The Sirens of Whidbey

I crossed this bridge on my bicycle! Holy crap.

Thursday morning was chilly and gray. I biked across Fidalgo Island, over the high bridge spanning Deception Pass and onto Whidbey Island. When I arrived in the town of Coupeville halfway down the island, Jerry and Veronika came to pick me up in their van.  My timing was excellent; the clouds that had been ominously looming all day finally gave way to rain just as they pulled up. I must have smelled like I'd been biking all day, because they immediately offered to drop me off for a shower at the nearby state park. 

On our way back to Jerry and Veronika's, I learned that over 20 friends and family members were on their way to the property for a holiday weekend which would be part reunion and part surprise birthday party for Veronika's niece. When I was invited to join the festivities, I knew diversions were on the horizon. This would not have been a problem, except that at my pace thus far, I was scheduled to arrive in San Francisco just in time for my flight back to Ontario.  I obviously forgot to plan for fun along the way...

In the end Veronika convinced me that I would only get stronger and faster, and I figured my quadraceps could use a day of rest. I decided to stay for a day (just long enough to spend Friday night with Erik's friends from Portland, but unfortunately missing the big birthday bash), promising myself to be on the road again on Saturday morning.

Erik hard at work

The seaside plot on Whidbey was a little piece of paradise. The area was all set up for camping in style, with a small cabin (think shed with bunkbeds) for shelter to boot. To my Ontarian amazement (I should be used to perpetual clouds by now, but my deepest Eastern instincts continue to scream "downpoor"), the rain clouds blew through the area with little more than a spit, leaving a breathtaking sunset in their wake. I fell asleep soon after to the sound of crashing waves.

Veronika doing the dishes

 Friday morning was clear blue sky.  Erik and his parents were up early. In order to create some flat tenting spots on the sloped land, they had decided to rent a machine to cut the soil, and then level it out by hand. The strips of sod could then be rolled back in to place like carpeting. I would have let my guests sleep on a hill, but this family takes hospitality to the next level (I think Jerry and Erik also like to make projects for themselves...).

cutest kittens ever

      Erik joked that I didn't realize I was being taken to labour camp, but when I offered to help I was  encouraged to rest and relax. I spent the morning stalking the newborn kittens living in the woodpile and reading my book in the sun. I could see the ferry I'd be catching Saturday morning, heading from Keystone over to Port Townsend on the mainland and back. Erik kept pointing out seals and osprey but I was always a second late, and ended up staring aimlessly into the big blue.

   After watching everybody work for a while, I felt like a slacker and decided to go for a walk along the beach.  This took me past a home owned by the C.E.O. of Microsoft, though I mostly just saw the beachhouse (about 4 times the size of Jerry and Veronika's cabin, but far less loved I'm sure).  On my way back I got pulled in by the blackberries. One handful is never enough. Before long I was filling my cloth purse up with the juicy berries, not caring that they were staining my diary purple. I arrived back home and helped everybody lay down the remainder of the sod before guests began to arrive.


For dinner we ate salad and delicious baked beans that Veronika cooked over the fire. I grilled stuffed mushrooms. Erik's friends arrived just in time for the spectacular sunset. Chatting around the fire, Erik bet that I wouldn't leave the following morning. Between Erik's taunts and Veronika's repeated offers to drive me to Portland with them, temptation was mounting. It was not easy, but I stood firm. After morning crepes cooked over the fire, I left in a flurry of hugs and farewells, hoping I would have the time to take a side trip to Portland and see my new friends once again.