Brian helped devise an awesome two-day motorcycle trip around the Kitsap Peninsula and several nearby islands we’d never managed to visit for Labor Day weekend. We started our adventure Saturday morning, hopping on one of the first ferries from Edmonds to Kingston so we could make our way south to our first destination, Bremerton.
We’ve been to Bremerton several times before, taking the mosquito ferry to Port Orchard, touring the USS Turner Joy, and enjoying one of the very best breakfast spots, the Hi-Lo Cafe.
Most if not all those activities are now off-limits due to COVID-19 so we decided to check out a few new contactless outdoor spots, grab some breakfast to go, and then continue on to Vashon Island.
We parked the bikes downtown in a central spot and set off on foot across the Manette Bridge toward Saboteur Bakery to grab breakfast and coffee. The two-mile roundtrip walk was perfect for getting our blood flowing – I was ready for a snack when we arrived!
It’s a small bakery and they were only letting in one group at a time so we waited our turn, trying to peek in the window and make out the items in the display case so we’d be ready to order. Brian ended up with a ham and cheese croissant that was really good, and I tried some kind of tart-shaped baked good with almonds in it that paired well with my coffee.
After returning to our bikes, we headed toward the Bremerton Fountains, but they were all turned off/none of them were flowing!
Instead, we spent our time reading the historical markers and plaques along the dry water features about the history of the nearby shipyards, making our way toward the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Memorial Plaza.
A highlight of the plaza is the sail of the USS Parche, which was the most decorated submarine in U.S. Navy history at its retirement in 2004. I appreciated the signage in front of it explaining what its various markings represent.
We had hoped to walk through Harborside Fountain Park down to the water but surprisingly this public outdoor space was close due to COVID-19. At the entrance to the park sits the Puget Sound Navy Museum (also closed due to COVID-19), which is in the Historic Building 50:
The U.S. Navy built Building 50 on the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 1896. It served as the first Administrative Headquarters for Shipyard commandants. The building has been relocated three times: first when Dry Dock 2 was built in 1910, second in the 1930s to Farragut Avenue where it served as apprentice classrooms and administrative offices, and third in 2006 to its present location at 251 First Street, which is on land that the Shipyard donated to the City of Bremerton. In 2006, the Navy transferred ownership of Building 50 to the City.
According to the Puget Sound Navy Museum
It looked great for being so old and for having been moved so many times – I hope we can check it out next time we’re in the area.
Our morning in Bremerton was short and sweet but also the right amount of time given that most things were closed and we were fairly early in the day. Lots more to see and do in Bremerton, and I like that we keep chipping away at my list each time we visit!
Heather's Compass 