San Juan Island Bikepacking Adventure Art: Creative Fuel w/ Anna Brones
$1,100.00 – $1,300.00
Please follow the booking link to get on the waitlist, or see our other trips. Reach out if you have questions.
How do we stay creative? That’s our guiding question on this incredible four-day guided cycling trip and creative retreat in the San Juan Islands.
In collaboration with artist and writer Anna Brones, on this special edition of our Adventure Art trips, we’ll use the beautiful backdrop of the San Juan Islands as inspiration to hone in on our own creative process.
Through prompts and discussions, we’ll explore the essential creative themes of place, presence, and process. Armed with a curated art kit, we’ll be drawing, painting, writing, and fueling our creative selves along the way.
If you’ve been looking for a chance to kickstart your creative process, or reignite one, come join us for a few unexpected and inspiring days in a beautiful place.
“This trip was truly an amazing experience filled with great people, food, bikes and of course art! Anna did an outstanding job leading the group through creative prompts and exercises that gave direction but freedom to experiment and explore. As someone who has drawn quite a bit, I left inspired by many of the tools she shared and will continue to incorporate them in my creative practice. Jason and Anna’s knowledge and stoke for the area was evident and they easily adjusted our itinerary based on the group’s needs. The food was also amazing and I was impressed how they catered to various dietary restrictions with every meal. I would highly recommend this trip and am dreaming of doing it again! - Sarah S.”
Official Info
The ferry ride into the archipelago kickstarts a bike tour of our favorite islands, crafted to ignite your creativity and spark a newfound sense of inspiration. Under the guidance of Anna Brones you’ll explore the San Juan Islands with sketchbook in hand, pedalling Swift Adventure Co.’s favorite backroads and seeing what happens when we challenge ourselves to view the world around us through a creative lens.
We all have the capacity to be creative, but we have to exercise those muscles, and the cultivation of creativity is as much about observing and paying attention as it is about laying pigment to paper. This trip is created to give you the ultimate creative boost: time away from your everyday, in a beautiful place that invites you to be curious. Connect to your creative self while finding inspiration as we explore the wilder side of the San Juan Islands by bicycle.
Each day will include lead bike rides of our favorite roads and guided instruction to get your creativity flowing.
The San Juan Islands are settled in the Salish Sea between the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver Island and is the ancestral and current land of the Coast Salish People.
What will you get out of this trip?
- Reconnect with your creative self
- Dig into the underlying structure of creative process, and better understand how to incorporate it into your everyday life
- Tap into a creative practice that feels adventurous but that you can also take with you back home
- Daily prompts and exercises to fuel your creativity, including writing, watercolor, and drawing.
- Explore and awaken your curiosity!
- Expertly crafted field art kit, created by Art Toolkit™ with a few extras from us here at SACo. Includes:
- Rugged, compact carrying case
- Moleskin sketch/painting pad
- Water brush w/ refill syringe & Mister
- Waterproof fine pen & pencil
- Compact watercolor kit
- Ruler
- 2 x mini binder clip
- Eraser & pencil sharpener
- Creativity is a Process zine by Anna Brones
What to learn more about one of the many things that inspires us? Check out this Q&A with Art ToolKit Founder Maria Coryell-Martin.
Schedule:
- Thursday, Meet at Swift HQ we’ll load up your gear and hit the road aimed for Anacortes ferry landing. Our adventure begins on the ferry, be on the lookout for marine life and and the illusive resident Orca whale pods. Once on Lopez, we will settle in at camp and head out for a little afternoon stroll and our first creative lesson. approx. 8mi, 400′ ele.
- Friday, After a great breakfast, we will pack up lunch and art kit sand head back to the ferry, this time by bike. Today we head to San Juan Island. Once on island we will head to Lime Kiln State Park(Most likely place in the lower 48 to see whale from shore) or American Camp (location of the Great Pig War of 1859) to spend the afternoon. Before getting back on the boat we will take some time in Friday Harbor to explore or have drink. approx. 22mi, 1500′ ele.
- Saturday, Breakfast and coffee! Today, we stay on Lopez, the chillest island. We will start a little later in the morning to hit the farmers market in town, after that we will spend the day park hopping and letting the water and harbor seals inspire us, we may even ride a semi-secret gravel road and take a dip back at Spencer Spit. We will round out the day with a lovely dinner at Setsunai in Lopez Village. approx. 26mi, 1500′ ele.
- Sunday, Today we have to pack up and head home. But don’t worry, we still have another beach to visit on our way to the ferry, another wonderful ferry ride, and to top it off we will have lunch and final creative lesson at Washington Park, before heading back to Swift HQ. approx. 5mi, 400′ ele.
We look forward to hearing from you. Let us know if you have any questions.
The trip starts and ends at Swift HQ in Seattle, WA. Coming from out-of-town? Don’t hesitate to contact us about lodging recommendations and travel logistics, we’re happy to help! Travel without the hassle of bike cases and heavy gear. We have premium gear and bicycles for rent, and all Field Experience guests receive special rental rates.
*Transportation from Seattle to Lopez is only included with this trip if you book the shuttle at check-out. We can shuttle you from the Lopez ferry landing to base camp as needed. We have a list of resources to help guide you to the Anacortes Ferry landing and can help facilitate carpooling.
**We can accommodate omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Generally gluten-free and low carb diets can also be accommodated. Folx with special diets may be asked to partially supplement their meals & snacks. If you have any questions or concerns about food please contact us ahead of time.
*Please review our cancelation and Covid-19 policies
What's Included
- Expert Art Instruction from Anna Brones
- The ultimate travel art kit
- All camp meals and refreshments - does not include alcoholic drinks
- One in-town dinner at Setsunai in Lopez Village
- Support and gear wagon
- Transportation to and from Seattle
- Ferry passes, if you have booked the shuttle
- Quiet Island roads, plus some hidden gems
Gear/Supplies You Should Bring
- Camp gear (Rentals available)
- Bicycle (Rentals Available)
- Helmet (included with rental)
- Personal equipment - clothing, sleeping bag, toiletries, etc.
- Personal bowl, mug, and utensils
