Washington

27^th July:   After spending the day in Victoria watching buskers and enjoying the city, we departed Canada on the Coho Ferry. We were sad to leave after such a perfect run of weather and spending time in such lovely places and gorgeous islands. We arrived in Port Angeles and cleared customs about 4.45pm and planned to stay there.  After picking up some food, we realised that there was nowhere to stay so quickly made the decision to bike on to Dunganess County Park. It was 18 miles and we had tacos at a music festival in town and left at 7pm! Biked on a beautiful bike path all the way. Falling darkness and a long way down to Dunganess so arrived just on dark and were very pleased to find a Hiker/ Biker site jut for us. 50kms total for the day. Big thanks to the couple who bought us bananas in the supermarket. They really helped!

Coho Ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles

Arriving at Port Angeles

28^th July: Dunganess County Park to Sequim State Park.  Cruisy day around the coast. Picked up fresh apricots and peanut butter at the famous Nash’s Organic Farm. Gorgeous on the coast and apparently fabulous giant crabs to eat but Lucy not keen to try them. Later continued on the primo bike path to Sequim State Park where we met up again with Rebecca from Victoria and her friend who were biking to Portland. It was great to catch up again. 28kms.

Typical State Park Campsite

Forest

Sequim Bike Path

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29^th July: Sequim State Park to Dosewallips County Park.  65kms. Big day out on the bike path through some interesting Indian reservations  and then onto the road and into the start of the Hood Canal through to Mount Walker (super-big hill but pretty). Was hot by the afternoon once the morning fog lifted. We lingered longer at Quilcene (their motto is Linger Longer and while there didn’t seem to be a lot to linger longer over, we managed to… Arrived pretty tired into Dosewallips State Park about 7pm. Usual campsite in the forest with campfire pit. Nice.

First Nations Art Panels

Grinding up Mount Walker

10 year old biker Ty from Denman Island entertains us with the mandolin!

30^th July: Dosewallips State Park – Potlatch State Park. 49kms. Interesting day. Began at Pleasant Bay Marina where we had an hour and a half on the waterfront at a café enjoying breakfast bacon and egg sandwiches and coffee. Very relaxing and well worth the hilly hike back up to the road. Good ride up and down through the forest – and up and down – and up and down. Met two Washingtonians and two sons cycling who we camped with again the following night. Another forest camp with campfire. Managed to cook toast on it. Brilliant!

Pleasant Bay Marina - excellent bacon and egg sandwiches!

31^st July:  Potlatch State Park – Lake Sylvia State Park, Montesano 80kms. Big daycoming out of the Hood Canal and over towards Montesano. Once away from the canal, we cracked out the kilometres fairly quickly and arrived up and down to Lake Sylvia State Park at 6pm after picking up food in Montesano. Vern and John and the two sons camped right next to us and we had a drink together later. Nice campsite but the Hiker Biker was small so close to the others. No campfires.

1st August: Left Lake Sylvia and biked up out to Montesano again and to Westport to Twin Harbours State Park. Went to Aberdeen for lunch but had trouble getting through the city but did find a coffee place next to a theatre that was good. Was a bit drizzly when we got to the Twin Parks State Park and the Hiker Biker was hard to find. When we did get there we were near a swamp and while the frogs were cool, it was a bit ridden with mosquitoes and bleakish with no campfires (Washington State Park fire ban).

Retro gas station in Aberdeen

Good Ole Boy and Girl

2^nd  August: Biked into Westport and it was really nice and so decided to check out the American Sunset RV and Tent Park, just down the road. It was lovely and at $23 we booked in and had a REST DAY! Absolute treat. Kids swam in the pool, did much-needed laundry, no mosquitoes, dry and a campfire. Was great to have a rest. Went into town and had coffee and later went and had Fish and Chips and a glass of wine at this great fish and chip restaurant where you queued up and then ordered and then sat down. It was very busy and the best fish and chips.

Fish and Chips in Westport

 3^rd  August: Westport to Bay Center KOA Camp. 80kms. Fairly easy riding and made a quite early getaway and lovely down through Gray’s Harbour. Meta New Zealander who is an engineer in Vancouver and biked with him for ages. Quite like the Kaikoura Coast in places. Got to Raymond and then South Bend. Stopped at a cafe –hot there. Try to charge and use the computer at cafes as no electricity except in the bathrooms at State Park campsites. FreeWi-fi at most cafes. On to South Bend – very windy for the three kms into there and huge oyster industry so stopped at a pub and had some chips and oysters. Some confusion with John’s order and the six oysters arrived in shot glasses – raw. All good except that the oysters are six times the size of ours at home! Washed them down with the local beer…

Hugh in oyster at South Bend

4^th August: Got up at the KOA camp. Very regimented and club-like! Free coffee in the office in the morning.. We gulped at $38 having paid $12 at most sites on the way- but then remembered that compared to NZ’s campsites which average $50 a night, this is a steal! Likewise beer, coffee, wine. Food about the same as NZ. And they sweep and rake campsites! Gathering firewood from the forest is prohibited so we have got good at finding leftover firewood as we are unable to buy and carry it. Arrived Cape Disappointment at 6.30pm after a 90kms ride so were pleased with that. Hit mist as we approached the coast after a hot sunny day. Very hilly 3 miles over to the cape from Ilwaco. Camped at the Hiker Biker in the mist after a visit to misty Long Beach – saw the world’s largest frypan and Lucy skyped her class from a café which was cool. They weren’t there at the start but then Mr Herden called back. Very exciting for her to see them all.

Walked up to the Cape Lighthouse after dinner. Went the wrong track at first and then quite a longwalk in the forest and mist. Saw deer. Met the Coast Guard in thick mist at the top – who was ready to go home after 10 hours in thick fog… ran down in the near-dark and into bed. 

Leaving KOA Campsite at Bay Center

Lunch stop

World's Largest  Frypan at Long Beach - used to cook clam chowder!

Lucy dressed for fog!

Tunnel

5^th August: Cape Disappointment to Astoria, Oregon and on to Seaside. 59kms. THE BRIDGE. Up and down out of Cape Disappointment and then 11 easy miles to the bridge. 6kms bridge with two hills in it – the second was very exciting! A third of the way across is the Washington-Oregon Border. Roadworks as well at the top of the steep hill. Incredible structure. Fun and exciting going over it. Traffic and wind not too bad which was great. Great to get to the Coffee Roasters in Astoria – truly a great introduction to Oregon. There for ages and great muffins, bagels and coffee. Went and got groceries later and then Hugh Lucy and I went to the Maritime Museum (John stayed with the bikes) which was truly incredible and then John went on the boat tour with the kids. Really interesting as Cape Disappointment and the Columbia Bar has been the scene of 2000 shipwrecks and loss of 700 lives. The confluence of the river with the Pacific Ocean is extremely dangerous and the training ground for elite coastguards.

Approaching Astoria Bridge

Looking back at last section of Astoria Bridge

Astoria Bridge dimensions

Weren’t sure where to stay so carried on to the coast and it was quite hot again. At about 5pm we went down to a cool looking RV and Tent park, thinking the day was over. Noone was at the office so just went in. It became evident from the burnt-out caravan and roaming dogs that it wasn't a great choice.  The level of homelessness and trailer park destitution has been shocking at times and this was certainly one of them. Felt bad leaving but turned and left – even though it was close to 6pm and no idea what else was down the road except for 20 miles on.  Really makes you appreciate what you have.  Unsettling.   After another 7 or 8 miles came to this place – a small RV park with camping – clean, safe, lovely. Ready to go on down the coast now. Welcome to Oregon.