Lost in translation

Email is to ole fashion correspondence as GPS is to written word guide books. The written word and story is then again cut down by the presence of the world wide web like trees in the way of NorthWest logging. Who needs to be told how to get there or what to expect or what not to miss when you have the GPS coordinates. Just plug and go. Then for those who do not have GPS the written story seems still to be lost in translation at the trailhead. Why spend time or money on maps, directions, suggested trails, directional travel ideas when you can get all that on the web. "You are here", exists no more.

I still miss getting a letter in the mail but I love email and hate buying stamps. I love guide books with their accuracy or discovering their lack of accuracy of an experience but I'm too cheap to buy one for an area I can only ride one ride as I flash through on my travels. I love the Internet but don't have a GPS so come on people remember not everyone has and or loves email. Make the story available, the whole story for free, not some teaser or require a membership fee. That too has gone by the wayside, paying for information or wifi for that matter. get up to date and get email!

Whether you love getting letters in the mail or not the other person might. Information is free and can be easy to access but don't forget to tell the whole written story not just the quick and dirty details (GPS).

The ole quote that goes something like this "this letter would be shorter if I'd had more time" applies (M. Twain I believe). Sometimes I want to wander and others I want to get to the point armored with information, tell the story.

PS I'm buying a GPS device and stamps. That way I can get to a known starting point, paint my own way and write home.

A few things about Orcas

Animal Life
There are no bears on Orcas! I could not believe it. This means the Mink, deer and berries flourish. The main animal life seems to be humans which run amuck and dive in cold water when the sun even thinks of popping it's shinny little head out from fog and clouds.

Other animal life to note is there is very very little biting bug action and we believe in a week we have killed the 10 or so Mosquitos that were on the island. This among the totally absent snake population has been refreshing.

Don't miss out going on a whale watching tour and do a water mammal dance before you go! The tours are good and they respect the mammals. As for seeing large water mammals via a kayak, good luck unless you go way out toward the Georgia Strait.

Other Interesting Items
Bike Pull Outs - yep you read it correctly. The island has bike pull outs for those pedalists who are in need of a break, breather, look around or a technical. These signs and their proceeding 500 FT announcements are all over the island.

As you read in the guide books, Orcas has been noted as biker friendly, since shifting was still done via the top tube. However, there are no bike lanes, shoulder to speak of and very few bike racks to be found. Nevertheless, bikers do roll off the ferry and make it safely to the Sound of their choosing which could be as far as 18 miles.

I'm sure this is all due to those wonderful bike pull outs and preceding announcements offered by the city or when missing offered in various manners by the land owner who's land looks perfect for an impromptu pull out.

I had to ask about these signs and the actual manicured pull outs. I was gleefully informed by a local of their story. The city pushed to make biking more common and safe on the island and during this push they got funding for biking safety. Well, as anyone knows from experience keeping a budget in balance, funds are often moved around and appropriated for things they were not earmarked.

The story goes that some officials kept shaving a bit off the top from the bicycle safety funds and when it came time to make accounts for the highly important biker safety something had to be made. The programs and flyers around awareness would not account for all the funding and the community would need to see more than leaflets.

All in all what surfaced were the bike pull outs all around the island because not there was not enough money for lanes or paths. The pull outs make for a good showing but my guess is they were not placed by a biker. This island is surprisingly hilly and those who bike seem to come off island with everything including the kitchen sink tied to their steed, or try and push a beach cruiser from Spund to Sound.

As a biker these signs have brought me many a joy and interesting conversation and yes I even tried on on for size. It didn't fit and made my butt look big.

Land and Sea
There is plenty to keep you busy if you choose land or Sea while visiting Orcas. Maybe even enough that you won't get it all done during your stay.

You must go up Little Summit hike in Moran Park and visit Turtle Back Mountain ( the name comes from it's shape). Then you must join Ward of Classic Day Sailing out of Deer Harbor. I suggest an evening sail. He loves the word super and he will take you on a three hour tour on his 33 ft sailboat (home). Make sure to pack snacks and wine for the trip with enough to keep your captain happy. He is not shy and loves to indulge.

Enjoy your time, we know we did!

What happens on Orcas Is. stays on Orcas

This is what our breakfast table looks like some mornings (sourced from a few feet away): This is what my head looks like after living the yurt island lifestyle: The island is beautiful and it cones stocked with your own heart medicine:

Our first Island morning

The first island morning was gentle to us with no electricity, tired dogs, pacific time change, zero traffic and no where to be we slept in. Our morning greeted us with 65 degrees and fresh berries growing out our front door. With this beauty all there was to do was make coffee and plan a slow uncalculated attack on the island town.

With a late start all there was to do was drive into town, toss the dogs in the ocean, get ice cream and find a restaurant for dinner. We could not bring ourselves to walk into the island welcome center so we found a bike shop to plan our bike ride on day two.

There is very little MBT'ing on the island this time of year. The trails are closed to bikers since there are so many hikers, remember this is the time for North-westerners to play outside without rain. So does that mean the bikers get the trails when it rains? I'm surprised that Orcas gets over 200 days of sun a year.

I'm so thankful to all the people who have contributed to our trip! I keep reminding myself that we are on our honeymoon!!!! Wow, we got married....

Taking the turtles to the ocean

A mountain bike ride was in order before starting the trek to get the turtles in the ocean. The NW is beautiful for mountain biking and so very different than anything I've experienced. It's also wonderful to not suck wind and have some legs. So wonderful that I actually asked to climb more today.

The riding is like being transported to another planet where land and sky dwellers yip and holler. Amazing dips and rips among bright green foliage that tugs at the laugh lines.

Today we sit in the ferry line, no not a fairy line, waiting to play amongst the San Juan Islands. Sinfully tired from play dates in Boise and biking around Mt. Baker and Bellingham we wait to load our moving home to it's next plot of land. The truck is repacked to avoid paying double for exceeding the height requirements and the dogs have plenty of wiggle room.

I am pregnant with anticipation to what Basil and brother Johnny think of the ocean. If warm enough I hope to swim with my baby beans!

Signing off so we can go walk the dogs on the beach before loading the ferry. We have plenty of time since we missed the 4pm and now wait fir the 720pm ferry. Good thing there is so much light up here in the north.

Where are we?

Use the following image test to see where we have been.....



July 16th

Honeymoon Celebration I

Honeymoon Celebration II

Wild flower time!

On the road

Ahhhhhhhhh

Marriage begins

We are coming out of week one of marriage and driving full force into week two. Thank you to everyone for an amazing wedding! Everyone worked their tails off! The event was community sourced and community generating. Thank you thank you.

Our past week has been full of adventure, joy and honor. Everyone we have met has been so congratulating about our marriage and honeymoon adventures. Ok, we might have turned a few lips askew at a Salida Private RV Park when we pulled in with our loaded truck with a just married sign on the grill.

We proudly pulled our bodies dirtied from two days of rock climbing out of our truck and looked around. We were greeted by loud point of view bumper stickers that clearly we did not align ourselves. Other than that experience, which did make us laugh we have only heard great words.

I'll write more about where we are headed soon. I found an application that looks like it will make my updates super smooth!