Port Townsend Tour Lite

2023 details coming soon.

2023 Event Schedule available here.

Port Townsend Tour Lite logo with green watercolor circle behind black text

Event date: 
Friday, September 16, 2022 - 8:00am to Sunday, September 18, 2022 - 3:00pm

 

Online Registration Pricing

REGISTRATION ENTRY PERIOD PRICE
Member June 7- Sept. 13, 2022 $150
Non-member June 7 - Sept. 13, 2022 $170
Youth  -- $40
  • Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 13.
  • No day-of-event registration. Register online in advance.
Rider limit: 200

Tour leader: Cascade Bicycle Club 

Overview

Ready for a fresh new adventure? Want to explore the tastiest corner of the Olympics? Port Townsend is chock-full of splendid wineries, cideries, bakeries, cakeries, creameries, meaderies, eateries, treateries, and many other hidden treasures. 

The Quimper Peninsula is the quaint NE corner of majestic Jefferson County, which spans the rugged Olympic Mountains. Perched on the northeastern-most corner, the “Key City” of Port Townsend has surprises around every bend — from Victorian to steampunk, Rothschild to Carnegie, and historical to horticultural. We’ve got forts and ports and courts of all sorts.

Come join the most delightful three-day diversion two wheels can offer. Daily loops range from a bumpy and challenging 35-miler to a gloriously languid 55-mile route of rolling highlands and lowlands, ridges and reaches, bays and beaches, and more lovely vistas in every possible direction.

Each day will begin and end at the most gracious and hospitable Port Townsend Vineyards, and we’ll poke through nearly every corner we can find of this land of curiosities. 

If you'd like to connect with other riders on this tour and others, join our Cascade Tours Facebook Group.

See below for suggested accommodations, route descriptions and more details.

What to expect

ROUTES

This tour is a self-guided and self-paced tour, within the limits of support hours. You can go at your own pace and stop and visit all the sights. The routes will be marked with pavement markings and some signs at key intersections. We will have maps and cue sheets available at the start of each day at the morning briefing, but it is highly recommended that you download the Ride With GPS App and routes to your smart phone, or other navigation device (Garmin, wahoo, etc.). 

SUPPORT

  • SAG vehicles on route monitor rider progress, check in with riders, and offer mechanical and minor first aid support.
  • Staffed rest stops carry basic flat fixing kits and first aid kits.
  • For rider support services call (206) 841-9665. This line is active only during the tour lite.

MEALS

  • Lunch is provided at the midpoint lunch stop.
  • Light snacks and water are available at the start line during the morning briefing.
  • Riders are responsible for their own breakfast and dinner.

LODGING

Most unique and downtown:

Uniquely Port Townsend, though farther:

Nearest to PT Vineyards Start/Finish Line:

Itinerary

RWGPS Routes

Day 1 — Fort Worden, Cape George, Larry Scott Trail, Downtown and Uptown | 35 miles

  • 8 a.m. route and safety briefing.
  • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. lunch
  • 3 p.m. end of route support

A lovely 35-mile warm-up to introduce you to the varied sites across the Sound, we wind all around Port Townsend. Rolling north to Fort Worden you may opt for a 2-mile loop up around the old gun emplacements before turning westward past farms, pastures, vineyards and orchards to Cape George overlooking Discovery Bay. The return to town shows off the City of Dreams’ cycling showpiece — the Larry Scott Trail, also known as the easternmost 7 miles of the Olympic Discovery Trail. Landing back down in the port waterfront, we’ll loop through the vintage downtown, up around Chetzemoka Park and across Uptown to wend our way home.

Day 2 — West Valley, Port Ludlow, Port Hadlock/Irondale, and Fort Townsend | 43 miles

  • 8 a.m. route and safety briefing.
  • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. lunch
  • 3 p.m. end of route support

Turning south down Discovery Road, we reach the center of the Quimper Peninsula via West Valley Road, then vault east over a few hills and dales to the resort of Port Ludlow.  Wandering North through several communities along the leeward East shore, we plunge through deep forest into historic Fort Townsend before we wrap up today’s 43-mile trek.

Day 3 —  Eaglemount, Chimacum, Marrowstone Island, and Fort Flagler | 56 miles

  • 8 a.m. route and safety briefing.
  • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. lunch
  • 3 p.m. end of route support or when last rider returns to town

56 miles — but what looks like the longest, tallest, loopiest day is actually a nice, easy, scenic and rewarding cruise. Lots of miles to see lots of sights — four bays, three bridges (twice), two islands, and, while you enjoy lunch, one stunning vista back across Townsend Bay to our home port, plus the Olympics and Vancouver Island beyond. You might even double the lunch fun — we pause in Chimacum at Finn River Cidery before you have to decide if you want to make the 24-mile gently rolling loop out the islands to Marrowstone Vineyard, Mystery Bay, Fort Flagler and back.



Be aware that not every road has the smoothest pavement, and bike lanes are rare. Fortunately, Port Townsend and Jefferson County have heartily embraced bicycling as an essential mode of transport, recreation, and economic co-existence. Follow the rules of the road and know those occasional beeps and toots are just friendly forms of ‘hello,’ ‘on your left’ and ‘that is so cool, I’ve got one of those at home that I wish I was out on now along with you’!