adventures nw summer 2012

ADVENTURESNW >>>

>>> EXTENSIVE OUTDOOR EVENTS CALENDAR THROUGH 2012—14 pages—INSIDE

Washington’s

Best Bike RidesFree.

SUMMER.2012

takeenjoy keep

hiking Canada’s gulF islands

MountaineeRing in goatlandRagnaR RelaY:Running Wildpaddling to Canada

ski to sea kettle CakeWalk the Road to YelloWstone

BEER GARDEN

11-6

PM

4 race | play | experience

James Bertolino’s twenty-sixth collection of poetry, “Finding Water, Holding stone,” was published in 2009 by Cherry Grove Collections. He has won a number of national poetry competitions, including the Discovery award, and has taught poetry writing from Cornell

University to the north Cascades institute. now retired, he lives outside Bellingham.

after arriving in the Pacific northwest for graduate school at UBC in 1976, BoB KanDiKo was easily lured into seeking adventures by climbing in the rugged mountains and sea kayaking along the convoluted coastline, camera at the ready. a map can keep him entertained for hours as he envisions future trip possibilities

miKe mCQUaiDe is a Bellingham writer, guidebook author and admitted bicycle junkie. His latest book, “75 Classic rides: Washington” (mountaineers Books) was published in may.

His blog is www.mcqview.blogspot.com.

a bicyclist, backpacker, kayaker and regular contributor to adventures nW, laUral rinGler has published almost 80 articles and blogs at lauralringler.com. she thanks Dan & ariane ringler for the shuttle and watching the kids, and is glad poop collecting yielded “a successful genotype” for WWU’s David Wallin and leslie Parks.

CraiG romano is currently island hopping while researching his next book, “Day Hiking san Juan and Gulf islands,” a more agreeable project than his last book, “Backpacking Washington;” which he hiked 1,550 miles to research. author of eight books; when not hiking, he can often be found napping with his cats Giuseppe and scruffy

Gray. Visit him at Craigromano.com.

tamaria sanDerson, mother of two, started running in 2008; ragnar relay was her goal. to date, she has completed 13 half marathons, 6 marathons, and other relay races. 2012 marks tamaria’s 5th year as a team captain for nWP ragnar.

saraH sCHUmaCHer is a relatively recent convert to running, starting four years ago after the birth of her first child. since then, she’s run five half marathons, Hood to Coast, and the ragnar relay. ragnar is her favorite, thanks to the scenery, camaraderie, and beer garden at the finish line.

although he grew up in western Washington, aaron tHeisen has lived for the last 13 years in spokane and has developed a fondness for Washington’s “dry side.” aaron does not recommend actually eating a piece of cake immediately after a 45-mile dayhike.

lisa toner grew up in Whatcom County and will always think of

Bellingham as home. You will find her teaching violin, biking, writing, and climbing all around the Pacific northwest. Her next adventure is a three-month bicycle trip in europe with her husband, Jon.

CONTRIBUTORS SUMMMER | 2012Volume 7. Issue 2

A Look Ahead:Vancouver Island wild: Hiking the Juan De Fuca Trail

Snorkeling with Salmon

Get Ready for Mud and Suds

Journey to the Tombstones

Brett Baunton’s Magnificent Obsession

Our Autumn Issue

race | play | experience 5

INSPIRATIONS IN THIS ISSUE

Phot

o by

John

D’O

nofri

o

COVERMary Latta on the road to Artist Point photo by Mike McQuaide

Paddling into CanadaA pilgramage to Hozomeen John D’Onofrio 10Digging Deep: Across the Kettle Range “Cakewalk” in a day Aaron Theisen 16Dodging Turkeys: Mike McQuaide interviews himself Mike McQuaide 20Mountaineering in GoatlandSharing the Ptarmigan Traverse Laural Ringler 24High, Wild & Wide Alpine panoramas Bob Kandiko 30Human-Powered Travel Making connections on the road to Yellowstone Lisa Toner 32The Wild & Wooly Ragnar NW Passage Sarah Schumacher & Tamaria Sanderson 36Galiano Island Island paradise to trails paradise Craig Romano 40

There’sNothing Like

Being TheFirst OneOn The Water.

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Client: Whidbey Island BankPub: Adventure NWAd: “First One” Ad Size: Live: 2.375" x 9.625" Trim: N/A Bleed: N/A

A Look Ahead:

“The only question in life is whether or not you are going to answer a hearty

‘YES’ to your adventure.”

- Jospeh Campbell

Out & About 8The Art of Nature 35Race | Play | Experience Calendar 44-57Advertiser Index 57Next Adventure photo 58

DESTINATIONS

6 race | play | experience >>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.AdventuresNW.com >>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

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Adventures NW magazine is printed by Lithtex NW Printing Solutions, Bellingham

> FIND Adventures NW is available free at hundreds of locations region-wide: throughout Whatcom, Island, Skagit, and San Juan coun-ties, at all Washington REI stores, in select spots in Snohomish Co., Leavenworth, Winthrop, Wenatchee, Vancouver, BC, at area visitor and transit centers, and through numerous races and events.

> SUBSCRIBE Have ANW mailed to your home, your work, or as a gift subscription. Info at AdventuresNW.com. Multi-copy subscriptions are available, with discount based on quantity and location.

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> EVENTS Have your outdoor-related event, race or public outing listed in the quarterly race|play|experience calendar and the regularly updated online version. Write to dennis @ AdventuresNW.com for information.

SUMMER | 2012Volume 7. Issue 2

ADVENTURES Nw

Adventures NW magazinewww.AdventuresNW.com

John D’Onofrio Publisher/Editor

john @ adventuresnw.com

Dennis BrounsteinAdvertising Sales

dennis @ adventuresnw.com

Jason RinneCreative Director

jason @ adventuresnw.com

Marian JensenAccounting

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> INVOLVED... Alaine Borgias • James Bertolino

Paul Haskins • Bob KandikoMike McQuaide • David Pillinger

Laural Ringler • Craig Romano Tamaria Sanderson • Sarah Schumacher

Aaron Theisen • Lisa Toner

>>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online. race | play | experience 7 >>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.

I’ve been a huge fan of Adventures NW since Day One.

I met Paul Haskins and Alaine Borgias before the first issue hit the presses back in 2006 and knew instantly that I wanted to be a part of what they were doing. I wrote a piece for that very first magazine about the gentle pleasures of the Baker River trail. They printed it. Go figure.

As a writer and photographer, I’ve been fortunate enough to contribute stories and images to 24 of the 25 issues that they’ve published, starting with that very first one. It’s been satisfying work.

As a reader, I’ve devoured every single issue, discovering new people, places and activities that together have deepened my already passionate love for this transcendently beautiful corner of the country that we call home.

I was even an advertiser in the early days, back when I still had a “day job” running a local technology company. I benefit-ted from that association too.

Over the years ANW has consistently continued to deliver the goods: compelling writing, beautiful photography, and a genuine enthusiasm for exploring our amazing world - both externally and internally.

So when Paul & Alaine approached me with the idea of taking the reins at ANW, I was flattered and humbled - and

totally psyched! It’s been said that for everyone there exists a “per-fect” job. And as I’ve worked on this, my first issue as publisher/

editor, I’m convinced that I’ve found mine.And, luckily for me (and you!) Paul and Alaine are still go-

ing to be involved in ANW, as contributors, mentors and sup-pliers of hurdy-gurdy music (an important, if little understood, component of the publishing industry).

They’ve certainly picked their moment to exit the stage. Adventures NW is thriving: 40,000 loyal readers, a devoted group of local and regional businesses that continue to support the magazine with their advertising dollars, and a who’s who of some of the Northwest’s best writers and photographers.

ANW is truly the heart and soul of our beloved outdoor activities scene. And quite a scene it is. Running, biking, hik-ing, mountaineering, paddling, skiing, boarding, snowshoe-ing, diving, sailing: so many ways to express a shared love for our environment and community. So many variations on the theme of Adventure!

As I say, a dream come true.The journey continues...

new beginningsOne of my favorite outdoorsmen, Teddy Roosevelt, said,

“Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” I couldn’t agree with him more as I look back these past six-plus years and the twenty-five issues of Adventures NW magazine—a labor of love that has marked each season’s potential for the experiences to be had in the wonders of the Pacific Northwest outdoors. Alaine and I have worked hard, to be sure, but we were committed to offer a thing of value and substance, something completely new and different, that sought to inspire readers near and far to just get out there and “race, play, experience.” It has been work worth doing, without a doubt, and we’re very, very proud of what we’ve accomplished.

Yet we could not have even begun, let alone continued, without the advertisers and supporters who have believed in Adventures NW magazine, valued reaching out to our readers, and financially made each issue possible.

We also could not have fulfilled our commitment to qual-ity without our contributors. Over the years, we’ve worked with nearly 150 writers and pho-tographers who have understood that adventure begins with but a single step and doesn’t necessarily have to involve a near-death oc-

currence, or a writerly resume, to be a good story—when it’s a story written from the heart.

And, most importantly, we could not have succeeded were it not for our readers, who faithfully watched for the release of each new issue, who subscribed, and who, simply put, encour-aged us with enthusiasm and appreciation to keep on.

You—whether you are an advertiser, supporter, con-tributor, reader, or a combination—you have been integral to our ability to sustain our work over the years; without you, Adventures NW would never have become what it is today. But it’s time for some new experiences. It’s time for new passion and energy to propel Adventures NW to the next step; we don’t think there could be a more fitting individual for this role than John D’Onofrio. John, whom you are familiar with through his photographic and written contributions since the very first issue, will bring skill and fresh ideas to this publication; while at the same time, he is sure to preserve the heart and soul you’ve come to expect on every page.

Thank you for making our hard work so much easier through your support. We hope to see you out there as we all race, play and, simply, experience.

8 race | play | experience >>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.AdventuresNW.com

Ski to Sea continues to grow greenerThis year's Ski to Sea race promises

to be the "greenest" ever, according to Whatcom Events Executive Director Mel Monkelis and Green Team Chairperson Rodd Pemble.

The Green Team was launched in 2008 with a mandate to find ways to reduce waste and diminish the carbon footprint of Whatcom County's iconic relay race and associated activities.

In an effort to wean the event off of plastic water bottles, this year's race will feature the introduction of water pro-vided by Spokane's Zip 2 Water, an in-novative company that taps municipal water sources to deliver filtered water for athletic and other events.

" I met with the inventors at the Spokane conference," Pemble says. "They're neat folks who were tired of bad water or disposable bottles at their son’s soccer games across the state. Basically, folks will fill their own wa-ter bottle at the Zip 2 Water station; a quart-full in a few seconds."

Zip 2 Water stations will be po-sitioned at each race transition except the Run-to-Road Bike exchange at the Department of Transportation snow shed on the Mount Baker Highway, which lacks a potable water source.

Another goal continues to be the reduction of the number of vehicles at the event.

"We're continuing to promote the 'Shuttle Up!' service on Race day," Pemble says. The shuttle service will run

from 11 am to 8 pm between WWU South Lots, Fairhaven, Boundary Bay Brewery, and Squalicum Harbor.

"For just $3 per person, you can ride all day between these locations to eat, drink, and enjoy the race and festi-val," he explains. The 'Shuttle Up!' ser-vice is a joint project with the Fairhaven Merchants Association.

"We also expanded the 'Green Dollars' outreach this year, involving not only seven Girl Scout troops, but also volunteer teams from Whatcom Land Trust, Built Green of Whatcom County, and the Mount Baker Hiking Club. These volunteers will be staffing recycling stations along the race course and in the Grand Parade. A portion of the Green Dollars raised by this year’s registrations will go to support the various groups’ activities - maintaining trails, restoring native habitat, and edu-cating the community about sustain-able building."

Pemble, who has served on the Ski to Sea Green Team since its inception, brings considerable passion to his new role as Chairperson. "Waste reduction, whether it’s by using fewer cars for your team or eliminating the need for dis-posable water bottles, is my top prior-ity," he affirms.

Mountain Runners Film to premier on Ski to Sea weekend

"The Mountain Runners", a locally-produced documentary film about the original Mount Baker Marathon will

have its world premier at the Pickford Film Center in Bellingham during the Ski to Sea weekend. Debuting on Thursday, May 24, the film will play at the Pickford for a week before hit-ting the festival circuit. Filmmakers Todd Warger, Brian Young and David Lowrance will be in attendance at the premier.

The film, three years in the making, tells the amazing story of the Mount Baker Marathon, which was first run in 1911 and inspired today's Ski to Sea Race. But unlike the modern version, the Marathon was not a relay race - each contestant raced from Bellingham to the summit of 10,778 foot Mount Baker and back again, 116 miles of mud, sweat and glory.

The marathon’s story is one of almost

&OutAbout

Jason martin as Victor Galbraith in “the mountain runners”

>>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online. race | play | experience 9

unbelievable derring-do, with runners crossing glaciers and mountain streams and returning to Bellingham by hook or by crook. Remarkable side-stories abound: a derailed train, a miraculous crevasse rescue, broken bones, judges nearly frozen to death, etc. Truly stranger than fiction, the Mount Baker Marathon was America’s very first endurance race.

The making of “The Mountain Runners” has been an endeavor that has nearly matched the original marathon in terms of audacity, perseverance and pluck - truly a labor of love for director Todd Warger.

"We needed to be able to film from airplanes and helicopters and shoot run-ners on the glaciers of Mount Baker," Director Warger says. "We needed a train and automobiles from 1911. Logistically, it was overwhelming."

The film features meticulous re-enactments of both the race and the behind-the-scenes intrigue that nearly drove the racers to their deaths. William B. Davis, the notorious “smoking man” from the X-Files TV show, is featured as Mount Baker Club president Henry Engberg, who had famously insisted that the race carry on despite the peril-ous conditions.

Also appearing are a who's who of contemporary marathon runners and climbers including Scott Jurek, Krissy Moehl, Cami Ostman, Doug McKeever, Steve House and Chad Kellogg.

For more information: www.the-mountainrunners.com

Don't Put the Snowshoes Away Yet Thank La Nina. For the second

year in a row, snowpack in the North Cascades is above average. Way above average. At the Mount Baker Ski Area, as of closing day on April 29, 804 inches of the white stuff had fallen over the course of the season. Average an-nual snowfall is 701 inches. While the total is less than last year's 857 inches, it still seems certain to delay the high

country hiking season until late in the summer, particularly given that much of the snow fell late in the winter and into the spring.

In the beginning of May, accord-ing to the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center, the Mount Baker Ski Area had 211 inches on the ground, as compared to an average of 141 inches. Last year's total at this time was 241 inches.

The heavier-than-usual snow-pack is in evi-dence through-out the Cascade range, extending south to Oregon where the west-ern slopes boast snowpacks in the 105 to 130 percent of nor-mal range. Here too, much of the accumula t ion came late in the season. Ditto the Olympic Range, which boasted a snowpack in the 135 percent range - including a whopping 80 inches (almost seven feet) that

fell in March.The prodigious snowpack is good

news indeed for the regional water sup-ply, area farmers and summer skiers, but promises to once again delay access to high routes throughout the mountains, especially on the west side. Last year the popular 2.7 mile-long road from the ski area to Artist Point never opened to vehicles due to excessive snow.

summer shoes: Hikers near mount Baker in august, 2011

into


The surface of Diablo Lake is a turquoise mirror.

The air is still, without the faintest breath of wind. I dip my paddle into the water and the canoe moves silently away from the shore. Behind us, the boat launch at Colonial Creek recedes as we move down Thunder Arm and out into the main part of the lake. The sun breaks through the clouds. All sys-tems go.

Canada:A pilgrimage to HozomeenStory and photographs by John D’Onofrio

PaddlingBetween the four of us, we have

a double kayak and my freighter of a canoe, the venerable Queen Edna. We plan to make our way up to the head of Diablo, shuttle the gargantuan canoe and double kayak to Ross Lake and paddle its length, north to Canada. All told, 28 miles. If all goes accord-ing to schedule, we’ll be picked up at Hozomeen at the north end of the lake in five days.

Ross Lake is a justifiably famous north country paddle. 23 miles long, the lake is only a mile and a half across at its widest point. Lined by precipitous blue-green mountains, it resembles a fresh-water fjord. A little bit of Norway in the North Cascades. No roads reach its shores except for at the extreme north end, where the 43-mile long Silver/

Jack mountain rises over ross lake

Skagit Road, a bump-and-grind dirt track in Canada, ends at the Hozomeen Campground.

The Queen Edna moves easily up Diablo, its water a vibrant aquamarine, thanks to the glaciers swaddling the peaks all around us. Incredibly, melt-water from ten percent of the glaciers in the lower 48 states finds its way into Diablo Lake. It is the color of angels dreaming.

Past Hidden Cove, we enter the canyon at the head of Diablo, a re-minder of its salad days as a free-flowing river. We paddle beneath rugged cliffs softened by small hanging gardens of red columbine. Golden beds of moss cover the rare hor-izontal places. Waterfalls stream down creases in the stone and we linger at one, paddling right up to the torrent, breathing it in, taking our time.

At the head of the canyon is a dock. This is the pick-up point for the Ross Lake Resort shuttle. We call the resort from the telephone mounted beside the dock and soon a flat bed truck arrives in a finely-sifted cloud of dust. We load the boats in the back (the Queen Edna dangles alarmingly off the back end) and climb in beside them for the short drive around the dam to the dock at the southern end of Ross Lake, across from the historic Ross Lake Resort.

The Resort consists of a string of floating cabins on the far side of the lake. Since the water level in the lake fluctuates wildly depending on the outflow of the dam - as much as 125 feet - the resort maintains its waterfront status by going with the flow, rising and falling with the changing surface level.

The water level currently is about 20 feet below “full pool” according to the shuttle driver.

We reload the boats and paddle around a bend out into the open wa-ters of the lake, where we encounter a stiff wind at our backs. We are prepared for this and open the trusty over-sized umbrellas that we’ve brought to use as

sails. We fly up the lake, raising froth, my paddle acting as a rudder. Our first camp, Cougar Island, comes into view in early afternoon.

Due to the low level of the lake, the dock is hanging uselessly on the rocks, completely out of the water. We beach the boats on a sandy patch and haul our stuff to the top of a bluff with a splen-did view of Colonial Peak rising among a retinue of snow-covered mountains. We sprawl in the sunshine and ponder our good fortune, free spirits in a be-

nevolent world, alone on the island. Wanderings from camp reveal

strange Indian Pipe plants emerging from the forest duff and cliffs draped with penstemons. At twilight we build a fire and sit close, warm in the flicker-ing light, enjoying that familiar sense of freedom that floods the senses at the be-ginning of a trip. A most pleasing com-

bination of contentment and anticipation, shared with kindred souls, be-neath the sky.

