Ferries, Buses, and Trails: Biking Home from RSVP

For the second consecutive year, Marlene Druker and her friend Nick bicycled home to Gig Harbor, Wash., after participating in RSVP, the Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party. It was a multi-modal adventure that included ferries, buses, water taxis–and some amazing long-distance bike trails.

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“If you’ve got a few extra days, biking home from Vancouver is a great way to explore British Columbia and add some adventure to your trip home,” says Marlene, a member of the Cascade Board of Directors and a longtime Outrider and Ride Leader.

Read Marlene’s trip report below to get inspiration for your own multi-modal bikepacking adventure.

Marlene’s RSVP+ Ride

“We stayed in Vancouver overnight after RSVP and headed to Victoria, B.C., on Monday. We took four extra days to get home, including one rest day in Victoria to do laundry, sightsee, and hang out with friends.

Last year we rode to the ferry at Tsawwassen via Annacis Island (click here for the bike route to Tsawwassen, but the bridge crossings were stressful and I was looking for an alternative this year. One possibility was to ride to the George Massey Tunnel and take the bike shuttle across the Fraser River and ride from there. Another was to ride to the Bridgeport Skylink Station in Richmond and take the 620 bus to the ferry.

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Because it was raining Monday morning in Vancouver, we decided to take transit to the ferry. I was happy to discover that the transit app I use in Washington state also works in British Columbia. The Yaletown station was near our hotel. We took the Canada Line to the last stop, Richmond, where the 620 bus was waiting. Be sure to catch the Richmond train, as some trains on the Canada Line go to the airport.

There was only space for one more bike on the bus bike rack, so Nick loaded his and I brought mine onboard thanks to the kind driver. It was a quick trip to Tsawwassen, where we caught the 11 a.m. ferry to Swartz Bay, which is located near Sidney on Vancouver Island. 

It was raining when we disembarked from the ferry at Swartz Bay. We checked our weather apps (my favorite is Ventusky) and decided to go for it. Here is our 20-mile bike route from Swartz Bay to Victoria. 

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The Lochside Regional Trail from Swartz Bay to Victoria has some beautiful sections as well as some confusing intersections, but overall it is the safest and easiest way to get from the ferry to Victoria by bike. In fact, we met another RSVP rider on the Lochside Regional Trail who was riding to Victoria to catch the Clipper ferry to Seattle. 

Day Two: Victoria to Port Townsend

After a night in Victoria, we took the Blackball Ferry to Port Angeles. We caught the 10:30 a.m. ferry and cleared U.S. Customs two hours later. Disembarking in Port Angeles, we rode to Port Townsend for an overnight stay. 

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Most of the route from Port Angeles to Port Townsend is the lovely Olympic Discovery Trail. Unfortunately, the trail is incomplete east of Discovery Bay and our route included about three miles on Highway 20, which has no shoulder in sections. The Olympic Discovery Trail website suggests an alternative that avoids this section and adds about eight miles to the route.

Anyone who has participated in Cascade’s three-day Port Townsend Tour knows that “PT” is awesome. We enjoyed a delicious dinner and breakfast in Port Townsend before starting our last day of riding home. 

Day Three: Port Townsend to Gig Harbor

We took highway 19, which has a wide shoulder, to highway 104, to the Hood Canal Bridge and then rode onward to Bremerton (map). 

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In Bremerton, we took the Kitsap Transit water taxi to Port Orchard, then rode the last leg home to Gig Harbor. 

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If you live in or near Seattle, you can skip this last leg and instead bike to Port Gamble and onward to Kingston after crossing the Hood Canal Bridge. From Kingston you can take the Kingston Ferry to Edmonds. Check the Poulsbo Loop of Cascade’s Kitsap Color Classic for a route to the Kingston ferry terminal. Alternatively, you could ride from Poulsbo to Bainbridge Island and take the ferry to Seattle.”

Marlene’s Bikepacking Tips:

• Be prepared and be flexible. Pack and load your bike and take it for a test ride prior to departing. 
• Staying with friends or at hotels is a nice way to do self-supported rides, as you can travel lighter if you are only carrying clothes and basic supplies rather than camping gear. 
• Save money on hotels and find new friends by joining Warmshowers.
• Bring fewer clothes and save weight by planning to do laundry during your trip.
• Practice fixing a flat tire at home and make sure you pack all the necessary tools and tubes for minor bike repairs.
• Consider buying a backup battery to keep your phone charged between destinations or if camping.
• Map your routes, plan your rest stops, carry water and snacks and know where you can get more.
• Consider having someone track your progress on one of the many apps that enable friends to see your location.

“I am grateful to have had the time, funds, and ability to do this trip,” Marlene says. “I’m also glad for the company of my riding partner and neighbor, Nick, and for our friends: Mike, Todd, and Shoshana, who hosted us in Victoria.”

Marlene says she is eager for RSVP 2025 and another chance to take the long way home. Thanks to her encouragement and detailed itinerary, so are we.