The cycling gods smiled upon us today. Along with the sunshine, we had fair winds for the rIde into Sidney to catch the Washington State Ferry to San Juan Island which is in the United States of America.

Despite having my passport and visa I was apprehensive. The border guards were pleasant but officious. After a few questions and formalities we were fingerprinted, photographed and sent on our way. Thankfully no body cavity search or questions along the lines of “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party.”

It’s not yet tourist season here and many of the regular National Park camping grounds we were relying on are closed until May. After a picture postcard ferry crossing, ogling the many islands of the San Juan’s we arrived at Friday Harbour on San Juan Island looking for a place to camp.

Almost immediately a women whom we asked directions of offered us a place to stay! Such is the hospitality of these island people, we graciously declined. Instead we got directions from the Chamber of Commerce to a camp ground a just a few miles out of town on the edge of a lake.

After a pleasant ride through rolling countryside, we arrived and we set up camp for the night. We spoke to some locals who were walking their dogs and they suggested we keep an eye out for brown owls, black foxes and bald eagles that evidently hunt for fish just off the point where we are camped.

Hoping the weather stays clear so we can do a little northern hemisphere star gazing tonight.

Another ferry tomorrow to Lopez Island tomorrow, apparently it’s a cycling Mecca.