Vashon Island is reached only by water, which has kept it quieter, greener and somewhat more eccentric than the mainland. Orchards, small farms, craft studios and a few galleries make up most of the economy, and locals take pride in a certain independent streak.
The island has long been known for its fruit, and strawberries in particular were a major crop in the early twentieth century, when Japanese American farmers supplied much of the Seattle market. Their families were removed from the island and interned during the Second World War, a painful chapter that the community remembers. Every July, the Strawberry Festival fills the main street with a parade, music and pie.
The riding is the reason to come. Vashon Highway and the lesser roads loop around the island, climbing and falling through forest and farmland with a chain of gentle bends, little traffic and good views of water through the trees. The surface is mostly smooth, but there are occasional patches of gravel, and the narrow roads can be slippery after rain. Deer are common, particularly at dusk, and local drivers tend to go slowly. Point Robinson, on Maury Island, has a small lighthouse on a spit of land with a view across to Mount Rainier and Seattle's skyline.
Ferries run from Fauntleroy in West Seattle and from Southworth on the Kitsap side, and there is also a passenger ferry from downtown. Vehicle ferries can have long queues in summer and on weekends, so check the schedule and allow time. Bikes usually go aboard at the front.
Vashon town has about ten thousand people across the island, with a petrol station, a small supermarket, bakeries and a few cafés. There is not much fuel elsewhere on the island, so fill up in town before a long loop. On a quiet weekday, the whole island has the feel of a place that has chosen to be slow.