Ferry Ride to Seattle

I woke up two minutes before my alarm went off at 0400.  Everyone was sound asleep and I finished packing my belongings in the dead of night.  After a quick cab ride, I boarded the ferry and started my hour long trip to Seattle.  While the ride was early, it would give me one last opportunity to see a Pacific Northwest sunrise.  Oh hey Seattle Space Needle.

There was not a soul on the streets so I had a quiet, 20 minute walk over to Pike's Market. 

I arrived shortly after 0600 which meant the vendors were still setting up and the tourists and locals were still in their beds.  I wandered around and poked my head into the original Starbucks, but because I already had a cup of coffee in had refrained from purchasing another.  About an hour later there was a line halfway around the block and the rest of the market was coming to life.  A few store fronts down there was a line forming at Piroshky Piroshky Bakery.  Knowing nothing about the place, the smells and the line were enough for me to wait 30 minutes until they opened for a breakfast treat.  

Throw your hands in the air!!

After being caffeinated and breakfasted I headed over to Chihuly Garden and Glass. 

Can you tell I am excited to be here?  (or maybe I am just over caffeinated)

After getting my fill of hand blown glass I headed next door (literally) to check out the Space Needle.  Built in 1963 for the World's Fair it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi at that time coming in at 605 feet.  It might have been an overcast morning, but the 360* view was great. 

With about an hour before I had to find a car to take me to the airport I headed over to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  I was hooked as soon as I walked in with their "enter curious, leave inspired" signs. 

The last instillation was an interactive one where visitors could share their cause.  Prompt cards were provided and you could share your causes and new ideas.  There were a couple surrounding affordable housing and I even left one representing Bike and Build!

As I got in the cab it seemed surreal.  The last two weeks went by like a blur: a combination of great views, sunsets, inspiring locals and 35 other young adults working to make the world a better place (corny, but true).  Who knows what is next, but I am excited to keep in touch and see how this experience has changed everyone's life and see how they continue to be involved in their hometowns. 

Build Day in Bremerton

This morning the clouds rolled in and there was rain in the forecast.  We were supposed to be working outside with the Bremerton Habitat for Humanity, but due to local policies we would be doing plan b.  The group was split into a morning and afternoon crew because it would be hard to place 35 volunteers at one time.

I was in the morning crew so walked five minutes up the road to the ReStore building.  Habitat accepts donated building items and sells them way below retail prices to local builders and DIY'ers.  We were split up into subgroups: one went to work on a gravel project, one group worked on labeling doors, one group organized the store and another was building shelving for donated windows.

Around lunch time there was a changing of the guard and we all ate lunch before the afternoon crew took over.  Sadly we had to say goodbye to the rest of the part one crew as they were hopping on the ferry to Seattle in a few hours.  There were hugs and tears all around and it began to sink in that I would soon be heading home myself. 

As the afternoon wore on, laundry crew made it back to the host, I finally finished my postcards and packaged up my bikes and people were getting in much needed naps. Dinner crew once again pulled out a miracle using most of the donated veggies and using up what was in the bin; tonight we feasted on veggie stir-fry. 

After dinner the remaining and new riders were renumbered and some details for tomorrow's ride.  Here we have el Jefe in his natural habitat.

Someone had gotten The Hike on Redbox so we hooked up the projector and all cuddled up to spend our final hours in Bremerton.  It was a great way to spend my last night with the crew.  Tomorrow I will be up bright and early to catch a ferry to Seattle and head East. 

Ride to Bremerton

Port Townsend to Bremerton: 47.5 miles
Total Mileage: 552.1 miles
Quote of the Day: "Bicycling is a big part of the future.  It has to be.  There's something wrong with a society that drives a car to work out in a gym." -Bill Nye

This week my chore group was on trailer crew which meant we were responsible for getting everyone's bags and bins packed before the riders can eat breakfast.  While waiting for everyone to bring out their belongings, I saw the sun starting to rise over the water (a rarity as most of the time we over looked the Pacific Ocean).   Around the corner from the church I stumbled upon the Fire Bell Tower.  Built in 1890, it held the city's fire engine and 1,500 pound brass bell which would signal where and severity of the fire.  Today it remains the last wooden fire bell tower in the US.