In the morning the wind is once again blow-ing up-lake, the way we are going. Good for us. We deploy umbrella power until the wind turns our umbrellas in-side out, so we glide up the lake without them, moving at a good clip just the same, wind to our backs.

It’s to be a short paddling day today; we’ve planned to stop at Big Beaver Creek and hike up into the old-growth forest to have a look at the ancient trees. The vociferous wind makes landing an exciting proposition, but we manage to nose in through the waves amongst the rocks.

There’s a dock, but once again it’s high and dry.

Camp is established on a promon-tory overlooking the lake and, daypacks loaded, we head up the trail beside the creek through a thousand shades of primordial green, past exotic ferns, wild ginger, columbine, dwarf dogwood, huge swamp lanterns. We cross creeks and get our feet wet. The brush is sop-ping and soon so are we, so when it begins to rain it doesn’t matter. Life is good in the Valley of the Big Beaver!


a quiet moment on little Beaver Creek


In the morning the wind is picking up and the lake is boisterous. We’ve got a long paddle today, start-ing with a crossing of the lake, so the boats are loaded with a sense of urgency. By the time we launch, the wind is really blowing. Our next camp, Cat Island is 8 1/2 miles up-lake, just off the eastern shore.

We rock and roll across the lake, the surface stip-pled with white caps. The umbrellas are unfurled, a sight that appears to amuse a passing family of loons. It takes one to know one. We duck into the mouth of Devil’s Creek, up into the green canyon between vertical walls draped with mosses and ferns. It’s a magical and enchanted-looking place, a haunt of elves. Our progress is halted at

the base of a waterfall, spray in the air. Barely enough room to turn around.

Back in the lake, the chop is flying and the Queen Edna rides the waves,

under umbrella power. Susan, in the bow of the canoe, has become an um-

brella virtuoso, adjusting the angle with great preci-sion to the ever-changing velocity of the wind. A few waves find their way over the gunwales but by and large, it’s an exhilarat-ing ride across the white caps. On the leeward side of Cat Island, a fine gravel beach provides a perfect landing site out of the wind and soon the boats are safely pulled above the waterline.

Camp is established at the very top of the island in a green copse of trees. A nearby rocky bluff affords a view further up the lake, where a pair of spectacular

waterfalls cascade down the mountain-side; a preview of where we’re going. As evening draws near, the clouds hang low in the last light of day, like tattered curtains on the blue-green mountains.

In the morning, the sun is shining and the wind has dropped to a whisper.

The surface of the lake is a mirror and we paddle beneath the sky on its vibrant reflection, headed across to the west side to get a closer look at the waterfalls. Drawing nearer, it becomes clear that in addition to the two epic falls, there are many other smaller cascades tumbling into the lake. We paddle along the shoreline from waterfall to waterfall, like bemused otters. At the base of the tumultuous cataract of Arctic Creek, we aim our boats right into the thunder and spray at the base of the falls, bath-ing in negative ions.

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exploring Devil’s Creek

We sprawl in the sunshine and ponder our good fortune, free spirits in a

benevolent world, alone on the island.


Hozomeen Mountain is visible to the north, rising into the clouds. A forebod-ing sight. Hozomeen has a special place in my heart, owing to long-ago college days reading Kerouac during grey, New Jersey winters. To say that I found Kerouac’s love poems to Hozameen compelling would be an understatement. And this remote monarch on the Canadian border, momentous as it is, is hard to see from any easily accessible point in these north-

ern mountains. This is my first close look. It does not disappoint.

We turn up Little Beaver Creek be-tween fern-draped walls of green. The

sunlight reflecing off the water casts a dancing light on the undercut sides of the canyon. A cool breeze blows down from the Pickets. At the dock, the boats are unloaded and camp is quickly set up atop a cliff, a prime vantage point for gazing back down the lake at Jack Mountain, it’s complicated summit swaddled in ice. A hike along the lake shore ends with much whooping and howling, as we take turns plunging into

Umbrella sailing

The umbrellas are unfurled, a sight that appears to amuse

a passing family of loons.


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the freezing water. The sun is warm and a soft whisper of wind dries us off. The sky is a dazzling blue and Hozomeen, free of clouds now, rises like Dracula’s castle. Ooh la la.

It’s the first day of fishing season and Gary tries some casts. Immediately, he gets a bite and hauls in a prize rainbow trout, an absolute beauty. As darkness mutes the sky, he and Wendy build a fire and grill his catch over the crackling cedar. If I’ve ever tasted better fish, I don’t remember when. Frogs serenade us with their peculiar

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trance music. Tomorrow our journey will reach its end, and this knowledge somehow makes the evening breezes even sweeter.

In the morning we set out in spar-kling sunshine. Only a few miles to the Hozomeen Campground, and our ren-dezvous with the support vehicle. As if

to impart a final reality check, the wind again rises, compelling us to work hard to re-cross the lake to the campground, paddling into Canada in the process.

The campground boat launch comes into view in early afternoon and after landing, the boats are hauled up the beach, through throngs of sun-

bathing Canadians, to the waiting VW Van. Gear stowed, we head up the bumpy road away from the lake, which is quickly lost in the trees. I turn back for a last glimpse of Hozomeen, but it too has disappeared from view.

Until next time.

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The Kettle Range is the backbone—and heart—of northeastern Washington.

A mosaic of closed-canopy forests and open, sagebrush- and wildflower-filled meadows rapidly rebounding from past wildfires, the Kettle Range features a half-dozen of eastern Washington’s highest peaks, from the summits of which one can gape at distant shimmering vistas of the Cascade and Rocky Mountains. Winding over and around the length of the range is the 45-mile Kettle Crest National Recreation Trail, the granddaddy of long-distance trails in eastern Washington.

Nominally a “ridge-running” route, the Kettle Crest Trail still tallies up about 8,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain over its length. While one could easily spend several days traversing and savoring the Crest, there is also something magical in watching the full light of a long summer day rise and fall across these wild mountains

Crossing the Kettle Range “Cakewalk” in a day

Story and photographs by Aaron Theisen

Digging Deep

looking toward snow and sherman Peaks from Bald mountain, a short distance off the Kettle Crest trail. in the left background lie the northern peaks of the Kettle Crest.


in one unbroken chain of footsteps from trailhead to trail’s end. For the past few years, several friends and I have done just that - a one-day hike of the Kettle Crest, which we have deceptively dubbed the “Kettle Crest Cakewalk.”

MorningOur journey begins

a little before 6 am at the southern terminus of the Kettle Crest Trail near White Mountain. As the sun enters the purple pre-dawn sky, the granitic rocks glow with collected and reflected sunlight. Lupine, Indian paintbrush, buckwheat, aster and yarrow stir in the breeze. This spectacu-lar region of the Kettle River Range has long been an important place of spiritual power for lo-

cal Native American tribes and remains an important landscape for the adjacent Colville Indian Reservation, and it’s easy to see why. These mountains seems to reflect far more than the sum of their components - rock, flower, tree, light.

It is the little spots on the trail that always leave such a big impression in my mind: the rocky bench, with its eastward views of Twin Sisters Roadless Area, right before the trail begins to climb around the west side of Scar Mountain; the open, grassy meadow trailing down the west face of Profanity Peak, with views of the Curlew Valley; the serene grotto of giant Douglas-fir trees underlain by grass and lupine as the trail ascends out of Long Alec Creek. The Kettle Crest Trail offers plenty of quiet nooks in which to pitch a tent or rest aching feet.

At 15 miles, roughly six hours in, we reach Sherman Pass, at 5575 feet the

highest year-round auto-accessible pass in the state. In the parking lot, packed by backcountry skiers in winter but quiet this August morning, we retrieve gallon jugs of water stashed the day be-fore. None of us is tempted to linger; we have a full three-day-weekend worth of hiking to finish in the next 12 hours.

We remain in a constant state of inexorable forward motion. The photos I take are invariably blurry, because I do not pause long enough to rest my shutter finger. By this point, the usual reasons one might enjoy a long backpacking trip -concepts like “fun,” “enjoying the scen-ery,” “relishing others’ company”- have given way to work.

AfternoonEvery backpacking trip I’ve been on

reaches a moment where conversation stops as each person descends inside him - or herself. Invariably it’s about halfway through the last day of the trip. On the Cakewalk it’s at about 3 pm, not long after Camelbacks and water bottles have been topped off at the little spring in a wet meadow near the intersection with the Jungle Hill trail, about 22 miles into the hike. On the ridge run from Jungle Hill to Wapaloosie - arguably one of the most spectacular stretches of the trail, with views to the Selkirks in the east and sagebrush at our feet - the group stretches like taffy. I’m glad for the soli-tude. After hours of following so closely behind another hiker, staring at her boot heels, I’ve begun to get vertigo. I need open trail in front of me.

Ten hours into the hike and almost 30 miles north of White Mountain, we reach the summit of Copper Butte, one of the Kettle Range’s other trophy peaks. Were one to pause long enough to enjoy the view, one would see in the distance the Cascades, Selkirks, and Midway Mountains, and - stretched out below - the pristine roadless lands of the western Colville National Forest, the lodgepole pine forests of Twin Sisters, the deep canyons of Jackknife and Hoodoo, the

leaving dark forest and entering sun-washed sagebrush grassland on lambert mountain.


Douglas-fir and maple of Owl Mountain.Hiking the entire Kettle Crest all in

one day provides the opportunity to mar-vel at the sheer variety of terrain through which we’ve passed: high-elevation mead-ows on White Mountain, expanses of ghost-white snags and flower fields on Snow Peak’s side, aspen groves and sage-

brush on Columbia Mountain, the dark forests near Sentinel Butte, on the north end. Mere steps take us from one habitat to another; it’s like eastern Washington on fast-forward.

EveningDescending Copper Butte, through

the packed and sun-parched rock of another old burn, my legs protest. The logis-tical impossibility of bailing down one of the numer-ous feeder trails in the next few miles steels me, although I let the temptation linger. I’ve completed two Ironmans, and in some ways, this is more difficult - after over a dozen hours of the same repetitive forward motion, swinging one leg and then the other, the body literally aches for a change

P u s h i n g

headlong into the dark, I’m more in-tensely aware than I’ve ever been of the slow drain of daylight from a landscape. As we flip on our headlamps, our focus shrinks, from a ribbon 45 miles long and 20 inches wide to a bright smudge six feet in diameter.

To keep myself going and pass the time, I begin performing repeated mental calculations of how much is left - a task that would seem to get tedious quickly were it not for the fact that I come up with a different figure every time.

You know that dream when you’re

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sherman Creek flows off Jungle Hill, on the northern half of the Kettle Crest trail.

the Kettle Crest trail takes hikers through forests of lodgepole pine and fir (photo by micaela theisen).


trying to run away from a monster but you never gain any ground? The last several hours begin to feel like that, ex-cept there is no monster - just mind and body rebelling against the foolishness of the pursuit. The last eight miles - a solid day hike on a normal day, but a nui-sance to be suffered through on this one

- seem to stretch across the continent.I begin to jog, although at this stage

“jogging” is a relative term, and I gain only a fraction of speed. Nonetheless, I rejoice, after 14 hours of walking, in try-ing out another movement.

Finally, the northern trailhead, at Deer Creek Summit, appears. In the dark, there is no climactic buildup. The hike simply ceases to continue. Likewise, in the dark I realize that, despite the feeling of total isolation of the last seven hours - a feeling, it turns out, that everyone shares - none of us was more than 15 seconds in front of

or behind anyone else. It’s amazing: 50 feet of open trail feel like an un-charted and un-peopled world. In wilderness, the solitude is perhaps more psychological or spiritual than physical.

At an average pace, it takes roughly 16 hours to hike the entire Kettle Crest in one day. It takes roughly 12 hours after that to pivot from “Why in God’s name did we ever think this was a good idea?” to “You know how we can do it faster next year? Run.”

Care to do it yourself? Driving directions for the northern trailhead: From Republic, drive 3 miles east on SR 20 and turn left on SR 21. Continue for 18.4 miles to Curlew and turn right on Boulder Creek Road (County Road 602). Drive 11.2 miles to the trailhead at Deer Creek Summit. For the south-ern trailhead: From Republic, drive 17 miles east on SR 20 to Sherman Pass. Continue on SR 20 for 3.5 miles and turn right onto South Fork Sherman Creek Road (FR 2020) at milepost 323. Follow FR 2020 for 7 miles, bear-ing right onto FR 2014. Continue for 4 miles and turn right onto

FR Spur 250. Continue for 4.2 miles to the trailhead. Supplies are available in Republic.

lupine, buckwheat and other wildflowers keep one’s eyes focused on the foreground.

50 feet of open trail feel like an uncharted and un-peopled

world. In wilderness, the solitude is perhaps more psychological

or spiritual than physical.

20 race | play | experience >>> Go to to read ANW stories & the race|play|experience calendar online.AdventuresNW.com20 race | play | experience

With thousands of miles of snaking tarmac that winds, wends, climbs and descends through some of the country’s most

stunning and varied terrain - alpine meadows to jewel-like islands; arid desert to lush rain forest - Washington State is truly an amazing place to ride a bike.

And now Mountaineers Books of Seattle has published “75 Classic Road Rides: Washington,” a new guidebook that details 75 of the state’s best road-riding routes. It’s authored by Bellingham resident and long-time Adventures NW contributor, Mike McQuaide. (Hey, whad’ya know, that’s me!)

Recently, we had the chance to sit down with McQuaide (again, me) at his vast Columbia neighborhood compound to get the lowdown on his new book.

Can I begin by saying that you are one truly hand-some human being. Much taller, thinner and younger-looking in real life. What are you 27, 28?

Sure.

Tell me about the book. Basically, it covers 75 really cool, really fun road-riding routes - most of

them between say, 30 and 80 miles - that take advantage of or showcase a particular area’s signature physical features. A well-known climb like Badger Mountain near Wenatchee or Lion Rock near Ellensburg, or a cool stretch along the Columbia River over near Nespelem, or a pancake-flat route down through the Skagit Flats, etc.

What type of rider is this book for? It’s for anyone who loves that feeling of self-propelled power and freedom

that you can only get from pedaling a bike out on the open road. That wind-in-your-hair, bugs-in-your-teeth-from-smiling-so-big feeling. The only require-ments are a passion for cycling, a thirst for adventure and a hunger to see some really beautiful places.

So it’s for passionate, thirsty, hungry riders? Exactly. You don’t need to be fast, skinny or have some bizillion-dollar bike.

You just need to be someone who loves riding a bike.

Mike McQuaide Interviews HimselfStory and photos by Mike McQuaide

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How’d you come up with routes in the book?

Along with including my own per-sonal faves, I endlessly badgered and bothered my bike-riding friends and acquaintances for route suggestions. I scoured Internet sites too, such as Strava, mapmyride, ridewithgps and the like to see what routes people are riding, and I relied on the kindness of strangers - rid-ers, racers, bike clubs and bike shops in parts of the state I wasn’t quite as familiar with. They turned me on to a LOT of amazing routes.

Such as …? Well, there’s this amazing 80-miler

over in Okanogan County that goes from Tonasket to Oroville by way of tiny Sitzmark Ski Area up in the Okanogan Highlands. Then it cuts west along the glistening Similkameen River and after meandering around for a while - pass-ing through tiny Nighthawk and along Palmer Lake, returns to Tonasket.

What’s nice about that one - beside the lovely high, dry Eastern Washington for-est vibe - is that if 80 miles seems too far, the book describes how it can easily be shortened to a couple of 40-milers. One hilly, one not so hilly; take your pick.

Then there’s BOMROD: Best of Mount Rainier in One Day, which lots of Seattle-area folks ride. It’s kind of an alternative to the popular RAMROD - Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day - but without the 50-mile ride to and from Enumclaw. It’s all within Mount Rainier National Park: up to Sunrise, then back down and up to Cayuse Pass, then down and up to Paradise via the east approach, which is really spectacular. With every pedal stroke Rainier appears to expand and grow before your very eyes. Then, back down and up Cayuse again, depend-ing on where you parked. It’s a mega-climbing day, that’s for sure. But way mega-beautiful as well.

Then there’s Steptoe Butte, out in

the Palouse, which is a quartzite bump that rises a thousand feet above the sur-rounding wheatfields. There’s a three-mile climb to the top but rather than switching back and forth like the road to Artist Point, the Steptoe Butte road spirals ‘round and ‘round the mountain as it climbs. And the views from the top are incredible - on clear days you can see for like 200 miles and into four states. The road’s a little rough but with out having to slow down for switchbacks, it can make for a crazy-fast descent.

Does every route in the book have mega-climbs on it?

Mega-‘course not. There are mel-low routes in Leavenworth, Yakima, around Bellingham, down Skagit way - throughout the state, really - and every route in the book can easily be shortened or lengthened. Many route descriptions also detail how to avoid a route’s steeper, pointy bits if you’d rather avoid any spots of bother.


Did you have any wild-life encounters?

Let’s see, I nearly got run off the road by a rafter of turkeys near Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula. And on the Forest Service roads above Winthrop, I found myself dodging cattle. Dead snakes too, lying in the road up on the Waterville Plateau. And of course, those giant pine-cones in the hills above Wenatchee - I found myself slaloming through those quite a bit.

Giant pinecones on the road—does that count as a wildlife encounter?

‘Course it does. You know those things bite, right?

OK. Anything odd or unusual hap-pen while working on this book?

Besides interviewing myself? Hmm, let’s see … this one time, I was down in Orting, getting ready to head out on a terrific 60-mile route throughout rural Pierce County. I was parked at a Safeway and as I’m putting my bike to-

gether, there’s this guy in a pickup truck a couple spots away just totally rocking out by himself to Stevie Ray Vaughan. He’s got it cranked at least to 11, if not 12 and the whole truck is vibrating, pulsating up and down like it’s alive.

Which is cool, I’m a big Stevie fan my-self, so when I pedal out, I nod to the guy - who’s dressed like he’s on his way to work: Carhartts, some kind of reflective vest and a John Deere-type hat.

Four or five hours later, after rid-ing all over the place throughout the Puyallup River valley, down near Eatonville and along Lake Kapowsin, I’m riding back into Orting and as I get closer to the Safeway, I hear what I swear sounds like a rock concert - in fact, a Stevie Ray Vaughan concert. I get back to my car and guess what it is - the dude in the pickup truck! He’s spent the last five hours rocking out in his pickup truck blasting Stevie Ray Vaughan at full volume!

