Monday, October 13, 2014

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.


Of the US cities I know, my childhood hometown of Atlanta, GA was eerily foreign and familiar in the same breath. Madison, WI was comfortably recognizable after frequent visits to my sister's. However, if there's any city here that's like a second home for me, it would be Seattle, WA. In college years, I spent a summer here crashing with Grace in her studio apartment above Uwajimaya. From the International District, we walked everywhere or took the free bus. I was also here when Gwynne moved from Atlanta. Seattle is a place with an easy, natural history for me.

Also, timing was about right - the truth was, I was starting to get tired. Traveling on your own has many merits, but it implicitly means you do everything for yourself. A one-person circus — the research, accounting, transport, kitchen, manual labor, art, photography, PR, and what-have-you departments are just me. I'm use to wearing many hats as a freelancer, but by the time I rolled into Seattle I needed a rest.

First stop, Gwynne and Tom had a great weekend planned at his parent's place in Port Angeles.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
In Washington, motorcycles can go straight to the front of the ferry line.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Love taking ferries, even for short rides.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Lady on the Harley was cool, we chatted for a while.

In the push to make it to Seattle for the weekend jamboree, miles just became numbers that needed to add up. I followed the Volvo containing Gwynne, Tom, and Tim as far as the port of the Edmonds-Kingston ferry, where I darted ahead. That's when I smelled the saltwater of Puget Sound. It had been months since I smelled an ocean. It hit me then, the scale of what I'd accomplished. It took 13,000 miles or so, but I'd actually crossed the continent. Unlike a plane ride, I was intimately familiar with every mile. They seemed to hit me all at once and I wandered the half hour ferry ride too dumbstruck to be annoyed at the salt wind whipping my hair in my face.

It was nightfall by the time I reached Tom's remote childhood home. I was thankful for a hot shower and warm bed (benefits of arriving early with the hosts, ha ha ha), with no idea of how beautiful this spot actually was until the morning.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Woke up to this amazing view of the Olympic National Park, previously hidden in darkness.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Also, an amazing breakfast.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Trying on hats at Swain's.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
At the farmer's market, I totally read that wrong at first glance.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
What is this, Avatar the Last Airbender?

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Steam and tide pools at Salt Creek.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Morgan and crab.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
It's crabby.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Spying on hermit crab wars.

Borrowed from the gsaik Instergram.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
The Dragon is going up at Lake Crescent.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Remember when I said I was tired?

I felt a little guilty for napping prolifically instead of socializing, but they were such delicious naps. The breeze was cool, the sun was warm, the sounds of friends and water and a few attack ducks wrapped around me like a blanket. Through half-lidded eyes I drifted in and out of the brilliant blue beauty of Washington's second deepest lake. The world could wait.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
All made from scratch, personally caught and smoked, or otherwise fancy. When did everyone get so gourmet?

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Dutch nasi goreng with a personal spice blend, thanks to Jake.

Nasi goreng is a household dish in Dutch families, due to their history as colonizers (ah yes, the Dutch East Indies). At first, I was dubious of the pairing of cornichon pickles, but it's actually super tasty! Just goes to show, everything is better with pickles. And egg. And hot sauce. Good thing there's no shortage here. Unlike these legendary Dutch bread sprinkles, hagelslag, I kept hearing about.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Spicy margaritas, books, fire, and a view.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Dutch style pancakes for breakfast, your choice to go sweet or savory. Such hospitality.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Broke away from the party for a coastal ride.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Here we go, for the hiking portion.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Very pretty, and very slippery.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Apparently, you pass through Lothlorien on the way to Cape Flattery.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Wind and sea carved coast.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
As far west as I'm going in the lower 48.

Technically, Cape Alava on the Ozette Indian Reservation is the westernmost point in the 48 contiguous US states. However, it's only accessible by a 3 mile hike - no go with my ankle still mending. Tide depending, Cape Flattery is very nearly as far west though. In fact it looked like you could drive a scooter farther, have a scenic ride past Neah Bay, and hike a comfortable single mile to the cape. In the distance, you can see Cape Flattery Lighthouse on Tatoosh Island. The other thing I didn't realize I missed about oceans is the appearance of lighthouses.

Gazing westward I was conflicted, realizing I'd completed scooting to three out of the four corners that gave this trip framework. All things end, but I didn't want to pursue that last, easternmost point. I comforted myself with the reminder that my final corner in Lubec, ME wouldn't happen until 2015.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Neah Bay, on the Makah Reservation.

On the way back through Neah Bay, I noticed a sign advertising razor clam chowder, fry bread, and pie. I pulled a quick u-ey, and walked up to a house where I met Lila and Duane. They're up for running as two of the nicest people on the planet.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Lila, fry bread master.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Thank you for your kindness!

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Lila's embroidery work on a dress, for the upcoming event, Makah Days.

