restroom when I got off the bus, so I headed to Gasworks Park. While there, I saw a what was supposedly going to be a rave very soon. In the bathroom, a guy asked me for some sort of hard drug, but I didn't recognize the name.

The ride home was pretty uneventful, but the temperature was very nice.

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