Friends are in Hawaii, Arizona and Mexico. Here this week, we’ve had snow flurries, wind advisories, and then, an absolute gift from above, a sun break! After slipping on icy roads at dawn, the sun came out, temperatures climbed and I left my office for a quick walk, a little vitamin D, a mid-winter break. When we think of trails most of us think of parks or wilderness areas. I read about the nature pyramid, like the old food pyramid that illustrates what to eat to maintain good nutrition. At the top of the nature pyramid are wilderness emersion experiences we try to get once or twice a year, a week in a National Park or a kayak trip somewhere. Just below that on the pyramid is the weekend campout somewhere nearby where we can roast s’mores around the fire. At the base of the pyramid is the neighborhood stroll, walking the dog or pushing a baby stroller. A daily walk is a recommended for good health and peace of mind. When I worked in downtown Coupeville I’d take my lunch break and walk the half hour loop on the Krueger Trails. It was enough to get the blood circulating and I could stop in at the library or the post office on the way. I walked that loop almost daily for years. On this sunny day, I took the bus into Coupeville after work and stepped off at the hospital. Turning west on First Street I walked the sidewalk down the hill as a woman walked up with a dog in a stroller and another on a leash barking wildly as if this was the most fun they’d ever had! The woman said the dog in the stroller was paralyzed, but both seemed to enjoy their outing immensely! At Wilkes Street I turned north and walked by a row of colorful town homes. An orange cat scrutinized me while balancing effortlessly on a stair rail. Across the street in a vacant lot, two deer grazed undisturbed. The path led by a little free library and then by a kiosk where another trail led through the woods. I was enjoying the sun, so kept walking by homes and gardens to where the sidewalk ends at the village green. I stopped briefly at the library before cutting across the green to the west. The city parking lot, the post office and rows of businesses stood between me and the water, but I could see Penn Cove over the rooftops. At the far end of the parking lot there’s an historic barn, now converted to restrooms. A bike rested against the weathered wall. A few picnic tables stood on the grass. Come April this would be the site of the Saturday farmer’s market. The trail on the far side is hedged by rosehips with storm water ponds on each side. I spoke with a woman out walking with a deer just behind her. She pointed to a heron just behind me. I zigzagged south on Krueger Street and then west on 7th climbing the hill to Broadway. A man and a woman passed me, each pushing a baby stroller. Turning south on the gravel Broadway Trail with a row of mailboxes between me and the paved street, the trail climbed gradually and left the houses behind. Red madronas caught the afternoon sun as I passed a bench where a trail cuts through the woods toward the kiosk on Wilkes Street. I kept walking and passed the church to the wide lawn. Just before reaching the highway I turned east to complete my loop. I passed the community gardens and winter pond before entering the woods and making my way back toward Main Street. A flock of teens passed on their way home from school. I chatted with hospital staff before we caught the bus home. A walk such as this is part of the daily recommended requirements. We all need a little sun, a bit of vitamin D, a winter break. Maribeth Directions: Take Highway 20 to the stop light in Coupeville and turn north. Drive to 8th Street and turn left. Go one block and cross Alexander Street to enter the town parking lot. Pick up the trail on the west side of the village green and go counterclockwise.
By Bike and Bus: Island Transit Routes 1 and 6 will take you to Coupeville. Get off at the Coveland Street stop just north of the town parking lot, or at the hospital. Coupeville is bike friendly except for the steep hill on North Main Street coming up from the water. The speed limit is 25 through town. The trail is bike-able if you are careful to accommodate the pedestrians and their pets. Wear something bright while riding. Two bikes fit on the bus bike rack. Mobility: The trail is sometimes on a sidewalk, sometimes on gravel, and sometimes crosses a wide lawn. It is an easy grade without roots or rocks, but it tips a little to one side along Broadway.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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