I’m in Centralia, Washington, trying out a place that’s nicely located for future trips. Nice place, very expensive. But that’s to be expected around here.
As usual, I hated the goodbye to the peninsula. I really do enjoy that place more than anywhere else, but it has the problem of miserable winters. And it has other drawbacks.
I took way too many ferry trips this summer, almost all to doctors and hospitals, a few to see family and do something interesting. One leg of a ferry trip takes 2 hours and costs $16. Which adds up. Before I left work had begun on the Hood Canal Bridge which promised long closures, and was shut down for many hours last week. The minimum delay for the bridge is an hour, could be 2 hours. Yet another friction point when it comes to living on the peninsula.
No more ferries, no more bridge, no more trees everywhere I look.
Tomorrow I go south to Portland, but take a left turn along the Washington side of the Columbia river, highway 14. It’s slow, narrow and windy, but pretty; think of the more challenging places along US101.
[I don’t recommend this for first-time visitors, you’d be happier with the Oregon side of the river].
Should be in the Yakima Valley on Sunday…