The first day of a journey always has elements of excitement around its edges, especially when one has to begin the day on a very strict timetable. Our schedule this morning had our alarms set for 3:30 a.m. with a departure time very shortly after 4:00. Unfortunately for me, I awoke at 1:50 and was not able to get back to sleep, so, my day began at 1:50 a.m.
However, the drive from Sooke to the Black Ball ferry terminal took less than and hour and we arrived somewhat before 5:00 a.m. in the rain. Not a really promising start to our journey to northern California. Because we had reservations at a cost of eleven US dollars when none were needed (the ferry was one-third full for the 6:10 sailing) we didn't have the concern of wasting four and a half hours should the ferry have been full. For eleven dollars, the peace of mind was well worth it.
By the time we pulled away from the dock the rain had stopped and there were actually patches of blue sky visible. In the quiet of the morning, the harbour looked quite serene and there were even reflections on the water. It isn't something I have seen there before.
Victoria, BC, harbour
Leaving Victoria Harbour
The Breakwater, Victoria, BC
The sailing to Port Angeles, WA, is usually quite uneventful, but this morning we were treated to a display put on by several humpback whales. These whales are much larger than orcas, or 'killer whales', and they seldom breach or even come very far out of the water. But to see them is quite a privilege, and this morning we were able to watch them for several minutes as he approached Port Angeles. When they surfaced they would blow and the cold air above the water made the warm humid air from their lungs condense, allowing us to see their breath.
A humpback 'blowing'
Submerging again
Flukes are out of the water as the whale dives.
As we were leaving Port Angeles, we saw a sign for a Chinese restaurant. With a utility pole blocking part of the sign the name took on a humourous tone. I couldn't resist a photo, but unfortunately I inadvertently changed the setting on my camera so the photo wasn't very good, but you can see why I took the picture.
My favourite restaurant sign.
We drove on US 101 all the way to Olympia, WA, where we merged onto I-5. Along the way we saw some unusual place names. They included Jimmycomelately Creek, Chicken Coop Road, Hamma Hamma Recreation Area, and Lilliwaups, to name but a few. Most of the time when I see names like this I'm riding and I forget them by the end of the day, but because Jim was driving I was able to take notes and this is the result.
Generally when we are on the Interstate, we stop at rest areas. Usually, they are between sixty and eighty kilometres apart, so the intervals are perfect for bathroom breaks and for stretching your legs. One thing I have noticed in the past few years is the number of people begging at these rest areas, Today we saw Iraq War veterans down on their luck, a couple who needed gas of cash, another who needed money so he could get a hotel for his family. Every rest stop had someone who had a hard luck story. They may be true stories but it is hard not to be skeptical, and to wonder how, if they are so down on their luck, they made it to places in the middle of nowhere to ply their trade.
Portland, OR is sited on the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers so when I ride or drive through it, I think of it as a city of bridges. I love crossing big bridges and the variety of designs that range from utilitarian to artistic. Portland has all of them. The big one though, is the one that crosses the Columbia from Vancouver, WA, to Portland, and despite the number of times I have crossed it, I have no idea of it's name. Being a passenger has its advantages and for the first time I was able to take a few bridge photos as we passed through.
The bridge over the Columbia River at Portland, OR
A bridge over the Willamette River in Portland, OR.
South of Salem, OR, there are wheat fields that run for about eighty kilometres. When Jim & I drove to Ashland for our last Norton rally two years ago, farmers were harvesting the wheat with multiple combines. This time most of the fields have already been harvested with just a small number left to do. The harvest appears to have been a few weeks early this year.
Wheat field south of Salem, OR
We also followed a semi that had Jim's last name on it so that was worth a pic as well.
Knight Transport
We stopped at Albany, OR, for a Starbucks break so we took a few minutes to figure out where we wanted to stop for the night. In our June trip we developed a strategy for getting rooms for the night and it worked quite well. We pick a town where we think we could stop for the night and use Priceline or Expedia to find affordable rooms. Today we found an affordable room in Winston, OR, just south of Roseburg, so we chose to drive a further one hundred and twenty miles to this little town.
When we arrived we discovered that tonight is Graffiti Night. That's the night that people bring out their old cars and cruise the main street of Winston. After having dinner at the Winston Drive In (we walked in) we walked back to the motel, grabbed our chairs and parked ourselves on the street. We saw dozens of cars in various conditions. There were some cars that had been restored quite well, but most were just old cars that really weren't in great shape. Essentially, they were original and hadn't been restored. There also some 'rat rods', low riders and other types of cars. It was a slice of small town Americana, and a great way to end our day.
Model T? Ford
1958 Chevrolet
1957 Chevrolet
1956 Chevrolet
???
Hot rod
Hot rod
Early 1950s Henry J.
1963 or 1964 Chevrolet
When I checked Facebook tonight I received a message from John Favill, one of the engineers who worked on developing the Norton Commando motorcycle. He will be at the rally and he has invited me as well as others at the rally to find him and visit. I am excited to meet one of the creators of a legenday motorcycle that I happen to love.
Today, we drove almost 450 miles or just slightly more than 700 kilometres and did a two hour ferry trip with a one hour wait, so it was a long day. We are now about one hundred and twenty miles (about 200 km) north of the California border so tomorrow we will try to make it to Quincy, CA or someplace close, and on Monday, the fun begins.
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