Within moments of meeting Lila, you could tell that she's the type of person who is the glue holding a community together. They welcomed me in like family, and I listened to stories about life in Neah Bay, family, and history. They're remarkably upbeat people, especially considering some of the stories of displacement they shared. Before I left, they fixed me up with fresh-picked ripe yellow plums, more chowder to go, and as much fry bread as I could carry. The chowder was delicious - big chunks of salted pork, potatoes, and razor clams - and kept me warm on the chilly sunset ferry ride back to Seattle. However, it's her fry bread recipe with butter and homemade apricot preserve that takes the cake. I thought of her as I nibbled my fry bread stash for days, but lacking preserves I paired it with cheese.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Fog on the cape is like a giant roving beast.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Sunset on the ferry.

Maybe it's because I've known Gwynne since Atlanta days, but taking the ferry back to her place felt a bit like going home. Seattle and I, we get along pretty well. It's a big city, a port by the ocean, with cozy coffee cafes and bars aplenty. There's great food. I already know some people here. As the week played out, I settled into a groove of working at cafes and toyed with the idea of finding affordable housing or roommates, like a tongue playing with a loose tooth. It's expensive and winter is grey, but it's just wet, not freezing...

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Strong coffee here.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Oyster happy hour! I am happy, indeed.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Hundreds of bikes, and a blue scooter. Actually, several other scooters.

Also, I was floored by the bike scene. Backfire Motorcycle Night, which I thought was a casual evening out to park bikes around the local place, was packed in a way that reminded of Sturgis...but much better for diversity. It's refreshing to see multiple riding groups share a city - clearly, I'd been in RI too long.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
I want to take the hologram-glitter mini bike for a spin.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Company on the Mukilteo ferry.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Meet Chas. We ended up sharing a ride as far as Bow, where we had a picnic lunch.

Chas and I were both new to the route north, and I still chuckle inside remembering when we hit Deception Pass. I was riding behind him, and as the cliffs dropped away on the bridges I could see his helmet swiveling like crazy to take in the view. In my mind I could hear the dialogue, "What the... where did all this awesomeness come from?!" At least that's what I was thinking, and my helmet was probably spinning too, like a cartoon.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
I never had these from Slough Food before, but I should have bought a dozen for the road. So tasty.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
I continued up to Bellingham, via Chuckanut Drive.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
All the prettiness.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Cliffside ride, Chuckanut Drive.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
I love roadside fruit snacks, but was denied: the cooler was empty.
The ones from Duane were probably better anyway.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Meeting Jackie, from Amerivespa, for a drink at Fuse Box. It's great to see her again!

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Reflecting.

Before brunch, Gwynne, Tom and I visited Bruce and Brandon Lee's grave in Lake View Cemetery. The quote on Brandon's tombstone especially hit home with me.
Because we don't know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. Yet everything happens a certain number of times, and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood, some afternoon that's so deeply a part of your being that you can't even conceive of your life without it? Perhaps four or five time more. Perhaps not even that. How many times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps twenty. And yet it all seems limitless.

For Brandon and Eliza
Ever Joined in True Love's Beauty
When doing something like exploding your life to ride around the country, life seems to stretch out like the endless road in front of you. It's easy to forget how fleeting your time is. You take in moment after moment, gobbling them up with the miles. Yet it's journeys like these that will impact who you are, and who you will be to the people you're close to and the world around you. When your ride is done - and it will be done one day - what will be left?

I pondered on the beautiful but uneasy coexistence of the finite and infinite at brunch with the gang. Then it was off to our next adventure: urban canoeing! Bonus low-impact graffiti art.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Highways overhead.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Art installation on a highway pillar.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Those beavers are industrious.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Derp.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Well that's creepy.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
How'd that get there?!

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Mods vs Rockers rally.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Carnival Lammy.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Aw yeah little bikes.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
We had a breakdown, so we hung out at Mike's Chili Bowl until further notice.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Finishing the evening at Add-a-Ball with our token moped rider.

When people ask if I miss Providence, RI, I answer honestly that I don't at all. I love being on the road, and Providence receded in my mind into just another place I'll pass through again at some point. But I miss people very often, and the easy-going nature of having a group of go-to buddies. Road friendships can be intense and last a lifetime, but can also be all too fleeting. I miss frivolous things like nail polish, and choosing a cute skirt to wear with leggings and boots in the fall. Super girly, yes, but at the core I realized it's about having options of self-expression. I was beginning to look forward being still for a while when I reached my cousin's place in San Jose, maybe join a rock climbing gym. Seattle was like a little taste of it. I liked just killing time with Gwynne and Megan at their place, doing day-to-day things like seeing if friends were around who wanted to get food. I liked going to the flea market, or just sitting in the livingroom streaming TV. I liked buzzing around the city with other riders, going to coffee shops in the day and bars at night (so many to choose from!).

As much as I wanted to asked Gwynne and Megan how much to rent out their guest room until further notice, it was too soon to sign any leases. Recharged and caffeinated, I was ready to hit the road.

Second Home Seattle, WA. August 14-24, 2014.
Onward!

2 comments:

  1. Hmmmm... Lubec ME in 2015.

    That's only 11-ish hours from here. If you care to meet, with a little planning it might work.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I havent been to the Olympic Peninsula via motorcycle before, only by car, and i was very young. Looks beautiful.

    ReplyDelete