Post Treatment Tour D3




It's 11:15. I'm at the Orcas Hotel having clam chowder. It's a slow day on the island. On the deck is a mix of locals and tourists. I have 2 hours and change to get to Deer Harbor for a kayak I booked. I feel restless. I want to get someplace even though I don't have anywhere to go except back to Harvey's. 

(Satch thumbs a ride)

I've ridden 15 miles on a roundabout way to Deer Harbor. The big adventure was a closed road that I had to hike-a-bike around through dense brush. It was exciting and frustrating. The detour signs were very poorly placed. They literally pointed to the closure. There was no "road closed" sign. Still, it's a story!

(Dragging my bike through the brush)

I left the Orcas Hotel around noon. By a little after 1:00 I had biked to Deer Harbor then to the end of the road and back to the marina. The skies cleared. The gloomy morning became a glorious afternoon. It was nice to have time to kill. I sat at a picnic table waiting for the 2:00 tour start. I spotted a guy from the ferry by his "Bike to Work" t-shirt. He and his wife from San Diego. They are here for a week. I love chatting with interesting strangers. I wonder if they are staying the whole week in Deer Harbor. It's pretty small. 

(Small cabin on Reef Island)

I was a little worried about the kayak tour. I was having to go to the bathroom frequently, but it wasn't emergencies every time. I stuck it out and was rewarded with what will be a highlight of the trip. My fellow kayakers were three folks in their late 70s. My vanity took a bit of a hit. One couple had matching Manzanita, Oregon sweatshirts. I soon learned they were a very cool group. Pam and her husband Ralph(?) were visiting Diane who is Manzanita born and raised. She's your guiding they through the PNW. Pam and Ralph are from North Carolina, but met at Columbia in NYC. Pam is a big name in epidemiology with lots of NIH grants and JAMA articles. Her field is aging. Unfortunately, it's hitting home because Ralph has dementia. He's high functioning, but Pam is very protective of him.

(Diane and Ralph)

Pam and I were paired in a kayak. I learned a lot about her work in the four miles we travelled. We listened to Janelle, our guide, as she explained the ecology of the Wasp Islands which at one point included Gene Hackman. We just missed spotting orcas. The area was criss-crossed with whale watching boats that Janelle contacted. We saw a bunch of seals however. The sea was smooth and the air a perfect 70 degrees. 

(The Gene Hackman Island)

The trip back to Eastbound was a more pleasant that the cloudy morning. My aimlessness was gone as I heading back to dinner and chilling at Harvey's. I realized that putting in the miles on tour without moving the ball is a challenge. I had a somewhat hard time leaving Harvey's. Luckily, I needed breakfast and Olga Rising called. Today was a short day at 35-36 miles. The rest was welcome. My legs are tired. Doing 80 miles the first day took it's toll. 

(It doesn't get better than this)


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