We had a leisurely pack up at the farm because we were receiving a delivery of a lost puppy at 10:30. Alice was so excited to have her puppy, Bike-toria, back.

Once on the road it was downhill and then onto the Olympic Discovery Trail along the water. We stopped for the most delicious cherries I’ve ever had (“strawberry Rainiers” picked the previous day) and enjoyed the mostly flat path and quiet roads. We eventually made our way to Sequim Bay State Park, where the hiker/biker sites are right off the ODT. The forest here is absolutely beautiful, and we saw some very old cedars. What a special spot.

The kids had a blast playing with their puppies this morning. They were brushing their fur with pine cones and getting them ready for a beauty contest. On our way out of town we stopped by the Food Co-op again for supplies. While Daisy went shopping, I chatted with a couple cyclists. They were volunteers working on the Olympic Discovery Trail! This trail heads from Port Townsend out to Forks, and we will be riding along it for the next few days. There is one section that is missing, though, along Discovery Bay, and I learned that it would be under construction next summer. So, for us to miss the busy/unsafe highway section we would still need to take a +10-15 mi detour. That is why we found a place to stay on HipCamp for the night.

We had a scare a little ways out of town. A was so tired she almost fell asleep! Unfortunately we were along a semi-busy road/area and couldn’t just pull off and take a break. We only had 1.5 mi further to go to the park we were planning to stop at for lunch, but she couldn’t seem to concentrate. We tried a few things, and what seemed to work was walking for a few hundred meters, then singing the alphabet song with Daisy – alternating every letter. We made it, of course.

We all ended up having a great lunch and then play time at the park. We finally called it quits to get back on the road and that is when our emotions swung in a different direction. A realized that her new puppy stuffed animal (bought in Port Townsend) was missing!! Melt down ensued. I called the co-op to ask if it was there (not found yet) and we strategized for potential puppy replacement. Then the co-op called back later and said it was found. YAY!!! Crisis solved. We could now fully recover and get back on the road. (And it ended up that Daisy’s cousin could come to the rescue with puppy delivery the following morning. Thank you!!)

The detour was on low traffic roads but there were definitely some hills. Our biggest topped out at around 600 or 700 feet and yes that isn’t that high, but it did feel like a mountain pass considering the circumstances. (Haha.) We had a long descent on the other side and then turned into the road to the farm.

Staying at the farm ended up being a great decision! The kids loved the animals and exploring. There was a lot to see. There was also a kitchen, which helped with dinner. We took a bath, did laundry, tried petting various farm animals, and played games and walked. It was a great time!

We had a fun-filled day and didn’t stay still! Even though we rode 8 mi, it was “unloaded” so it still counts as a “rest” day. Mostly. The success of the rest can mainly be judged by how our legs feel the following day while riding. Spoiler alert: they felt a lot better! We are definitely getting stronger again in just these few days of riding.

Our morning was spent exploring the park near the campground: the pier, the battery (cement bunker), and the beach at low tide. There was a lot of cool stuff to see! Then we made our way to town (about 3.5 miles if you go the way without the super steep hill). We got lunch at the Food Co-op and then did chores: post office to mail a few things we don’t need, buy some bike lube, get more fuel for our stove, and find another new chapter book to read at bedtime. Of course we got Daisy good coffee, too!

In the evening, a few of Daisy’s family members visited, and brought delicious burgers + fries for dinner. Yummy! It was fun to hang and chat. (Love you cousin!)

Overall, a very successful rest day.

Today was our biggest riding day (with kids) ever! We were so tired by the end of it that we hope to not repeat it.

Deception Pass was a paradise. We slept very well at the hiker/biker site that was set back from the rest of the campground. In the morning we made the decision to take a shortcut down a dune path that Google recommended. Every time we do this we are reminded that Google’s cycling directions are not to be trusted! This time it worked out beautifully, however.

We rode down a lovely paved path next to the ocean until it ended. Then it was a struggle fest over a sandy path until we reached a private gravel road. It was gorgeous, but there was definitely some fear we’d be trapped when we reached the exit and saw a big gate! It opened automatically as we approached, however. The desire for convenience of motorists helped us out a lot for once!

We stopped for lunch at Joseph Whidbey State Park, where we met Jason’s aunt and enjoyed one of the lowest tides of the year. The kids loved playing in the sand and we ate to the bottom of the lunch bag – including a Cheetos burrito!

It was a bit of a struggle fest to the next landmark – the grocery store in Coupeville. Specifically, there was a very steep hill that required grown ups to push and kids to walk… But we made it and discussed perseverance AGAIN.

After eating a GIANT snack at the grocery store we powered through to the ferry landing. The kids got fourth of July cookies there that definitely ruined their dinner but oh well.

By the time we finally rolled into camp we were thoroughly exhausted. The kids however were wild! We rolled right into a hiker/biker site and were all asleep well before any fireworks started.