What’s Up goes out and about

Published 10:00 am Wednesday, June 21, 2006

In search of the great outdoors, Kitsap style.

My boss told me recently I needed to get out more. Huh? Moi? The self-annointed A&E Diva of Kitsap County? I try to get out every weekend and take in at least one of the fine theatrical performances, art shows or concerts that I preview. Sometimes I even drag myself off the couch to go to something mid-week. What was he trying to tell me?

But wait, what he meant was that I needed to get out of the office more, during the workday. Well that’s a different story. Who could argue with spending more time outdoors and less time chained to a computer, especially on our precious few warm and sunny days?

Forthwith, starting with the next issue of What’s Up (June 28) I will be writing a weekly feature about outdoor activities around Kitsap County. I think I’ll call it Out and About.

I’m looking forward to this summer assignment because I’ve only lived in Kitsap County for two years now, and there are plenty of places I’d like to explore. I’m still looking for a really good beach. My criteria: No. 1: Sand. I mean real sand, not the mud, gravel, small rocks or boulders that pass for “beach” on this glacial moraine. I want sand to dig my toes into, write messages in with sticks, and spread out my beach blanket on and relax with a good book. Number 2: View. This one is pretty easy. We are blessed with spectacular views in all directions, including the impressive Seattle skyline and Mt. Rainier to the east and the Olympics to the west. Perhaps I’ll look for the best sunrise and sunset beaches, or most romantic. Number 3: Uncrowded. This is the toughest, as there are precious few public beaches considering the miles of coastline that surround us on three sides — four if you live on Bainbridge. Most of it is locked up in private ownership. Plus there’s the conundrum of exposing “best kept secret” locations. Kind of defeats the purpose. Perhaps I’ll just share my second favorite beach.

So far I haven’t found any beaches which fit my needs, but I’m willing to keep looking. It’s a big plus that the state has rescinded the $5 parking fee at state parks. That should open up several options without crimping my travel budget.

We live surrounded by woods, but is there anywhere to really hike? Camp? Build a fire and toast marshmallows? I have hiked many a mile in the Olympics, several “tracks” in New Zealand and even a bit in Ireland, so I think I’m up to the task of hiking in Kitsap County. Now where did I put my compass?

What are some activities out-of-town visitors might like? They’ve probably got their own mall, so a trip to Silverdale might not be that thrilling. What does Kitsap County have to offer that they can’t find back home in Kansas, besides better coffee? Of course we don’t have a Trees of Mystery, Corn Palace or monument to lunch meat in a can, but surely there’s some oddity to ogle. Perhaps the mothball fleet?

With all that hiking and touring I might need to do a story on where to get good eats along the way. I prefer to look for small, funky diner-type places, run by Mom and Pop and featuring comfort food like meatloaf sandwiches and homemade pie. While fast food chain restaurants strive for a uniformity that obliterates any hope of individuality, these homegrown cafes are the pulse of a community. Anyone who has watched Twin Peaks can tell you that.

This is a family-oriented community, with many places for kids and their grownups to get out and enjoy a day in the sun, so I’ll also be looking for family-friendly activities and locations, including the all-important restroom inventory. Every parent of a toddler knows how important that information is. Chambers of commerce should put out “pit stop” maps with the location of every restroom clearly marked, preferably within five miles of each other. I’ll leave that to them.

But what’s there to do if it rains? What’s Up tries to offer complete county-wide coverage of indoor activities of an artistic or entertaining nature, so it would be redundant to include them in an outdoors feature. How about just putting on the raincoat and heading out anyway? After all, this is the Northwest.

Reminder and correction

This Saturday is the Labyrinth Festival on Bainbridge Island, as noted in last week’s What’s Up. The Rev. Sandy Bochonok from Silverdale will lead three outdoor labyrinth walks from noon to 4 p.m. Interested parties will meet at Grace Episcopal Church, 8595 NE Day Rd. East, Bainbridge Island, then move on to Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church and Eagledale County Park. The event is free and open to all.

The correction is in the Web address for the Rev. Bochonok’s ministry. It is www.soulfoodministry.org, not “dot com” as I listed it in the article. Check out the festival and the Web site.