2024 Schedule
Sunday September 15th.
We hope to have everybody meet for the 2:00pm ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor. We recommend getting there at least an hour ahead. There will be a nice lunch waiting for everybody. If you don’t make the 2pm, there’s a 4:45pm and and 8:20pm (ferry schedule).
- If you need a lift from PDX or SEA to Anacortes (and/or return), please go to the Transport Page and sign up.
- If you’re driving, we recommend leaving your car in the Anacortes parking lot -you won’t need it on the island
- Bring your luggage aboard the ferry or shove it in one of the vehicles we’ve got making the crossing and we’ll haul it to your room (PLEASE put your name prominently on the outside of your luggage so we know where to drop it.).
Pretty much everybody’s staying near Ancanthus Suites (460 Argyle Ave). You can see your room on the Accommodations Page. From the ferry, it’s a 10 minute walk with a short, steep uphill, but we can provide a lift for anyone who needs it.
By the way, we’re doing trikes a bit differently this year. A few of us will head up a couple days early. So, by the time your ferry arrives at 3:05pm, we’ll already have your trike set to ride.
Sunday Ride: Janet will lead an easy shakedown ride, so as soon as you’re checked in to your room, come on over to the trike pick up/drop off at the Acanthus Suites parking lot (460 Argyle Ave). Your trike will be assigned to you (look for YOUR name!). Mel or Paul will get the trike fitted for you and we’ll have a brief safety talk (it’s the same one as last year and every year before that. You can reacquaint yourself from the New Rider Safety video on our website) and then head off for a 90 minute ride.
After the ride, we’ll return to the Acanthus Suites. That’s where the trikes will be cable locked and tarped each night. All the combination locks are set to “2025” (as in, RecumbentPDX 2025 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Get it?). So, if you arrive late or want to journey off on your own, you can lock or unlock your trike. It is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL that if your trike has ANY issues, you let Paul or Mel know so we can address it before Monday’s big ride. Also, as noted on the Daily Checklist, please remove your battery and collect your charger so you can charge them overnight! It is CRUCIAL you get your battery charged for Monday’s BIG RIDE. You’ll need every last electron!
Dinner: We’ll have Sunday dinner at Brickworks (as well as Monday and Wednesday). You can check the Meals Page (coming soon).
Monday September 16th.
We cover the Mt. Constitution route and highlights pretty well on the Rides page, so I won’t repeat. Those of us without motors will roll early -6am ferry- to get a head start. Those with motors can grab a coffee and jump on the 8:30am. The plan is to pair up riders and have 3 batteries for every pair -one on each trike at ride’s start and one in a pannier bag. That’s “one-and-a-half” batteries for each rider -more than enough for the round trip. When the first of the pair hits 50% battery, just swap for a spare. There’s then a battery with 50% left when the 2nd partner’s goes to zero. Got it? IMPORTANT: Do NOT fly along at 20 mph on the battery. Do not fly up the mountain at 20 mph on the battery. Our calculations are based on folks using battery at a somewhat frugal rate. 9 to 11 mph is a good clip getting to Moran State Park. 5 to 6 mph is a good clip for climbing Constitution (i.e., gear down!). If you tear up your battery, we may not have enough juice to get everybody back to the Ferry on motor. As long as everybody’s reasonable, though, NO Problem.
We’ll meet at the top of Constitution for lunch and a few group photos.
The ride down is ALWAYS fun -made no-less-so my insistence that everybody participate in one of my stupid videos. Mechanic Paul will lead the ride down. NOBODY passes Paul on the way down. I’ll have GoPros on a bunch of the Catrikes. Please do NOT fiddle with them. I’ve got only enough storage and battery for the ride down. I’ll turn everybody’s on cameras when we’re ready to roll. Paul has three pre-set stops to regroup and set up video shots.
