Day 15: Washington; 134 Miles
Diane – It's 11:55am here in Kirkland, Washington. I inadvertently fell asleep without plugging in my cellular phone last night. Consequently while I was out this morning, making preparations for my junket to the northlands, the battery died. With it went my only navigational resources. The most prudent course of action seemed to be returning to my room at the Quality Inn and resuming my account of the previous days.
Yesterday began with a rather lackluster gas station burrito and an oatmilk latte from one of those ubiquitous espresso drive-thrus that surround Yakima. Damn good coffee. Diane, if you ever get up this way, that latte is worth a stop.
From there I headed north on highway 82, then northwest on 90. Weather was fair; predictions were for overcast skies. I guess that just goes to show you that in the grand design, Mother Nature will do what she wants. We're just along for the ride.
Stopped for refreshment in the town of North Bend. Twede's Cafe. Slice of cherry pie, black coffee. Damn good food. I had the strangest feeling. It was almost as though I had been here before. The pictures on the wall seemed familiar. The chrome stools with their red cushions. There was a book, too, containing photographs and letters to a man who I can't quite remember. Yet somehow I feel that we have met before. Perhaps in a dream...
From North Bend to Snoqualmie. More photographs. I couldn't quite get the angles right, especially on the old railroad bridge. I suspect the cinematographer had probably been on a crane over the river for some shots. At the very least he didn't have the same vegetation to fight with. It's been thirty-five years. Meanwhiiiile...
The onetime offices of the Weyerhaeuser plywood mill is now a race car driving school. They've repainted the building in brown and orange. You wouldn't confuse it with a police station now. I didn't photograph the building. However, I did see a familiar Bronco out front, and snapped a quick picture of that.
I spent the next few hours at the Snoqualmie Falls Park. Puget Sound Electric maintains hydro facilities on the falls themselves; the hotel at the crest, and the park surrounding the river are owned and operated by the Snoqualmie tribe of Native Americans. The park allows them to protect their sacred lands from developers. The walking paths provide excellent views of the falls, as well as information on native flora and the history of hydro-electric power on the river.
I hit the gift shop, and went overboard on merch. Had a delicate lavender honey ice cream. Moved on to Monroe, where I did a quick drive-by of the Palmer house. The front yard is walled off by a hedge of wildly unkempt greenery. I suspect the goal is to keep away the lookie-loos. Fair enough. I'd let them keep their privacy.
I drove up to Kirkland, where another Quality Inn awaited me.
Day 16: Washington; Mileage negligible.
This hotel has been a different experience from its counterpart in Utah. During check-in, the desk clerk seemed determined to be as robotic and businesslike as possible. I managed to get a smile out of him for a second, when I made a joke about the $500/day fine for smoking in the rooms. Then back to cold efficiency. Maybe he hates his job and wants to go home, I decided. I later learned that that's just his personality.
Day 16 was spent getting things squared away for the trip north. Oil changed at Jiffy Lube (fast, friendly, thorough). Restocked provisions (water, lots of sardines). Realized that I should've gotten Canadian money at my bank before I left (banks over here won't exchange it without an account). Got a haircut (it'll look better in a few days). Lunch was spicy fried chicken livers at Ezell's. Local chain. The liver was tasty, the coleslaw adequate. Washed everything down with a pineapple cream soda. Odd, but it worked.
I went back to my room and stared at my phone for a while. It's been a full couple weeks; I think I needed a break from doing things.
That rest was short-lived. Mid-afternoon I heard strange noises coming from the bathroom. I went to check on the source. Water was dripping from the doorframe. I ran out to the lobby and grabbed the desk clerk. The same guy from the night before. “Yeah that's not good,” he said, and went to get the manager. The manager went upstairs to see what was happening. In her absence, the problem grew worse. Water was pouring from the ceiling fixtures by the time she came back down. The guest in the room above was draining the bathtub. The drainpipe had sprung a leak.
I packed my things as quickly as possible, and they relocated me to a different room. Bigger, a little nicer. But one floor up, and farther from the exit. It's going to make leaving more cumbersome. At least I won't have to wade out.
For dinner, I took a ten minute walk to the Lucky 7 Bar and Grill. Their website advertised karaoke starting at 9:30. Unfortunately, the rowdy sports bar atmosphere quickly overwhelmed my social battery, so I left before the music started. Good food, though: a Lucky 7 burger (lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon, a fried egg – difficult to eat with my hands), coleslaw (solid, but unspectacular), and two pints of Mac & Jack's unfiltered African Amber (divine). I walked back to the hotel and passed out.
Day 17: Washington to ?
Here's how today's going to go. I've eaten breakfast. Once I get this update posted, I'll check out, then go in search of a laundromat. After that, it's time to head for Canada. I shouldn't have any problems getting across. For the next week, I'll be driving through western Canada and Alaska. I doubt I'll get the chance to post much. Not sure about cell reception, either, for any readers who might want to reach out directly. The important thing is: I'll be fine. Take care of yourselves while I'm gone, OK? See you on the flip-side.
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