What’s your favorite route in the book?

Hmm, tough question. But at the risk of sounding like a Whatcom County homer, I’d probably have to say the 100-miler that starts in Everson, heads up through cornfields and pas-

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above ellensburg, reecer Creek road climbs up, up and way high into Wenatchee national Forest.


tureland to Sumas, takes a turn for the steep up Reese Hill, and then follows the Mount Baker Highway up to the ski area - or all the way to Artist Point when the road’s open that far. On the return ride to Everson, you basically just follow the Ski to Sea road bike route.

Then again, there’s this 80-miler from Packwood to Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park to the Stevens Canyon entrance and back to Packwood that’s truly spectacularly, amazingly, beautiful. I saw a bunch of elk on that one, along with a momma bear and two cubs in that meadow just below Paradise.

And of course, anything near Walla Walla, which has such a cool, college-town-in-the-middle-of-nowhere atmo-sphere, and is fairly bike-obsessed too. A real good route is to follow Middle Waitsburg Road north up and down those Dr. Suessy Palousy-type hills to Waitsburg and from there you have a number of options: out toward Dayton and Bluewood Ski Area, climbing up

through deep, dark Umatilla National forest and the Blue Mountains, or on the way back to Walla Walla, head south to-ward the Oregon border and Koo skoo sk i e , which is really fun to say. Try it.

Kooskoosie. Fun, innit?

It’s all right. Anyway, the above and about 40 or

50 other routes are my favorites. With the rest of the ones in the book just a tadly smidgen behind.

Any last thoughts you’d like to share about the book?

Yes, just that this book is quite pos-

sibly the best book ever. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry; it’ll make you think. In fact, if you took all the Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Twilight books and placed them end to end, they wouldn’t come close to matching “75 Classic Rides: Washington” for sheer, un-adulterated bicycling awesomeness.

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it’s a race against the rain as the saturday morning Donut ride

rolls west toward Birch Bay.

Story and photos by Laural Ringler

Mountaineering in Goatland Sharing the Ptarmigan

Traverse with Creatures Great and Small

Duct tape. I had awakened to small feet clawing through my hair as a critter as-

cended my head, leapt over my face, and con-tinued across my sleeping bag. I fumbled for my headlamp, its sudden light illuminating a two-inch hole in the foot of our tent, a mouse nose sticking though it. Duct tape the hole, my sleepy brain responded. And that’s a fast mouse that’s already out again, I thought next. My hus-band swore.

I duct taped the hole from the inside, while Tom batted mice off of the tent. They were climbing up the mesh door like marauders gaining a castle’s walls. He sent individuals airborne as though he were play-ing handball. And still they came. The rest of their horde tried the tent walls, losing purchase when the incline became too much and sliding back down to the ground. The siege continued until our need for sleep after a seven-hour day of backpacking, scrambling, and glacier travel overcame our future need for food.

We hauled out everything edible, and packed what fit into the cook pot. We piled rocks on the lid as fur-ther discouragement, and figured the leftovers would be sacrificed. With the food now thirty feet away, I duct taped the mouse-shaped hole in the tent from the outside as well, and we tumbled back into our sleep-ing bags. The mice apparently preferred the challenge of stealing food from under our feet, since they didn’t bother once we moved it. Regardless, the attack did not recommence and we slept.


ascending the red ledges

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Camped at White Rock Lakes, our third night into the North Cascades’ Ptarmigan Traverse, we had noticed earlier that the animals there were much too habituated to humans. A marmot had ambled up to within a few feet of me after I’d gotten water from the lake, and a doe had stuck around at dinnertime even after Tom had thrown stones in her direction. Above tree line, there’s no option to string up the food, so you either cache it outside, or hide it in the bottom of a pack in the tent. We made the wrong choice that night.

High backcountry travel among Cascade peaks is rugged, isolated, spectacularly beautiful, and on this trip, crawling with animals. To begin, we had to gain Cascade Pass and then ascend further on a climber’s trail. On that section, I startled a ptarmigan and her chicks in the heather. It was fascinating to watch their defensive behavior, the chicks scattering and then freezing in the face of a potential enemy, while the mother tried to get me interested in fol-lowing her as a decoy. I eased away and around, thinking how lucky I was to see a ptarmigan on the Ptarmigan Traverse, and not realizing the encounter would

be the first of an extraordinarily animal-rich journey.

Just short of the ridge, I noticed goat scat, so I called to Tom and slung my pack down. I was carrying a goat kit is-sued by Western Washington University researchers studying mountain goat dis-persal patterns. With specific directions on how to swab and collect goat pellets, I would collect samples and they would analyze the DNA back in the lab. Tom penciled a “P1” on our map to note Poop #1’s collection point, while I reread the directions, swabbed, bottled the swab in a provided vial, collected the pellet, and

rated items such as the consistency of the sample. Finally (I would get much more practiced at the routine), we were on our way again.

Tom had spent the morning driv-ing our car, with two bikes and a Burley trailer on it, a couple hours from our house to the road end nearest our trek’s finish. Then he rode the tandem bike with his single bike in the trailer down a car-impassable, washed-out dirt road, locked up the tandem and the trailer at the foot of the trail to be available when we finished the hike, and biked back out past our car to Highway 20. My parents

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approaching the Dana Glacier

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provided the shuttle for me, we picked him up, and then continued on to the trailhead. It had been an active day for him even before we started down the trail. So he was very patient with the scat stop, also given that it was after 4 pm and we still had to cross a glacier, gain Cache Col, and set up camp at Kool-Aid Lake before dark.

We reached the lake a couple hours later, led in by a family of goats. The two adults ambled along eating, while the younger animal raced back and forth between them. I am about to collect the freshest scat possible, I thought. But it turned out that none of them were will-ing to contribute so immediately to the project. We set up our tent and made dinner, while the goat group wandered around the perimeter until after dusk.

Shortly after we started out the next morning, sign of the goat group was spotted, and I broke out the kit again, while Tom penciled in “P2.” Ten min-utes later came “P3” and not too much

later “P4.” Tom began to look slightly exasperated. “Do we have to stop for ev-ery pile of goat evidence? We’ll never get anywhere!” He had a point. I also only had a finite number of swabs and vials, so when we ran out there would be no more “P” stops.

The Red Ledges looked like a sheer rock wall until we got close enough to discern details. A finger of snow point-ing up looked like a possible way, so Tom scouted while I watched from below. When it thinned to where his ice axe poked through, he called back to let me know. “That’s okay,” I pointed, “we just need to get up to where the goat is.” A large mountain goat was lazily travers-

ing the rock just above him. We down-climbed into the moat, the melted out gap between snow and rock wall, and then scrambled the muddy wet rock to what turned out to be a significant path, with “P5”, like a pot of gold at the end of it.

The rest of the day we collected views instead of goat scat. We traversed between Mount Formidable and Spider Mountain, and spent an hour on roped Middle Cascade Glacier travel, the snow soft in the hot sun. We continued the mixed travel, descending into Yang Yang Lakes, glimpsed as Caribbean blue-green from the ridge two hours earlier. It was a glorious day and we saw no other hu-mans. On the entire route we would see only one other party of two, meeting more mountain goats than people.

The next morning, “P6” was on the ridge above Yang Yang, a welcome catch-my-breath stop after the climb up out of the basin. Then we roped up again for the LeConte Glacier, winding our way

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between crevasses under Sentinel Peak. South Cascade Glacier was more of a traversing stroll, with a distant goat a wandering white speck against the rock below Lizard Mountain. We finished the backpacking day around 4 pm, plenty of time to meet marmots and deer, and of course later that night, mice.

Despite the interrupted sleep, we were up and out early, the Dana Glacier above us. With a daughter named Dana, we were inclined towards it being our favorite glacier of the trip, but fresh bear prints sealed the deal. The evidence sug-gested the bear too had been enjoying the bluebird day, running and sliding across an undulating area almost at the top. We were mesmerized and scanned in the direction the prints pointed, but did not see the bear. Perhaps the animal disappeared towards the east to enjoy sliding on another finger of the Dana Glacier.

Lingering above the Dana, we snacked and discussed the route ahead,

conscious of the fact we would only get to sleep out one more night, and that site would be below tree line, a completely different experience than the alpine we

had been traveling. The goat kit exhaust-ed, we walked more slowly and stopped often to stretch our time below Spire Point before the descent to Cub Lake.

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The descent was loose and dirty scree, so we reached the lake hot and dusty. We took a dip in the cold water with a peek-a-boo view of Glacier Peak, before sweating up the treed ridge above Cub to camp. Another goat huffed and puffed by our tent at dusk. Tom com-mented on the goat’s heavy breathing, “Hey, we’re not the only ones who worked hard to get here today.”

Our final day began with a forested descent along Bachelor Creek, including a huge avalanche area where the downed

trees lay scattered as though a giant had abruptly abandoned a game of pick-up sticks. Enough climbers had passed through that we could follow a faint path until Bachelor met Downey Creek, where we picked up that trail. We chugged downhill, missing the high country, and then popped out onto the no longer car-accessible dirt road that previously ac-cessed the Downey Creek campground. Even that felt like too much civilization after days of alpine travel.

Our feet were hot, and we changed

into sandals for the bike ride out, thank-ful not to have to walk the seven miles of dirt road between trail’s end and our car. As we slung our backpacks into the trailer, jet noise screamed into our ears and we watched, shocked, as a dark aircraft followed the Suiattle River and disappeared. A second came right after it, like Rebel fighters flying the trench to attack the Death Star. The high tech roar and streaking black shape assaulted the wilderness. I was glad the goats weren’t there to see it.

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Dates

A Passion for High Places

Bob Kandiko:

A postcard by Lee Mann of Whatcom Peak with red heather filling the foreground leading to the perfect pinnacle of the snow covered peak; A calendar image by Pat O’Hara of the Southern Pickets emerging from a win-ter storm; A black and white landscape by Ira Spring showing the view from Copper Ridge to the ice-clad slopes of Mt. Shuksan.

These were some of the early inspi-rations that led to my explorations of the fantastic scenery of the North Cascades. When I found a copy of Tom Miller’s The North Cascades in a Centralia drug store for $12.00, I was hooked. So many exquisite photos of such majestic peaks! First I sought to summit the lofty peaks, but as the years wore on, I realized that it was the time spent above tree-line that was the elixir, not the summits themselves. Crowder and Tabor’s Routes and Rocks became my late night read-ing as I strategized how to reach scenic

viewpoints where I could gaze into the remote regions of the Cascades.

“A picture is worth a thousand words” is certainly true of my fascination with high travel in the North Cascades. Tom Miller wrote in the last page of The North Cascades, that he “hoped that someone, with a good set of legs, will get pictures of all this country so that two or three additional volumes that the range deserves will be produced.” His book, as well as others, gave me the inspiration

to look at a map and see adventures. I only hope that the images and maps in my books will in-spire others to seek adventure in the North Cascades.

View Bob Kandiko’s awe- inspiring photography books at www.blurb.com/user/Kandiko.

Photo by Dave maczuga



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Clockwise from left: alpenglow on the triplets, Cascade Peak, and Johannesburg mtn.; Kandiko on mt. torment; mt. Fury and the northern Pickets from luna Peak; lupine meadows on skyline Divide with mt. shuksan; the chaotic crevasses of the Coleman Glacier on mt. Baker; and scott reiss with nooksack tower and mt. shuksan.



Soggy clouds lingered over Bellingham Bay and remnants

of the morning’s downpour clung stubbornly to pavement and grass. Huddled on the beach at Marine Park, we realized that we could put it off no longer: It was time to pedal into the unknown.

We said goodbye to my parents, mount-ed our fully loaded bicycles, and began riding awkwardly through the park. A group of cricket play-ers paused as we tot-tered past. “Where are you going?” one called out. “Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks!” we replied, feeling a bit surprised by our own response. Grinning, they began to clap, whistle, and cheer. Buoyed by their enthusiasm, smiles spread across our faces. Our pedal strokes strengthened and our barge-like bikes steadied. These cricket players would be the first of many consequen-tial strangers on our two-month, 2000-mile bicycle journey, a trip that became a series of meaningful encounters and instant camaraderie with the people we met along the way.

Our route crossed Washington on magnificent Highway 20, which has five mountain passes. We quickly learned

to tour through challenging terrain on a starving student budget, cooking our own food, finding legal free camping, and requesting homestays through www.warmshowers.org (a hospitality network for touring cyclists).

In Winthrop, we had our first warmshowers stay: a campsite with tent

space, a converted shed for bad weather, a garden, and even a solar-powered shower! We met other touring cyclists, leapfrogging with five guys biking from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine and chatting with a group of men in their seventies who were nearly done with a Transamerica journey. They rec-ommended a good shortcut and gave us tips for fending off dogs. Even people at the grocery store were friendly. We

began to see that people generally love touring cyclists. They were eager to help, ask where we were going, and gawk at our overloaded bicycles.

Before departing, we had spent hours online, anxiously planning the first week of our journey. As we contin-ued eastward, however, we became less

reliant on technology and more connected with people and towns. We had no smartphone or computer; we navi-gated with only a map, notepad, and 20-min-ute internet sessions at libraries. This let us travel comfortably, but even when we had good plans, we often found something better by talking to people. In Tonasket, Wash, where the only campground was a $25-per-night RV park, the people at the visitor’s center said, “We always let cyclists camp on our lawn for free!” We met another cyclist

there, a guy who lived only two blocks from us at home - we probably never would have met him otherwise!

In Northern Idaho, we met Beth, known on warmshowers.org as the “pa-tron saint” of touring cyclists. She chases down cyclists to make sure they have a place to stay! Her kids idolize the cyclists and are already becoming avid bik-ers. The morning we left Beth’s house, we crossed into a remote section of

Making Connections on the Road to YellowstoneStory and photos by Lisa Toner

Human-Powered Travel:

roadside sandwich stop on the way up the 11,000’ Beartooth Pass.


Montana. We had no solid plans for the week’s lodging, other than campgrounds marked sporadically on our map. Towns were few and far between. It was time to let go and trust that something good would happen. Dodging rain showers, we cruised on a tailwind, following the Clark Fork River. We took a break at a country bakery, and my phone rang: it was Beth! She excitedly told us that her elderly parents, who normally didn’t take in travelers anymore, wanted to host us. They lived two riding days away. Plans for that night, however, were still up in the air.

As we approached 70 miles of rid-ing, deep purple storm clouds loomed ahead. It was time to pitch the tent or get soaked. We reached a campground, but it was gated shut. “The campground is closed because the river flooded,” said a voice behind us. It was a man on a trac-tor. “But you can probably go in there anyway. Or, you could camp on my yard. I have 200 acres.” We took him in: well over six feet tall, he had an athletic build and a gray ponytail. His eyes were earnest and kind. “My name is Brett. It’s just my boy and me at home now. My wife passed away a year ago. You can camp on our lawn. Seriously, I don’t care at all.”

Soon, we found ourselves cooking burritos in Brett’s kitchen, joking around with his eight-year-old son, and sharing life stories. He told us several times how great it was to have people to talk to. There was nobody around for miles. The

next morning, we took a photo together and rolled on, feeling like we’d known him for much longer than 24 hours. By stepping outside of the usual social convention of polite distance and fear of strangers, all of us had made a memo-rable connection.

We pedaled along the Blackfoot River, stopping for a night with Beth’s parents, who inspired us with stories of their full life. Continuing toward Missoula, the beautiful scenery gave way to busy highways. Exhausted, we stopped at a store 30 miles north of Missoula, far from any campground. A local ap-proached us and struck up a conversa-tion. Between repeated admonitions that cyclists should ride on the left side of the road, he mentioned a powwow, known as the Arlee Celebration. Then,

he said the magic words: “You know, you can camp for free at the powwow.” And so, we spent the afternoon watching traditional dances and looking at elabo-rate costumes and crafts. Our modern, teepee-shaped Megalite tent looked tiny pitched beside the magnificent tradi-tional teepees. The drumming and sing-ing droned on through the night.

The next morning, we grog-gily biked up a short, steep pass and descended south into Missoula, where we relished the city’s bike lanes, shaded parks, and crowds of people. Errands at a bike shop, farmer’s market, and food co-op felt heavenly. We spread out our stuff on the university campus lawn to do some bike maintenance and cook dinner, planning to bike out of town to camp later that evening. Then, a cyclist

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our age invited us to pitch our tent on his lawn and have a backyard movie night with some friends. It turned out that we had mutual acquaintances in the cycling world, and we offered to host him when he came over for Westside races. As we drank wine, shared adven-ture stories, and laughed about the woes of graduate school, we realized that once again, our open-ended plans had led us to something better than we could have imagined on our own.

We pushed on toward Yellowstone, settling into a rhythm of planning our

route loosely, contacting warmshowers hosts a few days ahead, and letting the rest fall into place. As dreamy as this sounds, there is a yin and yang to touring: For every nice homestay or beautiful free campsite, there was a healthy dose of what we came to think of as “type two fun”. This is the kind of fun that’s only

fun when it’s over. Some examples: In a remote stretch near Helena, we camped on a sweltering high school baseball field amidst hordes of mosquitoes. The next day, we stayed with a friend’s aunt, who brought us to a Fourth of July Party and

made a beautiful creek-side dinner with us. We found free camping on a visi-tor’s center lawn in Big Timber, but got “sprinklered” at 3:00 am. Sometimes, we had to ride on I-90, where the nar-row, grit-covered shoulder and roaring semis made us tense with fear, but then merged onto a gorgeous frontage road.

After an eighty-mile day through unavoidable road construction and 100-degree heat, we arrived at a friend’s house for a rest day. Again and again, people showed us immense hospitality, more than we’d usually ask for, or felt comfortable accepting.

Kind strangers shone the bright-est in the tourist zone in and around Yellowstone National Park. There, towns were friendly—if you could spend big money. Some places had no grocery stores, only expensive restaurants and souvenir shops. Many campgrounds banned tents due to bear problems. In Red Lodge, far from a campground and unable to find a shower for less than $15 each, we met a couple our

parents’ age. They invited us to stay in their guesthouse. In Yellowstone, we found great $5-per-night hiker/biker camping, but no good grocery stores. Depleted from climbing an 11,000-foot pass, we descended to Gardiner, Mont, to get supplies, where we met a friendly postal worker. While stamping our mail, she told us that she had done a bike tour at age 19 and never forgot the kindness other people showed to her. She recommended the best place to get a bacon-and-eggs brunch, then drove us back up the sweltering, 1000’ hill to our campsite during her lunch break. Small acts of kindness meant a great deal to us during that tired phase of our trip!

