Back on the Road

After a nice visit with the family, it was time to head south.  We took the scenic route as usual,  mostly on highway 101.  One long section was along the Hood Canal, through tiny towns.  The waterway is picturesque but the towns are depressed looking and we wonder how anyone makes a living or would even want to live there.  It's a very isolated area.  There is fishing along the canal, including oysters - one small restaurant has a huge pile of discarded oyster shells.

Later on the drive we were in a forested area with signs that the land was owned by Weyerhauser.  We were appalled at what we thought was clear cutting but then saw signs stating that the devastation was the result of hundred mile per hour winds that hit the coast of Washington.  Weyerhauser was cleaning up the felled trees and hauling them away, presumably to become lumber or paper.

We spent the night in South Bend on the Willapa Bay, the first Pacific Ocean site along this route.  South Bend is a nice small town with well cared for homes, a pretty setting, a lovely old courthouse, and a pleasant inn.

A note about Washington and coffee.  One hears that Washington people love their coffee and Starbucks and Seattle's Best are examples.  We have never seen so many coffee kiosks; they are all over the state, hundreds of them.  Every little town and area has at least one.  This time of year they are advertising eggnog lattes and pumpkin pie lattes.  Did we stop at any of them?  No, even though we like our coffee.  Couldn't quite gear up to pumpkin pie flavored coffee.