NOTE: I created a Discord community with a channel named "misc-events" to facilitate communication for this specific category of events, since the meetup app doesn't work well for live back-and-forth texting. Please install Discord and join our community even if you aren’t a driver, because you may need to communicate over Discord on your driver’s behalf, or if others in your car don’t have signal but you DO. You can join here:
https://discord.gg/pajy2Jp3
Come explore the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and Deception Pass with us!
This trip involves a 90 minute drive each way. We will start by exploring the tulip festival (for 1.5 to 2 hours). Bring a fancy outfit to snag those beautiful spring Instagram photos! Keep in mind that there are reports that the ground is a bit soggy, so consider bringing a more rugged pair of shoes!
We'll be going to RoozenGaarde. Tickets are $23 per person.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/seKjT4pignLyiydq7
Traffic will probably be pretty bad. Last year, they had an overflow lot, so I strongly recommend parking there instead:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/fwTrNhz86fetuCT48
After that, depending on what people are in the mood for, we will either go to a restaurant to grab a bite, or we'll swing by a grocery store to buy sandwiches and have a picnic on the beach at Deception Pass.
Following lunch, we'll hike around Deception Pass! Our exact itinerary will depend on what people want to do. The hikes are pretty easy, but bring an outfit that can handle a mild beating (not your fancy shoes!).
Transportation and Carpooling
We'll meet at Caffe Umbria by the long narrow public parking lot along Westlake Ave at 9 AM and split into our carpools at around 9:15 AM! Let us know before 9 AM if you are on your way. We generally wait 15 minutes for people to arrive. If you are arriving with your own car, be sure to park in a spot marked "ALL DAY" parking (in case you end up not driving)!
Please post if you can drive or if you need a ride! Please coordinate carpools in the comments or better yet, the google doc!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yhwpjHEMwVtHB_N7sBc6dkTD7WSs11CugxMTWhlDEmQ/edit?usp=sharing
Please keep in mind that even if you can’t find an open spot as a passenger in the doc, you will likely find someone to drive you if you show up at Caffe Umbria at the scheduled start time. Oftentimes, drivers are afraid to agree to drive ahead of time in case they need to cancel, but are willing to drive if they show up on the day of the event. Also, oftentimes there are drivers who RSVP last-minute. I can’t guarantee you a spot if you show up without having found a spot in the doc, but we haven’t YET hosted an event where we didn’t have enough seats in cars.
Riders are expected to (at a bare minimum) split the cost of gas evenly between the driver and the other passengers, as well as a reasonable amount for projected wear and tear on the vehicle.
If you are going to arrange your carpool to meet somewhere OTHER THAN the Caffe Umbria on Lake Union, I suggest a park and ride such as Greenlake, Northgate, Eastgate, or Tukwila/SouthCenter. Passengers, please do not ask to be picked up at your home; drivers, please don't offer to do so. It usually creates problems and makes the timing and logistics much more complicated, since people often aren't ready on time, cancel last minute, or just plain don't show up. On the other hand, dropping people off at their home after the hike is much easier.
I strongly discourage meeting at the festival unless you need to, especially if you haven't already been to one of our meetups before. People who drive themselves often arrive earlier or later than us, don't recognize us, go to the wrong place, and/or get stressed out. Most trailheads don't have cell signal, so we will lose the ability to communicate issues at some point during the drive.
Photo taken by me personally on our Meetup on April 15, 2023.