The ride from Yellowstone to Glacier consisted of beautiful stretches of scen-ery punctuated by still more meaningful encounters. One day, we camped for free at a beautiful fishing pullout, and then cruised a tailwind with a 19-year-old who was taking some time to figure out life. Near Hamilton, we pace-lined with four college guys, and then stayed with a retired lawyer who taught us to play Bananagrams.

Twin Bridges, Mont, had a shelter specifically for touring cyclists. There, we met a couple who were bike touring to re-integrate into American society after spending five years doing humanitar-ian work in the Dominican Republic. They wanted to reassure themselves that Americans are good—and, like us, their expectations had been exceeded! As we pedaled to our journey’s end in Glacier National Park, where our family would converge for a week-long vacation, we realized that we’d learned a deeper mean-ing for the term, human-powered travel. The people that we met along the way lifted our spirits and helped us when we needed it most, inspiring us to pay it forward and become people of greater generosity and hospitality.

Editors Note: Names and details in this story have been changed to protect the identities and respect the privacy of the people mentioned.

Wacounda Pass, between tonasket and republic, Wash

By stepping outside of the usual social convention of polite distance and fear of strangers, all of us had

made a memorable connection.

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Bent Down

I’m alone, it’s dark, I’m donewalking the beachin the rain.

I was with no oneyesterday, and tomorrowwill be the same.

I enjoyed flirting withthe waves, letting them almost catch me, wet me.

I know certain women whohave played that game.

But when I stopped andbent down to lift freeof the sand a white

dollar shell, for that timeI gave myself fully. Wonder,I do, why some good

person wouldn’t come nearand give herself, wouldn’twant to.

Deermice

Let us now praisethe foundling deermice

who have neither feathered wingsnor hooves.

May they prevailover rain flood and the sudden owl.

May their furnever fattenthe steaming biscuitsleft by coyote.

Poetry by James Bertolino

The Art of Nature

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By Sarah Schumacher & Tamaria Sanderson. Photos by Jerry Foreman.

Northwest Passage: The Wild and Wooly Ragnar Relay comes to Town

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If you’re looking for a running event that provides an once-in-a-lifetime ex-perience as well as a challenge for your body, look no further than the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage. Ragnar, as it’s fondly known, is a 190-mile relay race through some of the most beautiful scenery the Pacific Northwest has to of-fer. In fact, some of the most beautiful scenery in the United States. This race attracts hard-core runners and weekend enthusiasts alike, all starting on Friday morning, July 20 at the Peace Arch at the Canadian border in Blaine and ending after 24-life-changing hours in Langley on Whidbey Island. As relay races and other specialty running events become more popular in the United States, Ragnar - and especially its Northwest Passage event - are unmatched.

The relay is made up of twelve runners in two vans that leapfrog each other so that each runner takes on three

different legs over the course of the 24 hours. If you’re extra hardy, there’s also an option to have a team of six (or fewer) where each person runs roughly the equivalent of a marathon over the course of the race. For those inclined for a little shorter mileage, the runners on the 12-person team run about 15 miles each, broken up into three legs. Some teams take it seriously, some not so much. Teams with names like ‘Must Finish Alive’, ‘Sucking Wind’, and ‘Runnin’ From the Law’ run along-side teams from running groups, high schools, and various running-related industries. Teams come from all over the United States to compete and have a good time in a beautiful setting.

Half the fun of the race is the peo-ple watching. Runners of all ages and fitness levels wear tutus, animal costumes,

bowties, and assorted wigs and hats as they run. Teams really do their best to outdo one another - not only in speed but in style and passion. Last year, there was a team called ‘Lord of the Ragnar’, all dressed in costumes straight out of Middle Earth. It’s not every day you see Gandalf running through farm-land, battling Gollum and Orcas in between stages. And it’s not only the runners who are tricked out; the vans are also decorated to the hilt with slo-gans (“Looks like Vegas, smells like

Detroit”), number of “kills” and vari-ous thematic decorations. You’ll often see a van or two parked along the road, participants outside to hand their run-ner a refreshing beverage, take all man-ner of embarrassing and/or awesome photos, and to generally cheer on their teammate and other runners.

The big exchange points where Van One and Van Two hand off make for some of the best people watching. Dozens of bodies litter the ground, des-perately trying to get some sleep before the next round. Those that aren’t sleep-ing are probably thinking about it, but may be eating, rubbing sore muscles, or calculating just how long they have before they have to start running again. The exchange points are the great equal-izer; the teams going for time and the teams just going for a good time are all there, trying to catch a snooze and a snack. Ragnar isn’t your average running race, but neither are its participants. It’s a whole new way of enjoying running.

Van One starts its day at Peace Arch Park in Blaine. There, teams decorate their vans, put on their crazy clothes and game faces, and otherwise prepare themselves for 24 hours in a van togeth-er. The teams start in waves beginning

The runners are greeted with the rising sun and a clearing fog; there is truly nothing more beautiful than

peaceful Penn Cove at first light.


at 7:30 am, continuing throughout the day with the fastest teams starting last. The six runners in Van One take turns running through Blaine, Birch Bay, Ferndale, and Bellingham, handing off a bright orange slap bracelet. Team

members run alongside busy highways, on peaceful country roads, and on trails; through Bellingham, across the Skagit Flats of Bow and Edison, winding their way under canopies of green trees and over rolling hills into Burlington.

After some rest and some fresh clothes, Van One runs out of Burlington, through Mount Vernon, and on towards La Conner. All too soon, the vans and the runners, equipped with headlamps, enter La Conner to meet up with the other half of the team. Most teams pack up im-mediately to get on the road in order to sleep what remains of the night away at Deception Pass State Park. Nothing prepares you for another long run like sleeping on a tree root or in a crowded, stinky

van, your only source of illumination the strand of Christmas lights hung just above your head.

While their teammates “sleep”, Van Two runs out of La Conner, head-

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ing toward Anacortes on its way to the next handoff, just on the other side of Deception Pass. Running across the Deception Pass bridge in the middle of the night with only van lights and your own head-lamp to keep you company is a strange and unique joy. Equal parts soothing run and terrifying mind-blow-er, the night runs are an ex-ercise in keeping your eyes, and your mind, squarely on the road in front of you and away from all of the ‘B’ horror films you’ve ever seen. In six years, not one runner has seen a masked man wielding a chainsaw running after them, but many run like there is. The nicest thing about the night runs, aside from getting the racers out of their com-fort zones, is the gorgeous view as the sun comes up in the morning.

To start the final leg, Van One picks up at Deception Pass and pushes on across Whidbey Island, ending at Coupeville. For the early teams, the

runners are greeted with the rising sun and a clearing fog - there is truly noth-ing more beautiful than peaceful Penn Cove at first light. After receiving the

now completely disgusting slap brace-let in Coupeville, Van Two finishes the race in Langley after having run the rest of the length of Whidbey Island. The

event culminates with a huge party at the fin-ish line, complete with team photos, medals for all, a beer garden, and hundreds of hobbling, exhausted runners.

Ragnar isn’t just a race; it’s a mind-expanding, potentially life-changing experience. Whether you’re there to win it or just to have a good time in a gorgeous place, Ragnar deliv-ers. As the motto goes, “Ragnarians Do It All

Night Long”. Or maybe: “Run. Drive. Sleep? Repeat.”

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a quiet moment

Named not for the Italian li-queur Galliano, but after the

Spanish explorer Dionisio Alcalá Galiano, who explored this area in 1792; Galiano Island is never-the-less a very sweet place - especially for hiking.

Galiano is one of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, an archipelago which in-cludes Washington’s San Juan Islands, located in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver Island and BC’s Lower Mainland. Why Gulf? Credit George Vancouver when he mapped the area in 1792, originally referring to the Strait of Georgia as the Gulf of Georgia.

Second largest of the Gulf Islands, and with a population of just under 1300, Galiano remains a fairly wild and undeveloped place. Referred to by its res-idents as the “Gem of the Gulf Islands,” its highest summits, biggest lake, oldest trees, and miles of stunning coastline

are all protected within several parks and preserves. And traversing these natural areas are miles of trails. Lots of trails! The network continues to grow, too; for many folks on Galiano are intent on transforming their island paradise into a hiker’s paradise.

“The Galiano Island Parks and Recreation Commission (GIPRC), a vol-unteer group responsible to the Capital Regional District (which administers the Gulf Islands) has a mandate to develop trails on Galiano,” states Paul LeBlond, President of the Galiano Trails Society. “In 2007, the GIPRC held public con-sultations and hired a consultant to de-velop a trail network plan for the entire island,” he adds. While the trail system is currently disjointed, it is expansive. On my recent three day trip to the island I managed to hike over 40 miles; covering ground on both the island’s southern and northern tips, its ridges and peaks, and up and down its eastern and western shores.

Like their San Juan counterparts, each Gulf Island has its own flavor, culture, and independent bent. Sure, Galiano is sprinkled with the usual island mix of artists, writers, hippies, retirees, the well-to-do, mainstream dropouts, eccentrics and eclectics. But it’s Galiano’s physical attributes and a protracted conflict over the island’s land use that defines this island and its islanders.

Seventeen miles long and only one to three and a half miles wide, this thickly forested and ridged island is the driest of the Gulf Islands, thanks to the Olympic and Vancouver Island rain shadows. While occupied by people from the Penelakut First Nations for thousands of years, lack of abundant groundwater coupled with shallow soils meant limita-tions to farming and development for settlers. For much of the last century, nearly half of the island was owned by forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel. But in 1989 the company began divesting its

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Transforming an Island Paradise into a Trails ParadiseStory and photos by Craig Romano

Galiano Island:

Bellhouse Provincial Park


island properties, setting the stage for the current land controversy.

Private individuals were allowed to buy several hundred five-acre parcels from the timber company for home lots, while the company established several thousand acres of parkland and commu-nity forest. But the Gulf Islands Trust (a government agency administering land use much like the Columbia River Gorge Commission), perhaps fearing a repeat of the monstrous 1,200-lot Magic Lakes subdivision on nearby Pender Island - which in essence prompted the trust to be established - rejected the plan. But not before a sizeable number of folks bought parcels and were subsequently denied permis-sion to build on them, setting the stage for litigation and appeals, resulting in an island divided be-tween proponents of development and preservation.

Never-the-less, over twenty years later, in spite of land and access being in limbo and some private property owners leery to grant easements, public land is be-ing acquired, easements are being granted, and trails are being built on the island. “During the last lo-cal election, both ‘sides’ were buzz-ing about trails,” says Jesse Keefer, owner of the Bodega Ridge Lodge and Cabins, and son of island trail visionary Bowie Keefer. “I think community support is strong for trails,” he says.

But why wait for that to happen, when there are currently miles of trail in place to satisfy all walks of hikers? Right off the BC Ferry Terminal in Sturdies Bay you can almost immediately begin hiking by following the Studies Bay Trail, which runs 1.2 miles parallel to Sturdies Bay Road to the Galiano Club’s South Community Hall.

Founded in 1924, the Galiano Club is an active community organization that created 320-acre Bluffs Park, one of the gems of the island. A good trail diverts

from the Sturdies Bay Trail, traveling 1.2 miles through the heart of this park con-sisting of magnificent towering ancient cedars and Douglas firs. And while the forests of the park are breathtaking, it’s the park’s namesake that will really capti-vate you. Mosey along grassy bluffs tow-ering 400 feet above Active Pass, peering out to Mayne Island’s Helen Point and down Swanson Channel to Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula.

You can hike a half mile along the

bluffs beneath big snags harboring eagles; or as I recently found out, con-tinue for another adventurous mile or so into the newly acquired Matthews Point Regional Park Preserve protecting more lofty bluffs. The trail system here how-ever is rough and unmarked, so I have a better suggestion. Consider returning to the Ferry Terminal via the pastoral Bluff and Burrill Roads, taking a short side trip to Bellhouse Provincial Park.

The park is tiny - only five acres and its circling trail a mere .6 mile long. But, “the trail is one of the most scenic

little paths in the Gulf Islands,” claims Charles Kahn, author of “Hiking the Gulf Islands of British Columbia.” I concur. The park contains some of the largest madronas (arbutus in Canada) I’ve ever seen. Gaze across Active Pass with its flotilla of ferries and pleasure craft to Mayne Island’s Georgina Point Lighthouse. And then stare across the sparkling waters of the Strait of Georgia to Mount Baker hovering in the distance.

If it’s a workout you desire and a view that’ll knock your smelly hiking socks off, venture to Mount Galiano, just north of Bluffs Park. A couple of excellent trails wind two miles up this 1,000-plus foot peak - the highest point on the island - to one of the finest views in all of the Gulf Islands. From windswept grassy ledges framed with elegant Garry oaks, literally look out across a sea of peaks. Gaze south to Mayne Island’s Mount Parke, Saturna Island’s Mount Warburton Pike, and Orcas Island’s Mount Constitution; west to Salt Spring Island’s Bruce Peak, Mount Sullivan, and Baynes Peaks, the highest summits in the Gulf Islands; and all against a dramatic mural of snowy and craggy Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island summits.

What’s missing however is the view east. But, you can get

that from hiking the Community Forest Trails. From this formerly logged and burned area - not exactly pristine for-est, but folks from the Galiano Club and Galiano Conservancy are busy restoring it—you can take in sweeping views east across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver, Point Roberts, Boundary Bay and a whole slew of cloud-piercing Howe Sound and North Cascades peaks.

There is also coastal access from the Community Forest, as well as along nearly the entire island, a stark contrast from many of the other Gulf and San

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Bodega ridge


Juan Islands. “The GIPRC has opened many Shore Access Trails throughout the island over the past few years,” says LeBlond. Currently over 20 are in place leading to isolated surf-pounded sandstone shelves, quiet coves, and shorebird sanctuaries. Most of these trails are short, from just a few hundred feet to a half mile, but Galiano does have longer coastal trails.

Montague Harbour Provincial Park, which also offers nice car and walk-in campsites has one of the finest shoreline trails in the Gulf Islands. An absolute must-hike is the park’s 1.5 mile loop around Gray Peninsula. The maritime views are stunning - so too are the colossal madronas. But it’s the silver strands of beaches that will really sweep you away. Formed from First Nations’ middens several millen-nia old, the agents of erosion have crafted exceptionally fine beaches from the discarded shells.

On Galiano’s opposite shoreline you’ll find the Pebble Beach Reserve and a wilder coast. Here a wonderful loop trail traverses towering timber to a rocky beach on the Strait of Georgia, where the surf continuously pounds, beaching old-growth logs and carving steep shelves in the sandstone shoreline. You can spend all day hiking in this preserve, taking side trips to the Great Beaver Swamp and to Laughlin Lake, the largest body of water on the island. This wet area is quite a contrast from the southern part of the island where trailhead signs warn that smoking is prohibited in fear of the forests going up in flames.

Just north of Laughlin Lake is Bodega Ridge Provincial Park, offering one of the finest ridgeline hikes in the Gulf Islands. Walk 1.5 miles along this 800-foot high ridge, taking in stunning views of Trincomali Channel twinkling below, punctuated with reefs and finger islands; and out to Vancouver Island’s endless emerald ridges and mountains. Watch raptors ride thermals above the

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ridge’s abrupt and overhanging ledges and marvel at clusters of manzanita grac-ing the way.

And rounding out some of the trail treasures to be found on Galiano Island is Dionisio Point Provincial Park at the island’s northern tip. A gift to the province in 1991 from MacMillan Bloedel, this 300-acre park has over five miles of trails including a breathtaking one mile-plus path along one of the most dramatic sections of coastline in the Gulf Islands. Here, as on Gabriola Island to the north, the shoreline is adorned with massive honeycombed rocks, sculpted sandstone shelves, and ledges created by wind and waves. There are also ancient middens on Dioisio Point - big trees, eagle colonies, and inviting campsites, too. But unfortunately there is currently no public land access to the park. You must either arrive by water (which can be tricky) or get permission

from one of the adjacent landowners to hike overland to the park.

“Once the land use issues on the island get settled,” says Keefer, “I imag-

ine there will be a trail from Sturdies Bay all the way to Dionisio Park. I would love to think that people could walk off of the ferry

and walk all the way to the end of the island while making stops at various ac-commodations, campsites and beaches.” That would indeed be an amazing attri-bute, and one solidly making this island paradise a trail paradise!

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The maritime views are stunning — so too are the colossal madronas. But it’s the silver strands of beaches that will really sweep you away.

