travel

tree-topped cliffs above a beach on a cloudless day

Transit Trekker in Coupeville — More Car-Free Adventure

I can’t say no to public libraries, so on Thursday, June 5 at 3:30 p.m. I’ll be presenting another Car-Free Adventure talk at the Coupeville branch of Sno-Isle Libraries. I’ll be sharing resources for planning your own car-free adventures and details for a few transit treks near and far. You know I’m a fan of using bicycles to transit trek, so we’ve invited a local transit agency and a local bike shop to join, and, I hope, to offer the post-event opportunity to practice putting bikes on and off bus bike racks. TBD! I’m not yet sure if registration is required to attend, so pencil in the date and check back. UDPATE: No registration required — just show up. See the library’s event page at this link for questions about ADA accommodations and other library-specific information.

The library is located at 788 NW Alexander St in Coupeville on Whidbey Island.

Take Transit

Island Transit Route 6 stops directly in front of the library, in both directions. Between Clinton and Oak Harbor, northbound and southbound runs of route 1 stop a short walk from the library on Coveland St. near Alexander St.

Ride Your Bike or Roll

I find Whidbey’s backroads fairly mellow to ride. Island County posts PDF and GIS version of its bikemap here. If you take the Coupeville ferry from Port Townsend and wait for the traffic to dissipate, Engle Rd into Coupeville is likely to be low-traffic and pleasant for most of the way.

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Header image Ebey’s Landing trail along the shore looking northwest

Paradise Should Be For All of Us

When my friend and fellow transportation advocate Jason Rock pointed me to this recent OpEd in the Seattle newspaper bemoaning the pilot timed entry system that Mt. Rainier National Park rolled out this year to manage the parks ever-increasing car traffic, I had a few things to say. Jason, our friend and trailblazing nondriver advocate Anna Zivarts, and I drafted an Op Ed in response, and it just dropped in The Urbanist. Take a look. Be sure to check out the video excerpt from a PBS documentary that explains why the Puyallup Tribe is pushing for the renaming of the mountain.

The park service took public comment on the timed-entry pilot in the fall and I suspect a lot of the public asked for transit access to the park. So I’ll be keeping an eye out for any developments as a result of the public comment process and updating here. Stay tuned.

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A small beach on the forested shoreline of Lake Washington, with a few old trees fallen along the beach that reach into the lake.

First event of 2025 — Travel Talk at the Redmond library

Back by popular demand, I am partnering with Move Redmond to reprise Travel Talk: Car-Free Adventure on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at 1 p.m. at the Redmond Branch of the King County Library System. Register to attend here.

Public libraries have a lot in common with public transit, with both offering incalculable value to communities and lives. So I am always pleased to be invited to speak at them. I’ll be sharing tips for planning your own transit treks and as well as highlighting some transit treks you can do near and far.

The library is located at NE 85th St & 160th Ave NE in Redmond.

Take Transit

Directly to the library: Sound Transit routes 542 and 545 and King County Metro Rapid Ride B stop right outside the library or across 160th, depending on which direction you are traveling.

Short walk to the library: Redmond Transit Center is about a 7-minute walk away and is served by all the above routes plus King County Metro routes 221 and 250.

Ride Your Bike or Roll

The library is very easy to reach via the Sammamish River Trail by leaving the main trail when you come up on Redmond City Hall — just head past city hall and keep an eye out for the library on the right. There are some bike racks right at the entrance, and one each along each side of NE 85th near the intersection with 160th Ave, and more at the Wells Fargo across from the library on 160th.

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Header image is a small beach along Lake Washington in Saint Edward State Park, Kenmore, WA