Washington Island

June 14, 2021

The first ferry for Washington Island leaves at 8. It’s only four miles from our motel, but we leave about 7:20 to be certain of arriving on time. Since we’re planning on having breakfast on the island, we don’t want to miss the first run and wait another hour - the banana and coffee I had when I woke up won’t last long.

It’s surprisingly chilly as we bike east along the shore. For the first time this tour I’m wearing my long sleeved layer, zipped full up. Rachael has hers on, and her jacket over that. Strange, refreshing, and welcome after the string of scorchers we rode through last week.

On the Door County Curvy Highway, a scenic spot on Highway 42 near the Washington Island ferry terminal.

We make the ferry in plenty of time, and after paying our fares ($19 RT/person + bike) we lean our bikes against the sidewall of the ferry and head to the top deck to stand in the sun and watch vehicles and walk-ons arrive. We’re the only bikes this morning, but by the time we leave the small ferry is full, with about a dozen cars and small trucks.

Looking down from the top deck of the Madonna, one of the fleet of Washington Island ferries.

As we leave, the second crossing from the island is just arriving. The Eyrabakki and the Madonna: interesting name choices.

It’s about a four mile crossing to Washington Island, across a notoriously hazardous channel: Porte des Mort, or Death’s Door. The name for this channel came first, from the native peoples, and is the source for the name of Door County itself. Apparently hundreds of shipwrecks of varying severity have occurred here by sailors trying to navigate the strong currents, shallows, rocks and small islands that complicate the passage. There are two small islands in the channel, and the safest passage is on different sides of Plum Island depending on conditions.

I’ve been curious about how this innocent-appearing body of water could be so uniquely troublesome, but then I forget to pay attention because we get engaged in an interesting conversation with another couple, Becky and Ed. We find plenty to talk about, and passage goes quickly.

Visiting with Becky and Ed (behind Rachael) on the ferry to Washington Island.

The abandoned coast guard station and boathouse (I think) on Plum Island. We passed it this morning on its east side, which Ed said is highly unusual; and on the way back we passed it on the west.

After arriving on the island we head immediately to a nearby restaurant, the Ship’s Wheel, for breakfast. Becky and Ed are already there, waiting for friends to join them. Over breakfast (which is excellent - I have corned beef hash and eggs, and Rachael has her eggs with Danish pancakes) we continue our conversation. The four of them all know Portland, and were just there two weeks ago for Becky and Ed’s daughter’s wedding. The daughter has an surprising and inspirational job in Seattle: she’s working at Braking Cycles, a combination coffee/bike shop in the Hawthorne District with a mission to help transition at-risk youth into more stable and self-sufficient situations.

After I’d already placed my order, I was disappointed to see I’d missed my chance at the Death’s Door Loaded Bloody Mary.

This would have made the perfect start to the day, if I’d only known it was available today.

So, good conversation, good breakfast - a perfect way to start the day. We came to see the island though, so we finally break away and bike east on a counterclockwise loop. Washington Island is smallish, but just large and developed enough to make an ideal day ride. We make a very slow circuit of it, stopping to check out all the public beaches along the way, putting in maybe thirty miles over the next five hours. Given that it’s an unusually flat island, it qualified as more of a play day than a workout, which was wonderful.

Yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum).

The access to Sand Dune Park, a small public beach that Ed advised us to watch for.

On the beach at Sand Dune Park. We’re here early and have the beach to ourselves, before anyone else arrives.

Looking up from the beach I saw first this bald eagle, and then two others.

Rachael said I should look again, as about a dozen pelicans were approaching also. We watched for several minutes as both species intermingled and gyrated together.

I see pelicans are common here. I guess I’ll have to quit photographing all of them.

At Jackson Harbor. So what are those up there? Do eagles congregate like this?

This seems strange. I’ve never seen a stone fence with such a low profile. It must be well less than a foot high.

On Schoolhouse Beach - from the looks of it, the most popular beach on the island.

Looking across Little Lake, we see that clouds are building in the distance.