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Race I Play I Experience


25 May - 2 June

Park. Top Gun Awards as well as divi-sional awards presented at the lively finish/vendor expo. (Read about Ski to Sea at adventuresnw.com!) 360-746-8861, skitosea.comSPEC Fairhaven Festival—Bellingham, 10am-8pm. An all-day fest in

conjunction with Ski to Sea—just blocks from

the finish line—for all ages, with live music on 2 stages, kids’ fun, arts and craft vendors, ethnic foods, a beer gar-den, and more. Catch one of the low-cost shuttles and save the parking headache. fairhaven.com

Monday, 28 MayRD BIKE Seven Hills of Kirkland, 7am. 7hillskirkland.org

LEARN Map & Compass102—Bellingham, 7pm. 360-647-8955, rei.com

Tuesday, 29 MayLEARN Alpine Climbing Basics—Bellingham, 7pm. 360-647-8955, rei.com

Wednesday, 30 MayLEARN Mount Baker Volcano—Bellingham, 7pm. 360-647-8955, rei.com

through Thursday, 31 MaySNAP/SUBMIT “View from the Bridge” Photo & Art Contest—

Bellingham; submission by 5/31/2012. As demolition and environ-mental cleanup con-

tinue on the former Georgia-Pacific mill site in Bellingham, one of the best places to watch is the Chestnut Avenue Bridge. Capture this ever-changing view with a photograph, painting or other artistic medium (historic submissions showing the site’s past operations and activities welcome) and submit to the contest. Winners will be notified in June, and selected submissions will be on display at the Squalicum Boathouse during the Haggen Family 4th of July Celebration at Zuanich Point Park. portofbellingham.com/photocontest

JUNE > > >

Saturday, 2 Jun (National Trails Day)MULTI Gap2Gap Relay—Yakima, 7am. This multi-sport, 5-leg relay race utilizes the Yakima Greenway, a series of parks connected by over 10 miles of pathway along the scenic Yakima River. This relay includes a fjeld run, 12mi mountain bike, 8mi kayak, 20mi road bike and 10k run. The sport course is shorter with a fjeld run, 8mi mountain

bike, 6.2mi inline skate, 20mi road bike and a 5k run. The Jr race is for kids ages 6-14. Kids run, bike, roller-

blade, paddle in Reflection Pond, and navigate an obstacle course in Sarg Hubbard Park. Teams or solo. 509-453-8280, yakimagreen-way.org/g2gWALK Spokane Bridge Walk—9:30am. 509-625-6546, active.com

RUN Race Beneath the Sun 5mi —Bellingham, 10am. gbrc.net

ADV Survivor Mud Run—Carnation. survivormudrun.com

TR RUN Lord Hill Run—Snohomish, 9am. nwtrailruns.com

NAV Orienteering Moses Lake—10am. 206-913-3790, cascadeoc.org

BIKE 25th Annual Apple Century Bike Ride—Wenatchee, WA. 8-10am open start. Ride through Washington’s apple country! Start at Walla Walla Point Park and wind through orchards

and vineyards of Monitor,

Cashmere, Dryden and Peshastin en route to Leavenworth. There, at Cascade HS, 50milers return, while 100milers continue through the foothills of the eastern edge of the Cascades to their turn-around at Lake Wenatchee Fire Station. SAG wagons, water stops along the route plus at the two turn-arounds, and post-ride party with food, beverages, entertainment. Just added for 2012: a 25mi Cashmere loop! applebikeride.comULTRA Rainier to Ruston—Mt. Rainier. rainiertoruston.com

RUN Dog Island Run 10k, 2mi—Guemes Island, 10:45am. Benefits Guemes Library. gil.octopia.com

WALK/RUN Heaven Can Wait 5K—Bend, OR, 9am. 541-410-1027, visitbend.com

TRI Tri-Berry Triathlon—Lynden,

MAY > > >

Friday, 25 MayBIKE Tea Time Tour— Bellingham, 3pm. Meet at Wonderland Teas & Spices on Railroad, then bike to Spice Hut on Cordata. 360-671-BIKE, every-bodybike.com

Saturday, 26 MayRUN/ADV terrain Seattle Mud Run—Enumclaw, 9am. Whether you’re a seasoned pro (eat mud pie for breakfast)

or easing into the fun, we have a race for you: full

terrain: 5+mi (20-26* obstacles) or the 1/2 terrain: 3mi (14-20* obstacles). Both options have you and your friends run-ning through mud, trails, and obstacles that test your physical and mental grit. You’ll sweat, get dirty, and have the time of your life. Be prepared to jump, climb and even crawl through gnarly terrain at the Enumclaw Expo Center. 928-853-3325, [email protected], ter-rainracing.com/terrain-mud-runs/seattle/

RUN Mazama 5k & 10k Fun Runs—Mazama, 9am. mvsta.com

MT BIKE 24 Hours Round the Clock—Spokane, noon. Riverside State Park. roundandround.com

NAV Gig Harbor Street Scramble —Gig Harbor, 9:30am. 503-515-9419, streetscramble.com

MULTI Mind Over Mountain—Burnaby, BC, 9am. 866-912-3331, mindovermountain.com

TR RUN/ULTRA Soaring Eagle Runs—Sammamish, 8:30am. 425-301- 7009, evergreentrailruns.com

RUN Memorial Day runs—Seattle, 10am. Multiple events. 206-335-9305, magnusonseries.org

Sunday, 27 May RUN Coeur d’Alene Marathon—ID, 7am. cdamarathon.com

RUN/WALK Good Karma 5K —Seattle, 9am. At Seward Park, 206-330-5967, goodkarma5k.com

MULTI Ski to Sea—Bellingham/Whatcom Co., 7:45am. A multi-sport

relay for recre-ational to elite athletes, from the slopes of Mount Baker to the shores of Bellingham Bay. 7 legs, 8 racers/

team—XC ski, downhill ski or board, rd run, rd bike, canoe, mt bike, and sea kayak to a finish at Fairhaven’s Marine

7:30-10:30am starts. Is the thought of cold water unappealing? Want to “Try a Tri”? Looking for an early

season sprint event? The Tri-Berry is your answer:

a comfortable, wave-start pool swim, scenic bike ride, neighbor-hood run (competitive: 500yd swim, 23k bike, 8k run; recreation: 250yd swim, 23k bike, 4k run)—with chip-timing and locally grown, frozen berry recovery smoothies. $50 per solo racer or team, limited to first 200 par-ticipants. All proceeds benefit Lynden Christian School Athletics. tri-berry-triathlon.comFISH Kids Fishing Derby—Anacortes, 7-11am. Kids 13 and under fish free at Heart Lake. cityofanacortes.org/parks/events

DU/RUN Duel in the Desert—Bend, OR, 9am. 541-323-0964, visit-bend.com

SPEC Appliance Art Revival & Derby—Bellingham, 5pm. Be part of celebration of creative reuse for appliances and parts near the Depot Market Square. The Appliance Derby (carts made from a variety of appliance

TREK : SURLY : SALSAROCKY MOUNTAIN : LINUS

MIRRACO : REDLINE : CERVELO

FULL SERVICE CENTERWith each bike purchase, receive:

FREE TUNE-UPFREE MAINTENANCE CLASS

BIKE-FIT GUARANTEE

M-F 10-7 SAT 9:30-6

SUN 11-4100 E Chestnut

Downtown Bellingham

360.733.6440 kulshancycles.com

SINCE 1979

Ride ‘em if ya got ‘em

>>> VIew or download even MORE Race|Play|Experience event listings at race | play | experience 45>>> VIew or download even MORE Race|Play|Experience event listings at AdventuresNW.com

Race I Play I Experience2 June (cont.) - 8 June25 May - 2 June

parts and other repurposed objects) precedes the ticketed auction and party. reuseworks.org

ROW Learn to Row Day—Bellingham, 9am-noon. At Bloedel Donovan Park experience what rowing (sculls, rowing shells, etc.) is all about. 360-714-8891, whatcomrowing.org

BIKE High Tide Ride—Anacortes, 8am. 360- 840-8778, hightideride.com

BIKE SWAN Century & Family Fun Ride—Sedro Woolley, 7:30am. active.com

TRI/RUN Issaquah Tri, 5k, 10k—7am. issaquahtri.com

Saturday-Sunday, 2-3 JunBOAT Anacortes Waterfront Festival. anacortes.org

PADDLE NW Whitewater Championships—Roslyn. WKC Salmon la Sac Slalom & Downriver. nwwhitewater.org

Sunday, 3 JunBIKE Peninsula Metric Century—

Gig Harbor/Southworth. twbc.org

RUN Chum Run 5k—Langley, 2pm (new time). Run with your chums! All ages will enjoy this lovely run through groomed forest trails. 360-221-5484, swparks.org

RUN Race for the Cure 5k—Seattle. komenpugetsound.orgRUN North Olympic Discovery Marathon, Half, 10k, 5k—Sequim. nodm.com

RUN Run Duvall 5k/10k—Duvall. An education fundraiser. runduvall.org

ADV Muddy Mayhem 5k—Bellingham, 9am. muddy-mayhem.com

RUN San Juan Island Marathon, Half-Marathon & 10k—Friday Harbor, 8:30am. sjmarathon.org

NAV Orienteering Fishtrap Lake—9am. ewoc.org

RUN Red Devil 25k—Cashmere. runwenatchee.com

BIKE School Gardens Bike Tour—Bellingham, 1pm. Begin at Youth Grown Garden at 1020 N. State St. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.comTR RUN Raptor Ridge 10mi—

Bellingham, 10am. 360-389-0561, bellinghamtrail.com

RUN/WALK Girls on the Run 5k—Barkley Village Gazebo,

9am. Join Girls on the Run for a fun-filled

community run/walk! This is the

graduation 5K for our program par-ticipants. The run/walk is open

to the community — women, men, children, leashed pets and all-terrain strollers welcome! whatcomymca.org

Tuesday, 5 JunTR RUN Grand Ridge Evening Runs—Issaquah, 6:30pm. 425-301- 7009, evergreentrailruns.com

Thursday, 7 JunLEARN/FIT Yoga for Runners & Walkers—Bellingham, 7:15pm. At Fairhaven Runners & Walkers, hear Kim Sandstrom, ND, LMP discusses com-mon patterns of muscular imbalance in runners and walkers and yoga poses that can help reduce pain and quicken strides. Wear comfortable clothes and

bring a mat or towel. 360-676-4955, fairhavenrunners.com

Thursdays, through JunBIKE Bellingham Time Trials—Lake Padden, 6:15pm. bellinghamtri.org

Friday, 8 JunRUN Fremont 5k & Briefcase Relay—Seattle, 7pm. fremont5k.com

HIKE Heart Lake Old Growth—Fidalgo Island, 10am. A hike through a stand of Puget trough lowland old growth, with an adult level flora and fauna focus. friendsoftheacfl.org

BIKE Diva Cycle—Bellingham, 4pm. Fashionistas on Wheels: A guided shopping tour of selected thrift and vintage clothing stores in Bellingham, beginning at Black Market near Iowa & State. Riders are invited to purchase and wear an item of clothing from each store to complete a new outfit by the end of the ride. There may be a photo session. Bike along to happy hour (no-host) at the Blue Horse Gallery to toast our shopping success. Cheers! 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

FUN WITH ABOOST OFCONFIDENCE

GIRLS ON THE RUN SPRING 5kSunday, June 3, at 9am at Barkley VillageRun or walk and support the girls.Register at the Y or www.active.com

WHATCOM FAMILY YMCA360 733 8630 www.whatcomymca.org

............................................................................................................. .................................................................... Name: Date:

....................................................................................................................................................................................... Diagnosis:

Evaluate & Treat:

........................................................................................................................................ As Required: Frequency:

........................................................................................................................................ Until Resolved Duration:

....................................................................................................................................................................................... Signature:

Voree Smith, MPT 1(360) 757.9018 tele1186 S. Burlington Blvd. 1(360) 757.9019 faxBurlington, WA 98233 [email protected]

BURLINGTONPHYSICAL THERAPY

Above treatment program is approved and considered medically neccessary.

PT

bYou sooner than later See below

RecommendBICYCLE FITTING

to address: IT band pain muscle strain back/neck pain knee pain numbness in hands / feet

XX

Call to schedule appointment


race I play I experience


8 June (cont.) - 17 June

(temp 55-60F—wetsuit recommended); bike (13mi) on and off-road through Hoypus Forest (mt bike recommended); and run (4mi) from West Beach to the top of Goose Rock (484ft) and back to North Beach. Race solo or on a relay teams. Prizes for top finishers and teams. 360-675-3767, deceptionpass-foundation.org/challengeMT BIKE Test of Endurance—Corvallis, OR. mudslingerevents.com

RUN Fall City Days 10k/5k. runsnoqualmie.com

BIKE Lopez Island Bike Tour—Bellingham, 8:30am. Cruise from Bellingham to Lopez for a 22-25mi ride, 800-443-4552, whales.com

BOAT/LEARN USCG Auxiliary “About Boating Safely”—Bellingham,

8am-4pm. This class, held at Squalicum Yacht Club, covers basic requirements and safety issues so you can become a safer and legal boater

(anyone 40 years and younger this year, operating a motorized vessel in Washington State, is required to have a state-issued Boater Education Card). Included in the course are basic rules of the road, navigation signs, trip planning, and discussions relating to kayaks, sail-boats, ski boats and larger pleasure craft. $40 for first 2; $5 for additional. [email protected] or 360-739-1310. bliaux.comTR RUN Cougar Mt 8mi— Newcastle, 9am. nwtrailruns.com

BIKE Ride to Conquer Cancer—Vancouver, BC-Seattle. [email protected], conquercancer.ca

RUN Father’s Day Runs—Seattle, 10am. 206-335-9305, magnusonseries.org

SKATE Sk8 Fest—Anacortes, noon-4pm. Three levels of competition at Ben Root Skatepark. 360-293-1918 cityofanacortes.org/parks/events

RUN Jog for a Jug—Point Roberts, 11am. runinn.com

BIKE Ride for Two Rivers—Bend, 11am. 503-241-0467, visitbend.com

TR RUN/ULTRA Echo Valley Runs—Chelan, 6am/8:30am. 425-301- 7009, evergreentrailruns.com

TRI TriMonroe—7am. ITU style/ amateur draft-legal sprint triathlon and age-group races., plus the 2012 Junior Elite Series, at Lake Tye Park. 206-499-1903, trimonroe.com

SPEC Birch Bay Sand Castle Contest —9am. Build in the sand on one of the lowest tides of the year; judging is at noon. 360-371-5004, birchbaychamber.com

Sunday, 17 Jun BIKE Centennial River Ride—Ferndale, 1pm. Ride along the Nooksack River to historic cabins of

HEAR National Geographic Live! featuring Peter Athans—Bellingham, 3pm. A presentation by a man who summited Everest for the first time in 1990 and has since climbed the mountain 7 times, participated in 16 expeditions there, and was awarded the highest medal of recognition from the American Alpine Club. 360-734-6080, mountbakertheatre.com

Mondays, 11 Jun - 27 AugRUN+ All Comers Track & Field—Bellingham, 6pm. Take part in events for all ages at Civic Stadium. Enter as many events as you like. Multiple age divisions with awards 3 deep. 360-778-7000 cob.org/races

Friday-Sunday, 14-17 JunSPEC Lummi Stommish Water Festival—Bellingham. People of all ages and from all walks come together for canoe races, bone games, music, a carnival and more, in the spirit of the Potlatch, celebration of Puget Sound waters, and the annual gathering of canoe tribes linking First Nations People of the PNW. stommish.com

Friday, 15 JunRUN Longest Day 10k/5k—Vancouver, BC, 6:30pm. On the UBC Campus. thunderbirdstrack.org

Saturday, 16 JunRUN 5k Walk/Run for Literacy—

Bellingham, 9am. NOTE NEW DATE! A mostly-trail 5k from Fairhaven cel-ebrating the

anniversaries of Village Books, Fairhaven Runners and Whatcom Literacy Council, with ALL proceeds going to the Literacy Council. A free kids .5mi and post event festivities. villagebooks.com, fairhavenrunners.comRUN Freedom Fun Run—Colville, 8am. 509-684-6037, colville.wa.us

TRI Cottage Lake Tri & Tri Again —Woodinville. marymeyerlifefitness.com

RUN Berry Dairy Days Half, 10k, 2mi—Burlington. 8:30/9am. berrydairyruns.com

PADDLE Hawaiian Canoe Races —Everett, 10am-2pm. At Silver Lake. everettwa.org/parks

TRI Inaugural Deception Pass Challenge—Oak Harbor/Whidbey Island, 8am. Help support Deception

Pass State Park in this new tri, with each event through the breathtaking, scenic park. Swim (800m triangle) in Cranberry Lake

CHALLENGEINAGURAL DECEPTION PASS

WHIDBEY ISLAND, WASHINGTON 2012

HIKE Whistle Afternoon—Anacortes, 1pm. An all ages hike around the lake; Meet at the Whistle Lake parking lot. friendsoftheacfl.org

Sunday, 10 JunRUN/WALK Shore Run/Walk—Seattle, 8:15am. shorerun.com

RUN Sandcastle City Classic 10k—White Rock, 9am. sunrunners.ca

TRI Wasa Triathlon —Cranbrook, BC. Olympic & spring distances at Wasa Lake. tribc.org, rmevents.com

RUN Winthrop 26.2mi/13.1mi— rainshadowrunning.com

BIKE/DEMO Kulshan Demo Day—Bellingham, 11am-3pm. At Lake Padden, near the dog park area, test ride Trek and Gary Fisher Collection bikes. Also 9/29. 733-6440, kulshancycles.comBIKE Bike Fairhaven w/Dirty Dan Harris—Bellingham, 1pm. Meet at Village Books for a guided history tour of Old Fairhaven. 360-671-BIKE, every-bodybike.comRUN Edge to Edge Marathon, Half, Relay—Tofino, BC. See Craig Romano’s story on E2E at adventuresnw.com. edgetoedgemarathon.com

RUN Dirty Half—Bend, 8am. 541-317-3568, visitbend.com

Saturday & Sunday, 8 & 9 JunFLY Twisp Fly In—Twisp. Antique aircraft, restoration projects, nearby fishing and more. twispairport.com

Saturday, 9 JunBIKE Flying Wheels Summer Century—Redmond. cascade.org

RUN/WALK Sound to Narrows 12k—Tacoma. soundtonarrows.org

MT BIKE Echo Valley 30/60—Chelan, 9:30am. 425-301-7009, nwepicseries.com

TRI TriKids Triathlon—Cranbrook, BC, 10am. At Wasa Lake. rmevents.com

RUN Middle School Challenge—Bellingham, 10:30am. See 400 kids run at Whatcom Falls Park.

PADDLE WAKE Kayak Symposium—Bellingham/Lake Padden, 9am-5pm. wakekayak.org

SAIL Leukemia Cup Regatta—Seattle. leukemiacup.org/wa

TRI/RUN Moses Lake Triathlon & Run for Your Life—Blue Heron Park. buduracing.com

PLAY National Parks Fee-Free Day. nps.gov

RUN Three Sisters Marathon—Bend, OR, 7am. threesistersmarathon.com

Right in Your Own Backyard...The west coast’s largest bareboat charter sailing fleet

and sailing school. Local ownership, personalized service!

