Washington Coast

It is easier to sail many thousand miles through cold and storm and cannibals, in a government ship, with five hundred men and boys to assist one, than it is to explore the private sea, the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean of one's being alone.... It is not worth the while to go round the world to count the cats in Zanzibar.
-- Henry David Thoreau

Sunday, November 11, 2001
One year ago: Cyberworld 3D
Two years ago: Stark Raving Mad
Three years ago: Out the Door
Four years ago: Orycon III

Like yesterday, I let Jack sleep late, wandering down to the Oxford Suites dining room and getting breakfast, and bringing some back for Jack. Today they had actual meat! I like corned beef hash. Somehow breakfast meats are what makes paying for breakfast seem worth it. Cereal or toast just can never seem worth the bucks, especially when I know how inexpensive oatmeal is when bought in bulk. But, mmmm, bacon, sausage, ham, pancakes, waffles....

Checkout was at noon, so I prompted Jack to wake up around eleven. I spent the time between reading my new CJ Cherryh book, Hammerfall. I do like it, but most of it consists of journeys across the desert, then back again, then back again, for her poor put-upon protagonist.

We managed to get the car packed before our deadline. I was surprised to have no trouble getting my deposit back. They didn't even look at the room! I know they sent a manager down the hall last time before handing back the cash.

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We went over to the Doubletree Inn and checked email. Jack tried to call his ex-wife while I bought memberships for ... ta-dah! next year's worldcon! It's only in the bay area, it just makes sense for us to go, even though that will be a month or so before our wedding. Jack ended up leaving a message, letting his daughter know that we decided to come get her tomorrow, not today. That's what she wanted, anyway, so presumably this will be ok. There was a line at the table for buying next year's Orycon memberships, so we decided to pass, wimps that we are. I swear we'll buy them later, though -- it's so much better than trying to do so at the door, and it helps the concom!

There wasn't any programming we were inclined to go to, so we went to the fan lounge and hung out for a while. Jack talked with the other folks about his disappointment with the programming overall: "The fannish program items were the most interesting things for me, and I usually don't like them!" I think the science stuff didn't tempt him this time, and a lot of items were retreads. I didn't feel as strongly about it as he did, since I did go to some panels that I liked yesterday.

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We hit the road, me driving. We'd decided to drive northwest then west, down the Columbia River to Astoria. I hadn't seen this part of Oregon before. It was a cloudy, dark, day, but I liked the scenery and little towns. I'd thought we'd be able to stop and walk around in Astoria, but Jack had a goal that he wanted to reach before dark, so instead we stopped for a soda and to switch drivers. I'd like to get back there sometime; it looks like a cute place and has appeared in various movies.

I let Jack drive because of the weird bridge -- I don't think he thought I'd have a panic attack or anything, but I didn't mind getting a good look at the view. It's a bridge that's very high at the beginning, then swoops down to a long causeway-thing. We crossed the Columbia to the Washington side, and drove north towards Long Beach.

It was already getting late! I observed the small vacation houses (and retirement homes?) as we drove on. Jack's goal was Ilwaco, where Lewis and Clark reached their goal of seeing the Pacific. We found the state park where Jack had been before, and found the Interpretive Center within it, after passing a Coast Guard Guard (or was he part of the squad squad?) who warned us not to approach the light house nearby. They've tightened security because of September 11.

We climbed a steep path, but we were too late! They were just locking the doors. It was raining, but we did look at the view before leaving. The center is on a high bluff, with the remains of gun emplacements around it. Down below the Pacific Ocean comes crashing in.

We finished the three-mile loop road back to Ilwaco, and continued up the penninsula.

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It was getting steadily darker and raining harder. But it was only a few miles to Long Beach, where we planned on spending the night. After cruising up and down the main drag, we decided to try the Motel 8. They had a reasonable room rate, but Jack was annoyed that there wasn't a pay phone in the lobby (to call his daughter again), and we couldn't get the non-pay phone to accept the phone card, darn it!

So we set out to find a pay phone, so there! and call some different lodging places while we were at it. There was a phone booth at a garage, but more frustration -- there wasn't a phone book! Jack went inside and asked the garage folks to let him look up some numbers. The owner said "Yeah, I used to have a yellow pages out there, but people kept stealing it!" Luckily I had enough change in my purse to make these calls; Jack and I crowded into the booth (tight fit!) to keep out of the rain.

We decided on the Ocean Lodge, since they had a good rate on "cabins". No deposit needed, either! I mentioned that and the woman said we didn't look like crazy kids. We pulled around to the little old "cabin" (but it wasn't a detached building). It was an old place! Paneled walls, and a full kitchen! which surprised us. After unloading, we walked out to find some food; the rain had let up a bit.

We were too late, again, to visit Marsh's Free Museum (really a gift shop), but we'd get it the next day. Can't miss Jake the Alligator man! Next to the museum was a small place featuring Grinders, that I'd seen an ad for in the local guide. We were the only customers, but the older couple working there didn't mind. I had a roast pork and mango grinder (not traditional, but good!), and Jack had chili in a bread bowl along with a hot dog.

It seemed like fate that they had Law and Order on the TV, though Jack isn't a fan of this Criminal Intent version. We chatted with the old couple; they were the parents of the owner and had come to town recently to help their son in his business. Of course, when I call them old, I suppose they are only about twenty years older than Jack and I am!

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The rest of the evening we spent quietly and cozily in our cabin, roughing it -- the TV had no remote!