THESE ARE STRANGE days to be living on the North Olympic Peninsula.
The sun is shining, plants are blooming and humans are wandering around, looking lost. They know they’re supposed to be outside enjoying the nice weather, but it’s only March 6 and the weather isn’t supposed to be this nice on March 6.
What is one supposed to do outdoors in March?
“People are out doing the things they normally do in the summer,” Frank Crippen, owner of North by Northwest Surf Co. (360-452-5144) in Port Angeles, said.
Here is a guide that will keep you busy through these bright but confusing times:
Hike or bike
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said many are hitting the trails.
“There’s a lot of hiking going on,” he said.
“It’s three or four months early, but there is no snow on the mountains, the trails aren’t muddy.
“It’s great conditions.”
Dungeness trail and Mount Townsend have been popular hiking destinations, Menkal said, but there are plenty of hikes elsewhere, too, such as on the coast.
“Just about anywhere you want to go,” Menkal said.
And it might be wise to go hiking now rather than wait until the summer, when hiking typically is at its peak.
“If we don’t get a lot of rain, in June there could be fire danger and those places might be shut down,” Menkal said.
“It might be a good time to get it done.
“You really have to think ahead, don’t you?”
These nice trail conditions also will be a boon to mountain biking.
This weather is great for road bike riders, too.
The 18th annual Tour de Dungeness bike race will take place this Saturday and next Saturday, March 14.
Riders in different categories will compete on a 12-mile course that includes Lotzgesell, Cays, East Anderson, Sequim Dungeness Way, Woodcock and Kitchen-Dick roads.
As many as 400 to 450 riders are expected to participate, including many from across the Puget Sound region and Eastern Washington.
Races start at 9:45 a.m. each day and run until late afternoon. The races will be held rain or shine.
To register or for more information, contact Mike Van Doren at 360-417-5257 (after 5 p.m.) and 360-775-7796.
Riders also can register online at cyclingusa.com.
Ride some waves
“If they were smart, they’d be out surfing,” Crippen said of those looking for an outdoor activity.
Crippen said the “summer-like conditions” make the coast the best place to surf right now.
“I’m looking at the LaPush cam right now. There are nice, glassy waves rolling in,” he said Thursday, adding that Hobuck is another nice surfing spot.
North by Northwest’s website has a page devoted to surf, skate and snow weather forecast, including three LaPush cameras. View it online at www.tinyurl.com/pdnNxNWsurf.
So hiking, biking, surfing or skating will keep you busy and smiling.
The ski and snowboard season never got going (due to the lack of a valuable component of those activities: snow), and fishing is off and on, but there are plenty of outdoors options.
“That’s why we live in Port Angeles and not anywhere else,” Crippen said.
Or just get outside, absorb some Vitamin D and watch nature.
“They’re watching the rhododendrons bloom, if they’re like me,” Crippen said.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
