HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2019

On any of my rides in November, I have stopped for any photo that represents Thanksgiving —- for the Holidays Challenge that I am doing on one of my “challenge” sites. The collection here is for the whole month of November, and...

 ...I rode on On the Day of the Holiday and got this...

This is a popular turkey as I have seen and taken a photo of two others:

The first one appears a bit tipsy; the second a is more upstanding turkey  ;’-)

Other turkeys along some of my routes:

This next one is in a window display of a costume shop. I think it can be considered representative of Thanksgiving.

The next two photos are possibly my favorites and the express how I feel, not only at Thanksgiving, but all year long. I suppose it is on Thanksgiving that we are consciously aware of all the things we have to be thankful for.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE.

THE BOTTOMLESS PANNIERS

We are on another shortish getaway with the RV (current name is “TwoSeek”, but that is the fourth name we are trying out), I will write another post later telling a bit more of our adventure over these few days, but felt a need to post this one after today’s little bike ride into LaConner. It deserves its own post.

We rode from our campsite at Thousand Trails into town for some ambling around and to have lunch. We spotted this place that is having a going out of business sale where everything is 50% off. Susan has an idea for using a basket to fit under somewhere and she can keep all her maps, brochures and the myriad of other information she collects on each (and every) trip we do,

So we stopped and she found something she thinks will work. Nice shop along the Main Street of LaConner.

Please note those green panniers on the rear of her bike. She never goes anywhere without them, and whenever we are anyplace people ask how far we are traveling, Just around town I say. As is often the case, these extra large panniers did come in handy. 

She found the basket she wanted. How will she strap it onto her bike? I neglected to snap a photo of her loading the basket, so took some of her unloading it back at camp.

Here it comes...

Not quite out yet...

Wait for it...

This whole thing fit into the pannier with no part hanging out or needing to be lashed. 

And so we continue to do any bike rides with those panniers because ... you never know ;’-)

BEFORE FALL BECOMES WINTER 2019

Time isn’t going fast enough so the retailers hurry it along. Not yet Thanksgiving (two weeks away) and here is what has popped up in front of our grocery store.

We have had some decent riding weather, and I have tried to not miss too many of those days from the saddle of my bike. There are lots of fallen leaves all over the place, but some of our trees have managed to hang onto theirs.

Right along my street there is some fall color remaining.



And further along around my neighborhood there is more.

Ignore the next dumpsters and enjoy the color (I did).

On another ride I took a loop through our local airport and found a tribute to veterans, A WWI airman.

A bridge always offers a good view of something and a good excuse for a snack stop. See the blue sky!

I recently posted a photo of my bike next to a tall High Wheeler bike. Our City Hall has their own bikes for locking bikes up to.

Though we have (for the most part) had some ok weather, the mornings have often started out with lots of fog.

A few days after the colorful tree photos we had some rain and a bit of wind. Enough to bring the trees to their knees — or their leaves to the ground.

It happened so quickly that neither the city street sweepers nor the home rakers have had time to clean up the fallen leaves. I felt fortunate for that as I meandered my way along the streets on this damp Fall day.

Nothing says much more about Fall/Autumn than this exhibit.

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And here is some sage advice for all of us.

Happy Fall Y’all.

Heron, Hot Dogs and Headwinds

How many miles, asked Susan as we were gearing up for the ride to Anacortes. Maybe 23-25 I replied, though I am not really sure but feel it is no than 25. Susan nodded in agreement that this would be a good ride and good distance.

We lolled around in the RV a bit while allowing the 36 degree outside temperature to rise. The day was promising to be just right for a bike ride. The sun and blue sky was a perfect backdrop for the 53 degrees as we saddled up at 10:15 this morning.

The hard packed two mile Padilla Bay trail was glorious and afforded us several visits with Great Blue Herons feeding from the mud flats.

After the pleasant, picturesque, winding two mile trail we came to the road that would lead us to busy Highway 20 which fortunately has a very wide shoulder. Plus we needed only to be on the highway for a rather short time before we crossed the bridge over Swinomish Channel in a protected bike lane. The bridge is the only “hill” on this flat route and offers us some very nice views.

Once over the bridge we were on country roads with little auto traffic, and could appreciate our surroundings. The crab pots have been pulled for the season and give us another kind of fall color.

Soon we turned onto the Tommy Thompson Trail to cross Fidalgo Bay and would take us into Anacortes. Once across the bay there is an ‘art collection’ for all ;’-

On past rides, some of my cycling friends have contributed to the work with their own choice of art, but we had nothing to add on this day.

It makes for an interesting stop and nothing is off limits as ‘art’. 

We added a little something different to the ride at this point. The many times I have ridden this trail, I have not wandered through the campground of “Fidalgo Bay Resort”. I had often wondered if this is a member only campground or open to the general public. After a spin through and around the waterfront section, we continued across the road for a visit to the office.

The Resort is owned and operated by the Samish Indian Nation and is open to the general public. Susan asked about a possible stay for Thanksgiving, but they are booked for that weekend. While in the store, Susan was able to find a ‘stocking stuffer’ gift for one of the Grands. She had already found something for other Grands yesterday while adventuring in Bellingham.

Across from the office I could not resist the birdhouse display. 

Our visit at the resort done, we continued on the trail through the vast marina with many boats in dry dock for winter and repair, before reaching the town of Anacortes. A brief circle around a couple of side streets and we were ready for our return trip. But it was lunch time. ;’-).

This little place was a highlight for the day. It is tiny and the guy does a great job of using the tiny amount of space he has, with even an inside ‘dining’ area. He chatted with us a lot and then a boat salesman came for this usual lunch and chatted with us as well. The variety of (healthy, nitrate free) hotdogs gives many choices,  and they are quite good as hot dogs go. Our cup of chowder was decent as well. Not gourmet dining, but a great stop directly on the trail (and street) in basically a gravel lot!

One more stop — the restroom — and we would ride nonstop from there to home.

That two mile hard packed Padilla Bay Trail felt more like 10 miles as we battled the strong headwind on the way back. Somehow it almost always happens on this route. The calm, sleepy bay that feeds the heron wakes up in the afternoon with waves, and wind  to cause the heron to take cover and bike riders to hunker against it.

Oh what a fantastic day we had. Except — it was 30 miles and Susan was acutely aware of every extra mile past 23!