On the Road - Day 17

Started with a COLD brief, obviously, shower in the RV. Ugh. Pat says we must have hot water heater working before do that again! Opting to head to Sequim instead of Seattle. The Holiday traffic confirms the decision. For those of you following our journey on a map, from Fife we took Rts. 5, 16, and 3 to Poulsbo - a Norwegian settlement with a Farmers Market this morning. "Vilkomen til Poulsbo" said the sign. A number of street names were unpronounceable, like Bjerkmenomen.

Good looking produce included huge picked-today cherries, smell-good peaches, and greens. We got homemade bratwurst sandwiches, mine (Pat) with sauerkraut. We ate our lunch and continued around Liberty Bay. We crossed over Rt. 104 to 101 and the Olympic Peninsula. Passed a small house that looked like a castle, complete with turrets. Seems blackberries are everywhere in Washington. Blyn is a Native American flavored town with lovely artwork such as totem poles. Also a casino. Sequim is Indian for "calm water". Here we found the John Wayne Marina which sits on land donated by John Wayne so everyone could enjoy his favorite fishing spot. Apparently this is also a big lavender area in July and August. Sequim has stunningly rugged, dramatic landscape moving from bay to flat developed land, to big foothills and tall sharp mountain peaks covered with snow.

[Picture: arriving at the Hamels in Sequim.] Pat met John and Sharon Hamel and we all got to know one another. Sitting in their kitchen/dining room, we watched and chatted as John prepared Red Lentil Curry and rice. John grew up in Pakistan, the son of missionaries, and had many wonderful stories to share. I got to sniff three types of curry and chose the "medium" for our meal. It is a blend which included ginger. As it got dark Sharon and I went outside to watch fireworks set off throughout the neighborhood - big ones! Saw in passing: Jimmy Come Lately Creek, and What's for Dinner - a "grab and go" of homemade dinners.

Ended at John & Sharon Hamel, Sequim, WA 98382
Odometer c. 59,814.9 ( c. 103.4) Total: c. 1672.1