Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Port Townsend, Washington to Seaside, Oregon
Following HAL's questionable directions, over-ridden by our own misguided judgements, we headed south. Sort of, more-or-less, with some really odd detours around the top of the Olympic Penninsula. At least we laughed about it along the way, and eventually we did get on the right highway southbound. In the end, HAL wasn't wrong and I am learning to trust him more.
We stopped for lunch at a casino, Little Creek I think it was, and got a mountain of food each for a very inexpensive price. Had we signed up for a 'Players Card' we would have had another three dollars off, but we didn't. After a pleasant lunch and a good rest stop, we turned west toward the bridge to Astoria.
The bridge was interesting, long and low for most of its span across the mouth of the Columbia river. Near the south shore city of Astoria, in Oregon, the bridge roadway rises steeply to a peak high above the river and then plunges down to the traffic below. One picture that Jan took, below, illustrates that clearly. I hate bridges, and I hate long and/or high ones with a passion. The only bridge worse than this one was the Confederation Bridge between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island because of its length of 13 kilometers. This bridge today was about half that length but was very high on the south side, much higher than Confederation. An unpleasant experience, for me, but necessary to get where we were going.
On from that bridge to another, shorter and not as high, and we were finally southbound on the Oregon coast. This was the first visit for Jan and Bob and Celine, and almost the first for me as the last time I was here was about 45 years ago.
We stopped early-ish, but with the Tillamook attractions south of us we wanted to be fresh on our arrival there. So we stopped at the tourist info center in Seaside and got their reccomendations for our accomodation. On down to the beach, a left a right and a right, and we were there and safe for the night.
Bob was a bit under the weather so he stayed in the room while Jan and Celine and I went for dinner after a 'walk on the Prom', as they call the Promenade or seaside path in this town. A take-out order for Bob, and when we were done with dinner a short walk back to the room and then down for the night. Jan always wanted to see Seaside, and now she has and is happy. She likes the town, it is pretty.
