Wally World: Ride for the Raptors

Please note: During COVID-19 restrictions, all Free Group Rides are limited in the number of allowed participants. Registration for the ride (using the red “Register Now” button above) is REQUIRED to participate. If you decide not to ride, please click the red "Cancel My Registration" button above so that an additional spot will be made available to another.

Face coverings (for mouth and nose) are required when the group makes extended stops. Face coverings are recommended for the duration of the ride. Please bring personal hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and tissues for use at rest stops.

We will observe current social distancing guidelines when off the bike, and strive to maintain at least 10-12ft separation between riders when on the bike.

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The Samish Flats are one of the best locations in the state for viewing migrating raptors. A dozen or more species are recorded most years including Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Northern Harrier, and five falcons (American Kestrel, Merlin, Gyrfalcon, Peregrine Falcon, and Prairie Falcon). Ten species of owls have been observed on the flats or in the adjacent forested foothills with Short-eared owl being frequently observed.  Shorebirds, Trumpeter and Tundra Swans, snow geese, and 25 other species of waterfowl are commonly observed in the various ponds and waterways.  

This is a scenic, steady paced ride (12 – 14 mph) paralleling Padilla Bay and crisscrossing the Samish Flats.  The first 2 miles of this route are manicured gravel.  If you are reluctant to ride this segment, you can parallel the group for these 2 miles by riding on Bayview Edison road.  The ride is fairly flat with only a couple of hills; everyone may climb the hills at their own pace and we will regroup at the top.  This ride is as much about enjoying birds and nature as it is about riding a bicycle. Documentation of what to look for at different locations may be observed by clicking the camera icon in the RWGPS link below.  If we spot birds at a good viewing distance, we will stop to observe and photograph.  It is suggested that you bring binoculars and possibly a camera with a zoom lens.

We will meet at the Padilla Bay trailhead where there is a Honey Bucket, but no water.  There is parking.  To get to the trailhead take the Broad Street exit off of I5 in Mt Vernon (exit 226) and follow the signs towards Anacortes.  Turn right on Bayview Edison Road off of Highway 20.  The Padilla Bay trailhead is on your left less than a mile north of this intersection. You may want to stop at the I5 rest stop just north of exit 206 in Smoky Point on your way north.

We will stop for lunch at mile 13.7 on Samish Island at a spot overlooking Samish Bay.  You will need to bring a lunch and any water or beverage you will need on the ride. 

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the ride to verify registration and to hear the safety (SMART) briefing. Be sure to bring a spare tube as well as the tools and knowledge to fix a flat – we will stay with you while you fix a flat.  If the roads are wet, please have fenders or plan on riding at the end of the line.  If you need a cue sheet, please print one out from the RWGPS link.

Ride Cancellation: Should conditions require ride cancellation, a notice will be posted on this site by 8:00. If canceled, the ride leader will not be at the start.