101 South: Artic Park and Seaside

We started our road trip on Saturday at 9:30am at the Source in Kingsgate Mall. If you are an old man this is a great place to meet other old men and drink coffee. I found myself as an old man - I was the one with the ice-cream cone. Anywho, we needed to get a DC to AC auto inverter so we could charge our laptops and toys in the truck. It was on sale for $30 -so I got the $5 warranty and we should be charging for life! (fingers crossed)

 Now, which border do we take? I had the border wait times on my phone and checked them as we drove. Any way looked like a bad way. I came up with a plan. I thought, we will just go to the truck crossing, I will drive right through to the Duty Free, pee, and sneak in the front. Well, that is a scam! We felt good cruising past all the cars that were lined up through the intersection. We got to the Duty Free, peed, got jerky and licorice, and headed for the exit. Where we were flagged into a line and parked for the next 68 minutes. We played with our phones, I peed again, and we tried not to think about the line. It was like a ferry line with rows of parked cars waiting for the next ferry. Anywho, why am I waisting time talking about the most boring part of the trip so far? We made it through and hit the road!

 Parked at the Pac Duty Free

 We made it in the back in the line! 

 Yes! Almost our turn. Oh ya... the border guy asked to see my right arm - without my sleeve. Did he know I have a tattoo? I guess they were looking for someone who looked like me? It wasn't me and away we went. 

 We made our first stop for breakfast/ lunch at the Olive Garden in Tulalip but the wait was 25 minutes. I peed and we left. We saw the Taco Del Mar on our way out and decided that would be a nice alternative to waiting. We had mondos on a bench outside the steamy insides of the Taco Del Mar.

 We drove past Seattle. Hi Crab Pot!! 

 Our first gas stop was at The Commons. 

 It was light on empty. It is $65 at home. 

 Is this a nuclear power plant? YIKES! 

 We turned right instead of left on the 101 and drove through Cosmopolis and Aberdeen, Washington. Did Kurt live here?  

 Maybe here? 

 He lived somewhere here. 

 We made our destination and stop spot for the night: Artic Park. Here is our camping spot. 

 Here is the pub where we ate dinner. 

 I think dad would like it here. 

 Here is another view of the pub. 

 Horseshoes off the back deck. 

 See, Dad would like it here. Lot's of trees. 

 There was a family who had a racoon as a pet in the pub. Yup - it was just like home! hahaha! 

 We woke up, cleaned up and headed back on the road. South on the 101. What a fun road to drive. 

 They are fixing up the bridge that enters Oregon via Astoria. 

 It was one lane traffic across the bridge. 

 Seaside, Oregon and the handrail that Jonny wants to do. We are sitting here now. This is the view out of the window. We had the breakfast buffet at The Shilo Inn. We are sitting looking out the window at the beach. It is pretty awesome. The sin is starting to peak through a bit more now. I went on the swings before we came in here and I will go on them again. 

That is all I got for now!

Here are some more photos from Jonny's device. 

 Here is me swinging in Seaside. 

 I love swings, especially swings that look out at waves. There should be swing sets on all beaches. Or swing chairs! 

 The back of the Artic Park pub. 

Some man's bathroom scrawl.

Movie night in the cozy truck at Artic Park - popcorn and everything.

Awww!!