Port Angeles to Portland: Your expert route advice needed

Photos provided by Ian Mackay.

Ian Mackay is getting ready to roll on his quest to traverse Washington by wheelchair and highlight the need for safe, accessible, complete connections. He plans to depart Port Angeles Aug. 13 and finish the trip on or before Aug. 27. You can see the planning process and shoutouts to those helping make this possible on his ride blog. Cascade staff supplied Ian with the routes for STP and RSVP along with bike maps to help him plan his route, and have been spreading the word to bike clubs along the route whose members might be able to assist with route planning and join him for a leg.

Ian could use your advice to improve his route, in particular passing through Seattle. While he has daily maps planned now for the whole trip, route details and destination cities are all subject to change with your help. Steepness is not a problem; extremely bumpy roads and heavy traffic areas with little shoulder space are the biggest concern. Email suggestions on the routes below to Ian and comment here for others who will appreciate your tips and insights.

Ride along! Ian welcomes people to ride along for any portion of the trip so let him know when and where you'd like to share the journey.

Ian reports that fundraising to support his trip has been going well. He has raised enough to cover all expenses; any additional donations will support the work of Washington Bikes (a 501c4 affiliated with Cascade Bicycle Club) to fight for increased investments and policies that support safer streets and trails.

Maps and Projected Schedule

Ian notes that he has allowed 14 days in case the schedule has a hiccup along the way, so watch for an update if you plan to ride along for a segment.

• Port Angeles to Anacortes: Aug. 13
• Anacortes to Arlington: Aug. 14
• Arlington to Woodinville: Aug. 15
• Woodinville to Renton: Aug. 16 — Will include a stop at Cascade Bicycling Center in Seattle!
• Renton to North Puyallup: Aug. 17
• North Puyallup to McKenna: Aug. 18
• McKenna to Bucoda: Aug. 19. Ian notes that he may skip Bucoda and stop in Tenino
• Bucoda to Napavine: Aug. 20
• Napavine to Castle Rock: Aug. 21
• Castle Rock to Woodland: Aug. 22
• Woodland to Portland: Aug. 23

Many thanks to the individuals and businesses making Ian's ride possible. The Peninsula Daily News did a nice article on the journey, and check out the video below.

A version of this post first appeared on the Washington Bikes blog.