orcatown

At the End of the Country

I had to share this picture I took while waiting for work to start in Bumblefudge, WA Wednesday morning. I’m going to have to make this one large to the script on the window can be seen.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to get the tinsel, feather and gems special, which is truly a pity, because I imagine it would have made quite the impression.

After our work near Olympia, we continued driving west until we hit the Pacific Ocean. Having lived in Michigan, Illinois and Virginia, I thought I knew rural, but the Olympic Peninsula is Rural, capital “R”. There were two towns that we drove through, Aberdeen and Hoquim, which for the life of me I couldn’t figure out what the thousands of residents there could possibly do for work. Apparently logging and fishing are the two main industries, but even those can’t support the population.

We planned to stay overnight at the Quinault Beach Indian Casino. I am almost always fond of my coworkers, but by this time I was happy to have some solitary time to walk on the beach.

Blue skies and sunshine, did I wander into Florida? Blue skies and sunshine, did I wander into Florida?

Oh, no. It got cloudy two seconds later, I must still be in Pacific Northwest. Oh, no. It got cloudy two seconds later, I must still be in Pacific Northwest.

I wandered along the surprisingly wide beach for awhile. The casino was the only thing out there. The beach was largely deserted, as most of the casino patrons were roughly 100 years old, and it was 4,00 PM and dinnertime.

The Senior citizen Seagulls had had a crab buffet dinner earlier The Senior citizen Seagulls had had a crab buffet dinner earlier

I was surprised to find sand dollars on the beach – my Gamma was from South Carolina and had once sent us a box of them from Pawleys Island, but I had never seen them myself on a beach.

This one is broken so it is a sand Fifty Cent Piece. This one is broken so it is a sand Fifty Cent Piece.

The past few years I’ve found myself on a lot of beaches while TDY for work, and this was the most interesting one as far as beach detritus. I also saw a dead shark that had been picked over by the geriatric seagull crew.

Seagulls are brutal Seagulls are brutal

I truly felt like I was at the end of the country in a way I didn’t feel when I was in Florida or California, or even Belize and Panama. I suppose because it was so desolate and lonely. Whenever I travel for work, I always think it is kind of a pity to see all these places that are actually very interesting, but not be able to experience it with my family.

Hank would love to romp along the shore Hank would love to romp along the shore

So after some more wandering through the seagrass and avoiding the cars that drive along the beach, I called my mom because I was lonely and wanted attention.

I had the glasses on so I looked intimidating earlier at work I had the glasses on so I looked intimidating earlier at work

In addition to SASQUATCH being of large concern to Olympic Peninsulans, they have the joy of being concerned about another mythical creature, the KRACKEN. The KRACKEN is what I assume is the source of all the Tsunami warning signs I saw while in the region. There are Tsunami escape routes posted throughout the peninsula.

They pretend Tsunami are caused by Earthquakes so as not to alarm the populace They pretend Tsunami are caused by Earthquakes so as not to alarm the populace

Just run uphill, good advice. I am sure I will run fast with the extra weight in my pants after seeing that wave Just run uphill, good advice. I am sure I will run fast with the extra weight in my pants after seeing that wave

I took a photo of the casino, because I was overwhelmed by the smell of cigarette smoke and ensure, and wasn’t thinking straight. I took a photo of the casino, because I was overwhelmed by the smell of cigarette smoke and ensure, and wasn’t thinking straight.

I didn’t see any sign that this Indian casino was more Indian than say, an Atlantic City Casino, except for this wall art.

Culture. Culture.

The next day we drove to the actual Indian Reservation, which was literally in the middle of nowhere, next to the Pacific Ocean. I didn’t take a photo of the actual town, since our presence was already alarming.

We will pretend this other desolate town is the one. We will pretend this other desolate town is the one.

For reasons best left unexplained, we didn’t get to eat lunch until 3,00. Because we were in Nowheresville, there was only one restaurant to pick from. When we pulled up, I had a fleeting thought that my coworkers might be trying to kill me.

I try not to go in places I can picture on Dateline Murder Investigation specials. I try not to go in places I can picture on Dateline Murder Investigation specials.

It didn’t help that when we walked in, it looked like this.

Now you all will have nightmares too. Now you all will have nightmares too.

Surprisingly, despite the terrifying atmosphere and the televisions playing “Intervention”, the restaurant had decent food.

Anyway, we drove the 5670 hours back to Seattle and got home in the evening. I was incredibly happy to get home and see Chris and the cats.

Mom! What did you bring us? The dead shark? Mom! What did you bring us? The dead shark?