Road Mode

Road mode is when I sit here in my comfy passenger seat, gazing out our large windshield at the passing scenery, and write a few words.  Earlier there was Mt. Rainier soon out of Tacoma, then Mount St. Helens a bit further south, slightly flat on top (haha) and usually in a haze, then most recently Mt. Hood directly ahead as we drive through Portland. I'm also connected to the internet via my Verizon 4G Pantech modem and searching for directions to the nearest, cheapest fuel stop.  That turned out to be the Pilot Flying J in Tumwater (earlier), thank you!  So you might deduce we are traveling south on I-5.

A two-week limit forced us kicking and screaming out of our water-front Pt. Hudson Marina location in downtown Port Townsend.  And since we were unable to get a ferry to Whidbey Island on Sunday due to the crowded weekend schedule, we decided to return to the Escapee's park in Chimacum for a couple of days so we could arrange for a visit with long-time friends, Dick and Hazel, whom we first met 14 years ago near Puerto Escondido, on the southwest coast of Mexico, and now reside (when they're not traveling) in Bellingham, WA.

Hazel just had knee replacement surgery and is doing lots of strengthening exercises to prepare for their mid-October, month long trip to Europe, cruising the rivers of Austria, Germany, France and Switzerland.  Due to macular degeneration she is considered legally blind and also had a pacemaker installed a few years back to correct some heart-beat abnormalities....and did I mention both she and Dick are a very young 85, and absolutely refuse to stop.....period!

Ferry for Whidbey Island

Our location at Pt. Hudson Marina

Howard, looking good on the ferry!

 So Tuesday morning, we queued up early for the half hour ferry crossing to Coupeville on Whidbey Island, then drove about an hour and a half north to the delightful town of Bellingham, not far south of the BC border.  We hadn't seen Dick and Hazel in over a year and had a great visit, especially comparing itineraries of both our upcoming cruises.  Our lunch at Anthony's at Squalicum Harbor was both scenic and delicious and offered my first and possibly only Dungeness crab thus far this season.  Rusty's boat has sadly been inoperative so our usual crabbing outings did not materialize, though he did come for a visit one day.

Hazel with Howard outside Anthony's, Bellingham.  The cane is temporary!

 We had to leave a bit early to make the 4:30 ferry returning to Port Townsend.  Once again we joined the long line of passengers only to be told that sadly we would not be leaving as planned without a reservation.  Oh, and by the way, the 5:15 crossing has been cancelled, so you might be able to make the 6:30 ferry.  We did...just barely!  We arrived back in Chimacum by 8 pm, just in time to run by John and Bonnie's for a final hug and farewell.  Yes, of course we'll meet up this winter!

So dear, where shall we stop for the night afternoon?  Wow, we now have blazing 4G internet speeds approaching Portland and our trusty Passport America online guide tells us there is the half-price Crown Pt. RV Park  near Corbett, OR,  along the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway.  We have found our destination for a few days.