PNW Douglas

@epistolaria

Seattleite. Cyclist. Highly caffeinated. Mobile Architect.

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PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jun 28

28 June 2026 Smith Cove Park Seattle, Wash. An absolutely glorious Junuary morning here on Puget Sound: temps in the low 50s and a cloud deck that will likely burn off late morning. Probably the last week we'll see such lovely weather until at least September as our summer sun sets in.

A root-beer brown bicycle leans against a picnic table. Behind it is Puget sound, a marina, and a cloudy sky, with the Olympic mountains just visible in the distance across the water.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Apr 12

12 April 2026 Seattle, Wash. The botanical gardens at the Chittenden locks in Ballard made a nice spot to stop on another cool Seattle spring morning.

A root beer brown bicycle with mint green accents, stainless steel mudguards, and black bags leans against a moss lined concrete wall.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Apr 8

David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust and bandmates on stage.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Apr 3

03 April 2026 West Seattle, Wash. The Olympics are looking especially photogenic today from West Seattle.

A Washington State ferry crosses Puget Sound. Behind it is Bainbridge Island. Further in the distance, the Olympic mountains rise behind it all, cloudy and snow covered.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 28

If you live in an old house or building and ever wondered about that rail below the cove moulding on plaster walls, this is why it exists. OK maybe they weren't thinking of snowboards, but you get the idea. Nails in plaster are always a gamble.

A corner shot of a room with plaster walls and molding at the top of th wall shows a snowboard and several pictures hanging from cable descending from a picture railing. This is how paintings used to be hung so you wouldn't need to attempt to nail into plaster walls.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 24

Peak blossom is always nice.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 7

07 March 2026 Elliott Bay, Seattle, Wash. There's a real magic to cool, misty, spring days in the Pacific northwest, though stopping to clean mist droplets off your glasses every few miles does get a bit old.

A root beer brown bicycle with mint green head tube leans against a white metal fence along the Elliott Bay waterfront trail. Behind it, Puget Sound is gray and slightly choppy, and in the distance, West Seattle is obscured by mist under a silvery gray cloud deck.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Sep 20

20 September 2025 Don Armeni Park West Seattle, Wash. A lovely dawn ride today let me grab the rebuilt bike at an old favorite photo spot in West Seattle.

A metallic brown bicycle with black saddle and bags, and silver hardware leans against a concrete wall. Behind it, Seattle's skyline rises over the opposite side of Elliott Bay while a diffuse rosy dawn glow reflects off smooth waters.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Sep 19

07 July 2018 Natchez Trace Parkway Tenn. With a 50MPH limit, no trucks, and extremely limited access, the Natchez Trace is a dream to use bike touring. It feels strangely disconnected, and though you can sometimes hear traffic and daily life, the heavy tree cover makes it feel remote.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Aug 28

05 November 2023 Sammamish River Park, Wash. It's warm again this week in the Pacific northwest, but last week there was a morning just an oh-so-wee-bit more brisk than the usual summer fare that reminded me autumn is on its way.

A maple tree with bright yellow autumn leaves leans out over a placid Sammamish River. To its right a mixed use path can be seen following the river's curve.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Aug 12

09 March 2017 Seattle, Wash. Looking out from the waterfront towards West Seattle on a cool and drizzly day.

The Seattle ferris wheel dominates the left side of the photo, which looks out over a placid Elliott Bay towards the West Seattle shoreline, somewhat obscured by misty rain.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Aug 8

27 May 2023 Pioneer Square Seattle, Wash. Snapped just before hopping onto the AmTrak Empire Builder train to Spokane and then riding back to Seattle. Never did warm up to this bike's color, but being forced to replace it because of some tool on their phone running a red still stings.

A salmon colored bike with cream colored head tube leads against a brick wall. Its hardware is silver, with black panniers on the front and both a black saddle and handlebar bag as well.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jul 6

This is where I was run down by the hit and run driver. 36 titanium implants and a year and half of recovery later I didn't feel anything visiting it again; it's just a place where something shitty happened, no more. In the end, that's a relief since I intend to begin commuting this way again.

Stoplights marking; a bicycle crosswalk on an otherwise unremarkable four lane road.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jul 6

06 July 2025 Harbor Island Seattle, Wash. First time back through here since getting run down over on Marginal Way. I've taken lots of variations on this shot over the years, but this one resonates.

A bicycle with old-school geometry and black handlebar and saddlebags leans against a railing. Behind it is a glimpse of Pugest Sound with Seattle's skyline and maritime waterfront infrastructure under a dawn sky.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jun 30

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jun 29

29 June 2025 520 Floating Bridge Seattle, Wash. I seem to be getting in a lot of dawn rides this summer. No complaints, it's always nice to have the trails to oneself and wrap up 40+ mile rides before 9 a.m.

A metallic brown bicycle with black saddle and handlebar bags, stainless steel fenders and silver components leads against railing on the 520 floating bridge trail. Behind it the sun is just rising over the trees and water, tinting the horizon of a pale blue sky in golds and reds.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jun 23

21 June 2025 Elliott Bay Trail Seattle, Wash. Cool and drizzly days are almost certainly at an end for the next few months as we're heading into July and August's dry season, but Saturday was as perfect a Junuary day as you could hope for. It made for a great morning waterfront walk.

