Pacific Northwest

Cross Country (Part Ten)

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The emerald waters of the Pacific pounded the cliffs of the Southern Oregon coast. I had only seen pictures of the rugged Pacific coastline. We had seen the golden sands of Southern California beaches made famous in song, and I lost nothing at the seashore filled with masses of kelp monsters washing onto the shore (though time with family was priceless). Not being a thalassophile, I had no problem leaving that behind. The rough coastline of southern Oregon was more to my liking. The jagged cliffs and rocky formations consumed the shoreline that separated land from ocean. They took on their own unique characteristics and offered a perch to sit and look out over the mesmerizing watery expanse that surged with the tide. We stopped and watched the fog dissipate as the cool salty breeze washed over us. The masses of people were left far behind and we relished in the solitude and the unobstructed view. 

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Though there were not hordes of people, there were other inhabitants in this domain. We visited one such place and it was very noisy. The Sea Lion Caves was an entertaining stop. Sea lions of all sizes applauded us and honked and grunted. Their flippers flipped out like appendages as they waddled across rocks and disappeared beneath the incoming waves. They weren’t like the performing Orcas or trained seals we had seen show off at Marineland. I guess if someone had thrown the sea lions a ball, we would have been spectators of a good game. They were fun to visit and barked “come back again,” when we left.

When we got closer to Portland, snowy Mt. Hood glistened in the distance. The air was cool and clear which offered quite a view. We continued into Washington and drove through Mt. Rainier National Park. As we rode up and down the winding road, we got a closer view of the mountain. The mountainsides wept as waterfalls spilled over the edges and merged with streams that bounded into the valleys below. Mt. Rainier was gorgeous. I only have one photo of the mountain from that trip. That was my kind of country! You can have the sandy beaches. I’ll take the mountains!

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Our mountaintop experience came to an end as we descended into the valley. Kent was our next stop. We arrived at Uncle George’s house. Some might think it odd that two young girls traveling across the country would choose to stay with their 82-year-old great uncle for a few days. We had grown up with tales of our family history and knew that uncles were special.  He lived within walking distance of a little café. We had several meals there during our stay with him. At first, we were a bit intimidated. He was a crusty bachelor with a dry humor. I studied him a bit to determine the best way to approach him. He had some similar personality traits of his sister, my Grandmother, so soon we had him buttered up. He took us various places and we had a blast. I have a suspicion that he did, too. I’m so glad we spent time with him and feel much richer for having done it. He died the next year. One of my greatest possessions is a teacup and saucer that belonged to Uncle George. It was special to share hot tea at his table and I am reminded of it when I drink from his cup. 

One of our side trips was to Seattle. For anyone who has been there, you know that the Space Needle is a city landmark and icon of Seattle. It was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair. The needle was once the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. It was built to withstand 200 mph winds and earthquakes of 9.0 magnitude. The Space Needle opened in 1962 along with the monorail that was built at the same time. We went in the heart of the city and boarded the monorail, along with many other visitors, for the ride to the Space Needle. Big windows on the elevated train and the Space Needle allowed wonderful views of the city, the Pacific waters and the mountains beyond. We also visited the Government Locks and made a stop at REI where we gathered a few camping supplies. I think we could have stayed in REI for days. 

Once again, it was time to go forward. 

Port Angeles and Uncle Sid, here we come!

Part Nine Part Eleven

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