Squalicum Harbor Bellingham, WA (800) 677-7245www.sanjuansailing.com


race I play I experience17 June (cont.) - 1 July

Sunday, 24 JunRUN Kona Marathon & Family Runs—Kailua/Kona, HI, 5:30am. The Kona Coast is well known as the ulti-mate vacation destination in Hawaii. The half marathon, 10k and 5k courses run along the spectacular Pacific Ocean shoreline offering beautiful views of crashing waves and mountains. The mar-athon course extends into the unique

black lava landscape of the Big Island. Get a taste of the Ironman running course. Experience the true aloha of Hawaii in this smaller family-friendly event. RUN THE ROCK in paradise. 808-967-8240, konamarathon.comNAV Issaquah Street

Scramble—9:30am. 503-515-9419, streetscramble.com

RUN Vancouver Half/5k—Vancouver, BC. canadarunningseries.com

TRI Ironman Coeur d’Alene. ironmancda.com

Tuesday, 26 JunBIKE/EAT Spoke & Food—Seattle, self-start. Supports FamilyWorks food bank. spokeandfood.com

Thursday, 28 JunADV RACE BEAST #3—Seattle, 7pm. 503-515-9419, beastrace.com

Friday, 29 JunSPEC Reveal the Path—7pm. Seattle. Biking film. 206-223-1944. RevealthePath.com

Friday-Saturday, 29-30 Jun SEE Pro Wakeboard Tour—Monroe/Lake Tye kingof-wake.com

Friday-Monday, 29 Jun - 2 JulBIKE NW Tandem Rally—Salem, OR. “Wonders of the Willamette” nwtr.org

Pioneer Park, then on to Hovander Park before the return. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.comPADDLE Round Bowen Challenge —Bowen Island, BC. 32k race. round-bowenchallenge.com

TR RUN Beacon Rock 25k/50k—N. Bonneville. rainshadowrunning.com

RUN Vancouver USA Marathon, Half—vancouverusamarathon.com

Thursday, 21 JunTR RUN Ravenna Park #3—Seattle, 6:30pm. 503-515-9419 nwtrailruns.com

21 June - 7 Aug (mult. dates)CLIMB Climb For Clean Air/Reach The Summit—Climb Mt. Rainier (7/11-14, 7/12-15, 7/17-20), Mt. Adams (8/6-7), Mt. Hood (6/21-22, 6/23-24) or the Grand Teton (7/13-16) to benefit American Lung Association. Limited space; fundraising minimums apply. 206-441-5100 (Rainier & Adams), 503-718-6151 (Hood & Grand Teton), climbforcleanair.com

Friday, 22 Jun BIKE Musical Bike Tour—Bellingham, 4pm. “Tune up” your bike for a tuneful tour of Bellingham’s favorite music shops. Meet and listen to some of the area’s talented local musi-cians who will play the instruments they love at a variety of shops. Mojo Music features ukelele by Tom Hodge, Piper Music, The Bow Shop, Wind Works, Quist Violins, and checkmate Music will all join the chorus. Meet at Fountain Bistro on Broadway. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Saturday, 23 JunTRI Padden Triathlon—Bellingham. Sprint/competitive at 8:30am (.5mi swim, 21mi rd bike, 5.2mi tr run) or supersprint/rec at 1pm (.25mi swim, 10mi bike, 2.6mi tr run). Solo or relay. 360-778-7000, cob.org/racesBIKE Cycle de Vine—Chelan. cycledevine.com

BIKE Cannonball—Seattle-Spokane. redmondcyclingclub.org

BIKE Tour de Blast—Toutle Lake/Mt. St. Helens. tourdeblast.com

BIKE Chelan Century Challenge. centuryride.com

TR RUN/ULTRA Taylor Mt. Runs —Issaquah, 8:30am. 425-301- 7009, evergreentrailruns.com

RUN Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & Half—Seattle. rnrseattle.com

RUN March Point 10k Run & 5k Fun Run/Walk—Anacortes, 10am. 360-293-9132, [email protected]

Saturday, 30 JunPADDLE Rat Island Regatta—Port Townsend, 10am. soundrowers.org

TR RUN Start of Summer Run—Seattle, 8/9am. 503-515-9419, nwtrailruns.com

BIKE Mount Adams Country Bicycle Tour—Trout Lake. troutlakewashington.com

RUN/ADV terrain Portland Mud Run—Sherwood, OR, 9am. Whether you’re a seasoned pro (eat mud pie for

break-fast) or easing into the fun, we

have a race for you: full terrain: 5+mi (20-26* obstacles) or the 1/2 terrain: 3mi (14-20* obstacles). Both options have you and your friends running through mud, trails, and obstacles that test your physical and mental grit. You’ll sweat, get dirty, and have the time of your life. Be prepared to jump, climb and even crawl through gnarly terrain at the Sherwood Forest Equestrian Center. 928-853-3325, [email protected], terrainrac-ing.com/terrain-mud-runs/portland/

BIKE Red-Bell 100—Redmond to Bellingham. cascade.org

BOAT Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival—Seattle, 10am-6pm. cwb.org

NAV Orienteering Salmon la Sac—Cle Elum, 10am. 206-913-3790, cascadeoc.org

ULTRA/RUN Vashon Ultra & Trail Run—Monroe 11am. 407-628-5662. Kingofwake.com

WAKE Mastercraft Pro Wakeboard Tour. vashonultra.com

Saturday & Sunday, 30 Jun-1 JulPADDLE Chilliwack River Slalom —Chilliwack, BC. nwwhitewater.org

JULY > > >

Daily, 30 Jun - 22 JulSPEC Live le Tour de France—Bellingham, 5:30-9am. Watch on big screens at Mount Bakery. 360-715-2195, mountbakery.com

Sunday, 1 JulBIKE “Ode to Alan Rhodes” Bicycle Saunter—Bellingham, 1pm. Meet at Lettered Streets Coffee House on Dupont St. to ride new bike paths and back streets of the Columbia and Lettered Streets neighborhoods before a tour of Bellingham Theatre Guild’s performance venue. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.comFLY/GLIDE Chelan XC Classic. cloudbase.org

Step out of hibernation and see what’s in store for spring at the Markets.With all kinds of organic, fresh, in season produce available all the time

in our stores, you’re sure to find something new & tasty!

Also, come check out what our Kitchens are cooking up for the season.We’ve got deli salads made from scratch using ‘Really Local’ fresh products

& produce, handmade seasonal cakes, and loads more!

It might be raining outside,but it’s spring time at The Markets!

Delicious is in bloom!

Lakeway • Birch Bay • AnacortesL.L.C.marketsthe




1 July (cont.) - 14 July

SPEC An Old Fashioned 4th—Blaine, 8am-11pm. All day events include a parade, car show, street fair, live music and fabulous fireworks. 800-624-3555, blainechamber.com

Friday, 6 JulBIKE Bakery Ride—Bellingham, 3pm. Meet at Mount Bakery on Champion St. for a guided tour of area bakeries. Samples too. 360-671-BIKE, every-bodybike.com

Saturday, 7 JulTRI Clear Lake Triathlon & Youth Tri—9am/11am. A chip-timed event in

the Skagit community of Clear Lake on scenic Hwy 9. A 1/3mi swim in the shallow lake (~72 degrees), a 14.8mi

bike course with a few gradual inclines

about 5 miles out, and a relatively flat 4mi run. Solo or relay. Also a separate Youth Tri for 14 & under. 360-336-9414, [email protected], skagitcounty.net/parksandrecreationTR RUN Cougar Mt Trail Run 10mi— Newcastle, 9am. 503-515-9419, nwtrailruns.com

RUN 45th Annual Chuckanut Footrace—Bellingham,

9:00am This point-to-point, seven-mile trail race starts at Marine Park in south Bellingham and finishes at

Larrabee State Park, the oldest state

park in Washington. The course follows the legendary Interurban Trail and fea-tures gorgeous views of Chuckanut Bay and the San Juan Islands. Buses will take runners back to the start line. www.gbrc.net/chuckanut_footrace.phpBIKE S2S—Seattle-Spokane, 2am. redmondcyclingclub.org

ADV RACE Trioba 24-30 Hour—Cougar, midnight. trioba.com

RUN Women’s Moon Run 4K &

net). Prerace celebration at Olympic Raft & Kayak Saturday night. 206-940-6269, rubycreekboathouse.com

Tuesday, 3 JulRUN Firecracker 5000 5k—Seattle, 11:55pm. 206-729-9972, promotionevents.com

Wednesday, 4 JulRUN/WALK Miles for Meso 5k—Federal Way, 8:30am. 253-835-6932, itallhappenshere.org

RUN/WALK Run for the Pies 5k—Carnation, 8:30am. carnation4th.org/5k.htm

PADDLE 3rd Annual de Fuca Downwind—Port Angeles. Ten-mile, open water downwind race for kayaks, surfskis, outriggers, SUPs and all human

powered craft. June-July promises

reliable West winds and a thrilling ride for your efforts. From Freshwater Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca, past the turbulent mouth of the Elwha River and along Ediz Hook, the Downwind is a can’t-miss experience for confident pad-dlers. Race #5 in the 2011-12 Race for Your Life points series (raceforyourlife.

Half Marathon—Olympia, 4pm. 360-701-1604, guerillarunning.com

ULTRA Let’s Climb a Mountain—Spokane, 6am. letsclimbamountain.com

SWIM Martha Lake Open Water Swims—Lynnwood, 8am. finishstron-gevents.com

Sunday, 8 JulyRUN Langley Half Marathon—Langley, 8:30am. langleyhalfmarathon.com

Sunday-Saturday, 8-14 JulyFLY/GLIDE Chelan XC Open & Paragliding Competition—Chelan. nt. chelanxcopen.com

Wednesday-Sunday, 11-15 JulFLY Arlington Fly In. arlingtonflyin.org

Friday, 13 JulySPEC Relay for Life—Bellingham, 5pm. See relayforlife.org for other Relay for Life events in the region.

Friday-Sunday, 14-15 JulFISH Bellingham Salmon Derby & Kids Derby. 360-966-2621, belling-hampsa.com

Saturday, 14 JulMULTI Olympia Traverse—Date is new from previous issue; time tbd. The

Olympia Traverse includes an 8mi mt bike course on Capitol Forest sin-gle-track, a 22mi road bike course

from the Mima Mounds to West Bay

Park on Budd Inlet, a 3.5mi open water paddle, followed by a 5mi out-and-back run from Swantown Marina to Priest Point Park, and a 0.5mi trek to the finish. Race solo, tandem or on a team, with “bait” to raise funds for environ-mental groups. 360-451-3576, olym-piatraverse.comSWIM Silver Lake Open Water Swims—Everett, 8am. finishstron-gevents.com

MULTI Glacier Challenge—Whitefish, MT. theglacierchallenge.com

BIKE 2012 RBC GranFondo Kelowna—Kelowna, BC, 7am. The 2012 RBC GranFondo Kelowna will provide cyclists the opportunity to ride in a true European-style GranFondo in the Okanagan region. Roll down Lake Country, climb up Predator Ridge and tour through the heart of Vernon as you experience breathtaking views of Okanagan Lake. All riders are fully sup-ported from start to finish and aid stations along the way provide fresh water, nutritional supplements, mechan-ical assistance, First Aid, and toilets. 604-990-2510, rbcgranfon-dokelowna.com

RBC Blue - rgb (0/40/136)RBC Yellow - rgb (254/223/1)

Saturday, July 7, 20127-mile run on wooded trails

ending at Larrabee State ParkJoin us on Facebook for special offers“Friends of Chuckanut Footrace”

Bellingham’s 45th Annual

Chuckanut Footrace

www.gbrc.net/chuckanut_footrace.php

25 th Annual

Iron Person & Relay

.3-mile swim14.8-mile bike

4-mile run

Plus a YOUTH TRI (flotation devices allowed &

parents encouraged to participate with their kids)

SaturdayJuly 7

360.336.9414 [email protected]

skagitcounty.net/parksandrecreation


race I play I experience14 July (cont.) - 21 July

BIKE San Juan Cruises’ Lopez Island Bike Tour—Bellingham, 8:30am.

Cruise fo Roche Harbor on San Juan Island for a great island bike ride. This 20-33 mile ride can be

leisurely paced or has options for more ambitious riders. There’s a mix of mod-erate hills, farmland, and occasional flat sections, great for intermediate bicy-clists. Includes a catered lunch at San Juan County Park. Pick-up will be at Friday Harbor for the return to Bellingham. An Orcas Island ride will be August 18th. Info:. 800-443-4552, whales.com

MT BIKE Padden MTN Pedal—Bellingham, 8am-4pm. indieseries.org

SWIM Lake Padden Open Water Swim—Bellingham, 9am. b-m-s-c.org

BIKE Tour des Chutes—Bend, OR, 6am. tourdeschutes.org

SPEC Jazz & Art Fair—Blaine, 10am-4pm. A day-long outdoor event held on Blaine’s downtown plaza overlooking the picturesque harbor. 800-624-3555, blainechamber.comRUN WA Games Day—Seattle, 9:30am. Multiple events. 206-335-9305, magnusonseries.org

Saturday-Sunday, 14-15 JulBIKE Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic. cascade.org

TRI/DU/RUN Ocean Shores Big Weekend. trifreaks.com

MULTI Deschutes Dash Sports Fest—Bend, OR. 541-323-0964 deschutesdash.com

Sunday, 15 JulTRI Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens, 6:30am. ironmanlakestevens.com

TRI TriRock Seattle—Issaquah, trirock.competitor.com

BIKE Flower Power Ride—Bellingham, 1pm. Meet at the Public Market on Cornwall Ave. St. and ride to area/downtown nursuries and gardens. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.comRUN Fort Langley Half & 5k—Fort Langley, BC, 7am. peninsularunners.com

Sunday–Friday, 15-20 JulSAIL Whidbey Island Race Week. whidbeyislandraceweek.com

Tuesday-Sunday, 17-22 Jul BIKE Cascade Cycling Classic—Bend, OR. PRO-USAC, CAT 2, 3, 4, and Masters races cascade-classic.org

Wednesday-Sunday, 18-22 JulBIKE RedSpoke—Redmond to Spokane. A supported charity ride. redspoke.org

Friday, 20 JulBIKE Bike to Bocce Ball—Bellingham, 4pm. Meet at the Carolina Street Bocce Court (near Franklin) then ride to several bocce courts in the area. Get a lesson from a master, too. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Friday, 20 Jul - Saturday, 21 JulRUN Ragnar Relay NW Passage—Blaine-Langley, WA. Join the Ragnar

Nation! Ragnar Relay is the overnight run-ning relay race that makes testing your limits a team sport. A team is made up of 6-12 individuals who run 3 legs. Each leg is

between 3-8 miles. Over 2 days and 1 night, your team will run from Blaine to Langley, WA. Add in crazy costumes, amazing scenery, a great finish line party, unforgettable stories and, viola! you get the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage. ragnarrelay.com/race/northwestpassage

Saturday, 21 JulRUN Wind Horse Half Marathon

—Bellingham, 8:30am. An out-and-back run on the beautiful Interurban Trail

from Fairhaven Park; a fundraiser for Blue Sky Education Project, which supports children in Tsetserleg, Mongolia, one of Bellingham’s sister cities. Great post-race festivities! 206-890-8694, windhorserun.comRD BIKE DU Padden Duathlon —Bellingham, 9am. NOTE NEW

DATE! A fast, fun du that won’t break your

pocketbook, and at a great loca-tion, with both runs on trail

around Lake Padden, and the bike

out and around Lake Samish. All partici-pants receive a t-shirt and are eligible for draw prizes; trophies for top 3 male and female overall. Solo or relay. 360-778-7000, cob.org/racesSEE Eurasia Custom Bike Show—Rexville, 11am. 360-466-4778, lacon-nerchamber.com

50 race | play | experience >>> VIew or download even MORE Race|Play|Experience event listings at>>> VIew or download even MORE Race|Play|Experience event listings at

RUN Olympia Lakefair—Olympia, 7am. Half marathon, 3k, 8k. ontherunevents.com

RUN/WALK Raspberry Festival 5k Run/Walk—Lynden, 9am. lynden.org

SWIM Fat Salmon Open Water—Seattle/Lake Washington, 8:30am. fatsalmonswim.org

RUN West Seattle Float Dodger 5K—Seattle, 9:45am. 206-330-5967, floatdodger5k.com

Saturday & Sunday, 21 & 22 JulTRI/RUN ChelanMan Multisport Weekend—Chelan. chelanman.com

PADDLE Gorge Outrigger Races —Stevenson. nwoutrigger.com

SPEC Birch Bay Discovery Days—birchbaychamber.comLEARN Wolf Haven “Howl-in”—Tenino, 6-9pm. A sanctuary for cap-tive-born and injured wolves presents a night of activities, tours, and more (also 8/4 & 8/18). wolfhaven.org

Sunday, 22 JulRUN Lacamas Lake Half Marathon & 4 Miler—Camas. lacamaslakerunwalk.com

TRI Seafair Triathlon—Seattle, 6:30am (11am kids tri). seafair.com

RUN/WALK Swedish SummeRun 5k for Ovarian Cancer—Seattle. summerun.org

NAV Choose Your Campus Adventure—Seattle/UW, 10am-noon. Explore the UW campus by searching (racing, or easy stroll) for checkpoints marked on a map; free instruction avail. Enter at 25th Ave. NE and Montlake Blvd. 206-913-3790, cascadeoc.orgBIKE Beach Pedal—Birch Bay, 1pm. Meet at C Shop for a scenic bay-side pedal along beautiful Birch Bay. Birch Bay State Park and trails bring riders to the view at Point Whitehorn. The event/ride includes complimentary sno-cones and home-made candy samples at the C Shop. Pedal along for an optional after-ride social and mini-golf back at the C Shop. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Thursday, 26 JulBIKE RAMROD—Enumclaw. Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day. redmondcyclingclub.org

GOLF DVSAS Charity Golf Classic—Bellingham, 1pm. A benefit for Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services. dvsas.org

Saturday, 28 JulBIKE Tour de Whatcom—Bellingham, 7-11:30am starts depend-

ing on distance. A fun charity bike ride (25, 50 or 105 miles,

all fairly level) with awesome views. No matter your distance, you get to see

everything: Mt Baker, Lake Whatcom, valleys, rivers, lush farmland, beaches and north Puget Sound. All routes offer well-stocked reststops, bike techs/safety checks (at the start too), and a “family” rate. Starts are coordinated so riders roll in around the same time for the festivities back at the Fairhaven Village Green. FREE pictures too. 360-739-9953, tourdewhatcom.comRUN Seafair Torchlight Run—Seattle, 6:30pm. seafair.com

BIKE Tour de Cure—Hillsboro, OR. tour.diabetes.org

RUN Anacortes Art Dash Half Marathon, 10k & 5k—9am. 360-293-1918, anacortesartsfestival.com

BIKE Seattle Century—50, 85, 100mi. seattlecentury.com

RUN/WALK Old Settlers 5k & 2mi— Ferndale, 9am. 360-384-4891, whatcomoldsettlers.com

NAV Night & Day Street Scramble—Seattle, 4pm. 503-515-9419, nightanddaychallenge.com

ULTRA White River 50mi—Crystal Mountain. whiteriver50.com

TRI Federal Escape—Auburn, 7am. Kids, sprint, Olympic. 425-766-8787, trifreaks.com

Saturday-Sunday, 28-29 JulRD BIKE ALS DoubleDay Bike Ride & Fundraiser—Mt. Vernon. 425-656-1650, web.alsa.org/doubledayride

