Made it home.

[Bobbie54]

Don't forget you need a reservation for a trailer on the Keystone (aka Coupeville) ferry. They want you there between 30 and 45 minutes before sailing. Tidal cancellations will show up when you make a reservation. Also try to avoid extreme low tides as the ramp angle can get steep.

But it is a great way to bypass all the cities and all the traffic and get a much more scenic trip. You can also camp at Fort Casey but they don't take reservations year round so it is FCFS. (I love to camp there.) They have some pull through sites and some back in.

[arniesea]

Originally Posted by bsmoke

Appreciate that info on the ferry too. Will be at Deception Pass for a couple nights before the ferry.

One caution about Deception Pass that catches some folks by surprise, if the Whidbey Island Naval Air stations right across the bay are practicing their touch-and-go exercises with the Howler Jets, you will have a very noisy camp. "The sound of freedom" as they say. Unfortunately the Navy does not publish their schedule for obvious reasons so you can't predict if it will be noisy or not.

If the sound of jets overhead is not your thing, another option is to camp at Bayview State park just north of US20 before you get to Anacortes then take a day trip to Deception pass. Not nearly as scenic as Deception Pass but quieter.

Edit: if the jets are practicing, they start about 9:00 AM and quit about sunset.

[NW Cat Owner]

Originally Posted by jrb1947

Made it home to Sherwood Oregon with my new 21. Picked it up in Sumas in a snow storm. Temperature stayed below freezing until just north of Seattle. Big sign said “I5 closed in Seattle. Use alternate route.” It was caused by an overturned butane tanker which closed the freeway for 7 hours. Bailed off on I405. It took 4+ hours to get back to I5 at SeaTac airport exit. Very long day.

When I read/hear about that traffic jam, I was wondering if anyone picking up their new trailer was stuck in it. Or headed up to ETI. Major bummer. And your trailer was probably winterized so you couldn't pop in to use the facilities. Super major bummer! There wasn't any good way around that overturned tanker either, so you would have been stuck regardless of which way you went. Unless you found a campsite.

Congrats on your new trailer.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by NW Cat Owner

And your trailer was probably winterized so you couldn't pop in to use the facilities. Super major bummer!

In a pinch you can if you have some antifreeze on hand and just manually fill the bowl. Nobody said you had to flush with water.

[Mucram]

Picked up "Pearl" the day after that debacle. Just missed you. Didn't get lots of good views of the glorious scenery around chilliwack on 2/27 d/t storm. Enjoyed the shops downtown. Especially the shoe shop & coffee/pastry shop. Italian shoes oh my! Stayed in ellensburg on way back. Nice little town. Good eats @ the porch. Btw made it to chilliwack from Boise in one day.