Date: June 4, 2015

​Cycling cross country brings out the giving in others. First day, we biked 56 miles to Birch Bay and we met Todd who biked/camped with us. Together we fought off a heinous raccoon that deftly opened our panniers and tore through his tent. After beating the shit out of the raccoon (as in yelling at it/chasing it all night), we biked 45 miles to Bay View where torrential rain and cold tore my bones open, but was sobered with stunning views along the Chuckanut Pass. Day 3 was a short 36 miles to Coupeville where we met Pat Rodden – a venerable biking badass and copious giver, he opened his home to us for the night. This guy once solo biked from his place in Washington all the way to the arctic circle; currently he is prepping to ride solo the Great Divide Mtb Trail. His passion in biking is supplemented by finding inspiration from traveling cyclists he meets and have solid conversations. We slept in warmth and dryness at his place with a window directly over the bay and views of clouds clearing the top of Mount Baker. We spent the beginning of the day on a ferry crossing over to Port Townsend with clear blue skies and 65 miles of biking to Bremerton. After stopping in a laundromat the workers generously opened early for us (so we could finally get dry clothes again), we headed out on the Olympic Discovery Trail with views of snow-crusted Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park next to us. We crossed Baker Canal and got to see a seal swimming beneath the bridge – truly great. Tonight we sleep and prep for a 70 mile ride to Elma.