Sunday, 29 JulBIKE Tour de Kitsap—Silverdale, 7-10am/Bremerton Ferry, 7-9:30am. westsoundcycling.com

TR RUN Chuckanut Mountain 30k/12k—Bellingham, 8:30/10am. 360-389-0561, bellinghamtrail.com

BIKE Ice Cream Cycle—Bellingham, 1pm. Meet at Mallard Ice Cream on Railroad Ave. for a ride to Memorial Park, then on the trails through Roosevelt Nature Area and Whatcom Falls Park. Mallard demo and ice cream samples after. 360-671-BIKE, every-bodybike.comGOLF Ryan Stiles Celebrity Golf Classic—Semiahmoo, 1pm. A benefit for Burned Children Recovery Foundation at Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club. ryanstilesgolfclassic.com

RUN The San Francisco Marathon—5:30am. Run across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Fisherman’s Wharf/along the water-front, and through Golden Gate Park. 888-958-6668, thesfmarathon.com

Saturday, July 28th

25, 50 or 105 miles

www.TourdeWhatcom.com

21 July (cont.) - 29 July


race I play I experience3 August - 11 August

AUGUST > > >

Friday-Sunday, 3-5 AugFLY/CAMP Orcas Fly-in—Orcas Island/Eastsound. portoforcas.com

Saturday, 4 AugRUN Mid-Summer Fun Run—Colville, 8am. 509-684-6037, colville.wa.us

RUN Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon. tacomanarrowshalf.com

PADDLE Round Shaw Row—Shaw Island, 10am. soundrowers.org

RUN Moses Lake Marathon & Family Fun Run—Moses Lake. 509-855-5960, mlmarathon.com

RUN Mt Ashland Hill Climb—Ashland, OR. mtashlandrun.com

RUN River & Rails 5k & 10k—Arlington, 9am. arlingtonrunnersclub.org

TRI Whidbey Island Triathlon—Langley, 10am. Scenic course—swim Goss Lake .5mi, ride country roads 19.5mi, and run forest trails 3.8mi. 360-221-5484, whidbeytriathlon.comKITE Bridge of the Gods Amateur Kiteboarding Festival—Stevenson. botgkitefest.com

LEARN Wolf Haven “Howl-in”—Tenino, 6-9pm. A sanctuary for captive-born and injured wolves presents a night of activities, tours, and more (also 7/21 & 8/18). wolfhaven.org

Saturday-Sunday, 4-5 AugBOAT Drayton Harbor Days—Blaine, 10am-5pm. A pirate-themed festival with tall ships, raft races, arts/crafts, kids games and music. 800-624-3555, blainechamber.com

Saturday-Monday, 4-6 AugBIKE Courage Classic—Snoqualmie. courageclassic.org

Sunday, 5 AugRUN St. Jude 5K Fun Run/2mi Walk—Mount Vernon, 9am. For the 2nd year, North Cascade Eye Associates is sponsoring a 100% ben-efit event for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, which helps children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases, and allows some of today’s most gifted researchers to do their science more effectively. The run and walk will be around Hillcrest Park, followed by a celebration with awards, giveaways, and refreshments. Registration is just $20 ($25 with a shirt if preregistered), Kids 10 and under are FREE ($5 shirt),, Registration forms at all three NCEA offices, or online. 360-416-6735, ncas-cade.com/events.php

TRI

Troika Triathlon—Spokane. troika-triathlon.com

NAV/PADDLE Choose Your Paddle Adventure at Union Bay—Seattle/UW, 10am-noon. At the UW Waterfront Activities Center (free parking), explore the waterways near the Arboretum by searching for checkpoints marked on a map. Rentals available on-site. 206-913-3790, cascadeoc.orgBIKE Dutch Treat Ride—Lynden, 1pm. Lynden boasts Washington’s larg-est Dutch Heritage settlement where this ride showcases the town’s charm-ing windmill and history museum. A performance by the Firewheel Unicycle Team completes the ride, that will take in part of Dutch Old Town and a stop at the Lynden Pioneer Museum. After riding along the Nooksack River, riders return to Front Street and celebrate with treats at The Woods Coffee. Meet at Woods on Front Street. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

TRI Xterra Black Diamond—9am. xterrablackdiamond.com

BIKE Ride the Hurricane—Port Angeles, 7am. portangeles.org

TRI Heart of the Sound (HOTS)

Triathlon—Vashon Island, 9:30am. At Burton Peninsula, a youth and a sprint tri. 2026-203-095, hotstriathlon.org

Tuesday, 7 AugADV RACE BEAST #4—Seattle, 7pm. 503-515-9419, beastrace.com

Friday, 10 AugBIKE I Bike for Chocolate—Bellingham, 4pm. Meet at Chocolate Necessities on Cornwall Ave. for a ride through Elizabeth and Cornwall Parks with stops at area sweet shops. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Friday- Sunday, 10 -12 AugSPEC Stillaguamish Festival of the River & PowWow—Arlington, 9/10am. A free family event honoring the environment and cultures of the PNW. 360-631-2620, festi-valoftheriver.com

Saturday, 11 AugTRI 13th Annual Bellingham Youth Triathlon—9/10/11am. At Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, (meaning an indoor swim), 3 course distances and 3 start times, depending on age. T-shirts, finisher medals, draw prizes, lotsa fun. 360-778-7000, cob.org/racesRUN Summer Fitness Day—Seattle, 9:30am. Multiple events. 206-335-9305, magnusonseries.org

Sat. July 28half marathon, 10k, 5k

7th Annual




11 August (cont.) - 26 August

17-18 & 18-19 AugBIKE Ride from Seattle to Vancouver & Party. cascade.org

Saturday, 18 AugRUN Volcano Rain Forest Runs—Volcano, HI, 7am. FEEL THE POWER

of Hawaii while running on the

world’s most active volcano,

Kilauea – 4,000 feet, lush cool

rain forests, stunning views,

through the quaint village of Volcano, outside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island. The 5k, 10k and half run through the village streets in the lush native rain forest, with the half marathon continuing into the upper ranch lands with stunning views of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Exotic – Unique – Inspiring. Live Aloha. 808-967-8240, rainfor-estruns.comRUN Friday Harbor 8.8k Loop Run—San Juan Island, 9am. Low fee; day-of okay. islandrec.org

FLY/GLIDE Black Mountain Can-Am Fly-In—Maple Falls/Black Mountain. cloudbase.org

RUN Snoqualmie Railroad Days 10k/5k. runsnoqualmie.com

ADV RACE Ellensburg Sprint —9am. trioba.com

NAV Town & Country Street Scramble—Bainbridge, 9:30am. 503-515-9419, streetscramble.com

WALK Agape Walk & 5k Run—Bellingham, 10am. At Lake Padden Park, this fundraiser unites all ages to bring hope to local homeless women and kids. 671-1562, newagapehome.com

ADV RACE Oyster Urban/Shooter —Portland, OR. portlandoyster.com

TRI Beaver Lake Triathlon—Sammamish, 7:45am. beaverlake.org/blt

LEARN Wolf Haven “Howl-in”—Tenino, 6-9pm. A sanctuary for captive-born and injured wolves presents a night of activities, tours, and more (also 7/21 & 8/4). wolfhaven.org

Sunday, 19 AugBIKE Retro Ride & Concours d’Elegance—La Conner, 10am. 360-766-8720, [email protected]

YOUTH TRI Sammamish Splash Kids Tri. marymeyerlifefitness.com

RUN Lake Union 10k—Seattle, 7:30am. lakeunion10k.com

RUN Mud & Chocolate Half Marathon & 4.5mi—Sammamish, 9:30am. mudandchocolate.com

BIKE Bike the Bayside—Bellingham, 1pm. Meet at Maritime Heritage Park to tour the park before riding to Squalicum Beach, Zuanich Park and Squalicum Marina, with a quick stop at the touch-tank aquarium. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Friday, 24 AugRUN Hood To Coast 200mi Relay —Mt Hood, OR. hoodtocoast.com

Saturday, 25 AugTR RUN Cutthroat Classic—Mazama, 8am, wave starts. mvsta.com

MT BIKE Capitol Forest 50/100—Olympia. nwepicseries.com

TR RUN Redmond Watershed Preserve—Redmond, 8:30/9:30am. 503-515-9419, nwtrailruns.com

RUN Run-a-Muk 5k/10k—Mukilteo, 8am. mukilteolighthousefestival.com

BIKE 2012 RBC GranFondo Banff—Banff, AB, 7am. A true destina-

TR RUN Cougar Mt Trail Run 13mi— Newcastle, 8:30am. 503-515-9419, nwtrailruns.com

BOAT La Conner Classic Yacht & Car Show—10am. 360-466-4778, laconnerchamber.com

ULTRA Angel’s Staircase 50mi, 50k, 25k—Carlton. rainshadowrunning.com

RUN/WALK Miles for Memories 5k Walk/Run —Bellingham/Fairhaven, 9am. 360-671-3316, alzsociety.org

SAIL Shaw Island Classic—Friday Harbor. sjiyc.com

TRI Lake Tye Triathlon—Monroe. Sprint, Olympic, youth. finishstron-gevents.com

Sunday, 12 AugULTRA Transcendence 12-hour Ultra Endurance Run—Olympia, 6am. 360-701-1604, guerillarunning.com

TRI/DU Coeur d’Alene Triathlon & Duathlon. cdatriathlon.com

RUN Four Lakes 10k, 3k—Pender Harbour, BC, 9am. foolsrun.com/4lakes

MULTI Peninsula Relay Challenge —Kingston, 8:45am. SUP, tr run, mt bike. peninsularelaychallenge.com

RUN Delta Half & 5k—Delta, BC, 7:30/8:30am. deltahalfmarathon.com

BIKE Tour de Peaks —North Bend. Part of the Festival at Mt. Si, ride 100, 50, 25 miles. tourdepeaks.org

BIKE The Transportation Tour—Bellingham, 1pm. Meet at the WTA transit center for a bike rack demo and practice, then ride to Fairhaven’s Amtrak Station to learn about bringing your bike on the train. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

Friday-Saturday, 17-18 AugRUN/WALK Spokane to Sandpoint Relay. spokanetosandpoint.com

tion event in one of Canada’s most scenic towns, the inaugural RBC GranFondo Banff will give passionate cyclists a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride a spectacular 142 k course in Canada’s first national park, Banff National Park. Experience high altitude cycling like never before and soak in the extraordinary wildlife that Banff has to offer. North America’s first gran fondo held completely within the boundaries of a national park. 604-990-2510, banff.granfondocanada.com

RUN Seattle Marathon 10k Race— 8am. seattlemarathon.org

PADDLE Great Cross Sound Race —Seattle, 8:15am. soundrowers.org

RUN Dwight Dash 5k & 10k —Spokane, 9am. active.com

Saturday-Sunday, 25-26 AugBIKE Annual RAPSody (Ride Around

Puget Sound)—Tacoma, 7am. Cross the Puget Sound on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, enjoy paved trails, scenic back roads, and Northwest water and

mountain views during this 170-mile weekend ride. RAPSody is an event by bicyclists, for bicyclists, with great food, souvenir socks, luggage transport, showers and parking all included. Free music and ice cream at the finish! 253-857-5658, rapsodybik-eride.comPADDLE Roaring River Slalom—Estacada, OR. nwwhitewater.org

Sunday, 26 AugRUN/WALK Alki Beach 5k—

Easy, social outings on two wheels

Details at everybodyBIKE.com or 671-BIKE

summer ridesRoll with us May through August to discover Bellingham’s best backroads andhidden bikeways. Each Summer Ride has a different theme and covers aboutseven easy miles. Goodies are provided along the way. Rides end at local eateriesand watering holes—great places to gather and socialize after the ride.

facebook.com/summerrides


race I play I experience26 August (cont.) - 4 September

and passports at any Woods location on August 26, or join the “official” 9am start at the Boulevard Park Woods. The Spruce Social Ride, 1pm – a guided ride of approximately 4 miles from Woods Coffee on Railroad that stops at Squalicum Beach and the Bay Street Woods before returning to Railroad for a participation gift. 360-671-BIKE, everybodybike.com

RUN/SPEC Dog Days of Summer —Bellingham, 9am. A 2.5mi run/walk or a 10k followed by a full day of festivities for dogs at Lake Padden. 360-733-2080, whatcomhumane.org

BIKE Summer Challenge—Bainbridge. summerchallengeride.org

Monday, 27 AugSWIM Josh Fueston Memorial Swim to Live—Bellingham, 8am. A relay event on Bellingham Bay in mem-ory and recognition of Josh Fueston and other soldiers who have lost their battle with PTSD, or who continue to fight the battle. active.com

Friday-Sunday, 31 Aug - 2 SepBOAT Harbor Days—Olympia. Vintage, working and model tugboats on display, entertainment, races. harbor-days.com

BOAT/SAIL/SEE Victoria Classic Boat Festival. For 3 days, up to 100 vessels gather and race in Inner Harbour. classicboatfestival.ca

SEPTEMBER > > >

Saturday, 1 SepRUN Lake Padden Relay—Bellingham, 10am. gbrc.net

CX TRI North Bend Multicross Sprint. 425-766-8787, multicross.net

SWAP Bellingham Bike Swap —10am-4pm. Buy or sell at the Sportsplex; drop off bikes Friday eve-ning or pre-10am Saturday. The Bike Shop is a non-profit project that uses the bicycle to engage youth from low-income homes in healthy physical and social activity thebikeshop1.org

Sunday, 2 SepTRI 14th Annual Steve Braun Memorial Triathlon Sponsored by Friends of Moran—Orcas Island, 9am (8:30am pre-race meeting). At the Cascade Lake Picnic Area of Moran State Park, swim .5mi in beautiful Cascade Lake, rd bike 15mi along a picturesque rural road, and trail run 3.5mi around

Cascade Lake. Pre-register by August 30 and save $10! Solo ($45/$55 day-of) or teams ($35 per individual on a team/$45 day-of). 360-376-3111, [email protected], friendsofmoran.comRUN Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon—Yamhill County, OR, 7am.

This scenic course mean-ders through the heart of the Willamette Valley, starting at Stoller

Vineyards and finishing in the town of Carlton for the popular post-race Wine & Music Festival where 24 winer-ies and breweries offer free tastings with race entry. Evergreen Aviation Museum hosts the race expo on Saturday from 10am to 6pm. Produced by Destination Races. 2-person relay also offered, plus discounted team competition. Newly revised course! Sign up early! 707-933-1769, run4ore-gonwine.com, destinationraces.com

Monday, 3 SepRUN Labor Day Half—Woodinville, 7am. labordayrun.com

Tuesday-Wednesday, 4-5 SepBOAT Deer Harbor Wooden Boat Rendezvous—Orcas Island. Tue: row race (4pm), barbecue, music.

Seattle, 9am. Benefits NW Hope & Healing Found.ation. 206-215-2888, alkibeachrun.com

TRI Ironman Canada—Pentiction, BC. ironman.ca

TRI Lake Meridian Triathlon—Kent, 7am. lakemeridiantri.com

RUN Eugene Women’s Half Marathon—Eugene, 8am. This run is for those who like a little pampering!

Ladies (Gentlemen if they wish) will be

treated to a fabu-lous Eugene course that starts down-town and fin-

ishes at the 5th Street Market.

Participants can expect a race experi-ence unlike other typical road races. Unrivaled swag bags, mini spa services, delicious chocolate, bubbly cham-pagne—what more could a girl want? 877-345-2230, eugenewomenshalf.comBIKE Woods to Woods Classic—Bellingham. Choose your ride: The Giant Redwood Challenge – a self-guided ride of approximately 50 miles to as many Woods Coffee locations as you can. Treats will be provided at each. Bonus treat for those who stop at each and every Woods Coffee. Maps

Certified Public Accountants

1314 N. State Street • Bellingham, WA • 360.671.1023 • www.zarembacpa.com

ZAREMBA PAXTON P.S.


Wed: breakfast, sail race, potluck. deerharborwoodenboats.org

Friday-Sunday, 7-9 SepBOAT Wooden Boat Festival—Port Townsend. woodenboat.org

SPEC/WALK Whidbey Walking Festival—Coupeville. Three days, four walks, a free Meet ‘n’ Greet, free Brats ‘n’ Bluegrass, Salmon BBQ and free Concert in the Park. Everyone is welcome to walk. nwtrekkers.org

Saturday, 8 SepRUN/WALK Fairhaven Runners Waterfront 15K—Bellingham, 8:30am. Whether competing or participating just for fun, running or walking, enjoy a beautiful 15k/9.3mi course along Bellingham Bay from Fairhaven to Squalicum Harbor and back. This is a wonderfully fun event, especially because of the great volunteers, post-race party with food and drink, live music, awards, and free massage/chiropractic care. All participants get a shirt and chip timing. Low pre-registration fee, no day-of registration, and the event has a cap, so don’t wait to commit to one of the best runs in the region! 360-676-4955, cob.org/races

SWIM Swim Across America—Mercer Island, 8am. swimacrossa-merica.org

TR RUN Middle Fork 50k & 20mi—North Bend, 8am. 503-515-9419, nwtrailruns.com

RUN/WALK Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers 5k—Ferndale, 9:30am. whatcom7firefighters.com

TR RUN N Cascades PCT 100k—Mazama. rainshadowrunning.com

BIKE 2012 RBC GranFondo Whistler—Vancouver, BC, 7am. The gran fondo experience defined; Canada’s premier cycling event. Ride 122k from Sea to Sky on a dedicated lane width from downtown Vancouver to Whistler. Experience breathtaking views of Howe Sound, challenging climbs through the Coast Mountain Range and a celebratory finish in Whistler Olympic Village. Riders are fully supported from start to finish with fresh water, nutritional supplements, mechanical, First Aid and toilets. 604-990-2510, rbcgranfondowhistler.com

RBC Blue - rgb (0/40/136)RBC Yellow - rgb (254/223/1)

BIKE/SPEC Whatcom Co. Farm Tour—10am-5pm. Ride your bike for educational and edible adventures on a free, self-guided tour of regional

farms. 360-647-7093, sconnect.orgRUN Tame the Dragon Fun Run—Colville, 8am. 509-684-6037, colville.wa.us

PADDLE Bainbridge Island Marathon—8:45am. soundrowers.org

Saturday-Sunday, 8-9 SepRD BIKE Bike MS WA—Mt. Vernon. 206-284-4254, bikemsnorthwest.org

BIKE/RUN Festival 542—SAT: Cross 542/Silver Lake and Run 542/Mt. Baker Ski Area. SUN: Ride 542—Glacier to Artist Point norka.us

two weeks, 8-22 SepSPEC 3rd Annual Whatcom Water Weeks—Whatcom County. Celebrate the importance of the area’s water resources—in work, play, environ-ment and life. There will be assorted activities held throughout the county for kids and adults. 360-676-6736, whatcomwin.org

Sunday, 9 SepBIKE High Pass Challenge—Packwood. Cycle through the Gifford Pinchot Wilderness Area. cascade.org

TRI Seattle Escape from the Rock. envirosports.com

RUN/WALK Iron Girl 10k, 5k—Seattle, 8am. irongirl.com

MULTI The Iron Horse—Snoqualmie. Paddle, pedal, run. moun-tainstosound.com

RUN Skagit Flats Marathon/Half—Burlington, 8am. skagitrunners.org

Saturday, 15 SepTRI Grand Columbian Super Tri—Grand Coulee, 7am. 425-766-8787, trifreaks.com

PADDLE Budd Inlet—Olympia, 9:15am. soundrowers.org

ADV RACE Oyster Urban/Shooter—Seattle. seattleoyster.com

RUN Airport Run for Hope 5k / 10k—Arlington, 9am. 425-359-0868, arlingtonrunnersclub.org

MULTI Bellingham Traverse—Bellingham, 12:30pm. This event

includes a 5.5mi run from downtown to Lake

Padden, a challeng-ing 6mi mt bike above the lake, an 18mi rd bike out and around Lake

Samish, a 3mi trail run, a 4mi open water

paddle, and a .5mi team trek. Race solo, tandem or on a team, symbolically following the life cycle of the salmon with “bait” to raise funds for environ-mental groups. Finish festivities at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro. bell-inghamtraverse.comTR RUN Cle Elum 50k & 25k.