- Above the scenic lookout
- To-be-determined placeholder site
- The Single Lane bridge
In addition to the trike-mounted GoPros, we’ll fly some drones, get some action shots and a few stills. The GoPros are cool when folks are bunched and passing each other. Your first rule is to be safe. Your second is to have fun. The third is to try to get cool passing shots. Once we’ve passed the single lane bridge, everybody is released from my iron grip. Your GoPros will still be filming, but you’re free to fly away for the last couple miles. If you want to regroup for the ride back to the Ferry, we’ll do that at the sign where Mt. Constitution Road splits off from Olga Road. The group can then ride Olga Road out of Moran State Park and back towards East Sound.
We will have Dan and Vicki from Wildlife Cycles supporting us on the ride up: They’ll be driving up and down the route multiple times over the +/- 4 hour span it’ll take everybody to make it to the top. They’ll have cold water, snacks and a couple extra batteries (for those of you unable to follow battery instructions). Since we’re pretty-much all on trikes, they’ll know who they’re supporting!
Once we’re out of Moran, the ride to East Sound is 4.2 miles with a net elevation drop of 500 feet. So, about 30 minutes. It’s another hour’s ride to the Ferry terminal. It’s important that EVERYBODY meet at Orcas Hotel at least 30 minutes before the 4:25pm ferry. If anyone misses that, you’re stuck until 7:25pm. Our plan is to have drinks on their patio then scramble down to the ramp once the ferry’s in view. God forbid the 4:25pm ferry doesn’t run, we’ll get appetizers at Orcas Hotel. If there’s ANY chance we’ll get caught by the fading light, I’ll have lights to put on everybody’s trike.
Dinner: When we land back at Friday Harbor, everybody can dump their trikes at Acanthus, get a shower and meet down at Brickworks.
Breakfast: Brickworks from 7am to 9am. You can ride your trike to Brickworks or pick it up after breakfast for today’s ride.
Monday Ride: An absolutely FABULOUS ride to Roche Harbor. The route is also covered on the Rides Page, so I’ll go over the highlights:
- Roche Harbor is a nice resort and a passable place for lunch.
- The McMillin Memorial Mausoleum is both cool and creepy. In the depths of the depression, Dude’s estate sunk $30,000 before Dude’s sons said “ENOUGH!”. So, the ridiculous planned copper roof was never installed.
- The English Camp is our after-lunch stop. It’s fun to learn how a poorly-drawn map nearly lead to war. The Camp was well-protected and the English really seemed to live it up with Balls and Fancy Dances. But, ultimately, they departed.
- Ride back to Friday Harbor and return trikes to Acanthus Suites. Please take your battery to your room to charge.
- Friday Harbor House Restaurant at 6:30pm for drinks and dinner. This is an absolute highlight of our trip. If the weather’s nice (it should be) we’ll eat on the terrace overlooking the harbor! If you haven’t filled out your menu, please go to the FHH Dinner Page
Wednesday, September 18th
Breakfast: Brickworks from 8 to 9:30am.
Wednesday Ride: This is our lazy ride day to the Cattle Point Lighthouse. Along the way, we’ll stop at the American Camp. We’ll have a picnic lunch a the Lighthouse. Those who are “done” can reverse course and head back to Friday Harbor. Those who want more riding can join us for a ride through Pelindaba Lavender Farms and on to Lime Kiln State Park where I can absolutely promise you (though, likely not deliver) a whale sighting. This ride has some of the most beautiful views imaginable!
Post Ride, we’ll ask for all hands on deck to get the trikes back on the trailers and ready for Thursday’s ferry ride back to Anacortes
Dinner: Back at Brickworks to finish off the last of the wine before our final night dinner!
Thursday, September 19th
We’ll be in line by 7am for the 8:05 am ferry back to Anacortes. If you brought your vehicle, you’ll need to 1) have a reservation and 2) be lined up at least an hour ahead (remember we told you NOT to bring a car?). Then, we’ll get coffee and wait for our beautiful sail back to the mainland!