Dude Where’s My Helmet

Olympic Circumnavigation Day 5

August 12, 2020

The nice thing about riding along the coastal shoreline is that the road is flat – until it isn’t.  Blaine, Steve and I had decided to forgo our morning oatmeal ritual in favor of breakfasting in the nearby town of Union, and we rolled out of the state park improperly caffeinated and hungry.  We were relegated to once again riding a no shoulder road, this time State Route 106, but the traffic was light and I enjoyed the morning cruise along the tide flats.  We arrived in Union to find that the two restaurants both of whom had, a week prior, informed Steve, via various phone calls, that they would be open closed.

Blaine voted to continue rolling forward, whereas Steve and I were eager to find some coffee and food.  A tribal police officer pulled up as Steve and I were standing outside of the closed convenience store and informed us that there was a café open about a mile away, “it’s all uphill though” he said.  It turned out to be a serious twenty percent uphill grind, thank goodness for my bailout 46 tooth rear cog.  At the top of the hill we discovered the café closed.

“Dude where’s my helmet,” I said to Steve as we stood outside of the closed restaurant.

“You’re what?” Steve replied.

“My helmet,” I repeated patting my cycling cap.  “I think I left it at that store.”  So it was back down the hill to retrieve my helmet.  The debate as to whether find food or continue riding simply moved to a new venue.

We decided to continue on in hopes of finding something to eat.  Soon enough we arrived at the Alderbrook Resort where Steve went in and verified that yes indeed they would serve us breakfast.  The rich coffee and French toast with bananas were worth the delay.

State Route 106 to Belfair is lined with what appear to be primarily vacation homes, and despite a steady stream of passing vehicles I didn’t have any close calls – everyone gave me plenty of room.  This is a nice section of the route: flat and scenic, a good chance to sit, spin and enjoy the passing scenery.

At Belfair we had to negotiate some light city traffic – a first for this trip – and then climbed a long hill up and away from the coast.  Our plan was to take the ferry from Southworth to Fauntleroy, but we were stymied by a road closure.  Undeterred, or should I say detoured, we took a circuitous path to Southworth via Port Orchard.  When we rolled up to the toll both the fellow inside asked “what are you doing here?”  There really is only one reason for going to a ferry toll booth, but the guy seem mystified none the less.

Across the parking lot I could see the green and white ferry sailing away.

The next ferry was an hour and forty minutes later.  We now had some waiting to do.  Blaine had already stopped at the nearby convenience store and bought three beers: at least we had something to do while we waited.

Blaine’s wife met us at the ferry dock at Fauntleroy and rode with us to the top of the hill where Steve and I said goodbye and continued on towards the West Seattle Bridge.  Steve and I rolled easy through town and over the Interstate 90 floating bridge.  Steve turned off midway across Mercer Island and I rode alone the final four miles.  I turned down the hill into my neighborhood and suddenly I was home.

Route information can be found here: https://www.strava.com/activities/3904673644