Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Everyday for 7 Weeks–Day 31–Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

We woke up early so we could have breakfast with family in Port Townsend. While at breakfast, I received a tweet from Richard; He said to say hi to his uncle, Carl, who had moved there from Minneapolis. Our new friends Max happened to know Carl. Small world indeed. How many more places will I run into Richard’s family? This is the third now! Small world indeed.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

The first café we tried to eat at was closed for the holiday, so we ended up at a popular place downtown. The service was very slow. From the time we walked in until the time we had food in our mouths was an hour! Yikes. Fortunately, we weren’t paying too much attention to the clock as we were busy catching up. Since breakfast turned into lunch, the art gallery next door had opened up. It belonged to Max. We stopped in to pay him a visit. He was getting ready for a sculpture show in a few days, but took the time to show us some of his work. Cool stuff.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

With all the visiting, we left Port Townsend much later than we “planned”. I put planned in quotes since we aren’t planning much on this trip. We are mostly making it up as we go. We are primarily directed to places with tasty food or friendly people. Good scenery is nice too. We like making things up without much planning. Then you can stay if you like it or leave if you don’t. You aren’t ever late as you don’t have anywhere to be. I know not all of you could travel without extensive plans, routes, and reservations, but it works for us.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

We enjoyed the time spent with family in Port Townsend.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Saggy bottom rain gear. It’s the latest style!

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

We got on US-101 and just followed it around the coast. We were unsure where we’d end up for the night, but were thinking it might be Hoquiam.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Crescent Lake didn’t disappoint.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

The road followed the peninsula around until we hit the Pacific Ocean on the west. The views we were waiting for all year finally arrived. We saw the sign for Ruby Beach and pulled in. It didn’t disappoint. It was big and blue. The skies cleared up and the temperature rose. We had been riding in 50F and rain most of the day until this point. We loved Ruby Beach. The towering trees, giant rocks, crashing waves, and heaps of drift large wood. We liked it all.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Our first glimpse of the Pacific together. A short hike later, we were on the beach.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

We lingered on the beach for a while.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

101 followed the coast a bit further before turning inland again. I missed the turn off for 109, so we stayed on 101 heading right back into the rain. bleh. It only lasted a few minutes and the road turned again right back for the coast.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Hoquiam was described to us over brunch as “a very blue collar town”. After we arrived, we started laughing. That was the nicest way to say crap town I’ve heard. We took one look at the town and said no way. Calling it blue collar is an insult to blue collar. It looked like a dump. Maybe we missed the good parts, but we didn’t see anything that made us want to explore further. We got back on 101 and went south.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

There had to be somewhere nicer – preferably with an ocean view. We looked at the map, and Long Beach sounded good, so we went there. It was quiet as almost everyone left to return home for work Tuesday. Nice! We were the only people in our 42 room motel. We would have eaten on the beach, but we were both cold. We enjoyed watching the sun set over the beach while we ate dinner. It was quiet; the only noise after dark was the sound of the ocean.

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

Everyday for 7 Weeks - Day 31 - Port Townsend to Long Beach

For more gratuitous ocean pics, click through to the full flickr album below.

 

Day 31 Full Flickr Album (61 pics)

 

Today’s Route:


View Larger Map

12 comments:

  1. Since both my parents come from large families, we're all over the place (more family in Corvallis). I like your travel style, no schedule except for general dates. And I love the pictures as I have never traveled along the coast in WA. The beach in Barrow is still solidly frozen so no calming wave sounds or smells.

    Given that your friend is an artist, I would have been surprised if he didn't know my uncle as there are multiple artists in his family in Port Townsend.

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    1. if you can find the time, I would recommend the WA coast. We both enjoyed it.

      Not surprised with Barrow it IS in Alaska after all ;)

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  2. When you wrote Long Beach I said to myself, dang he's making some good time to be in California already....

    dom


    Redleg's Rides

    Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was wondering if someone would think that as I thought about it too. sort of ironic we skipped the one in CA in the end too.

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  3. I like the idea of not having a regimented plan for the trip. It is nice to be able to change plans to suit your mood or the weather without being locked in

    When we went to California a few years ago we did the same no reservations or anything. We figured we'd end up wherever we should be. It was fun.

    Great pictures of the ocean. Like Richard I haven't driven down the Washington coast. I particularly liked the one of you two looking out at the ocean. Don't worry, your saggy rain gear does not detract from how sweet the picture is.

    Looking forward to meeting you tomorrow.

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    Replies
    1. yes, the least amount of schedule possible is the nicest. We both spend so much of our time at work and regular "life" with schedules it is nice to escape them when on vacation.

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  4. Like the other posts - I like the idea of no set schedule. I have never been to the NW coast. Looks beautiful. Great photos.

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    Replies
    1. NW coast is great. I'd like to visit it again.

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  5. Thank you for bringing back the memories. We have been along that coast route a few times and loved it every time.

    I do like your travel style a lot. I am surrounded by schedules at work, and love to be independent, not knowing where I go until I'm there...

    It gives so much opportunity to linger in places you like and move on if you don't like it.

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    Replies
    1. We like this style as well for many of the reasons you mentioned. It just seems to lower the stress level when things go wrong since there really isn't anywhere to be.

      lingering is good.

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  6. Replies
    1. ruby beach was a very nice surprise. we both enjoyed it a lot.

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