Port Angeles - 11th April, 2011

Today we went to Olympic Game Park and in the afternoon to Cape Flattery.

The game park is about 20 K's from Port Angeles in a town called Sequim - which is pronounced with no E. Rhymes with 'swim'. We got there at opening time and found it to be fantastic. It is a drive through place and you buy loaves of bread and feed the animals as you drive through. Rayls especially loved the bears which seemed to perform for us, even smile! The Llamas were fun, came right to the car window looking for bread. There was a varied range and it took us just over an hour to drive through.

Afterwards back to Port Angeles where we went to the harbour and booked our ferry trip to Victoria tomorrow.

In the afternoon we drove down to Cape Flattery, named by Captain Cook, which is the most north westerly point of the continental USA. This was a tough drive, 80 K's of winding road - very tiring and gad to get there and then back.

Last night in Port Angeles. Victoria tomorrow for 2 nights - Victoria is just a 60 minute ferry trip away and is the capital of British Columbia in Canada.

Port Angeles 10th April, 2011

None of the people back in Perth would give us much sympathy when they hear that we both got soaked today, especially me!

We were going to go up to Hurricane Ridge but a storm up there caused the road to be closed. The ranger at the visitor's centre was very helpful and we headed up Highway 1 to Madison Falls, Just a short walk and nice waterfall. From there we drove up the hill to Elwha Campgrounds  where we a pleasant 1 K walk through the rain forest. It was drizzling a bit and we started to get a little damp. Rayls had a semi waterproof jacket on with a hood and that helped. I just had a wind cheater on. The trees are so high and the ground covering of ferns/moss, etc - just amazing.

Then it was further out along 101 to the Storm King Ranger Station and a 3 K round trip walk to Marymere Falls - more than drizzle by now and we were both getting more than damp. Another amazing walk through the forest and then an amazing waterfall at the end. Hardly anyone around and just the most pleasant time.

Y the time we got back to the car it was 3pm and I was soaked through and Rayls close to it. Heater on and a half hour drive back to Port Angeles where we de thawed in the hotel room and Rayls ended up doing the laundry. Sadly the hotel dryer was not up to the work and so we went in search of a laundromat, the one we found had more faulty machines that working ones and the sign that said "don't wash horse blankets or greasy rags in machines" was a bit of a concern. Anyway, washing is clean and mostly dry and with some luck we might make it to Utah before we need to do laundry again - as long as Amy doesn't mind us turning up in smelly clothes we have been wearing for a couple of days!!!!

Maccas for dinner - salad for me and a cheeseburger for Rayls. Now watching 50 First Dates on TV. Cold and wet outside, cool!

Seattle to Port Angeles - 9th April 2011

Today we started our jaunt across to the Olympic Peninsular which is sort of our destination on this trip. We started off by heading down to Tacoma where we picked up Evergreen Quilting and then along Highway 16, across the very impressive Tacoma Narrows Bridge and a short stop in Gig Harbor for some very impressive sight seeing and a stop at Harbor Quilts.

Oh yes, we did stop at a Krispy Kremes in Tacoma so that's the donuts taken care off.

        Later now. Cold Sunday morning - very poor internet last night but seems OK today. So where was I......

We headed out towards the Olympic Peninsular on state highway 16. We crossed the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, bit of history there!!!!  

The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a pair of twin suspension bridges in the U.S. state of Washington, which carry State Route 16 (known as Primary State Highway 14 until 1964) across the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound between Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula. Historically, the name "Tacoma Narrows Bridge" has applied to the original bridge nicknamed "Galloping Gertie" which opened in July 1940 and collapsed four months later, as well as the replacement of the original bridge which opened in 1950 and still stands today as the westbound lanes of the present-day twin bridge complex.

There is historic footage of the bridge twisting and buckling before finally collapsing. The bridge seemed solid as we crossed it. All OK.

We saw four aircraft carriers at dock in a town called Bremerton. Not in the best condition, There are three mothballed aircraft carriers at Bremerton, USS Independence (CVA-62), USS Constellation (CVA-64) and USS Ranger (CVA-61), the fourth is the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74).

We stopped in at Gig Harbor where we had some nice harbour views and a quilt shop for Rayls.

Then it was on to the fantastic little town of Poulsbo. Poulsbo has a long history as a destination for immigrants from Scandinavia, particularly Norway and Finland. Downtown Poulsbo maintains a Scandinavian theme in its shops and restaurants, and is a popular regional tourist destination. We spent a couple of hours here - sensational spot.

Back onto the main road and a stop at Port Gamble. Great views of Puget Sound here and we had a pleasant chat with a man walking his two dogs, both of which he rescued from a shelter.

Back onto Highway 104 and across the Hood Canal Bridge which is a floating bridge that carries traffic across Hood Canal and connects the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas. At 7,869 feet long, it is the longest floating bridge in the world located in a saltwater tidal basin, and the third longest floating bridge overall. An interesting drive.

We finally made it to Port Angeles a few minutes to 6pm. Checked out the downtown area and bought dinner at Wal-Mart, nice barbecue chicken and some fruit.

199 kilometres today, 5 quilt shops for Rayls and some wonderful scenery and people along the way.