Ebey's Landing, Anacortes Community Forest Lands - Little Cranberry Lake — Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017

Puget Sound and Islands > Whidbey Island

WTA superstar trip reporters Bob and Barb were camping up north in our hood, and when they invited us to share a hiking day with them, my buddy Russ and I were all in. We picked the gorgeous Ebey's Landing, but when we got there, Bob opened the car door, assessed the gusting winds, and closed the door again. Eventually we got out of the car anyway and gave it a good try, but when we got to the corner heading up onto the bluff, the wind was so ridiculous we had to laugh at even being out there and agreed that the conditions might warrant an alternate destination. We returned by way of the new Pratt Loop through the woods which was a nice trail and welcome break from the wind. Back in Anacortes, the woods of Little Cranberry Lake are always beautiful, but today all the nicer for the wind shelter. We took a pleasant loop around the Beaver Lakes, watched Bob and Barb id ducks across the lake (possibly by first names), and felt like we'd gotten away with something when the rain just began to drizzle toward the end of our hike. A day on the trails with kindred spirits is always good, but hiking with Bob and Barb feels like a privilege. Few people know the trails of Washington (and beyond) like them or are as familiar with the resident flora and fauna. That their passion for the outdoors has them out so often at an age when most would be taking it easier gives the rest of us hope. But mostly they're just good people and a lot of fun to walk around with in the woods. We're grateful to have gotten to, happy to have skirted a minor hurricane, and looking forward to hiking with them again soon.