Originally Posted by
masiman
I was surprised by the remote feeling of the islands also. I kept expecting to see some sort of commercial area around the next bend....never happened. It just made me plan better food and drink wise for future outtings there.
Yeah, each island has a very small number of locations with a concentration of shops and restaurants, e.g. Eastsound on Orcas, and Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor on San Juan, and many places close at 9pm or earlier. It is possible to find isolated snack shops and restaurants elsewhere on the islands, but those places are pretty few and far between.
Originally Posted by
masiman
I'm glad to hear that it was generally a success! Maybe have a cycling bail out option on the next one if you see it the riding becoming a drudgery for her.
Yes, the trip was definitely a qualified success. I'm hoping the gradual ramp up in miles, generally less hilly terrain, planned rest days, and lots of stuff to see and do will help keep the cycling from being a chore on the upcoming trip. There aren't really a lot of great bail out options up there in Wine Country, but I suppose if it comes to that, we could always rent a car or have a friend come pick us up.