A final report to say that the dog and I arrived home yesterday on the afternoon Coho Ferry trip from Port Angeles, WA to Victoria.
We’d made our way up the coast from Trinidad, CA to the Sunset State Park near Coos Bay, Oregon. It’s a very pleasant campground with spacious sites and an easy walk to the beach. It was only sparsely occupied. And that may have been the reason my folding bike got stolen. The bike is not quickly put together as a bike without some practice tries so I’ve always assumed that if someone stole it they would have to carry it off. Which appears to be what someone did. I scouted around the campground the next morning but it would have been a really dumb thief who would have left the bike out in full view.
So I reported the theft at the local ranger’s station and they were very helpful. Lesson learned, I guess.
We made our way from Coos Bay up to Nehalem, OR and stayed at what is perhaps my favourite park on the Oregon coast, Nehalem State Park. I think I like it mostly because of the beach which is close by and great for walking. Eliot and I put in a good long walk before suppertime. The weather had been gray and threatening rain all day but held off until overnight.
On Thursday morning we set out on the final leg of our return trip and travelled up through Washington State to overnight at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Port Townsend, WA.
It rained lightly almost all day although the temperatures were warm. At GoWesty in Los Osos, CA I had purchased a electronic plug-in that would give me timing control over my intermittent wiper position. It took a few tries to get the hang of setting the interval but it proved to be very handy throughout the day as the rains came and went. It will certainly prove its value during British Columbia winters.
I had followed signs to the Jefferson County Fairground. Two sides of the campground are bordered by residential housing but it was quiet and peaceful overnight other than some wind and a shower. The grass had just been cut and with the wet I was constantly tracking great wads of grass clippings into the van.
Lots of choice about campsite
Since we were making the crossing back to Victoria on a Friday afternoon, I’d made a reservation for the ferry which meant we didn’t have to show up until an hour before sailing time (2:00pm). So I spent the morning doing a little organizing in the van and drinking a few extra cups of coffee.
I think the reservation was a good idea as the ferry was packed with cars and about five of those huge bus RVs several of which were pulling cars. I don’t think I’ve ever had a smoother crossing. Usually when you get halfway across there’s some rolling from the swell coming in off the Pacific. But not yesterday. Still Eliot shivered and fretted most of the way across. He does not like the Coho or most other ferries for that matter.
And now we’re home safe and sound and I’m exhausted. It was very nice to sleep in my own bed again and not have to shower (assuming one was available) in a drafty campground washroom.
I hope you’ve been able to endure the pedantic narrative but have enjoyed some of the not bad photos (if I do say so myself). Till the Westy hits the road again.
