Lucky for you there are still 10 weeks to train! Park to Park is a debut cycling event for Vashon Island coming July 31, with a choice of 24 and 33-mile routes for enthusiasts of all ages. Sustainable Tourism on Vashon is the “tour de force” and all proceeds ($12-25 fee, depending on age and timeliness in registration) go back to this 501(C)3.

This all-day affair lets you jump in at either the North End or Paradise Ridge Park, and is self-paced with two suggested routes. If you deviate, there’s no cycling police, folks! The main purpose of the event is to get people to recreate on Vashon in a sustainable way.

For all the spandex-clad, uber game-faced cyclists that hit Vashon’s windy roads each weekend, this event welcomes off-island groups as readily as banana seat-straddling pedalers. Learn all the details at http://www.parktopark.org. And have fun!

If you heard from your loved ones that it took them eight and a half hours to get home last night, BELIEVE them! Adding insult to an overloaded 4:30 passenger only boat (which we later learned took ten mins to dock and nearly 45 to get all the passengers safely off the boat), those vainly waiting in icy winds on the dock were notified that the final two boats would be nixed due to rough conditions. I was there. It was not what anyone wanted to hear.

Those stranded islanders made their way to Third Avenue along the bus stops to hop on the W Seattle bus routes. The 54 mistakenly passed a snow stop en route, and when it did a small mob of islanders chased the bus down the street in true activist style (woot!). One woman insisted the driver open the door and scolded him for disregarding the snow stop. She led the way for about 20 more people to get on the bus in what would turn into a FIVE AND A HALF HOUR ride to Fauntleroy (with a change of #54 buses on California Ave.). No, really. We hopped on at 3rd and Unionish at 535 and off it dropped us at 11:15p. Ferry workers said they’d never seen so many walk-ons taking the 1140 boat (except Mariner games in the glory days)! We were tired, hungry, but happy to be on the way back home.

My walk up parking lot hill revealed some smart person thought they could take the icy hill in their truck; its tracks had made a bee line for where my mailbox and wine barrel half ONCE WERE. Both are displaced, smashed and destroyed. THANKS for letting us know, not. This was not what any commuter wanted to find at 12:30 a.m. after a very long day. It was bad enough the power was out (and the next day is still out on the North End)

Don’t drive today. And for goodness sakes if you must, do NOT come down that hill! Turn left at 112th Ave SW from Vashon Highway and get to the parking lot the gentler way between boats.