Hit up Orcas Island again this year for a family get-together. It's the largest island in Washington's San Juan Islands and a major vacation destination for campers, hikers, road bikers and boaters. Mountain bikers, not so much. But there are still sweet stashes of trail. As usual, I headed over to Moran State Park.
Atop 2,409-foot Mt. Constitution you get some great views. To the right is a slope of Mt. Pickett, where most of my riding is centered.
One nice thing about island riding is the lack of lethal creatures. No mountain lions or bears, however the abundant deer could run you over. Even better, no venomous snakes. My son was excited to find plenty without fangs though.
Immediately upon leaving the popular Cascade Lake camping and recreation area, you are enveloped in quiet forest and led on by winding singletrack.
A pogo stick-like rental from Wildlife Cycles made me miss my dw-link.
If you're looking for technical riding, you've come to the wrong place. Rock and root sections are scattered around in only a handful of locations.
It's mostly a pine needle magic carpet ride.
I stopped on a brief section of doubletrack and heard a stirring in the trees just 20 feet away. Looking over I spied a huge bald eagle wrestling his way out of a mess of branches at about head height. I imagine he must've nabbed a squirrel or something, as I've never seen one so low in a tree. They are surprisingly big when you see them up close. Pulled my camera out to grab a pic just as he flew off down the trail.
They made State Park boundary signs at little more stylish back in the 30s.
Out of the canopy...
And back to civilization.
Wildlife Cycles is nice enough to host a free BMX night every Tuesday at the track at Camp Orkila. So I let my boy get a little fix in...
...and then on to the hard work of IPAs, sunsets and kids and cousins hurling rocks into the sea.
