Tuesday was a whirlwind day. I woke up in a motel room I had rented, so I had access to resources: desk, wi-fi, coffee, and a basin to hand-wash a few clothes. I was about to leave right around the noon check-out time when Robin and Bob come by to take me to lunch. After lunch at a Main Street cafe that had changed little since the 1950s, I was given the dime tour of Midnite’s facility, and then Bob took bike and me to Magnum. My time at Magnum lasted until after six, and then suddenly I rode off. My ride took me past the Boeing plane factory (the biggest building in the world, I was told), along heavily trafficked roads through Everett, on to the winding roads and ultimately the ferry terminal in Mukilteo.
Suddenly I was on the ferry, heading to Whidbey Island. In hindsight the boat was like the vessel in which to travel down the rabbit hole. Once off the ferry, within less than a mile (up a steep hill from the landing) I realized that I had just shifted worlds and was starting out on the core of the trip that’s to be my celebration of (1) retirement from Positive Energy Solar, (2) good health, and (3) being alive.
As the time was near dusk, in short time I hailed the fire chief to ask for legit camping spots. I rode about 6 miles to the county fairgrounds, at which the Island County Fair had just ended. I was pretty much completely alone there.
I had granola and coffee for breakfast this morning, with the grains smothered with the sweet wild blackberries that are so abundant everywhere – far more than everyone together could pick. Heading into Langley, I suddenly was riding along with Tracie, a local woman who it turns out was heading to breakfast. She was riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker with Ortlieb Classic panniers: all top quality gear built for long distance bike touring. Turns out she used the bike for transportation but had never toured. So I shared coffee, answered her questions, told her my story and gave her some key resources: Adventurecycling.org and Warmshowers.org. Then I was again on my way.
I rode about twenty miles today. Robin had suggested that I look up Kelly Keilwitz of Whidbey Sun and Wind, saying that he was one of the best regional installers (likely the best in the state, he said) and we would hit it off well. So after a day of riding and amazing lush scenery I arrived at his home and office in the late afternoon.
I have again been treated like visiting royalty. Dinner together in Coupeville with Brett, a key employee, and Kelly was local (ahi tuna from regional waters and mussels from next to the building) and imaginative (a porter from Africa). Kelly wanted to know how I successfully retired from Positive Energy, as he and his wife Janey want to begin planning for that eventuality.
Kelly with his service truck
Kelly was looking forward to when his crew returned with the service trucks, as he had something to show me. I laughed when I saw it: on each truck was the motto “Purveyors of Positive Energy Since 2000”. Kelly told me that he liked the name I created so much that he used it himself. That was a real honor!
Purveyors of Positive Energy since 2000
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
An old blockhouse on whidbey island
Riding with Kelly on Whidbey Island
Kelly Keilwitz and I atop Mount Erie near Anacortes
Mussels and beer: Kelly, Brett and me