Birch Bay

July 8, 2018

Just a brief narrative today. Between sleeping in a bit after last night’s late evening birthday celebration that kept us up past 11, a two hour drive to Bellingham where we’re stopping over tonight on our way to Canada, a bike ride, and yet another celebration meal tonight, there was no time to write up the day. So, I’m getting around to it this morning before another full day - a four hour drive to Kamloops, another bike ride, and a planned visit with Ken and Judy, a Kamloops bike touring couple that reached out to us a few days ago when they learned we’d be in their neighborhood.

So, not much time; and so not many words.

About the ride: a great 45 mile loop to Birch Bay from our also great downtown motel, The Heliotrope. It featured impressive views of Mount Baker for much of the way, and a lovely stretch on private roads owned by BP that they allow access to by walkers and bikers. It’s what we’d like to see Weyerhauser do with their little road down by Willow Grove.

We stopped briefly for a modest picnic lunch (bread, peanut butter and an apple from last night’s motel) by the shore at Birch Bay, getting excited about the amount of snow we’re seeing on the mountains north of Vancouver. The ride back goes fast, as we benefit from the wind webiked into all the way out. We got back just in time to shower and dash off to an Italian restaurant on the waterfront for a celebration.

Approaching the coast, biking on a quiet road along the edge of the Lummi River.

We spent much of the day riding in view of Mount Baker.

The Lummi river is even smaller than it looks here -this is one of its wider spots.

On BP private land, enjoying several miles of roads barricaded from motor vehicles.

On Birch Bay. At the left end of the small peninsula out there across the water is Point Roberts. It’s distinguished by being a tiny separate piece of US territory (it’s part of Washington State). You reach it by sea, air, or by crossing the Canadian border.

This huge and beautiful kite flew above the bay, tethered to a log on the beach. It’s tails streamed straight out in the stiff breeze, to about three times the length of what’s shown here.

So who are we celebrating tonight? Us! It’s our 30th anniversary today! What an incredible adventure it’s been. Over a fine meal outdoors by the marina under an umbrella (beet salad, salmon and duck, which I neglected to take a photo of), we reminisced a bit about where we were thirty years ago today - backpacking in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness with our son Shawn, eating leftover pizza from Gepetto’s in Salem where we had a post-wedding lunch with the Farrier’s, the couple who stood up for us at the ceremony.

We both feel so lucky for each other and for all we’ve experienced together over the last three decades. Here’s to the next 30!

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Today's ride: 45 miles (72 km)
Total: 82 miles (132 km)

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Gregory GarceauHappy Anniversary! A couple days late, but no less sincere.
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6 years ago

Scott AndersonThanks, Greg! It feels like quite a milestone for us, in a big year.
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6 years ago