We left Tillimook with the intention of going to Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia River. It was a cold, grey, foggy morning and by the time we arrived at Astoria around noon it was still grey. Not seeing anything of the town or surrounding rural areas that seemed appealing, we crossed the long bridge over the Columbia into Washington. We stopped at Dismal Nitch on the Washington side of the Columbia,aptly named on this foggy August grey day.
We headed onward hoping for a break in the fog away from the coast slightly inland. About 50 miles inland we arrive at Raymond Wa. to a place called Willapa Harbor. Looking for and RV park we saw a sign Golf and RV Park 1 mile. We turned in and drive a mile or so until we came to a clearing in the forest and there was the golf course and along side of the first tee a bunch of short posts with electrical hook ups and water taps. We thought we were pulling into the fairway at first, but there was a sign telling us to select a site and report up to the clubhouse to check in. By this time the overcast had lifted and we found our selves surrounded by green parked on a huge lawn that was an extension of the driving range. There were 20 sites or so but we were the only ones there in the RV park. We used the driving range to hit some balls and I played a couple of rounds on this pristine 9 hole course.
Willapa Habor today is pretty grim, its heyday was about 100 years ago when the harbor was lined with lumber mills, today only one mill remains and I'm sure it is automated. The two local establishments that seem to be still in full swing is the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion Hall. Most of the buildings are pretty old and in disrepair. In all this grimness this town has a great sense of humour, just about on every block were full size silhouette plate steal sculptures of people and animals in various poses, activities, past and future. They were all done with a touch of whimsee.
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We pushed on today with the promise of warm weather in the Seattle area, mid 80s. Our goal was to get as close to Bainbridge Island as we could. From Bainbridge you can take a passenger ferry into Seattle that puts you into downtown. We found a park just a mile or so from Bainbridge in Poulsbo. Poulsbo is a town that celebrates its Norwegian heritage and has the cutest downtown. They also celebrate the banana slug, dressing them up in costume (clay figurines) and have some sort of treasure hunt in one of the local parks to find them. And we thought we were the only ones to venerate the humble banana slug.
We headed onward hoping for a break in the fog away from the coast slightly inland. About 50 miles inland we arrive at Raymond Wa. to a place called Willapa Harbor. Looking for and RV park we saw a sign Golf and RV Park 1 mile. We turned in and drive a mile or so until we came to a clearing in the forest and there was the golf course and along side of the first tee a bunch of short posts with electrical hook ups and water taps. We thought we were pulling into the fairway at first, but there was a sign telling us to select a site and report up to the clubhouse to check in. By this time the overcast had lifted and we found our selves surrounded by green parked on a huge lawn that was an extension of the driving range. There were 20 sites or so but we were the only ones there in the RV park. We used the driving range to hit some balls and I played a couple of rounds on this pristine 9 hole course.
Willapa Habor today is pretty grim, its heyday was about 100 years ago when the harbor was lined with lumber mills, today only one mill remains and I'm sure it is automated. The two local establishments that seem to be still in full swing is the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion Hall. Most of the buildings are pretty old and in disrepair. In all this grimness this town has a great sense of humour, just about on every block were full size silhouette plate steal sculptures of people and animals in various poses, activities, past and future. They were all done with a touch of whimsee.
e
We pushed on today with the promise of warm weather in the Seattle area, mid 80s. Our goal was to get as close to Bainbridge Island as we could. From Bainbridge you can take a passenger ferry into Seattle that puts you into downtown. We found a park just a mile or so from Bainbridge in Poulsbo. Poulsbo is a town that celebrates its Norwegian heritage and has the cutest downtown. They also celebrate the banana slug, dressing them up in costume (clay figurines) and have some sort of treasure hunt in one of the local parks to find them. And we thought we were the only ones to venerate the humble banana slug.
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