Ride 25, 38, 50, 62, 100 or 124 beautiful miles where

the Cascade Mountains meet the Salish Sea!

Fully supported

Hearty food stops

Free t-shirt if registered by 9/1

Start & Finish festivities at Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro

in downtown Bellingham— FREE burger or beverage at finish!

WANT TO DO MORE?Raise additional funds for

Whatcom Hospice Foundation

INFORMATION:

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Sunday September 16

ADVENTURES NW —a proud supporter

Early rEgistration (before 9/01/12) JUst $55!

additional discount at active.com with code: ansUMM12

Mail-in registration at chuckanutcentury.org

Ride on Whatcom & Skagit counties’ finest cycling roads, including the famous Chuckanut Drive.

Enjoy views of Mount Baker & surrounding ranges while cycling along the shores of Padilla Bay, Bellingham Bay,

Birch Bay & Drayton Harbor.

4 September (cont.) - 15 September


race I play I experience15 September (cont.) - 29 September

rainshadowrunning.com

NAV Nat’l Orienteering Day Newcomer Event—Seattle/Woodland Park, 10am-noon. Cascade Orienteering Club offers exploration activities for novices, children, and families. Free orienteering instruction provided. Enter at Woodland Park Ave. N & N 50th St. 206-913-3790, cascadeoc.org

Saturday & Sunday, 15 & 16 SepSPEC Rainier Mountain Festival—Ashford. Plus the Run/Walk at Rainier. 800-238-5756, rainierfestival.com

Sunday, 16 SepBIKE Chuckanut Century—Bellingham, 7am. Presented by the Mt.

Baker Bike Club, this event benefits Whatcom Hospice Foundation and takes riders on some of the most scenic routes in the state—25mi, 38mi, 50mi, 62mi, 100mi, or the double met-ric century (124mi).

The south loop offers views of the San Juan Islands while overlooking Bellingham, Samish, and Padilla Bays, skirting along and viewing Chuckanut and Blanchard mountains. The north

loop, through farmland and along bays, offers views of Baker, Shuksan, the Twin Sisters, and the Canadian Cascades. Start and finish at Boundary Bay Brewery (free beverage or burger at the finish!). Regular rest stops with hearty food. chuckanutcen-tury.orgBIKE Cycle the Wave (Women Against Violence Everywhere)—Issaquah. cyclethewave.com

RUN Montana Marathon—Billings, MT, 7am. A marathon, half, and 10k— run in the “Big Sky Country!” 406-245-9735, montanamarathon.org

Saturday, 22 SepADV RACE San Juan Island Quest —Orcas Island. sanjuanislandquest.com

BIKE Tour de Whidbey—Greenbank, whidbeygen.org

PADDLE Lake Samish Salmon Row & Paddle—Bellingham, 9:15am. soundrowers.org, salmonrowand-paddle.com

RUN Puget Sound Classic 5k/10k —Olympia, 8am. 360-701-1604, guerillarunning.com

ADV RACE Mind Over Mountain —Cumberland, BC, 9am. 866-912-3331, mindovermountain.com

RUN/DU Magnuson Runs—Seattle, 10am. Multiple events. 206-335-9305, magnusonseries.org

PADDLE Skagit River Downriver Sprint & Classic—Newhalem. nwwhitewater.org

Sunday, 23 SepNAV Oktoberfest Street Scramble—Fremont, 10am. 503-515-9419, streetscramble.com

DU Methow Valley Off-Road Duathlon—Winthrop, 9am. Join us for 1st Annual event. which will be held at the iconic Sun Mountain resort on the MVSTA trail system. Last year we tried to hold the race in November, but we were snowed out. The new fall race date will be perfect fall weather. We will use the same planned course as last year which meanders through aspen and pine forests above Patterson Lake, starting and ending at the Chickadee trailhead in the beautiful Methow Valley. T-shirts, Race party including free gourmet pizza and local micro-brew. 206-940- 4507, methow-duathlon.blogspot.com

weekdays 24 Sep - 1 DecSPEC Girls on the Run Fall Session—Whatcom Co. elementa-ryschools. GOTR is an after school

character develop-ment program that combines training for a

5k run with self-esteem enhanc-ing lessons and

uplifting workouts; culminates in a 5k Dec. 2. 360-733-8630, whatcomymca.org

Saturday, 29 SepRUN/ADV Muds to Suds—Ferndale, 11am. Get Muddy with your Buddies! At Hovander Park, kids and adults (team and individual scores) can get down and dirty in an Obstacle Course Mud Race. There will be a Boundary Bay beer garden, live music, activities for kids and free raffle prizes, with excitement until 6pm. End your summer with FUN! The event will be spectator friendly, so bring your cam-era. 360-746-8861, mudstosuds.comBIKE/DEMO Kulshan Demo Day—Bellingham, 11am-3pm. At Lake Padden, near the dog park area, test ride Trek and Gary Fisher Collection bikes. 733-6440, kulshancycles.comPLAY National Public Lands Day/National Parks Fee-Free Day. To encourage more people to get out and enjoy public lands, the U.S. Department of Interior waives entrance fees to federal park lands, national forest lands,


national wildlife refuges and BLM lands—all that otherwise require a fee or pass, nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

PADDLE Mercer Island Sausage Pull—Seattle, 9:15am. soundrowers.org

Sunday, 30 SepRUN Great Columbia Crossing 10k—Dismal Nitch, WA to Astoria, OR, 9am. greatcolumbiacrossing.com

BIKE Kitsap Color Classic. Three loop options. cascade.org

RUN Bellingham Bay Marathon, Half Marathon & 5k—Bellingham, 7:30 am. The marathon (Boston qualifier) and half marathon courses are relatively flat, well-supported and along picturesque and expansive Bellingham Bay waterfront with coun-try and urban landscapes, mountain vistas and exceptional seascapes. The point-to-point marathon is from Lummi Peninsula to downtown Bellingham (free shuttle to start). The half marathon loop course starts at Bellingham’s Depot Market Square. The fast, friendly 5k is along down-town streets and trails. bellinghambaymarathon.org

OCTOBER > > >

Saturday, 6 OctRUN/WALK Race for Education—Bellingham, 9am/kids race 8:30am. A fundraising 5k starting and ending at Civic Field. whatcom-county.ciswa.org

RUN/WALK Run Like a Girl 1/2 Marathon—Bellingham, 9am. runlikeagirlbellingham.com

TR RUN Baker Lake 50k—Baker Lake, 8am. bakerlake50k.com

RUN Mount Spokane 50k, 25k— rainshadowrunning.com

RUN WWU XC Classic—Bellingham, 10am. directathletics.com

RUN Silver Lake XC Runs—Maple Falls, 9am. gbrc.net

BIKE The Drier Ride—Ellensburg, 7:30am. Metric or 50k. drier-ride.org

RUN/WALK 5K-9—Everett, 10am. Langus Riverfront Park. 425-257-8369, everettwa.org/parks

RUN Leavenworth Marathon/Half. leavenworthmarathon.com

Saturday-Sunday, 6-7 Oct PADDLE Hobuck Hoedown Surf Paddling Festival—Neah Bay. A full weekend of racing and surf competi-tion for sea kayaks, surf kayaks, and SUPs at Hobuck Beach. The Hoedown is an annual festival in a sublimely beautiful location, celebrating the joy

of the ocean, featur-ing surf paddling competition PLUS the 3rd annual Kayak & SUP Scrambles, 2mi races through the surf and across the bay. An awesome

weekend of fun and friendship for com-petitors and spectators. The host loca-tion at the Hobuck Beach Resort pro-vides affordable lodging and camping. 206-940-6269, rubycreekboathouse.comPADDLE WKC Nooksack Slalom & Downriver + NF Nooksack River Slalom Class III—Glacier. nwwhitewater.org

Sunday, 7 OctRUN Victoria Marathon. runvictoriamarathon.com

RUN Portland Marathon. portlandmarathon.org

BIKE Skagit Valley Farm Pedal—La Conner, 9am. 360-421-4729, festivaloffamilyfarms.com

Monday, 8 OctRUN Granville Island Turkey Trot 10k Walk, Run, Stroll—Vancouver, BC, 8:30am. turkeytrot.ca

Saturday, 13 OctRUN/WALK Autumn Leaf Walk/Run—Okanogan, 10am. To chal-

lenge runners from all over the state, the Autumn Leaf offers a 1mi, 5mi, or 10k, and a wonderful scenic and community setting, beginning at the Okanogan

Swimming Pool. Fee is just one (but why not give more?) can of food, which will be given to the local food bank; otherwise it’s free. Lots of prizes, including for best costume. 509-826-7558, autumnleafrun.com

TR RUN Harvest Half & 10k—Kenmore, 9am. 503-515-9419, nwtrailruns.com

PADDLE Paddle for Food Relay—Bellingham, 9:30am. A 100% fundraiser for Bellingham Food Bank at Lake Padden. 360-739-2257

RUN Sekani Trail Run 5k & 10k—Spokane, 10am. 509-625-6546, active.com, spokaneparks.org

Saturday & Sunday, 13 & 14 OctTR RUN Orcas Island Triple Ripple Trail Festival— Moran State Park. 3 races in 2 days. triplerippletrail-festival.blogspot.com

Sunday, 14 OctPLAY National Wildlife Refuges Fee-Free Day. Get out and enjoy our public lands—in honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week. fws.gov/refuges

29 September (cont.) - 14 October


race I play I experience14 October (cont.) - 28 October

AdventuresNW.com

RUN Spokane Marathon/Relay/Half/10k—spokan-emarathon.us

MTB DU Klicks Mountain Bike Duathlon—Bellingham, 11am. A solo or relay event on the trails of Lake Padden Park: run 2.6mi around the lake, mt bike 6mi on the technical trails above the lake, then run again. (Free youth du after—see below.) 360-778-7000, cob.org/racesYOUTH DU YMCA Youth Duathlon—Bellingham, 1pm. At Lake Padden, kids can choose from 3 different

distances and start times (1pm short, 1:30pm medium and 2pm long). This free event isn’t timed, but all finishers get great goodies. Day-of-race registra-tion only. [email protected], cob.org/races

Fri & Sat, 19 & 20 OctSPEC Komo Kulshan Ski & Snowboard Swap & Sale—Bellingham. Sell or buy at Whatcom Co.’s largest and longest-running swap. 360-303-3865, komokulshans-kiclub.org

Saturday, 20 OctRUN Lake Padden Half Marathon to Benefit Rebound of Whatcom County—Bellingham, 9am. Run up and through the forested and steep single track trails above the lake. www.ultrasignup.com, keyword: lake padden

Sunday, 21 OctRUN The Other Half—Moab, UT, 8:30am. Stunning redrock and mountain views accompany you on this point-to-point half marathon that parallels the Colorado River

through a dramatic canyon. Entry to the 9th annual The Other Half includes a long sleeve tech shirt, full course support, shut-tles, and a traffic-free course. Runners can expect fun aid stations and Taiko drummers along the way. Finisher medals,

delicious food and microbrews will be waiting at the lush green finish at Sorrel River Ranch Resort. 435-259-4525, moabhalfmarathon.orgRUN Whistler 50 Relay & Ultra—Whistler, BC. bcathletics.org/whistler50

Saturday, 27 OctRUN/WALK Pumpkin Push 5k for Seattle’s Homeless— 10am. 206-548-3266, pumpkinpush.com

RUN Freaky 5k—Federal Way, 9am. 253-835-6932. itallhappenshere.org

RUN Carkeek 12-hour—Seattle, 6am. carkeek12hour.com

RUN Halloween Runs—Seattle, 10am. Multiple events. 206-335-9305, magnusonseries.org

PADDLE Lake Sammamish— 9:15am. soundrowers.org

NAV Vampire-O—Lynnwood, 7pm. 206-913-3790, cascadeoc.org

Sunday, 28 OctTR RUN Cougar Mt Trail Run 50k —Newcastle, 8:30am. nwtrailruns.com

RUN/WALK Run Scared 5k—Seattle, 9am. Benefits LLS 206-330-5967, runscared5k.com

RUN Columbia Gorge Marathon —Hood River, OR. columbiagorgemarathon.com

Advertiser IndexAcademic Adventures ............43American Alpine Institute .......43Anacortes Arts Festival ..........51Bellingham Athletic Club ..........4Backcountry Essentials ...........26Bagpipe Construction ............25Bellingham Bay Marathon ..........................56Bellingham Frameworks .........29Bellingham Kite .....................58Bellingham Parks & Rec ...........3Boundary Bay Brewing ..........33Brandon Nelson ...................25Burlington Physical Therapy ...45Busara .................................35Chuckanut Foot Race .............48Clear Lake Triathlon ..............48Colophon Cafe .....................27Community Boating Center ....33Community Food ...................14D’Anna’s Cafe Italiano ..........22Dawn Durrand ......................22Erik DeRoche ........................39Eugene Women’s Half Marathon ..........................53Everybody Bike .....................52Fairhaven.com ......................28Fairhaven Bike and Ski ..........28

Fairhaven Pizza ....................26Fairhaven Runners ..................6Faith Built .............................13Fanatik Bike Co .....................53Flyers Restaurant ...................28Gato Verde ..........................45Gone Diving .........................23Harmony Motorworks ...........28Historic Fairhaven .................15Kulshan Cycles ......................26LFS Marine ...........................14Lithtex NW ...........................43MBBC/Chuckanut Century .............................54Mount Bakery .......................21Mt Baker Foothills Chamber .............................9Mt. Baker Hillclimb ................15Mt. Baker Lodging Inc. ..........39Nathan McAllister .................35Nooksack River Casino .........60North Cascade Eye ...............51North Cascades Institute ........28Northwest Behavioral ............42Northwest Navigation ............... 28 & 38NW Traverse ........................49Pickup Dogs .........................39Quicksilver Photo Lab ............29Sally Farrell ..........................42

>>> ALWAYS confirm dates, times, registration requirements, fees, etc. Thanks to event organizers who submit event details. For info on listing your event in Adventures NW’s calendar (print and online), write to dennis @ adventuresnw.com

Salud Spanish .......................27San Juan Sailing ...................46Seattle City Light ...................59Sportsman Chalet .................18Sustainable Connections ........43The Chrysalis .......................19The Markets..........................47The Mountaineers .................42The ReStore ..........................35Tour de Whatcom .................50Trailhead Athletics.................38Village Books .......................28VZ Foundation ......................57WECU ..................................27Wells Fargo Advisors ............34Whatcom Events - Mud Race..........................55Whatcom Events - Ski to Sea ............................2WIB .......................................5Wood Mizer .........................12YMCA ..................................44Yoga NW .............................14Yoga with Susan D’Onofrio ................23Zaremba Paxton P.S. .............53


N Adventurethe ext

See your Summer “Next Adventure” photo on this page. For consideration, email your image by to john @ AdventuresNW.com.

photo by DAVID PILLINGER

Cloyoquot Sound Sunrise

North Cascades InstituteCelebrating 25 years of connecting people, nature and community through education.

You are invited to the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center for:

n Family getaways n Diablo Downtimen Base Camp n Adult classesn Group rentals n Youth programs

www.ncascades.org

Experience the North CascadesSkagit Tours 2012n Boat tour and lunch on Diablo Laken Walking tour of historic Newhalem and Gorge Powerhousen North Cascades Expeditions: Guided hikes, shuttle and lunchn Special powerhouse tours coming in fall 2012

For more information, visit our web site at www.skagittours.com. For reservations, call 360-854-2589.

North Cascades National ParkSomething to savorEnjoy summer learning and recreation.

www.nps.gov/noca or 360-854-7200

Signature Seafood BuffetServed from 4pm to 9pm Friday nights. $17.95 with

Winners Club Card, $22.95 without.

$4.99 Value BuffetOur delicious and ever-changing value buffet, now on Thursdays 11am - 9pm. Only $4.99 for Winners Club Members!

Management reserves all rights.

877.935.9300 5048 MOUNT BAKER HWY, DEMING WA

FIND US ONLINE WWW.NOOKSACKCASINO.COM TWITTER.COM/NOOKSACKRCASINO FACEBOOK.COM/NOOKSACKRCASINO

Saturday BBQ Buffet4pm - 9pm $11.95 A Feast prepared each Saturday. All-you-can-eat perfectly

seasoned BBQ favorites at one low price!

Sunday Brunch Buffet

Create Your Own Fresh Dining Experience

Every Monday & Tuesday 11am – 2pm & 5pm – 9pm!

Just $11.95 per person!

Served from 10am to 2pm $16.95 With Champagne

adventures nw summer 2012

Documents

goatlandragnar relay

nwp ragnar

half marathons

relay races

collection of poetry

bellingham writer

latest book

backpacking washington