A freighter is moored under a cloudy sky at Seattle's waterfront grain terminal. In the distance to the right of the terminal, the Space Needle is visible. Seattle's skyline is visible rising in the distance behind the ship.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Jun 8

08 June 2025 Elliott Bay Trail Seattle, Wash. The day may end up hot, but an early ride made for a pleasantly cool time. Getting in a two-hour ride before 7 is always nice. After pulling a ligament in it last month, the robo-knee is again mostly behaving and mileage is slowly ramping back up.

A brown and mint green bicycle with black saddle and handlebar bags leans agains railing at sunrise. Behind it stretches a calm Elliott Bay. A Washington state ferry is visible in the background, silhouetted against the snow-capped Olympic Mountains and western shore of Puget Sound.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· May 14

29 May 2023 Electric City, Wash. A memorable birthday ride, this one down the Columbia River south of the Grand Coulee Dam, part of a multi day tour riding back from Spokane to Seattle after taking the Empire Builder train across the state.

Under a cloudless blue sky cracked tarmac winds downhill through cleft craggy rock. The right side is bare, and on the left sparse pines grow. In the distance between the rock faces the Columbia river is visible, with a sheer-sided coulee to one side of it. Guard rail runs along the right side of the road, and a sign is visible promising Northrup Pt in one mile, with recreational facilities.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· May 4

04 May 2025 University Bridge Seattle, Wash. From this morning's ride, great reflections on glassy water in the pre-dawn light, looking east from the University Bridge.

Pre-dawn light fills a partly cloudy blue sky, mirrored in glassy water looking out from the University Bridge in Seattle. Lights shine in houses and boats lining the shore.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· May 2

13 April 2025 520 floating bridge Lake Washington, Seattle If you're not from here, this gives you a good idea why Rainer/Tahoma is simply referred to around here as "the mountain." It towers over the rest of the Cascade range.

A heavily snow-capped Mt Rainier looms over Lake Washington, lit with a hazy, rosy glow by the dawn light. Lakeside trees and housing are visible on the shore.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Apr 22

02 July 2018 Grand Rivers, Ky. Spotted in a restaurant in Kentucky. Southern snark is fun snark.

A sign hanging in a restaurant that reads; "Unattended children will be given an espresso and a free puppy.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Apr 13

13 April 2025 Lake Washington Seattle, Wash. Early morning rides are just the best.

A bicycle with black handlebar bag and silver fenders leans against a fence overlooking the SR 520 floating bridge and Lake Washington. Below it the lanes are almost empty, and the bike is backlit by a rising, golden-red sun in a cloudless morning sky.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Apr 6

02 July 2019 Stevens Pass, Wash. A four day tour from Seattle to Leavenworth and back across Stevens Pass started out hot and sunny, but by the time I was descending the pass it had turned just the way I like it, cool and gray. I camped that night at Wallace Falls before returning to Seattle.

A touring bike with dark green panniers leans against a guard rail. To its left a highway descends a mountain pass through dark fir tree under low clouds.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 25

North portion of the 55-mile Lake Washington cycling loop.

A map of the north end of Lake Washington shows the route used to ride from Capitol Hill north around the top of the lake, and back across the 520 bridge.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 25

22 March 2025 520 floating bridge Lake Washington, Wash. Completing the north circuit of the ever-popular Lake Washington Loop was a bit ambitious for my first longer ride since getting hit by a car, but I managed to pull it off, if slowly.

A metallic brown bicycle with black saddle and front bags leans against railing. Behind it a cloudy skies rises over Lake Washington, with the visible in the distance.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 19

18 March 2025 Myrtle Edwards Park Seattle, Wash. Nicely dramatic lighting this afternoon along Puget Sound in Seattle. It is very nice to be able to take 10-20 mile jaunts again on a whim. Been a long time coming since getting hit by the car in January 2024. I look forward to much longer rides.

A bicycle with a front bag leans against a metal fence along a concrete path. Behind it can be seen Puget Sound with clouds in the distance glowing with afternoon sunlight.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 13

11 May 2018 Railroad Tunnel Snoqualmie Pass, Wash. Day 2 of the cross-country tour started off quite chilly. Camping in the clouds may sound romantic, but it is also wet and cold. The tunnel was chilly also, but the other side two miles further east was sunny and warm.

A gravel bike path leads to a fog-shrouded tunnel entrance in the distance. Fir trees line either side of the path.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 4

01 March 2025 Elliott Bay Marina Seattle, Wash. Just north of the Elliott Bay Marina is a tiny park which looks out over Puget Sound. Saturday the fog lingered quite late in the day over the water, making for a wonderfully atmospheric bike ride down the waterfront trail.

Looking south from just north of Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle, shafts of sunlight stream down over open water through swirls of lingering fog. To the left, a ship is at dock, partially obscured by the fog.

PNW Douglas@epistolaria· Mar 1

19 May 2018 Lochsa River Idaho A little over a week into the cross-country tour, I was through Washington state and heading into the Rocky Mountains on U.S. Route 12 in Idaho. The next day would see me entering Montana, which took nearly 2 weeks to cross.