by Liz

It’s been another sunny, blue sky day in Washington state and a beautiful afternoon’s riding. After sharing some of Christine’s amazing cookies with the staff at the bike shop, we left at 1 and headed north. The I-5 was busy for the first few miles but we weren’t on it, following instead a much quieter parallel road. Most of the houses here are weatherboarded and painted pretty shades of blue, green or grey. Some have a rocking chair on the front porch. 

We stopped for lunch beside a small lake at Ferndale. It was peaceful and two herons came in to join the lone fisherman. A freight train passed nearby, sounding its harmonious blast, a sound that’s so typical in America and unheard of in the UK. 

32 miles later we found that what last night’s accommodation lacked in size and beauty, today’s makes up for abundantly. It borders on the Dakota Creek River. We pedalled to Blaine a couple of miles up the road and visited the peace arch, standing proud against the Pacific Ocean. After a wander beside the river, Philip is cooking us dinner of wild salmon (bought not caught) and fresh vegetables.

Despite making sure we’ve stayed up until gone 10pm every night, we keep waking at silly o’clock in the morning, around 3am. That, and the stress of setting up unfamiliar bikes for a seven-week trip and our panniers almost not fitting on them, has meant this evening I’m still nursing the headache I woke up with. Fingers crossed for a longer night tonight. 

Additional notes

Bellingham to Blaine, Whatcom county, WA.

31 miles.

831 feet ascent.

Left at 11am. Arrived at 3.30pm.

Weather: Beautiful, sunny day. Cool.

Things we did: Gradually sorted all our kit. After breakfast, around 8.30, we drove the hire car to the airport and returned it. We took the bus back. We managed to load up the bikes, with considerable frustration and worry about the poor fit of our panniers and bags on the bikes. We rode to Earl’s at 11 where they changed Philip’s pedals and made some adjustments. The afternoon’s ride was lovely.

Landscape: The roads were mostly quiet, passing weatherboarded houses, and churches also weatherboarded. Snow-covered Mount Baker and the Skagit mountains were visible in the distance. We passed fields, some with livestock. A train passed every now and then, the harmonious blast ringing out. After gawping at our AirBnB for tonight we tore ourselves away and rode up to the border about three miles further north. The view to the left opened up over the ocean and with the evening sunlight on it the whole area glistened. We visited the Peace Arch and touched the border stone with the sea sparkling behind. We did the shopping, rode back and wandered through the garden to the river, very pretty. After showering (hot showers are such a delight after cycling) I wrote the blog and Philip got dinner.

Towns: Bellingham. Ferndale.

Trails: There were a few. One off-road section on the way back from the border.

State roads: We weren’t on any state roads but we could see and hear the I-5.

Breakfast: Instant porridge left by our hosts, which went on to become a staple breakfast all the way to Mexico, and raspberries. Toast and hard-boiled eggs, bought ready cooked yesterday.

Lunch spot: Beside a small lake round the back of Ferndale.

Dinner, made by Philip: Baked wild salmon and vegetables. Banana, pear and yogurt. Tea and out-of-date M&S chocolate biscuits, delicious.

Wildlife: Herons.

Things we saw: Buses here have bike racks on the front and we watched as a passenger hung his bike on the rack before boarding the bus.

People we spoke to or saw: Staci and Craig. We passed a couple of cyclists on the ride north. Our host, Muriel.

Incidents: Another wakeful night and a headache all day. We got up at 5.30am and were surrounded by all the kit we unpacked lying everywhere in the tiny AirBnb. The morning got more stressful when we came to load up the bikes. Despite a great deal of research, none of our panniers fit well on the chunky Gazelle racks. We have too much stuff so it’s not neat and it doesn’t fit. We managed but it’s not ideal. Quite a bit of uncertainty in me as to the rules of the road (especially whose right of way it is) and riding on the right-hand side. At Earl’s, we may have come across as a bit green as Craig asked if we do much cycling in the UK; I think they were worried about us with the big ride ahead. Staci and Craig are helpful but unreassuringly slightly vague, however I think it’s turned out ok. It will take some time for me to get used to my bike, having thought for nearly 40 years I would do this ride on a sleek bike, this is not it. But it’s comfortable. We couldn’t work out how the main lights in the AirBnB worked so we improvised as it got dark.

Shopping: At IGA Market, Blaine.

Accommodation: A beautiful home in the outskirts of Blaine, spacious, beautiful, with gorgeous wooden floors, lots of windows and light and super well equipped with a lovely view at the back over a grassy lawn leading down to the Dakota Creek River.

Today’s sound: The blare of the train.

Today’s smell: Baked salmon.

Special moments: I offered round some of Christine’s cookies in the bike shop before we left at 12.50. Actually doing some riding and enjoying it. At lunch, Philip said how much he likes his bike. They are good, comfortable and a nice amount of assistance so riding was quite easy but we were still putting in effort. Walking in and seeing our accommodation. Having booked the AirBnB at Blaine four months ago we had no idea what to expect and it turned out to be amazing. The owner was welcoming, sitting waiting for us on her porch. She couldn’t believe we didn’t come by car and wasn’t the only host we met who asked where we had left it. The coastline beside Blaine. Realising how good a decision it was to do the ride north to south, as on the way north today we had four lanes of traffic between us and the sea view. Touching the border stone, getting so close now. Sitting by the fire writing.

Positive experience from my journal: Walking in and seeing our accommodation.

Appreciation from my journal: Keeping a level head when I felt it was all too much, remembering we will get used to it. Not getting despondent or crabby, just keeping going on the ride.

Blog comments from Jenny, Christine, Piers, Claire and Cathy Hingley. Jenny: ‘Looks stunningly beautiful and nice to see B2B jacket in business again’. Christine: ‘Your illustrated descriptions make your trip so vivid that it’s like being there with you. Although I’ve been in Ferndale several times, I don’t recognize the lovely lake. Your photos give me an entirely new perspective on a familiar landscape’. Piers: ‘Seconded’. Claire: ‘You’ve touched Canadian soil – wonderful! I hope the stresses diminish soon – you’ve had enough of them already – boarding passes almost not happening, hobbling and panniers almost not fitting – so let’s hope that is the end of them! The great thing is that you have overcome them all. So glad the weather has been so lovely for the start of your epic adventure. Sending lots of love’. Cathy H: ‘Such lovely photos you’re sending. I found it interesting that the sound of trains is foreign to you. As you said, here in the US they are part of the fabric of our lives’.

Social media comment from Colin Darling: ‘What a lovely piece. I have just read it to Anne and we are both smiling. You are potentially the new ‘Billie’ Bryson… hope you have a publishing deal sorted’.

Mementos: IGA Market receipt, Blaine.