I woke up feeling pretty rough. I had had a few too many of those Busch tallboys. I showered, gathered my things, and set off. I needed coffee before I crossed the Astoria-Mengler bridge. One thing I absolutely love about Washington and Oregon are the coffee shacks which are located EVERYWHERE! I found one, bought myself an extra large, and drove across the bridge.
I took 101 across the genuinely epic bridge. Once in Washington I detoured off along 401. It followed the Columbia River inland for a few miles before heading north and dead ending at a T junction with hwy 4. I took 4 north along some kind of inlet. It was beautiful. After a while I rejoined the 101.
In Raymond I decided to take a detour again. I wanted to hug the coast for as long as I could. I took the 105 into Greyland where I was able to drive a mile or so along the sandy beach! I went up into Westport which was a rather interesting little place. It is located on a piece of land that juts out into Washington's North Bay. It dead ends with the bay on your right and the Pacific Ocean on your left. I took a little walk around and noticed that it was about a 50/50 beach town and fishing village. I liked that place quite a lot.
I found another coffee shack and made my way up to Aberdeen Washington where the 105 joined back up with the 101. Now, I would be lying if I said I didn't think about abandoning my plans to take the 101 around the Olympic Mountains at this point. It would have been real easy to just head east and join up with the I-5 and head north into British Columbia. I gassed up and thought about it. Fuck it, I may never get the chance again. That was my logic. So off I went.
From Aberdeen the 101 goes north into the Olympic National Forest before heading west to the only stretch of coast that it borders. I stopped a few times here, along the coastal section of the sprawling Olympic National Park. It was stunning and not busy at all. Around Ruby Beach the 101 heads back inland. The roads were quiet and lovely.
At Sappho I left the 101 at the 113 junction. I took that to the 112 and headed eastbound on a seriously windy stretch of road. I figured I'd end up running along the north coast of Washington but I only managed to see little glimpses of the Straight of Juan De Fuca here and there. Just west of Port Angelese I joined back up with the 101 and headed into town. I had been to Port Angelese a few years back. Catching a ferry to a festival I was playing on Vancouver Island. I thought it was a remarkable little place and had always planned to come back. Here I was. I puled over and took a stroll. I don't know if it was because it was a Sunday in the off season but the place was totally dead. So I left. Rather disappointed.
My original plan was to head from Port Angeles to Port Townsend and catch a ferry from there to Fort Casey, cross Whidby Island, Fidalgo Island, and join up with the I-5 a good solid hour or so north of Seattle. Well, best laid plans of mice & men. The ferries were all seriously delayed because of fog. Fog that I could not see. Yet. So I stayed on the 101, thinking I could exit towards a bunch of other ferries by taking the 104 across the Hood Canal Bridge. That's when the fog started. It was heavy duty. The Kingston ferry was massively delayed also. So I took hwy 3 south. The Bainbridge Island ferry was also delayed, so I kept going on 3. Same deal with the Bremmerton ferry. Looks like I'd be going into Tacoma. I took hwy 16 and crossed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
I found my way into downtown Tacoma. I drove around looking for a friendly bar sign and some food. I drove around for a few blocks before seeing a small street and thinking "if I were to open a bar I would do it on a street like this". I turned down it and drove a few blocks before finding the Zodiac Supper Club. It looked perfect. I parked and went on in. It was perfect. it was so decked out in a campy Christmas fashion. The music was good and the beer was cheap. My bartender was nice and friendly. I couldn't have asked for anything better.
I wished I could have stayed longer but I had to press on. The I-5 from Tacoma to Seattle was shit. Busy and slow. The radio was talking about something called freezing fog. That was a new one for me. I pressed on. Stopping briefly to visit the Bait Shop in Seattle (a favourite place of mine) for a delicious sandwich and a can of beer.
I headed north to the border and had the most amazing luck crossing it. I was completely prepared for a lengthy search. I was driving an SUV that was completely full of stuff. Bikes, baby stuff, running gear, an espresso machine, clothes and god knows what else. My sister and an inventoried list of what and a letter explaining that I was her brother and driving her stuff home. I got in a line and when there were only 2 cars left in front of me the green arrow turned into a red X. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do. The cars behind me started changing into the other lanes. I was so close and it was going to be a pain to change lanes. So I stayed. When it was my turn I pulled up and a very tired and annoyed looking border guard asked me a few questions. I showed him the letter and list. He glanced at it quickly and sent me on my way.
I made it to my sisters apartment soon after that. It was close to midnight.
