June 24, 2025

Swift Campout 2025

Maria and her family go bike-camping on Vashon Island where they rode in, shared field art supplies, and led sketching activities alongside an inspiring community of adventurers.

By Maria Coryell-Martin

A cyclist wearing a red helmet and shirt rides a bicycle with a child in a trailer attached. The scene features a lush, green forest lining a winding road.

This weekend my family and I set out to represent Art Toolkit at the Swift Campout, an annual global bike-camping event organized by Swift Industries to celebrate the summer solstice. The Swift crew are long-time buddies of Art Toolkit, and we’re happy to support their efforts to bring field art practices into their inclusive bikepacking adventures.

We packed our camping gear, bikes, and a bin of Art Toolkit goodies to share, and drove from Port Townsend to Southworth for the short ferry ride to Vashon Island. Stella and I rode our tandem, and Darin brought his road bike, towing our trailer “caboose.”

A man wearing sunglasses and a black hoodie smiles while sitting at a table with a young girl. The girl, wearing a colorful sweater, is engaged and looking down, with snacks visible on the table. A camera is placed nearby. Large windows show an overcast view outside.
A woman with curly hair smiles while sitting at a table by a window, enjoying a view of the water. Two water bottles are visible on the table.
A person in fingerless gloves sketches on an open sketchbook placed on a red tablet case while sitting near a body of water. A pen is in their hand, and the scene appears cloudy and serene.
Bicycles loaded with gear are parked near a ferry terminal, where workers in orange vests are directing passengers. A ferry is docked in the background, with a sign indicating to wait for a green signal.

The ride from the Vashon ferry terminal was short, but had some steep hills! On the wet pavement, one stretch was challenging enough that we had to hop off our bikes to push.

A woman in a red cycling jersey with "Polly Snacks" on the back rides a bike, while a smiling girl in a sweater with leaf patterns sits on the bike's rear, wearing a helmet and sunglasses. Lush greenery is visible in the background.
A cyclist riding a bike with a child in a rear seat, surrounded by lush greenery along a quiet, winding road.

After about six miles, we reached the charming AYH Ranch campground, where we were greeted by the friendly faces of the Swift Campout crew. Tents were spread across a grassy meadow, and we enjoyed seeing the diverse collection of touring and cargo bikes of all styles, leaned against tables, buildings, and fences.

A woman in a red shirt and sunglasses playfully swings a stick while a group of people sits at a table nearby, watching her with amused expressions. The setting is outdoors, surrounded by trees and wooden structures.
A diverse group of people sitting on rocks in a forested area, engaged in a workshop. Several participants are raising their hands or holding up items, while others are listening attentively. There are trees in the background and a few people are wearing hats or jackets.
A group of people seated in a circle around a fire pit at a campsite, with a presenter standing nearby. Tents are visible in the background amidst trees, and some individuals are engaged in discussion while others have food in front of them.
A young person stands behind a display table filled with art supplies, including various products and brochures. The table is covered with a blue tablecloth featuring the logo "Art Toolkit." In the background, there are tents set up in a grassy area with trees.

I jumped right in to setting up for my presentation, as Darin and Stella laid out Art Toolkit supplies at a nearby table, ready for anyone inspired to build their own adventure sketching kits. We practiced color studies, thumbnail sketches, and my favorite tools for composition. I loved the energy and enthusiasm of everyone who joined and thankfully the rain held off until after we were finished!

A hand holding a colorful watercolor illustration of a bicycle, with the text "Duncan's Beautiful Bike" written above. The background features soft gradient colors.
A person holds a small canvas featuring a colorful landscape with green trees, a red tent, and bicycles. The background includes blue tents and a rocky area, suggesting an outdoor camping scene.
A couple smiles closely together while sitting in front of a large tent in a forested campsite. Bicycles are parked nearby, and there are blurred tents in the background. The woman is wearing a red jacket and the man is in a black hoodie with pink design.
A collection of art supplies scattered on grass, including a small painted canvas featuring a red house, a color chart, a paintbrush, a sketchbook, a folded cloth with paint stains, and a blue pen.

Thank you to the whole Swift Crew for including us in the fantastic weekend and to everyone we met!
An artist sites on a rock, dipping a paintbrush in a Pocket Palette.

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