Post Treatment Tour D4

(Peaceful UW Biological Preserve on Shaw)




It took me until 11:00 to leave Harvey's. By the time I got laundry in and visited Olga Rising, got back to the laundry, packed, and closed up the trailer the day was half gone. Well, not half the day. Far from it, but that's the way it feels when the wanderlust hits. The thing is that it just doesn't suit Island hopping. You don't need to go fast to reach your destination. All other miles a just riding for riding's sake. 

(Olga Art Co-op)

When I did leave it was in the opposite direction from the ferry without my gear. I wanted to put the "purple-I-have-ridden-this" line on Ride With GPS. Pure vanity. I wanted to leave Harvey's for the ferry at 1:30 with an hour for lunch in Eastsound. I rode 45 minutes down to Olga and came back. It was nice and I was able to get a beautiful Thank You card at the art co-op in Olga, but the ride didn't serve a purpose for me. My vanity wanted to go to Doe Bay, but I wanted to catch the 3:15 to Shaw. The purple line didn't extend.

(Olga Rising, the graffiti)

Back in Eastsound I ate pizza slices. Quick! I had time for a sit down but I was in rush mode. I left at 1:30 and made it by 2:30. Everything seems farther than it is here. I was able to enjoy some forced leisure watching the ferry dock from the deck of the Orcas Hotel. There was a boat parked at the dock. At 3:00 I ambled down. There is meet Rowan, another bike camper, who was also headed to Shaw. He told me the parked boat was for Anacortes. All the ferries were behind schedule. More forced leisure. 

(Waiting for the ferry)

Rowan is a very motivated UW student who is triple majoring and wants to go to med school. He was in the San Juans for a week. This was his last night. I learned the were hiker/biker spots on Shaw and felt like a chicken for not taking my chances. I invited him to use my site since it had a view. He accepted and proved a wonderful site companion. 
(Camp with Rowan's tent in the right)

The ferry to Shaw is only 10 minutes and the ride to camp only 20. I was at camp and set up by 5:00. I decided to ride the island and was glad for my restlessness this time. It only takes an hour to cover the whole island. I saw only one vehicle the whole time. I found a shelter cove and point that was a UW biological preserve, a forested hill, a cute historical society, and a small school still in operation. The historical society had a history of the Shaw Island fire department. 

(Shaw Island Historical Society)

I was back at camp by 6:15. I met a party of three college students from Seattle. They also knew about the hiker/biker sites. My ego is sensitive on this point. I had a pleasant dinner with Rowan. Later we hung out on the beach chatting as it got dark. Rowan thought he'd seen a bird in distress and had waded in to save it only to find out was a piece of wood. His feet were very sandy. 

(Blogging before Rowan went to sleep)

Back at camp, Rowan turned it early. Earlier than me! I didn't want to use my lights since our tents were close together. I was in bed shortly after 9:00. My system was getting more active. I was thankful for the decorated out toilets, but didn't want to visit them too often. Amazing I only had to get up once in the night.





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