Olympic Discovery Trail...

[Jacobi]

Well, I just finished this ride yesterday. It was an amazing ride! I went from the John Wayne Marina east of Sequim to the west side of Port Angeles and back again. Here's the stats from the ride:

Distance = 49.52
Time = 3:55.09
Total Climb = 2,430 (lots of barometer change, this and max alt. could be slightly inaccurate)
Max Alt. = 385
Avg. HR = 146
Max HR = 177
Temp = 52*F

As you can see this was a relatively flat ride, mostly small rolling hills. It's not a great training ride as you can tell by my average speed, I've never gone that slow overall.

One more thing for those that have never done this trail. I would not recommend an aluminum frame bike. Maybe I've just been blessed with really smooth roads, maybe not, but this bike path was extremely rough. I took my commuter with 700cx32's and was still bumped around a lot.

-Barry-

[East Hill]

Did you get any photos?

Sounds like a job for my steel vintage bikes!

East Hill

[Jacobi]

Did you get any photos?

Sounds like a job for my steel vintage bikes!

East Hill

Hmmmm.....NO! Now, I realize this thread is useless without pics, but I mainly just wanted to post the specifics of the trail so that others could decide to do it or not. Let me go ahead and put up a website for it also.

http://www.peninsulatrailcoalition.com/

[East Hill]

I'll bet if you're there at the right time of year you could run into elk on the trail, at least when the extension to Lake Crescent goes through.

East Hill

[ngateguy]

is it as rough as the Burke Gillam trail?

[Jacobi]

I'll bet if you're there at the right time of year you could run into elk on the trail, at least when the extension to Lake Crescent goes through.

East Hill

At about the 10 mile marker, I heard something very loud scurry away right next to the trail. I don't know what it was, but it was very large and very loud.

[ngateguy]

At about the 10 mile marker, I heard something very loud scurry away right next to the trail. I don't know what it was, but it was very large and very loud.

Sasquatch?

[Bekologist]

the trail is partial gravel and packed dirt, in addition to old roadbed, blacktop, and concrete in spots. It also follows some roads in the sequim flats west of Sequim.

it's a nice, pleasant ride between Discovery Bay and Port Angeles. definetly more pleasant than the highway, particularily as the highway gets closer to PA.

Plans are to extend the trail from La Push to Port Townsend over the next few years.

[East Hill]

Sasquatch?

Could be!

But I'm thinking elk...deer make a bit of noise when they first get going, then abruptly stop making noise. Elk just keep crashing through the brush.

East Hill

[ftsoft]

Is this trail ok for skinny tired bikes?

Frank

[Jacobi]

Yes, I was on a "skinny tired" touring bike, they are 700cx32's. I don't know if I'd take my true road bike with its 700cx25's just because it's an aluminum frame. I'm sure the tires would hold up fine though.

[WoodsterSS]

I have done that trail several times with my family and I think it's great. So much scenery and the elevation changes are really welcome on a bike trail, as they are so often flat as a ballet dancer. Once I saw breaching fur seals or sea lions on the part that nears PA and I have rarely seen many other riders out there. In the fall, portions of the trail are covered with fallen leaves from the arching bows of the big leaf maples that line the trail. Definitely better with commuter tires though.

[Bill Abbey]

PLUS you can always take a side trip off of the old Olympic hwy and get lunch at the Three Crabs. :-)

[East Hill]

You are all encouraging me to think that this would be a good ride in the next few months...to combine with birding :D .

East Hill