“literally a tree with a bicycle in it”
A young boy’s lost bicycle has led to a unique piece of natural roadside art on Washington state’s Vashon Island, over 50 years later. Traveling off of Vashon Highway, about 50 feet into the woods behind the local Sound Food Café, travelers will come across a peculiar site – an intact, 1950s-era bicycle embedded into a tree. In 1954 Helen Puz had been recently widowed when she received the bike as a gift from someone in the community, according to Discover Washington State. “People were very sympathetic and generous,” Puz reportedly wrote in a document on display at the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum. “We were given a girl’s bike and my 8-year-old son Don seemed the natural one to ride it.” But Don Puz was none-too-pleased to be cruising the island, which is nestled between Seattle and Tacoma, on a girl’s bike. One day he told his mother that he had lost the bike, and given that it was built for a girl, they decided to let it go. It wasn’t until decades later that Helen Puz, now 99, found out what happened to her son’s bike when she read in the local Beachcomber newspaper that someone had discovered the bike five feet high in the air, embedded in the tree. The tree had grown around it.
Reviews
Not much of the bike anymore but the island is just beautiful and the homemade cookie that I got next to where the bike is was delicious.
We almost missed it! Across the street is a Park and Ride bus stop. Luckily, a teen named Seth (who asked us if we were Off-Islanders, lol) knew where it was and walked us across the street to it. The path isn't marked, and I would have walked right past it had he not pointed it out. It isn't more than 10 steps beyond the edge of the trees. I should have taken a pic of the area surrounding. If you park at the park and ride, just cross the street and go to the right a bit.
That is interesting... It'd be so cool to see a time lapse of that actually happening. A 50 year time lapse... It's almost sad. Poor bike.
I've heard two different versions to this story and am wondering which is correct. The version I heard was a soldier going to war parked his bike under a tree. He was killed in action and the bike left there as a type of memorial.
Haha. People on Tumblr believe a boy in germany went off to war in 1914 and never came back
http://www.craigboyce.com/w/2012/07/bike-in-tree-vashon-island-the-real-story/
sounds like BS to me
It’s mostly gone now. Super bummed!
Our Washington trip 2020… During this very difficult time that our nation is experiencing… COVID-19… As things opened up my three grandsons and I took a road trip from California to Washington from here we’re going to Oregon Montana Colorado and heading back to California… So we stopped at this little landmark… My grandsons are 10, eight, and six… They absolutely loved it I read some interesting’s History about this… There are so many different tails but it definitely is fun to see… The six-year-old wasn’t too interested… Right off the road and across from the park and ride… Enjoy ! Scolari boys 2020 road trip
This is the kind of thing that you have to see to believe... but it's totally real. There are tons of stories as to how this little red bike wound up in the tree, but either way, stop and take some pictures.
Be the first to add a review to the Bicycle Swallowed by a Tree.
/-122.460099,47.422139,14/300x172@2x?access_token=pk.eyJ1Ijoicm9hZHRyaXBwZXJzIiwiYSI6ImNsdjQ5N2VtZDA2bW8ycW13ZHAxeGhjbjkifQ.UIccpoAxc7g3BAuK4s9vjg)
Bicycle Swallowed by a Tree
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
Has RV parking changed? Let us know.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
- Trip Guide
- Weekend
Pacific Coast Highway: Oregon - Washington
- 30 Places
- 17:36
- 670 mi
- Trip Guide
The Great Northern is a 3,600 mile, cross-country odyssey
- 57 Places
- 69:15
- 3,565 mi
- Trip Guide
- Weekend
Pacific Coast Highway: Oregon - Washington
- 30 Places
- 17:36
- 670 mi
- Trip Guide
The ultimate guide to North Cascades National Park
- 13 Places