Day 25 - Oregon Pacific coast part II - Tillamook to Defoe Bay

Passed the 3000 mile mark today, just as we pulled into Defoe Bay. Now in a nice motel, overlooking the Pacific sunset - there are resident grey whales out there apparently, just waiting to be viewed, but the boats stayed in today because the waters were too rough (the orca story all over again) and, looking at the waves earlier (and the weather forecast for tomorrow), I'm not at all surprised and we're not confident for the morning.  So we may be shore-bound, with binocs and optimism.  We did at least spot some seals earlier, playing quite close to shore, so maybe that's going to be our lot.

The Tillamook Cheese Factory tour turned out to be quite informative and fun (in a brainwash-you-that-big-farming-is-ok kind of way - for The Archers fans amongst you) and passed a happy morning while the rain went over and the sun tried to come out. Sadly only the cheese-tasting section - and not the icecream-tasting section - was open or I think we'd still be in there.

But yet again best of all today was the Oregon Pacific coast, with the ocean boiling white and looking quite furious as it bashed the coastal rocks.  

Best sign of today in a coffee-shop that obviously doesn't favour kids being left alone to wreak havoc...

Day 24 - Oregon Pacific coast part I - Astoria to Tillamook

Another gorgeous day. Started by ascending (169 steps - I counted!) the 1926-built 125-foot Astoria column for some great 360 views. On the way up, I  passed two women resting : "Keep going Doris - this is a memory. You'll be able to put it in your chest."

We liked Astoria (named for John Astor who founded the fort in 1811). Nice Sunday market with fruit, vegetables, local crab cakes, nice soaps and smellies (and hand-made wooden birdcages and electric guitars, of course).

Then the main event of the day : the 101 south.  Lots of (open) state parks with fantastic ocean views, a town called Seaside (though not a kiss-me-quick hat in sight and sadly they have saltwater Taffy [yuk] instead of honest-to-goodness rock) and more of the beautiful open-water rock outcrops.  Despite the lovely sunshine-y day, the wind coming off the Pacific was Mary-Poppins-flyaway fierce.  Hence the Very Bad Hair Day.... 

Day 23 - Washington Pacific coast

Another glorious day to see the Pacific and the west coast beaches. Bee-oo-tiful. Travelled down after staying overnight at Hoquiam (motel run by a Fijian chap who was very excited that Suva is our next destination) via various state parks (state as opposed to the still-closed national parks, though the papers are reporting that Americas apparently don't know the difference either).

We were amused by the warning sign next to a local prison

and a chap selling "clam guns" (aren't the poor devils defenceless enough already?), though less impressed when I was threatened by the petrol-pump woman that she'd "call the cops if your husband don't stop pumping someone else's gas rightaway" (which, it transpired of course, that he wasn't as the complainant had misread his own pump's number!) Things were sorted but did we get an apology? Ha!

A spookier experience was driving through the wee town of Raymond. Mid-afternoon and not a soul stirred. I didn't dare open the window in case we'd missed a nuclear explosion wiping out humanity... And the town's main export (in lieu of real people) looks to be metal cutout silhouettes, advertised by fixing them to walls or leaving them out in the open air, cavorting through the grass. Perfectly nice but a bit spooky in the circs!

So now over the Columbia Bridge into downtown Astoria

PS The heady heights of +70 degrees today - shorts and sunglasses rediscovered!

Day 22 - (glimpses of) Olympic National Parks - part II

What a lovely day. Blue skies and sunshine (semi-tick but we're not fussy), gorgeous Olympic Peninsula views (tick - note the stone formations at La Push Indian Reservation; not surprising they revered them), 

very interesting trees and plant life (tick - emphasis on the rainforest with moss seeming to drip off the ancient spruces and cedars), brief sightings of a seal (tick) and of Duncan paddling in the Pacific at Ruby Beach (tick).  So what if the Parks are still steadfastly closed (including the loos, which we thought a bit much!), we had a great time.

And, on top of that, I'm reinstated as an Englishwoman, having been spontaneously asked today to opine on [1] the efficacity of Fisherman's Friends (unbeknownst to me, they're apparently from our shores) and [2] whether the Queen chooses which crown to wear on each occasion.  Pretty sure they'd have believed whatever I said but I [1] demurred on the FF (not wanting to speak ill of a British import though we all know they're foul) and [2] said sagely that Her Maj doubtless has her favourites but that she has people to help her with detail like that (any better crown-oriented answers on a postcard please to Steve at the Golden Dragon, Hoquiam, WA)

Day 21 - (glimpses of) Olympic National Parks - part I

When they want parks inaccessible, they don't mess about.  Heaven forbid you should feel up to an un-warden-ed drive... That didn't stop us getting about and finding some cracking panoramas though such as Crescent Lake from highway 101 (and in the first decent sunshine for a few days - hurrah).

The shutdown is into day 4 and wall-to-wall, though the coverage doesn't look awfully non-partisan.  Thank the Lord we found the World Service on the car radio (though I should confess also my secret addiction to the 80s pop channel!)

Stop press - I was asked today what part of Canada I come from (I tried not to give him too withering a look).  Surely three weeks can't have done that much damage?

Day 20 - Port Townsend and Port Angeles

Another day, another ferry. This time a very breezy half-hour (across the Strait of Juan del Fuca) from Keystone on Whidbey Island to Port Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula. They urge you that reservations are highly recommended....we rocked up 20 mins before the 10.15am sailing and were about 6th in the queue!  Anyway, spotted seals (though no orcas) from the chilly viewing deck and thawed out with home-roasted coffee in laid-back and charming Port Townsend.  Apparently the town was in the running with Seattle and Walla Walla to be the state's preeminent city in the late 1800s and splashed a lot on building some cracking Victorian buildings in the speculation-fuelled 1880s boom (ending in an almighty crash in 1893); it's returned to its gracious, conservative coffee-shop-on-every-corner and ladies-who-lunch self these days.

From Port Townsend, onward westwards along the north edge of the peninsula, hoping that the shutdown hasn't paralysed the National Parks... Bad news.  Petition Congress to give up and pass Obamacare now!  In fact, it doesn't look too bad and we're regrouping on a route to see the most impressive sights and roads (we caught Mt Angeles earlier as the weather improved). 

Overnight in Port Angeles which doesn't have a huge amount to commend it apart from the (presently shut) National Parks Info Centre and its town mascot, the Rocktopus (below, naturally!)

Day 19 - Oak Harbour, Whidbey Island WA

We've retraced our steps back towards the San Juan ferry but this time are aiming for Olympic National Park, via pretty Deception Pass (over a very fetching 1935 steel bridge, and some nasty-looking currents)

and Whidbey Island to Oak Harbour, where we've holed up for the night... in a windmill-themed motel (yes, I know, but we are in America and it's as close to a Disney moment as we're ever likely to want - and the owners are at least Dutch).

The town is a only small place but with great seaside views.  Duncan bought a "single" (translated into 3-scoop!) ice cream today from a shop which also has clear ambitions : not backward in coming forward, this little one-man band store advertises itself the brand's "world headquarters"!