The town also has some great Victorian architecture which have been well preserved thanks to a mass exodus during the Great Depression.  I would have loved to do more exploring around the town, but unfortunately there was just no time.  Port Townsend has been added to my list of places to come back and visit. 

Just add this sunset to the long list of perfect sunsets we have had on the trip.

We woke up to the most wonderful smells of breakfast and homemade biscuits; for a moment I thought I was back on SUS.  The team was weighed down, but it was well worth it.  Some of us even packed a biscuit for the road.

There is nothing like a Bike and Build birthday (I celebrated 25 on the road).  Out of 33 riders, six would be celebrating their birthday; today's was Athena's and she was rocking quite the outfit.

View of the town before our "great descent".

My group took a few wrong turns and were immediately off the cue sheet.  We made our way back to the bike trail and were happy to see other Drift West'ers heading out way; if we were lots at least we would be lost with friends.  Look at those happy, backlit bikers.

Katy got a great shot of our group heading down the trail.  Look at those safety triangles. 

Everything was all fine and good until we hit something affectionately known as the wall.  Out of nowhere came this super steep hill.  We saw the group ahead of us heading up and when one girl toppled over into the bushes we thought it might be best if we walked.  My bike was also having some serious gear issues (AKA none of my little gears were working) so I had no shame walking up.  There were a few brave souls who made it to the top and got to ride under a bridge of Drift Westers.

View from the top of the hill.  Everywhere you look the views get better and better.  There was also a huge blackberry bush at the top which sweetened the deal!

My group made a cue sheet re-route in order to hit the local Goodwill to get costumes for tonight's Prom.  Now prom is not just for high school juniors and seniors.  Each trip has their own prom and while we might be a shorter ride we would NOT be missing out on our evening.  This year's prom theme: drag with a hint of home town pride

Our fearless leaders

Representing Maryland (crab) and Jersey (the Garden State)

But first let me take a selfie

The "guys"

The "gals"

Da Drift West Crew

Nothing to see here people.  Just a bunch of 20 somethings heading out for a normal Thursday evening at a local bar and grill (and to celebrate Athena's birthday). 

Ride to Port Townsend

Port Angeles to Port Townsend: 56.2 miles
Total Mileage: 504.6 miles
Quote of the Day: "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." - Andre Gide

Another day, another ride and after a quick route meeting we were off again!!

Sadly our group made a turn too early and were off the cue sheet within the first five miles.  Thanks to google maps we plotted a route with the hopes we could walk through someone's back yard and hop back on the bike trail.  Well we did find the yard, but there was a cliff between us and the trail so we had reroute a second time which was way more successful.

We might have been lost, but the view was great.

Today we would be riding on the Olympic Discovery Trial.  Unlike yesterday's stretch, this section of the trail had some insane ups and downs before it flattened out. 

After a couple of major hill climbs post lunch and hopping back on another bicycle trail, we could see Port Townsend in the distance!!  Yay for short ride days. 

#scurpgram

Our host tonight was St. Paul's Church which is the oldest Episcopal church in Washington State.  It was build in 1865, but moved to this location by horses in the 1880s.  The church also houses a bell which was rung during foggy weather to warn sailors about the nearing town. 

Running low on food we needed to stock up on some essentials before heading into Bremerton.  One of the local church members mentioned there was a farmers market a few blocks away so Harry and I put on our Drift West gear and headed out.  We were amazed by the generosity of the local farmers.  Look at all those vegetables!!!

With a little time to kill before dinner a bunch of us headed downtown to grab a local beer at Sirens Pub (a recommendation from the host).

After another amazing host dinner we settled in for the grant review process.  The team had fundraised just over $81,000 and we would all be given $818 to give to an affordable housing agency which applied for funding.  Each chore group was given three grants to review and after a quick round of debate they would then give the highlights and the lowlights so the other riders could make an informed decision.  The process was surprisingly smooth and all of the money had been distributed in about two hours.  This is why we ride and it will be interesting to hear back from the organizations once they receive their funding and get their projects going.