Hiking close to home

I say this often:  I live where people come for vacation.

And we really do a nice job of taking advantage of that fact.

There is so much to do on Whidbey Island if you like the outdoors.  We cycle a lot, of course.  Most of our training for the STP is on Whidbey Island because the back roads are not only beautiful to ride on but are safe because they require drivers to be alert when they drive.

And there are so many areas where one can take gentle hikes.  You could almost consider these to be nature walks instead of hikes, but just because the elevation gains aren't 3000 feet, or the distances 10 miles, one shouldn't dismiss these areas if you enjoy hiking.

For the past month we have tried to take a nature hike or bike ride every day.  We ride for an hour or two or hike from 3-5 miles. 

In 30 minutes or less we can drive to hikes at Saratoga Woods, Trillium Woods, Greenbank Farms, South Whidbey State Park, Kettles Trails, Ebey's Landing, Double Bluff, Putney Woods, Metcalf Trails, and more.  There may be close to 100 miles of trails within an hour's drive of us, especially since that distance also gets us to Deception Pass State Park and Joseph Whidbey State Park. (update:  Vicky says there could be almost 200 miles of trails).

Who wouldn't want to live here?  (in the summer I mean).