Three days, three islands, nearly perfect weather, beautiful riding, and, most importantly, a terrific group of people. Our September bike-camping trip to Lopez, Shaw and Orcas Islands turned out to be a great example of just how much fun a COGS bike-camping trip can be.

A lot of the credit goes to Wayne, who organized and led the trip. His decision to schedule it just after Labor Day proved to be a particularly good one. We had sunny days with temperatures around 72 degrees, and with the summer season winding down, Lopez and Shaw had very few cars and almost no crowds.

But what I appreciated most about Wayne’s leadership was the tone he set for the trip. He had done the planning—routes, ferries, campgrounds and logistics—but once we were underway, everyone was encouraged to have input. Decisions were made in real time, and people felt comfortable suggesting changes or taking the initiative when circumstances called for it. It made the trip feel like something we were doing together rather than simply following a prescribed itinerary.

Day 1 — Lopez Island

We began by parking in Anacortes, riding to the ferry and sailing to Lopez Island. The original itinerary called for dropping our camping gear and then enjoying an unloaded ride around the island, with dinner and groceries in Lopez Village.

Our campground on Lopez was only about 2½ miles from the ferry terminal and turned out to be a great find. The sites were nestled in the woods and the facilities were excellent—large showers and a central shelter with a sink, microwave and even an instant hot-water dispenser. We didn’t have to pull out our camping stoves just to make hot water.

They also offer glamping accommodations, which makes this campground worth remembering for future club trips, particularly if some people want to participate in the riding and camaraderie without necessarily sleeping in a tent.

We also had a welcome addition on Lopez. Louise, another COGS rider who happened to be camping at the same campground, joined us for part of the day’s ride and later for dinner.

Most of us finished our first day with dinner at the Blue Heron Bistro. The food and atmosphere were excellent, and it was a perfect ending to our first day on the islands.

Day 2 — Shaw and Orcas

The next morning we broke camp and caught the ferry to Shaw. The ferry schedule limited how much time we could spend there, so rather than riding the entire planned route, we explored for about an hour and a half.

That was enough to make an impression.

Shaw was quiet, scenic and nearly free of traffic. The little grocery store at the ferry terminal—with espresso, coffee and ice cream—was also a popular stop for some of us. By the time we left, there seemed to be general agreement that Shaw deserved more exploration on a future trip.

From Shaw we took the short ferry ride to Orcas, where the original plan took us toward Eastsound via lightly traveled Dolphin Bay Road and eventually to Midway Campground in Moran State Park.

We stopped in Eastsound for lunch. Some went for pizza, while others picked up sandwiches at the grocery store. Then it was on to Moran.

Orcas was noticeably different from Lopez and Shaw. It is unquestionably beautiful, but traffic was fairly continuous. By the time we reached Moran and got camp set up, most of us were tired.

The campsite also provided a good example of how well the group worked together. Wayne had reserved a site for us, but a couple of late additions to the trip raised questions about whether it would work well for everyone. Aaron and Joel arrived at Moran first, checked out the site and decided it wasn’t a good fit for the expanded group. They canceled the original reservation and secured two other campsites instead.

It was a great decision, and Wayne and the rest of us appreciated their initiative. To me, it also reflected the atmosphere Wayne had established: people felt comfortable making decisions that would benefit the group.

After setting up camp, Joel and Mark somehow still had enough energy left to tackle the climb up Mount Constitution. The rest of us had somewhat different ideas about how to spend what remained of the day! We made our own dinners at camp and enjoyed the evening together.

Day 3 — Mount Constitution and the Ride Home

The original plan was to climb Mount Constitution first thing in the morning before breaking camp.

Joel and Mark had already done it the previous evening, and Aaron headed up early on Day 3. The rest of us decided to pass on the climb.

We later regrouped at a coffee shop in Eastsound and talked about the planned route back to the ferry. Rather than automatically sticking with the original itinerary, we decided as a group to take a more direct route.

It proved to be exactly the right decision.

Crow Valley Road wasn’t too busy and gave us some beautiful riding. The change also left us enough time to explore Deer Harbor Road, another particularly scenic part of Orcas, before making our way to the ferry terminal for the trip back to Anacortes.

Orcas was beautiful, but the traffic led many of us to conclude that it probably wouldn’t be our first choice for a repeat bike-camping destination. Lopez and especially Shaw, on the other hand, left us wanting more.

More Than the Riding

For me personally, this trip was something of an experiment: it was my first bike-camping trip.

I came into it with plenty to learn, and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to learn from. Everyone was patient and supportive. I learned about how to outfit a bike for camping, what to pack, how people organize their gear—and even how to take a hot shower at a campground.

That last lesson came the hard way.

When I went to shower, a camper in the next stall told me there was no hot water. What I had somehow missed was Wayne’s earlier “memo” explaining that, in order to get the hot water to work, you had to push the button. I believed my fellow camper, didn’t push the button, and proceeded to take a very cold shower.

Apparently bike camping has a learning curve.

What impressed me most over the three days was how naturally the group took care of one another. We had cyclists with different abilities and riding styles, and people naturally found others who rode at compatible paces. At the same time, everyone checked on each other along the way.

Then we’d come back together at the campground, share stories, talk, eat and simply enjoy one another’s company.

That’s probably my biggest takeaway from the trip. Bike camping certainly adds another dimension to cycling—the gear, the ferries, carrying everything you need, waking up and getting back on the bike—but the best part wasn’t any particular road, climb or island.

It was the camaraderie.

Wayne deserves a big thank-you for putting the trip together and, just as importantly, for creating an environment in which everyone felt they were part of it. Aaron and Joel deserve a special nod for taking the initiative with the Moran campsites, and the entire group deserves credit for making a first-time bike camper feel completely welcome.

After three sunny days, three islands, ferry rides, campgrounds, coffee, pizza, ice cream, some terrific roads, one or two tired legs—and one unnecessarily cold shower—I came home thinking that COGS should definitely do more trips like this.

And next time, I’ll know to push the button.