Largely one of my past rides done in reverse past Belfair.
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I'd gone toward Tahuya along the river few times, but I'd never gone up the river before.
More after the break…
I got a nasty surprise when I started this ride: a nasty gash in the tire that I swapped onto my front wheel the afternoon before. It was so bad that the tube was bulging out, so I tossed the tire and put the tire that was previously on that wheel back on, in the space of ten minutes. I'm sure glad I've gotten better at changing tires!
The old Schwalbe Marathon Supreme I was hoping to use in front had a huge (>1") cut in it and the tube was bulging out, so I had to swap it out for the one I had on that wheel before yesterday. I'll need to buy a new Supreme after all. #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
Part 1: To Ferry
After leaving at the usual 5:00, it was a fairly typical ride all the way to Avalon Way, where my heart sank when I saw heavy road construction. As I rode up it—sans the old bike lane—I rode over nasty, bumpy asphalt and remnants of old concrete. There was some fresh asphalt in places, but it was lumpy and not fun to ride on. Hopefully this construction won't last long.
Not sure what @seattledot is trying to do on Avalon, but the new asphalt is pretty lumpy. #seabikes
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
I wasn't too worn when I got to the top of the hill. I kept my usual pace, speeding up as the road pitched down towards Fauntleroy. When I got there, the ferry was about to start unloading, and the man running the ticket booth told me to go straight to the dock to have my ORCA Card scanned to pay.
It's so pretty out. (@ Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal in Seattle, WA) https://t.co/U6QeFTvVYU
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
While on the ferry, I partook of the usual fare of a breakfast sandwich and hot chocolate.
Part 2: Outbound
Once off the ferry, it didn't take long for the hills of the Kitsap Peninsula to make themselves known. As anyone familiar with the area knows, going east-west means going against the "grain" of the hills left by the glaciation thousands of years ago, so it's always a challenge. I would've loved a lower gear!
Getting flashbacks of when I rode this bike's predecessor out to Aberdeen. I was in better shape back then and still wished for a triple! #cycling
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
As I approached the roundabout just east of Belfair, I had memories of when a red pickup truck passed me inside it. That still haunts me to this day…
It's been a long time since I last went out this way!
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
The results of the construction that overtook Belfair a few years back showed themselves as I descended into town: there were shoulders, sidewalks, and a center turn lane. Is all that really enough to significantly improve the congestion that used to plague the town? My only stop there was a quick one at the local Safeway for a drink.
I'm at @Safeway in Belfair, WA https://t.co/eWnm1itEDz
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
One thing that caught my eye on the way out was how the local Starbucks had changed its exterior.
I left Belfair via SR-300, making a stop to explore Belfair State Park a bit.
While there, I asked some workers about what was going to happen to the former general store across the street from it. According to them, the plan is to knock it down and replace it with campsites.
I was pretty happy to find cabins at the park. Maybe my partner and I can check them out sometime!
This place has cabins! (@ Belfair State Park - @wastatepks in Belfair, WA) https://t.co/jzZZ7rvGZ8
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
I continued west on North Shore Road toward Tahuya, enjoying the views speckled by beachfront houses.
I was pretty excited when I finally hit the Tahuya River delta, which is one of my favorite places.
The Tahua River Delta is one of my favorite spots. pic.twitter.com/PaksCu7BbQ
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
And then came the tiny town of Tahuya, named after that river.
Rather than simply heading up the river at this point, I continued all the way to Menard's Landing. As I approached it, I had flashbacks to last time and the steep climb up North Shore Road after it.
Part 3: Inbound
After Menard's Landing, I started on my way back to Tahuya.
And so begins the trek home. (@ Rendisland Park in Tahuya, WA) https://t.co/6mVRAaU6zc
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
But not before stopping at a familiar place.
At the shop. (@ SummerTide Resort) https://t.co/9zsh2LmYRR
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
The shop's owner spent a lot of time walking her dog while I was there; an endearing sight.
Someone rang my bike's bell while I was in the restroom!
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
After quickly passing through Tahuya again…
…I started heading up Belfair–Tahuya Road. I had it in my head that I'd done this route before, but I was conflating it with other rides where I had gone along NE Dewatto–Holly Road. In reality, the only time I'd gone along this road, I had a harrowing descent into Tahuya, and I saw that road again this time.
Thankfully, I wasn't heading up that road. This time, I was going along the much easier Tahuya River Road.
There were some strange sights along that road, including an odd statue, an abandoned house, and a line of cars in poor states.
The road pitched up and down in strange ways, including a couple of climbs I had to walk up.
Before the last climb up, the road met the Tahuya River in a picturesque scene.
And then begun that climb, which I had to walk a short part of.
After that walk, I had a long climb that I pushed myself a little up, which wore me out enough to impact the rest of the ride. After sweating a ton up the hill, I realized that I still had one gear left, so I never needed to push myself at all! At the top, I was very stoned on the exercise hormones and had to rest to recover from them.
The ride back along Belfair–Tahuya Road was pretty much as I expected: lots of rolling hills, with the major feature being a fast descent and long climb as the river crossed the Tahuya River.
I was pretty happy to reach "West Belfair" because that meant not feeling like I was in the middle of a farmed forest, a feeling I don't much care for.
As before, I made a quick stop at Safeway in Belfair before heading out along the Old Belfair Valley Highway toward Bremerton.
This marks the end of the adventure-ish segment of today's ride. (at @Safeway in Belfair, WA) https://t.co/7mPGQL43Zn
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 20, 2019
At the end of the highway, I hopped onto SR-3's shoulder the rest of the way. I did have to stop to take a photo of the terrible bicycle underpass that's supposed to help get cyclists around the overpass.
Is anybody really surprised that the official bicycle route for going from SR-16 to SR-3 looks like this? #cycling #seabikes
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 21, 2019
(No, I didn't have to use it this time.) pic.twitter.com/SzuBOY6tQN
With my legs beat, I tried to find a way to avoid the steep main drag to the ferry, but the local navy base quashed any hopes of that. I did walk up one of the hills, but stayed on the saddle the rest of the way. Thank goodness I didn't walk any more, as I barely got to the bicycle area of the ferry terminal before the cars from the arriving boat started unloading!
Almost didn't make this boat! (@ Bremerton Ferry Terminal in Bremerton, WA) https://t.co/oewXeCzEwb
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 21, 2019
The sight of the Bremerton Fast Ferry made me realize that I didn't need to catch the slow car ferry at all! However, I did enjoy the chance to have a long rest before entering Seattle. The ferry I was on was the MV Chimacum, a member of the very recent Olympic Class. Unlike some other of the new ferries, I enjoyed the familiar cabin layout of the Chimacum, and the presence of a galley where I procured some tater tots as a snack.
Oops, forgot about the fast ferry.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 21, 2019
On the MV Chimacum. I'm not a fan of the Kwa-di Tabil class, but like what I've seen of the Olympic class.
— 竹下憲二 (@takeshita_kenji) July 21, 2019
Part 4: Return Home
After years of riding ferries, I'd become accustomed to being let off on Yesler Way. This time, however, the under-construction terminal dumped me out on Columbia Street, so I hurriedly rode down south to Yesler Way before heading north along the 2nd Avenue bike lane. I was pretty 'dislodged' by the change of events, but the rest of my ride home was thankfully fairly typical.
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