Save the Date: San Juan Islands 2021

Here we go again! We tried this in 2020 and you know what happened. It’s a new year, and although as I write this the pandemic is worse than ever, we hold out hope.

Let’s try again for a San Juan Island trip. It may look different, but it will still be beautiful and fun.

At this point this is a SAVE the DATE/make reservations/schedule with your employer… oh, wait, most of you don’t have an employer  ✎  anymore!

Cindy Bernert-Coppola will be co-hosting this favorite multi-day ride.

We’ll plan to stay at Lakedale Resort, but please make this your trip, your ride, your vacation. If you don’t want to camp, don’t. If you want to skip a day of riding and try kayaking, do it! We will have maps, start times and suggestions, but we want you to enjoy the islands YOUR WAY and have no regrets when you climb back on that ferry to head home.

We will abide by PBC ride criteria, whatever that may be in August. We probably won’t be signing a paper sign-in sheet. You’ll want to print out maps for yourself before you leave home. At this time, I am not planning on a lot of socializing during meals or after dinner.  We’ll see.

Let us know if you are coming ([email protected] or [email protected]) so we can connect with one another and attempt to limit cars traveling on the ferry. Maybe some of us can carry other people’s stuff.  Again, this is preliminary.

Here are the basics: Driving up to Anacortes, where you will probably want to catch the ferry, takes about four to five hours (254 miles). So, Sunday, August 15, and Thursday, August 19, will be travel days. I haven’t checked ferry schedules; times below may change:

Monday, August 16

San Juan Islands – San Juan Island. Distance varies. 30 – 50 miles. Meet at Lakedale Resort and head around the island, exploring at your own pace, seeing what you want to see. Keep track of your cumulative mileage on this multi-day tour and provide ride leaders with your mileage at the conclusion. Elevation gain, depending on where you go, could be about 2,000 feet.  Level B-D.  Non-group ride. Ride Leaders Ann Morrow 360.608.3173 and Cindy Bernert-Coppola 503.781.1822.

Tuesday, August 17

San Juan Islands – Orcas Island.  Distance varies. Catch the 8:30 ferry in Friday Harbor to travel to Orcas Island.  See the sights you want to see, enjoy a meal or latte or include Mt. Constitution in your plans. Orcas is considered to be the most difficult island to ride.  Mt. Constitution is 2,409 feet above sea level.  The climb is about 5 miles with some at 15% grade. Riding to Mt. Constitution, up it, and back will be about 41 miles with 4,868 feet of elevation gain.  Catch the 12:25 or 4:25 ferry to get back to Friday Harbor.  Level B-E.  Non Group ride. Ride Leaders Ann Morrow 360.608.3173 and Cindy Bernert-Coppola 503.781.1822.

Wednesday, August 18

San Juan Islands – Lopez Island.  Distance varies.  Catch the 8:30 ferry in Friday Harbor to travel to López Island.  See the sights you want to see, enjoy a meal or a sweet treat at Holly B’s Bakery or latte. Doing the basic loop is about 28 miles with 1,700 or 1,800 feet of elevation gain. Catch the 1:05 or 3:45 ferry to get back to Friday Harbor.  Level B-D.  Non Group ride. Ride Leaders Ann Morrow 360.608.3173 and Cindy Bernert-Coppola 503.781.1822.

Ann Morrow, Ride Co-Leader