Tour de Forts - Puget Sound Triangle of Death
 

I've recently gotten interested in coastal defense forts. Well, I've always been interested but I've gotten moreso... especially with the Endicott forts (as opposed to the System 1, 2 and 3 forts). I think an interesting ride theme would be to visit the "Triangle of Death" forts: Forts Casey, Worden and Flagler with stopovers at Fort Ebey and Fort Townsend.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart.../firemap13.jpg

For those that don't know know the history, these forts were built on advice of a study done in the late 1800s to design coastal defense points around the continental US. These fort designs were known as Endicott forts and were also used elsewhere including the Phillipines. Some unique and interesting features included disappearing gun carriages and breach-loading mortars. Many of these forts have now been converted into state parks and visiting them is like visiting the modern equivalent of military rhunes. Fort Worden was the command center for the "Triangle of Death" that comprised of the overlapping fields of fire from Worden, Casey and Flagler. These forts mounted heavy direct and indirect fire large caliber weapons. They were meant to defend the entrance of Puget Sound. Unfortunately, the Endicott design never anticipated airpower and eventually the forts were obsoleted not only by coastal defense air patrols but also by the fact that their design offered little protection against air attacks.

http://www.historylink.org/db_images..._FortCasey.JPGhttp://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart...3/226forta.jpghttp://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20020613/fortc.jpghttp://www.skagitvalleyherald.com/co...ation/hike.jpg

I haven't totally mapped out a route yet but I'm thinking of starting at Fort Ebey on Whidbey Island and then travelling south towards Fort Casey. Then take the ferry from Keystone to Port Townsend. From there it's on through town and up towards Fort Worden. Then back down through Port Townsend and out of town towards Fort Townsend taking a coastal route and staying as much off 20 as possible. From Fort Townsend, it's on towards Port Hadlock to cross the Indian Island Naval Reservation using Flagler Rd. and then to Morrowstone Island. Going north on Flagler Rd. up Morrowstone Island ends the trip at Fort Flagler. To get back, I would simply reverse my route back towards Port Townsend and the ferry to Whidbey. I figure the route from Ebey to Flagler will be around 45 miles with the roundtrip total being somewhere around 85 miles. The trick is to stay off the main roads as much as possible (avoid 20) to avoid heavy fast traffic and also give a more scenic ride.

Thoughts, suggestions, comments?

I think this same theme can be repeated near the Washington-Oregon border too by touring the Columbia River forts.

That sounds like a fun ride, I'd ride it if you get a group together.

I've come up with the following tentative route:

1. Fort Ebey -> Libbey Rd.
2. Libbey Rd. (E) -> US20 (N)
3. US20 (N) -> Madrona Way (S)
4. Madrona Way (S) -> Main St. (S) in Coupeville
5. Main St. (S) becomes Engle Rd. (S)
6. Engle Rd. (S) -> Fort Casey
7. Fort Casey back to Engle Rd. (S) -> Keystone Ferry dock
8. Keystone -> Port Townsend via ferry
9. Port Townsend Ferry dock to Water St. (E)
10. Water St. (E) -> Jackson St. (N)
11. Jackson St. (N) -> Walnut St. (N)
12. Walnut St. (N) -> Fort Worden
13. Fort Worden -> Admiralty St. (W)
14. Admiralty St. (W) -> San Juan Ave. (S)
15. San Juan Ave. (S) -> Discovery Rd. (W)
16. Discovery Rd. (W) -> Mill Rd. (S)
17. Mill Rd. (S) -> S 8th. St. (S)
18. S 8th. St. (S) -> Carroll Ave. (E)
19. Carroll Ave (E) -> Stevens Ave. -> S 6th. St.
20. S 6th. St. -> Fort Townsend State Park
21. Fort Townsend State Park -> Pinecrest Dr. (S)
22. Pinecrest Dr. (S) -> Station Prarie Rd. (S)
23. Station Prarie Rd. (S) -> Airport Cutoff Rd. (S) / Hwy 19
24. Airport Cutoff Rd. (S) -> Irondale Rd. (E)
25. Irondale Rd. (E) -> Oak Bay Rd. (E) / Hwy 116
26. Oak Bay Rd. (E) -> Flagler Rd. / Hwy 116 (E)
27. Flagler Rd. (E) across Naval Reservation -> Morrowstone Island
28. Flagler Rd. (E) -> Flagler Road Exit (N) / Hwy 116
29. Flagler Road Exit (N) -> Fort Flagler
30. Fort Flagler ---> Reverse Course Through Step 16 <---
31. ---> US20 (N) -> Port Townsend Ferry dock
32. ---> Reverse Course From Step 8 to Step 1 <---

I still don't have distance details. I know some of this route as I've ridden it before. My parents are visiting for Labor Day and we'll be out in that area so I'm going to scout the route a bit while I'm there. If anyone is more familiar with the area and can offer some alternatives, feel free to contribute.

I'll help you scout it out when I get back from SD after the 9th. Up for the Kitsap Color Classic this year?

Thanks. You'll note that the route across Whidbey is part of the route we did a couple of years ago when you had your tyre incident. ;)

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/w...6/PICT0083.jpg

I just love this picture of you wearing the tyre... it's so faux-retro. :D

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/w...6/PICT0088.jpg


That's a good question. I was thinking of doing this instead of the KCC. I guess I've been trying to go on the cheap this year and avoid rides with registration fees. :D

I still have the wally world tire I bought hoping to fix the problem. Its hanging in my bike room as a souvenir of that ride :D

How about that cheapo pump? As I recall, it was pretty crappy and bent your presta valve.

LOL yes I even still have it. I had to go look for it I haven't touched it since that ride. Of course I haven't had a flat since. I seem to recall you do have a few pics of me changing flats on other rides.

Umm... yes. A few. ;) But that's okay... you got that picture of me changing a flat during the Tulip Pedal... using my camera no less.

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/albums/t...4/pict0089.jpg