Tour de Lopez 2026

2026-04-25

Tour de Lopez is an annual community bike ride on Lopez Island in the San Juans — flat roads, beautiful views, a campsite on the beach. We've been doing it for a few years now. This year there were nine of us, and I organized it, which mostly meant making a group chat and booking the campsite.

At the Tour de Lopez registration tent on a sunny April morning — Registration. The ride starts here.

The Peter saga

The ferry from Anacortes to Lopez Island is the only way on. We had debated the 6:15am sailing versus the 10am. Most of us made the earlier one.

Peter did not.

He was in the standby line when the last regular ferry to Lopez departed. We were already on the water. The next scheduled ferry didn't stop at Lopez. For about an hour, Peter was stranded in the Anacortes ferry terminal with his car, his bike, and our group's tent, sleeping pad, and bag — which we'd packed separately so he could carry them. The group chat was very active.

Then, at 8:47pm: "They just announced that it would be doing an unscheduled stop at Lopez!" The ferry made an exception. Peter made it. He arrived to a campsite that already had a fire going and most of the food eaten, but he made it.

The ride

30 miles, all road, no gravel. Lopez is flat enough that it's genuinely enjoyable rather than just hard. We rode through farmland, past water, through tiny towns. The island has maybe 2,500 people and feels like it's been the same for 40 years.

Two of us in bike helmets at a scenic water overlook, thumbs up, deep blue water behind — Somewhere on the 30-mile loop. Thumbs up warranted.

The campsite

We camped right on the beach. Dinner was at a picnic table facing the water during golden hour — wine, chips, too many snacks, not enough actual food (hence the morning situation).

Four of us at a picnic table on the beach at golden hour, water and mountains behind

Lopez Island sunset — deep purple and pink over the water, forest silhouette — The Lopez sunset is genuinely something.

Two people at the campfire, roasting a hot dog on a stick — By morning the food was gone. By morning it was also very cold.

After Lopez

The ferry back passes through Anacortes, which puts you 20 minutes from the Skagit Valley tulip fields. This year we didn't treat it as a side trip — we actually planned around it, stayed for the afternoon, and wandered through the rows. Third year in a row going. It's become part of the weekend.

My Strava route from the ride: strava.com/routes/3350949975691107732