Video sound track: Waiting for You, by Lee Ritenour

We make it back to the ferry terminal a little earlier than we thought - at 2:30, planning on the 3:00 sailing. We’re surprised to see the boat is already in port and fully loaded when we arrive. We’re urged to just keep pedaling, and roll on just a minute before they raise the ramp for departure. For whatever reason, they’ve added an extra sailing.

From the deck, we look out with surprise at the sky. Storm clouds have developed to the west, and from the looks of it rain is touching down somewhere near Gills Rock. This was unexpected, and disconcerting. Our plan for the rest of the day is to bike down to Ellison Bay for dinner (the Shoreline Restaurant is unfortunately closed on Mondays) and then back up to Gills Rock. We could have a wet, stormy ride ahead.

Looking west (and generally toward Gills Rock). An unexpected development - rain wasn’t in the forecast at all for today.

Back on the peninsula again, we watch the sky a bit anxiously as we race to Ellison Bay for an early dinner.

But we don’t. We stay dry all the way to Ellison Bay, biking just south of the cloud bank. We stop in at Mink Creek Basin, a funky sports bar and grill that features a forty beer tap list. I pick the Surly Hell lager because it fits with our safe passage through Death’s Door, and a whitefish sandwich. When it arrives, I’m startled to see it arrive in a Surly pint glass. What? With a 40 beer list, do they stock the appropriate glasses for all of them too? I ask our server, who at first says no, it’s by chance; but then quickly corrects herself - yes, of course we do.

Very impressive. Kudos, Mink River Basin!

Come 4:00, we’re done with our meal and check the weather app on the phone. It says rain is just starting and should taper off in an hour. We consider hanging out for another hour and another round, but I decide to check the real weather report first - I look out the front door. It’s still dry, and the cloud line is just to the west.

We feel lucky, so we decide to make a run for it. I buy a bottle to go to enjoy later this evening, and we make a hurried exit. Four miles later we’re back at our room - still dry. We’re so happy to have avoided the rain that we hardly mind climbing that 14% grade hill coming into Gills Rock for the second time.

The clouds have moved on, and the skies have cleared again. A perfect end to an exceptional day.

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Ride stats today: 47 miles, 1,700’; for the tour: 626 miles, 18,600’

Today's ride: 47 miles (76 km)
Total: 626 miles (1,007 km)

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Tricia GrahamThank you Scott for your encouragement about our trip - I must say we are getting a few raised eyebrows when we mention what we think we will do and the question. Why dont you wait till next year? The simple answer to that is that at 82 and 84 who knows whether we will be able to do it next year.
The rough plan. Fly to Hamburg and buy bikes at a shop we know well. Cycle down the Elbe to its mouth then along the coast to Bremerhaven and into N germany a bit to visi my uncles grave. Back to the Weser and follow it and the Fulda to the town of Fulda then turn and go towards frankfurt - when we meet the Main at about Hanau ride up it as far as Bamburg where we will meet the Main/Donau Kanal to Yale us to Kelheim After that we will follow the EV6 to Strasburg , If we have time we go up to the Saar Radweg which leads to Trier. from there a simple ride along the Moselle, the Rhine and the Main to Frankfurt where we will store our bikes till next year! Really a pretty easy ride with nothing to demanding - now days we only do about 60km a day. Home of course to 14 days in MIQ unless regulations change
Although we are booked it is still only a dream and if the covid situation becomes too difficult we will naturally cancel but we are hopefull
Enjoying following your trip to Rome - when do you get to Europe?
Keep safe
Tricia
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Tricia GrahamDoesn’t sound like we’ll be anywhere near each other. We’ll arrive in Amsterdam on August 11th and depart from Rome on November 8th, assuming we can get in. A rough itinerary: Amsterdam/Maastricht/Trier/Koblenz/Heidelberg/Rothenburg/
Augsburg/Salzburg/the Alpe-Adria/Udine/Verona/Piacenza/Lucca/
Siena/Bolsena/Rome.

I think it’s so great that you’re going, and look forward to following along. How is your hip doing?
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3 years ago