Orcas Island (hills!)

After breakfast at Mary Ann's Cafe in Anacortes we biked to catch the ferry that went first to Lopez and on to Orcas Island. Must say the Washington State Ferries don't "hold a candle" to the BC ferries. You really appreciate the food served back home because there isn't any on the ferries down here!
Once we checked in to our heritage hotel we were ready for a shared lunch, Huli huli chicken burger. Norm and I never did find the Hawaiian connection but still it was good. (note to Colleen- we share meals here not because we are really cheap but because the meals are huge and we're seniors on a pension:)
Our room is decorated in an early period style which means no TV, no phone, no sink, no toilet, no blinds, no air conditioning.... the shower and toilet are down the hallway in separate rooms. But it all works. There is only one other room occupied so we have the shower rooms and toilets to ourselves. We just have to remember to put on clothing in the night when heading down the hallway.



That's me on the front steps of the Orcas Hotel and our room is to the left above the flag. We sat on our little near-by balcony and took in the view, read and had cheese and crackers and beer.


This is the view from our room. We get to watch the ferries coming and going. But before relaxing Norm thinks we should discover a bit of the island. It is 3 in the afternoon, really hot out and I am ready to relax. But being a "team player" and not wanting to be a winer I agree to do more biking. We head north then west to Westsound, a very sweet bay with little commercial activity.



But getting there involved many hills, some we actually had to walk up. One thing about Norman is he is never critical of getting off the bike and walking. Once back at our hotel I decide to check out the bus schedule for tomorrow. But by morning I was ready to bike across the island to Eastsound.
Breakfast at the hotel and off we biked the 9 miles to Eastsound. There were hills but we walked only twice, a true feeling of accomplishment once done!



Here is Eastsound's labyrinth right near the beach and local Episcopal church. We checked out the beach, the local tourist stores, book store (of course) and lunched at the Kitchen serving organic local foods.



Norm is checking our map for the next adventure. And here is what he saw from the beach.




After lunch Norm insists we go even further north to the far side of Orcas. We can almost see Victoria from here.



And for those of you that might have visited Eastsound 30+ years ago, here is the same Outlook Inn built in 1915.



And check out the map of Orcas Island showing exactly where we are and where we've been!



We are now back at the hotel enjoying a couple of beers. They do taste good. Tomorrow off to Friday Harbor and on to Sidney. So far we have biked about 257 miles. And add Sidney to Metchosin and we will have done about 300 miles, that's around 480 km. Feels damn good!

Location:Orcas Island