anacortes, washington

Port Townsend, Washington, from the ferry

 Anacortes, Washington is our home for this evening and tomorrow evening. Then, Sunday morning, we ride from here to Marblemount, about sixty miles east. East! We’ll have started our journey to the Atlantic Ocean and the state of Maine! I’m excited about the thought of that already. From here on, whenever anyone asks what we’re doing, my reply will be, “We’re goin’ to Maine!” But, we haven’t started yet, so let me tell you about this day.

We departed the Olympic National Park this morning and headed to Port Townsend where we would get on the ferry which would take us across the waters to Coupeville. Ferries are amazing and always have me wondering things like, “How many semis does it take to sink one of these things?” or “Surely there is some major balancing done with each load.” or “They cannot get one more car on this thing!” No matter what, the guys and gals who do this ferry stuff know what they’re doing, especially since there always seems to be room for another car or two. Today, we met the nicest lady at Port Townsend who worked at the ferry loading area. She was working there for the summer to get out of Seattle. In fact, she and her husband like that area so much that were building a house nearby. She helped us, answered questions, and with the greatest, friendliest attitude talked with us and made the ferry part of our day very special and lots of fun. She even said she was going to follow us on the blog. So, Kathleen, if you’re reading this, “You are one special lady and put a whole lot of joy into our travels today. We hope to meet more folks just like you all across America. Thank you.”

The man working the ticket booth at the ferry also made things special. I said to him, “I just want to thank you for your attitude today. You make things like this fun.”

He said, “Thank you. I’ve got to have an attitude like this or some of these people would drive me crazy.”

After our cruise across the water and a thirty mile drive north we arrived at Ship Harbor Inn where we’ll stay for two nights and then, on Sunday morning, we start pedaling east. After that first day, we’ll be about sixty miles closer to Maine. 

This trip is going to be a big challenge and a big adventure as well. I feel like, as we think over this trip, people will be the highlights of many of our days. There will be waitresses, shop keepers, bike mechanics (wrenches), law enforcement, other cyclists, and lots of folks just like Kathleen and the fellow at the booth.

Philippians 2:5 goes something like this, “Let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus.” Life is all about attitude. His attitude was an attitude of others first. He looked at everyone as more important and more valuable than Himself. He gave. He loved. He cared. That’s the way we should be . . . all day . . . every day.

Anybody can be kind.