Hurry up and wait

Trip Start Sep 03, 2008

Trip End Oct 01, 2008

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Where I stayed

LaQuinta Inn Olympia-Lacey

Flag of United States Lacey, Washington
Thursday, September 18, 2008

What a day! I intentionally scheduled us for 193 driving miles today, knowing that we wanted to see Seattle again. Little did I know what a chore that would turn out to be. Sandy reminded me that the last time we were in Seattle was in 1986, 22 years ago. It seems like yesterday. We got an early start, but stopped for a couple of gallons of Canadian gasoline, just enough to get us across the border, and back to American prices! Next, we got caught in a traffic jam because they have 3 lanes in the tunnels open Northbound getting traffic into Vancouver. Then we got to the border, and the wait was exactly what the overhead sign said. 40 minutes. It seems like the road from Vancouver to Seattle to Tacoma to Olympia is 5 lanes each way, and bumper-to-bumper. White knuckles. I miss the mountains! The congestion has increased exponentially in the last 22 years.

We got th the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle, and it was just the same as always

we got a 40 minute look at the peace arch

. An eclectic jumble of food stands, artisan stands, art stands, restaurants, etc., along with the fish markets famous for throwing the fish to each other. Every time someone buys a salmon, the employees begin a chant, and the guy out front tosses the fish over the counter to the guy who wraps it. It is a sight to see, and you often see it on the news at home, for some reason. When they hit a lull, and nobody buys a fish, they begin the chant, and the guy in the back tosses a salmon out front, that the front guy drops unceremoniously. It turns out to be a fish pillow, not a real fish. We had a great time there, but when we decided to drive around town and look at the sights (like side-by-side Starbucks, and Nordstrom's original store, we got snarled in traffic and moved on.

Tacoma was no prize. We saw it from the freeway, and decided it wasn't worth the side trip. A few miles down the road, we saw an upcoming traffic stoppage on the 5-laner, so we shot off the exit and headed for the shoreline. With the help of Victoria (Sandy tells me that is the name of the navigation voice) we found a very scenic bypass to about 10 miles of freeway, missing the tie up.

We arrived in Lacey (very close to Olympia) completely worn out. After a soak in the spa, and a quick dip in the pool, we continued our practice of asking the desk clerk for dinner recommendaations. She sent us to Budd Bay Grille, a nice casual place on the water in Olympia. We had fish, of course, and it was very nice. I was surprised at Olympia. After the overcrowded megatropolisses of Seattle and Tacoma, the state Capital of Olympia seemed like a sleepy little town. It was nice. The more I see of people, the more I like trees!

Tomorrow, it's 250 miles down the coast of Washington and Oregon on Hwy 101. So begins the second half of our journey along the entire Pacific Coast highway. Several years ago we did San Diego to San Francisco, now we are doing Vancouver to San Francisco.

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