Pacific Northwest - Tour de Lopez

Is anyone doing the Tour de Lopez next Saturday, the 24th?

Yes. Planning on catching the 8:30 ferry.
Will be riding my Univega, with rack trunk. Not sure about jersey color, depends on the weather as to that, and if it will have a yellow rainjacket over it anyway.

I am going to aim for the 0740 ferry. I will be wearing something fluorescent and will be on an orange IF crown jewel.

We did a self tour of Lopez Island last summer. They tell you its flat, its not but it was fun even if the first day we got rained on all day. I don't mean showers it poured most of the day and since we had not really planned on nor did the weather report say it was gonna be so rainy we didn't pack the good rain gear. Oh well second day was good and we had a great time. Have a blast hope the weather plays along for ya.

Lopez is generally flat except where they built the roads. And, the idea of balancing cuts and fills to make grades more even was beyond the ability of those original road builders.

Lopez Island reminds me of the rolling hill farm country of North Central Ohio where I grew up. I have some pictures and I told my wife "this is how my part of Ohio looks" Its a beautiful Island and a lot of fun to ride. Next time we go I'm gonna make sure the weather will be nicer

It's flat compared to Orcas!

It's flat compared to Orcas!

Indeed

Ah, that ride on Mt. Washington on Orcas can be fun. The going down part. And the going up part is not so bad if I am on one of my MTBs with a front triple.

Lopez is a great place to ride but I agree with all the comments that's not flat. I dunno how that rumor started, it's pretty much rolling hills all around. Nice though!

I just got back from the Tour de Lopez. I was on the 0740 ferry leaving from Anacortes and in fact was the first person off the boat. I did both the 10 mile and 17 mile loop along with about six miles of additional miscellaneous riding. The weather could have been better: it was pretty much 48 degrees, windy and intermittent showers for the whole trip. As I left the island in the early afternoon, we were starting to get some sunbreaks. I was glad I wore tights, a long-sleeve thermal jersey and a wind shell. I was amazed that the number of people doing the ride in shorts and a T-shirt.

The lunch by the Bay Cafe in the Village Center was excellent, especially the pulled pork sandwich, and the brownies at the rest stop from the Holly B Bakery were superb. It was still pretty cold, and it was funny to see the people at lunch huddled around the single propane patio heater. I left at 1245 and just missed the 1305 ferry by a minute. They were still at the dock when I arrived but had just put down the loading gate.

If I do this again, I am going to ride one of my mountain bikes with suspension. Most of the roads are chipseal, and that gravel sure gave a rough ride on my titanium road bike.

All in all, a good ride. And I thought that the hill situation was not too bad. I was able to do every hill on my front double. I saw a lot of people walking bikes up the hills, though.