Vancouver Island

In looking at Vancouver Island on a map, I was under the impression for quite some time that I could bicycle the length of the island in a days time.  You can image my shock when I discovered it would take six and a half hours to drive up one side! We only spent two days on Vancouver Island visiting Victoria, the stunning English style capital of British Columbia, and driving a beautiful and very windy loop around the southern portion of the island.  I was sad we didn't have more time to explore the wonderland of Vancouver Island. We learned a valuable lesson through the Vancouver Island experience:  Do  your homework and don't rush!

I bet you didn't know Darth Vader
plays fiddle, eh?

Vancouver, B.C.

Natalie, Erika's sister, joined us for a ten day stint from Seattle, WA to BC, Canada and back. While traveling on the highway to Vancouver, CAN a lady rammed into the rear of our trailer.  We didn't know it at the time, but this accident would drastically alter the course and means of our trip.  Not realizing the severity of the damage inflicted on the trailer, we continued our journey.

Self-cleaning public washrooms...
 can be scary!

When crossing into a new state, there are typically a few differences to be learned such as the rules of the road, cultural norms and state laws. Overall there is a lot of constancy from state to state.  Crossing over the invisible line into Canada on the other hand definitely felt like crossing into a different country!  It was a bit intimidating adjusting to kilometer signage, oddly narrow roads, a dozens new forms of signage and strange blinking yellow traffic lights. A friendly motorist informed us that the light meant pedestrian controlled crossing. Keep in mind we where pulling a trailer and where not able to use any sort of technology as were where outside of the US.  So we got a map, asked around and stumbled upon the great, the bad and the ugly.
The great: Stanley Park, The International Busking Festival, friendly, welcoming people, bountiful bridges overlooking a charismatic city.
The bad: Finding a place to sleep, parking and being lost, lost, lost!
The ugly: Syringes in porter potties in the not so good part of town.

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Washington Coast

We drove over the 4.1 mile truss bridge, the longest in North America, connecting Astoria, OR to Megler, WA.  It took us thirty miles to realize we had taken a wrong turn and were almost at the top of a cape called Cape Disappointment.  All I can say about that experience is that the name couldn't be any more fitting! The California and Oregon coastlines are so spectacular we assumed the same was true about Washington.  There were some nice beaches like the one we visited in the pictures but overall the Washington Coast was pretty plain with only a small amount of water to be seen from the road.  Nonetheless, we enjoyed our time on the coast, climbing on rocks and driftwood, closely encountering two bald eagles and even finding a washed up fishing crate from Japan.

Quinault Rainforest, WA

 Did you say rainforest?  Yes, a rainforest in Washington! This may not be news to some of you but I was taken completely by surprise when I heard there was a rainforest in Washington.  While approaching the rainforest it began to rain.  It shouldn't have, but it took us a moment to realize, rainforest=rain.  And it rained... the entire time! The forest was extraordinary, rain pattering on the lake, fog lifting to make a glowing grey sky and no sounds other than one magnificent bird singing for us.  We hiked along the Quinault River in the greenest place I have ever seen in my whole life! We fabricated a raincoat for Clovey out of a plastic bag and T-shirt, which gladly tromped through the forest with. If you want to get a feel for the area watch any "Twilight" movie, they were filmed in this forest (The Olympic National Forest/Park)!  I bet you didn't know the Lorax lived in Quinault!

I left my heart in Astoria

 There have been many places that have slowly worn a deep love into my heart, but the love for Astoria was instant. Interestingly, Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies!  The small Victorian style town sits on the northern tip of western Oregon with a bridge connecting it to Washington.  The quaint town is full of local shops and rich culture including a large Scandinavian presence. You can find bountiful outdoor explorations, breweries, homemade fish and chips, shoe repair shops, cafes serving organic coffee and selling homemade bread, a ride on a 100-year-old trolley or stroll the lengthy path between the trolley tracks and the Columbia River.  One of our most memorable experiences we had was walking up to and climbing Astoria's Historic Column that gives a breathe taking 360 degree of and around Astoria.  It was on the hike up to the column that a bald eagle swooped right over our heads and touched down on the field in front of us before settling in a near by tree.  We soon found out that a bald eagle sanctuary lies right next to Astoria; just one more thing to add to the 'amazing things about Astoria' list.  We all know words are powerful but will never do a place of beauty justice.  It's just another one of those places you must see with your own eyes and feel with your own heart. And above all... "The Goonies" was filmed here!

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The Rose City

I wish they had this sign in Petaluma! 

Portland, Oregon also known as the Rose City lives up to its reputation  of an awesome place be.  Portland is called the Rose City for several reasons but largely because it is home to the oldest rose test garden in the United States. Click here to read more. We spent Sterling's Birthday in this magnificent plethora of roses     sniffing until our stomaches hurts!

  Portland is full of: bicyclist, bridges, beer, food carts, water fountains, mustaches, ethnic food, and brew-n-views. The brew-n
views where among our favorite activities where you can watch cheap movies on couches while drinking beer, ah yes! Fantastic cheap food carts are like veins of silver through the city.  No wonder young people go to Portland to retire!

 

Tillamook State Forest

    Deep in the woods, in the middle of Tillamook State Park, we slept at a trail head.  In the morning we thought, lets do a hike! Nothing too long, fives miles will do...the trouble was in the two and a half miles up there was a 3000 foot gain!! It was like climbing stairs for two and a half miles.  BUT! We drove on out of the stubbornness in our hearts and the beauty all around.  Our victory was a bit saddened though by the site of heavy deforestation.  I keep trying to tell myself all that dies will live again but it still wrenches my heart each time I see logging.  It made me realize that all the wood I see comes from somewhere, like here.
Exhausted, we felt like flopping down after the hike but the road wouldn't allow it.  We were: almost out of drinking water, NO water in our tank and had used up every...last...dish.  Not to mention it was Fathers Day and we had no reception to call our Dads.  So we picked up our sore legs and drove to Portland, OR.

Oh dishes how ever unrelenting!