eschlwc

i'm thinking about a ride from seattle to port townsend via whidbey island.

the whidbey section would be round trip from clinton to ft casey.

i'd take 525 until i could head to the coastal road (e bush point rd?).

thanks!

eschlwc

here's the route i'm considering (borrowed from another thread):

https://tinyurl.com/49nkcs

but i would cut it off near keystone and head to fort casey to ferry on to port townsend.

markjenn

It's a nice ride but surprisingly hilly so if you're planning on making a specific ferry, allow extra time for the ups and downs. 525 is the main arterial from the S end of the island to Oak Harbor so don't expect a country ride with no traffic. It mostly has decent shoulders. I recall there was one section between Bluff and Race Rd that was uncomfortably narrow. There are other loops that will miss more of 525 but they add a lot of miles and are even hillier.

- Mark

eschlwc

thanks. the route i linked showed less than 40 miles, but it sounds like it will take a while.

whew. good to know.

Jseis 

While I cycled Whidbey from Clinton to Anacortes like 40+ years ago, in recent years when the S.O. and I've driven there I've been surprised at the traffic on the state highway. While the shoulders are wider (nonexistent in the 70's) I'd be tempted to cruise a route of shore/bluff local roads & stay off state route.

eschlwc

grand jubilé?

that's what i remember too. it's been years since i drove it.

Jseis 

Yes, that old faithful Grand Jubilee. That ride was interesting (fall of '76 after the XC trip) in that we took the following ferries after leaving Oly: Rushton to Vashon, Vashon to West Seattle. Downtown Seattle to Winslow, Winslow to downtown Seattle, Mukilteo to Clinton, Anacortes to Friday Harbor. Stayed overnight at a friends place on Bainbridge, camped in Oak Harbor park with the permission of the local gendarme. We were soaked by the time we got to Oak Harbor. We were going to stay in Coupville but for some reason we decided not to.

busygizmo

My parents live just outside of Coupeville so my GF and I get to ride up there a couple of times a year. IMO the highway is to be avoided at all costs, the traffic is heavy and fast. Plus it's not scenic. There are some great stretches of lightly traveled roads if you get off the highway. We mainly ride north of Coupeville going past the ferry terminal and crossing the highway several times up to Oak Harbor and back going both on the east and west side of the island. Adding loops it can easily become a decent 50 mile ride. I rode once on the southern end of the island, doing a 50 mile loop starting in Langley and basically circling the southern half of the island. From that ride and subsequent visits the eastern side seems to be more scenic in the southern half. It all depends on what your plan/goal is, getting from point A to B or a longish scenic ride, since I ride for the enjoyment the highway is a no go.

Seattle Forrest

Definitely avoid the highway.

markjenn

I don't like the highway that much either, but the OP's route has the only detour that is relatively easy; all the others have pretty big costs in distance and hills. Both the N (up to Langley) and S (down towards Maxwelton) highway-avoidance routes probably double the time to get to Freeland. North of Freeland there are a couple options (Honeymoon, Smugglers Cove, Race, etc.). Bluff could be added on the N part, but it has a couple VERY steep climbs.

I did a ride from Langley to Coupeville last summer avoiding 525 where I could and here's the profile for a 32-mile ride. It's almost all up/down. Whidbey is hilly!!!



If you have plenty of time and don't mind the hills, go for it.

- Mark

Seattle Forrest

Hey @eschlwc!

Are you willing to consider the Edmonds ferry? You land in Kingston, enjoy great scenery, and other than the first 10 miles or so (which have wide shoulders) it's pretty easy to avoid the main highways.

eschlwc

cool

eschlwc

ok

yeah, i guess. i've ridden over there before. thanks.

looks like i'd take 104 over the hood canal bridege, then 19 (or oak bay road along the canal) into port townsend.

eschlwc

wo. thanks for adding that. might pass on whidbey this time.

Seattle Forrest

Immediately after the Hood Canal Bridge (which is lovely) you'd want to take a right on Paradise Bay Road, then a right on Oak Bay in Port Ludlow. From there I'd take 4 Corners to S Discovery Road, it's pretty farm country but it's also much less traffic. All told it will be in the ballpark of 40 miles from the ferry to PT.

I have family there and that's generally the route I take. Sometimes I just stay on 19 after Hadlock/Irondale.

eschlwc

thanks a lot.

Seattle Forrest