Days 2 & 3: Waiting for Micah Parsons

I might have been the only one out here counting down to the Packers’ game today—Micah Parsons’ debut in green and gold. Those of you who know me well know I’m a diehard Packers fan. I left Port Townsend early this morning to make sure I reached Bremerton by gametime, hoping for an early hotel check-in so I could catch the action. Both plans worked. And so did Micah—he helped force an interception and added a sack in a decisive Packers victory.

Yes, this is Micah.

Day 2: 37 miles, 2,336 feet of climbing — no “whees” or “ughs”

This ride was tougher than I expected, with five climbs peaking at 10–15% grade. The roads were mostly quiet, though, and the MS Ride overlapped much of my route. Having other riders around was encouraging. Crossing Deception Pass Bridge—usually one of the more stressful spots—was much easier with a police officer stopping traffic for me and two other cyclists.

It was also the first day I felt comfortable enough to listen to podcasts. On earlier rides, so many turns demanded my full attention, but today I finally had the chance to catch up.

Day 3: 52 miles, 3,038 feet of climbing — still no “whees” or “ughs”

The day began with me getting a bit lost trying to find the ACA route, but eventually I rolled onto the Larry Scott Memorial Trail. This backwoods bike-hike path turned out to be a highlight—eight peaceful miles with only one other cyclist and a lone walker on a quiet Sunday morning. The trail honors Larry Scott, a local conservationist and cyclist, and it made for a beautiful start.

From there, the ride returned to rolling roads under an overcast sky. Once again, plenty of ups and downs—the pattern for this trip so far. I even hit a 12% grade, with several others in the 8–10% range. Tough but short, most of them lasting no more than half a mile.

Topic: Hotels

Switching gears from the bike to our overnight stays—here’s a quick rundown of the hotels so far:

• Best Western Plus, Bellingham — Convenient, with a better-than-average breakfast. Nothing remarkable, but solid.

• Marina Inn, Anacortes — Very clean, which Chris especially appreciated. Breakfast was OK.

• Manresa Castle, Port Townsend — Built in 1892 as the private home of the town’s first mayor, later a vacation home for nuns, then a Jesuit seminary. It became a hotel in 1968 and is rumored to be haunted. Our room had a bathroom down the hall and no breakfast, but the place was certainly an experience.

• Flagship Inn, Bremerton — At first glance it looked dated, with the front desk still using paper and pencil. But our room opened onto a deck with a stunning view of Oyster Bay, which more than made up for it.

Manresa Castle Hotel.

The view of Oyster Bay from the Flagship Inn.

Between the hills, the quiet backroads, the quirky hotels, and now a Packers win, the first few days have already packed in plenty of adventure.