Pacific Northwest - Lopez Island

Mrs. Stringbreaker and I want to ride Lopez Island sometime this summer. Does anyone know the nice but less expensive places to stay. We don't camp and will be leaving the truck at Anacortes and just riding the bikes. Looks like a couple of days of pretty easy riding and then enough time on the second day to catch a later ferry and drive home to Sumner after the evening rush. I don't think we need to get any huge panniers since I have smaller sets for commuting I think we can get everything we need in those and maybe a couple of backpacks to leave in the room and just take food and water for our day rides. Anyone been to Lopez Island. I think I was there with my first wife but its probably just as well I don't remember much about the trip as I'm sure we got into an argument:notamused:

I haven't been there in forever so no recommendations from me but a quick interwebby search yielded...Not much.
Seems most places charge $135+ a night. I found a cool looking B&B here (http://www.ravensrooklodging.com/) for a bit less. Rustic stuff appeals to me though.
Sounds like a fun trip! I wish my GF could leave her critters for more than a day without freaking out.:(

I figured about 130.00 per night we will probably stay 2 nights so that gives us most of the first and all the second day and depending on when we want to catch the ferry probably nearly the whole third. We just need to get away without kids and pets and all that for a nice few days of peace and tranquility and no car just riding. I'm aware Lopez isn't all that big but we can take a 15 mile ride and turn it into an all day adventure. Lunch on the beach and stop and whale watch if there are any. We gotta find out her vacation situation at her job which she will be eligible for on the 13th of this month so we gotta do something.

Something that is my favorite thing to do on Lopez is to hang out at Shark Reef Sanctuary. You leave the bikes at the trail head (there are racks, bring a lock), hike into the area (head south/left) and sit across from this tiny rock island where seals sun themselves, all day long. There's a small channel that is between you and the rock island the current is very fast. The seals play in that current---it's the coolest thing. I usually get there early AM, settle into a nook with a book, soak up the sun and otherwise relax, occasionally looking up to watch the seals.

One time I did just that, looked up from my book, a seal was playing in the current and popped up right in front of me. I looked at me, did this split-second "oh crap, human" pause, and then SPLASH was back into the water. It was very cute.

Then, when I get tired of sitting, I ride, making sure to return via the village, past the Lopez Island Creamery. As in, ice cream. :thumb:

We go to Lopez practically every summer. The cycling is great and it is the "flattest" of the islands (not counting Shaw) but it is certainly NOT flat.

I would second Shark Reef Park and also suggest Watmough Head. We were out on the head two years ago when we spotted a pod of Orcas. It was a memorable day.

We stay at a friends house so I can't help you with regards to lodging. The Love Dog Cafe is one of a number of great places to eat.

Enjoy yourselves.

Ride safe.

Sounds good can't seem to find a good map for cycling everyone I look at doesn't really give a good read on what to expect and where to ride. The place we want to stay is about 2.5 miles from the ferry landing they have some neat looking little cabins and a campground and it looks pretty neat. We don't need luxury just something simple and clean. Anyway I'll keep looking till I find a decent map

Here's a map from the Lopez Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.lopezisland.com/maplopez.htm

Other than topography, about everything you'd want to know about from a commercial line is shown there.

Things to see: If you're going to be there several days, you might try seeing each of the parks on the map; have some off-bike shoes along if your cycling shoes aren't good for walking in. Plus, down at the SE corner of the island, take the short walk out to Watmough Bight. Get a tide table (you can find one online that will do) and try to be at Agate Beach at a low tide. Definitely take the walk out to the end of the spit at Spencer Spit. There are a couple of other cool places to visit at the far southeast end of the island, but they require knowing where to look to find the path ... you could ask around for how to get to Iceberg Point, etc.

They are widening Fisherman Bay Road north of the Village, so there is a mile or two of road there that will be closed.

Wave back to the motorists - you can tell the ones who live on the island, they're always waving to one another and to everyone on the roads.

If you have time, take the ferry on up to San Juan Island, see the lavender farm and the whale museum.

On the same site as that map, look for the Tour de Lopez map. The TdL mostly keeps riders off of Center Road, which is the busiest road on the island.

enjoy your time up there

Here's a map from the Lopez Chamber of Commerce:
http://www.lopezisland.com/maplopez.htm

Other than topography, about everything you'd want to know about from a commercial line is shown there.

Things to see: If you're going to be there several days, you might try seeing each of the parks on the map; have some off-bike shoes along if your cycling shoes aren't good for walking in. Plus, down at the SE corner of the island, take the short walk out to Watmough Bight. Get a tide table (you can find one online that will do) and try to be at Agate Beach at a low tide. Definitely take the walk out to the end of the spit at Spencer Spit. There are a couple of other cool places to visit at the far southeast end of the island, but they require knowing where to look to find the path ... you could ask around for how to get to Iceberg Point, etc.

They are widening Fisherman Bay Road north of the Village, so there is a mile or two of road there that will be closed.

Wave back to the motorists - you can tell the ones who live on the island, they're always waving to one another and to everyone on the roads.

If you have time, take the ferry on up to San Juan Island, see the lavender farm and the whale museum.

On the same site as that map, look for the Tour de Lopez map. The TdL mostly keeps riders off of Center Road, which is the busiest road on the island.

enjoy your time up there

Thanks for the info! We are staying on Orcas next week and will catch the ferry to Lopez for a day trip on the bike. Here's the map, I'll be doing this route for sure!

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Tour-de-Lopez-2009

Looks cool to me. Probably sometime in August I hope or even early September.