I've mapped out a three day trip I'm going to take solo this weekend (weather and sickness permitting). Having never cycled any of these roads, I'm just using best judgement and auto mapping to navigate. If anyone has any suggestions for detours or better roads, I would love to hear them, thanks!
I've done a bunch of riding around Whidbey and have a love/hate relationship with all the side roads. Many of them force you to do extra climbing but you also have way less auto traffic. Side roads also don't really have a shoulder but main highway does. If you're looking to make time to camp, like a wide shoulder, don't mind exhaust you can stick to the main road. If you're looking for some climbs and want some road to yourself and have plenty of time I would suggest zig-zagging all over the island since you can almost completely avoid the main road.
West Beach Road/W Ault Field Rd on Whidbey isn't a bad alternative north of Ebey. If you're doing an out-and-back to Deception pass might as well take it one direction. It has at least one killer hill heading southbound. Don't try to cut through the military base & airfield, you have to go around the whole thing. Also, don't try to cut through N Transmitter Rd, there is a transmitter smack in the middle of it and some big fences with threatening signs.
I kinda like S Engle Rd / Hill Rd /Ebey's Landing route from Fort Casey to Ebey. If you take that route there is a paved bike path parallel to route 20 that allows you to take the easy dirt mountain bike trail (Kettles trail) shortcut into Ebey. The turnoff isn't obvious but I might be able to figure out how to share a pin drop there. However, if you are going thru Coupville than stick to your plan, Madrona Way is really beautiful.
If you have time to kill I liked the ride up to Langley, there are a couple neat meandering pedestrian/bike road (Zimmerman rd) that go up from Clinton ferry
Warning: all of the suggestions have some decent hills
I will try to add more suggestions later.
Last edited by Andrew_Squirrel on Tue Dec 29, 2015 4:32 pm; edited 1 time in total
Thanks Andrew, I appreciate the additions and I'm going to update my route with a few of them already. I'll probably stick to the highway more than I want the first day because it's already my longest day. I figure summer will be optimal time to go explore some more.
jimmythefly
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 11:40 am
Joined: 10 Jan 2007Posts: 1491
On your way back south from coupeville to the ferry dock, you should absolutely take S. Engle Road. When you reach Ft. Casey, turn into the park and go out toward the water using walking trails, etc. Continue south along the water, up on the bluff and fortifications, around the tip of the park, and you will eventually pop out of the park right near the ferry dock.
Obviously only do this if you ahve a bit of time before your ferry. But if you do have time it has some wonderful views and you can ride right along the concrete aprons of the gun emplacements, etc.
langston
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 12:39 pm
Joined: 25 Jul 2005Posts: 5547Location: Columbia City
what's that road we took out to the Tittlefitz wedding that was out on the dike? That was rad as hell.
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bobhall
Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2015 1:16 pm
Joined: 28 Jul 2006Posts: 460
On your way to PT, take Paradise Road right after you cross the Hood Canal Bridge.
Joined: 15 Aug 2006Posts: 2666Location: No Fun Town, USA
Andrew's advice is solid, except Highway 20 has no shoulder between Coupeville and the end of 525. Don't take it. Per your map, you weren't going to take it anyway; I'm just emphasizing that that is the right plan.
Diverting to the Coupeville ferry dock/ Fort Casey is the right thing to do for that stretch, although I usually don't go all the way to the ferry as the wind can be nasty and there is no barrier at all. Highway 20 to Wanamaker to Fort Casey Rd into Coupeville avoids the winds if you don't have to go to the ferry.
Madrona is a nice, scenic side road. Of the rest, I like the detour that goes through South Whidbey State Park the best.
Incidentally, you can easily ride through Rhododendron Park, and it has a Campground, although i don't know if it's open in the winter. I don't think that solves any routing problems; it's more a side trip thorough a forest, right at the end of the Kettles Trail.
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Kale
Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2015 2:01 pm
Joined: 27 Jun 2014Posts: 203Location: Green Lake
Thanks everyone. I've updated my route to include most of the suggestions. Day 1 is already gong to be long so I'm going to stick to the highway quite a bit, but I'll try to make up for it on day 2.
Worstcasescenario
Posted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:13 pm
Joined: 03 Jan 2016Posts: 116Location: Crown Hill
Man, wish I'd seen this earlier; I also did a Whidbey solo camping trip that weekend and hit mostly side roads but rode the northern stretch along Hwy 20 to Deception Pass bc short days/losing light.
I rode Smugger's Cove, Race Rd and Madrona past Penn Cove, amongst others. Good times indeed.
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