From my hotel room in Port Angeles on the northern tip of the Olympic peninsula of Washington State, I can see Vancouver Island.

My choice of the Red Lion Hotel was an inspired one, as it is less than two minutes from the ferry terminal, My ferry for Victoria leaves at 08h15 and I have to be there an hour before for passport and customs. A ship’s foghorn has just shattered the calm. It is the evening ferry on the way. It sleeps in Victoria and leaves there at 06h15 for the 90 minute trip to Port Angeles.

This is part of Puget Sound. For those of you have not been to Seattle or Vancouver, but have been to Sydney, this is a Sydney on massive steroids. My ride today took me from Astoria, over the Columbia River and into Washington State. I was not with the program this morning and should have been wearing my GoPro.

The bridge over the river is spectacular. Withing a quarter of mile from the shore you find yourself at a height of about 300 feet above the river. This is to allow the ocean going vessels, which sail up the river to Portland and further to collect grain and lumber, to pass underneath.

You then drop down just as quickly onto a causeway, which then runs for the whole two mile width of the river. I debated going back and redoing the run with the camera on, but there was a ry/go on the bridge for construction work and the backups were immense.

I will not bore you with more descriptions of the magnificent scenery. It just goes on and on, seemingly endless. Trees and water everywhere. I did however have to stop in Big Bend and have some crab, as this is where it all began.

Big Bend WA, where it all began

Crab and Fries for lunch. Great crab, shitty fries

From Big Bend onwards, it was not a pleasant ride. The summer is here and people are out in force going on vacation. Everywhere has filled up since earlier in the week. The going is slow. Bonnie and I are getting frustrated. This is never good. relationships break up when thing get tense. I take a back road. This is better, but not for long. I calm her and myself down.

A post office appears. I have bought Oregon postcards for Moshe and Stevi, and one with pansy shells on it for my dearest beloved. I get ready to post them. I have quick glance at the pansy shell  postcard. Fortunately I do, for in addition to the pictures of the shells, it has some words of wisdom on it. It is born again Christian stuff! I look at it and tear up the card. If this arrives, she will think I have lost my marbles, or that I am gearing her up for an elopement with one of my girls.

Another Postcard to Gregg and Stevi -on the way

I am ravenous and stop in a small (tiny)  town called Quilcene

South Africans are everywhere

Here I go into the restaurant and meet Claire. Guess where she was born. Durban!!

Lunch here

Claire. Born and bred in Durban. Now in Quilcene WA

Soon I am in the outskirts of Port Angeles. I fill Bonnie up. Rule no 1 for a good night and early start -always make sure your girl is well fed, filled up and watered. A huge truck (Bakkie) nearly rides over my bike. It can!

Filling up. For you Dane. An F250 on steroid springs

After checking in, I walk the town. All three streets of it. Tonight I am going to have a really good dinner, especially after last nights fiasco in Astoria when I walked out of the first restaurant because of appalling service. Give Clemente in Astoria a wide berth. Then the second choice only managed to scrape by, forgetting my soup and salad out of an order of three items.

Olympic Mountains. View from Main Rd Port Angeles

So Michael’s it is. I have  superb dinner. Oysters, Alaskan King Crab and salad plus artisan apple cider and great service. I am soppies though. This should be shared with someone. I have packed badly! Bonnie gives me a great ride and responds to most of my day needs, but she is battling with the night time issues.

Into bed earlier tonight.

Tomorrow “My Bonnie goes over the Ocean, My Bonnie goes over the sea”!

My ferry leaves. I am on it tomorrow

The plot and characters for my novel are forming in my head. Poppie, I also have a response for you on “grey” issues but it will have to wait for the weekend. It is all to do with BP’s!. All will be revealed in due course.

Good night and good luck!