Pacific Northwest - Ride to "See the Tulips" was a Bust This Year - No Tulips

Heads up if you are planning to go to the Skagit Valley...

Drove up to LaConner and rode out to the see the tulip fields today. We saw the fields, but there were no tulips. Apparently the weather was too cold this year at planting time so they are not planting them this year. The only tulips were at the two small farms where they charge people money to come in and see their small fields. There were some daffodil fields in bloom, though. Still beats working, I guess.

..... but it was a great ski season! Lotsa freshies.

Of course they planted them! Farms don't last long if they take their year off from crops!

The bloom map is handy: http://www.tulips.com/bloommap.cfm it can understate the lack of color 'cause it doesn't flag absence of blooms, just presence.

Of course, farms last even less time if they throw good money after bad.

I believe that map is simply indicating the small show gardens that charge admission. They are at locations 4 and 15 on the map. We rode the whole area, and saw no other tulip fields. The big fields that are usually planted in tulips were unplowed. A few fields were in the process of being plowed this week. Maybe they are planting really late? The people at the chamber of commerce office told us that they didn't plant tulips this year other than at the show gardens. I assume they knew what they were talking about, but they could have been wrong I suppose.

The tulips are blooming late due to the cool, wet Spring. The Wooden Shoe tulip fest has been extended for a week: http://www.woodenshoe.com/tulip-fest/field-report

Hmm, I was hoping to ride down and see them closer to the end of the month. I guess it would still be a nice ride, even if I didn't see any tulips.

I thought about doing the Skagit Tulip Flats this weekend, but wound up in Eastern Washington instead. My legs are a little tired from all the mountain riding, and, after reading this post, it sounds like I made the right decision.

Tulips will probably be done blooming, but if you want a nice ride in the area, these folks do a great job and excess funds go to good causes:

http://skagitspringclassic.org/

The tulips in my garden just started blooming on Thursday or Friday ... I'm going to feel cheated if I miss the show. (But then I'll have no one to blame but myself.)

I thought about doing the Skagit Tulip Flats this weekend, but wound up in Eastern Washington instead. My legs are a little tired from all the mountain riding, and, after reading this post, it sounds like I made the right decision.

So where is the thread about the eastern WA trip?
Eager to hear where you rode.

Hmmm, good question. I started threads in the road forum, but I can see why a lot of people wouldn't want to venture in there. FYI, I also started a cycling blog ... it gives me deadlines, a little more pressure, which motivates me to get off my butt and on the bike. There's a post for the North Fork, Teanaway River Road (http://pacificnorthwestcycling.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/north-fork-teanaway-river-road/), and another for Beyond the Cascade Crest: East Steven's Pass to Lake Wenatchee (http://pacificnorthwestcycling.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/beyond-the-cascade-crest-stevens-pass-to-lake-wenatchee/). But I'll start a thread here, too, since it's of local interest...