Day 4--MILL BAY FERRY

September 8, 2000
Mill Bay to Port Angeles, WA

This morning we took the smallest ferry in the northwest fleet from Mill Bay to Brentwood.  While waiting for the ferry we spotted a soaring mature bald eagle and a seal. When we docked, we climbed out of Brentwood to Rt 17 and took that to Victoria, about 26 miles I think.

Susan in her new yellow glasses waiting for the Mill Bay ferry

Waiting for the Mill Bay ferry

In Victoria, we checked our bikes at a nearby motel and then did Victoria's inner harbor by foot. We went to a Botanical garden/butterfly house and a tourist trap undersea world, ate big at a Spaghetti Factory, shopped in a couple of outdoor stores, and had a drink at an outdoor cafe so that we could watch the wildlife—and it rivals that in London as a couple of the pics below attest.

Victoria's Empress Hotel

Quayside park with the Empress Hotel in background

Jess communing with a flamingo at Victoria Crystal Gardens

Some beer drinking doggies in wigs and hats. Anything amusing for a dime on these streets.
You paid the guy something to take a photo of the dogs. 

What the? Our favorite bit of Victoria wildlife. This guy earns his pennies.

That evening we caught the Coho ferry to Port Angeles at 7:30 p.m.. We docked at 9:00 p.m. in bitter cold, wet wind, and pitch dark, natch. So we strapped on our reflective triangles and all of our warning lights and set out for Lincoln Park Campground, which was supposed to be 3 miles and a steep 1.3 mile climb away. Took a wrong turn so ended up climbing about 2 miles and riding 5.

Jess on the Coho Ferry to Port Angeles, Washington and the Olympic Peninsula

We put up the tent and both fell into bed in our yukky riding clothes. I didn't even brush my teeth. We were one of two campers in the entire park, which was a county park somewhat like Stillwater's Couch Park but with a couple of campsites.

Miles: 35

Weather: Very windy (headwinds), temp in the 60s and low 70s. Rained in the night.

Route: Mill Bay to Lincoln Park, Port Angeles Can't remember our distance but it was about 25 miles to Victoria plus a lot of city exploratory riding plus the miles to the campsite in Port Angeles. About 35 miles I'd guess.