Medic Zero

I know I still need to write up my ride report from my Mount Vernon ride, but I am stuck in the middle of my hectic workweek and so won't have a chance to do that until my days off and I wanted to put this up now to solicit any advice for a ride I am planning early next week.

So, I need renew my nursing license in person in Olympia (Tumwater actually), so I am thinking I am going to take the Amtrak down in the morning and then ride from there to Bremerton to catch the ferry back to Seattle.

I am excited as with the ride from home to the train station and back this will put me close to a century*. I'm curious if anyone has any suggestions route-wise? I've already ruled out going Northeasterly though the military base, Tacoma, and the Narrows Bridge. Mostly because I'd prefer to ride out in the country.

What I'm seeing as options are either the more Westerly route to Bremerton (101 & 3) or Google maps is recommending that I go to Port Orchard and take the little ferry there across Sinclair Inlet to the Bremerton Ferry.

Other than the any route recommendations, as always I'm open to suggestions for eateries/cafe's/bars and roadside attractions that may be nearby.



* 85 miles at this point, strongly considering adding a sidetrip to bring it up to a full century.

jazzyrider

Your ride sounds exactly like the RAPsody ride...

https://www.rapsodybikeride.com/route.html

I know the Dan Henry road marks from Dupont to Tacoma are still there so it might help. As for local eateries, you might search for Rapsody on the Cascade bike site since I remember reading reports on the Rapsody ride about where to stop.

Kip

I've ridden the Westerly route (101 and 3) to Bremerton a couple of times. Last summer for food I stopped at the bookstore in Shelton for coffee, a fruit stand about half-way between Shelton and Belfair, and a Farmer's Market in Belfair (on a Saturday). A nice ride.

ChrisO

Between Shelton and Belfair, in the town of Allyn there is a burger stand called BIg Bubba Burgers; great burgers and shakes. Onthe left side of the road if you're heading north.

The farmers market thing in Belfair is open all week I believe. It's on the left (west) side of the street right before the Safeway.

I don't think that it's necessary to take the ferry across from PO. The stretch of SR 3 between Gorst and Bremerton isn't exactly pleasant riding, but there's a shoulder the whole way. If you're wanting to get off the highway, then make the left at Sam Christopherson Ave right at the SR3/SR16 interchange. You can get onto the side roads to the west of the highway from there that will take you into Bremerton. Those side roads are hillier, but much quieter than SR3.

Medic Zero

Thanks everyone! Good stuff!
I'm stoked to be rolling this many miles without being loaded down with all my camping gear (even though I love rolling loaded down so much my face hurt from smiling so much as I rolled out of the train station in Mount Vernon!)
I'll write up a ride report as soon as I get a chance. I've got one rest day wherein I'm having a few guests over, and then I have to work 7 ten hour shifts in a row, so I'm afraid it might be about a week before I get that chance.

Thanks again!

Medic Zero

We drove past the old carriers into Bremerton not long ago and I was eyeing the shoulders with a mind to cycling them sometime and noticed that. I do have to say that this is going to be a long ride for me, on a really heavy bike so the thought of more of those (steep looking!) hills in Bremerton is daunting. Especially since I'll still have about an 8 mile ride uphill left after I debark the ferry in Seattle. Google gave me yet another variation on the route this time that goes directly to Bremerton instead of through Port Orchard so I am leaning toward that but won't make my final decision until after lunch in Oly.

Thanks again!

Medic Zero

I probably won't have a chance to write this up proper for a few days as I am in the middle of my 7 days (nights actually) in a row at work but wanted to quickly say thanks and:

I wanted to keep rolling as I passed through Shelton so didn't explore for the bookstore with coffee. I didn't have room (or any time right now in my life! :/ ) for books, and my thermos still had iced coffee with ice still in it anyway!

The fruit stand about half-way between Shelton and Belfair was really great! Lots of BBQ sauces, homemade mustards, pickled green beans, pickled beets etc. I overloaded the one pannier I brought with me! I think it is called S&S Farms. Next time I try and travel light I am going to have to bring a collapsible pannier to carry the extra loot I inevitably acquire on the road!

Unfortunately Big Bubba Burgers was closed when I rolled up, and IIRC it was only about 430PM! I was disappointed because although I wasn't hungry yet I was looking forward to a shake!

The Farmers Market in Belfair had a sign across the street that said it was only on Saturdays, but that was fine as I couldn't carry any more and wanted to press on.

I didn't have time to check out the Theller Wildlife Preserve so I'll have to save that for another day.

I took the SW Flora Lake Road to Port Orchard and was rewarded with a great view of Mount Rainier, mostly quiet forested roads and a nice downhill into Port Orchard. Really glad I chose that route! Bremerton always seemed quite hilly when I've driven through it and traffic was thick and noisy on 3 before I turned off. As a bonus the Port Orchard foot ferry was a 94 year old vessel (the Carlisle II) that is one of the two surviving ships of the Mosquito Fleet! The other is the Virginia V which has been doing the rounds as a floating farmers market, you should check it out if you get the chance.

I'll post my pics and a more detailed report when I get a chance. Although after 50 miles I started to get saddle sore but needed to press on to catch my ferries home I am very happy with this ride. At about 72 miles for the second day (I ended up spending the night with friends in Oly after making my way south from Seattle via public transit) this was my longest ride since I got back in the saddle after a several year hiatus from cycling. Other than a blistered butt from pressing on when I should have stopped I feel great the next day, not exhausted or anything.

Thanks again folks for the tips and suggestions!