The ferry to Washington departs at 6:30 am or 10:30 am. We like the hotel where we stayed, and want to be welcome to come back, so we decided to take the later ferry. Our two Harleys going through the underground parking lot cause quite a rumble!

We needed to be at the holding area for the crossing at least an hour before departure. That left us time to give the bikes a quick cleaning -- not anything resembling detailing. There were several other bikers waiting, and we had a good time chatting with them and comparing agendas.

This ferry goes from Victoria, just down the hill from our hotel, to Port Angeles, Washington, on the Olympic peninsula. It crosses over the Strait of San Juan de Fuca, and can get a little rough. We secured the bikes downstairs and climbed up to the observation deck to observe. It was a beautiful morning, a beautiful crossing. There was some fog as we approached Washington, but it cleared.

We met a most friendly and adventuresome couple on the deck. Dennis and Maryna Kimble from South Africa. They were very interested in our travels, and shared some of their experiences with us. They travel all over the world, but they are always happy to return to South Africa. Maryna told us that one of the most welcome sights, upon returning home, is that of an elephant. They spoke of camping in Africa and watching the animals at night, once finding lions sleeping at their campfire! (and we thought crickets were amazing!)

Entering the USA proved to be no problem, for a change! We had a beautiful trip down Hwy. 101. We went past blue coastal lakes, dense forests, and even close to Pacific beaches. The cool air near the beach reminded us we were close to home. As we consulted our wellworn map of the western states and provinces, we marvelled at how far we have travelled. With only two roads to follow down the peninsula, we ran into several of the bikers who were on the ferry with us.

Raymond, Washington is a charming town decorated from one end to the other with metal sculptures. We noticed them years ago, and everytime we go through town, they seem to have grown in number and variety. They depict the history, the activities, and the wildlife of the area.

We took quick stops before and after crossing the bridge at Astoria. This particular bridge makes us both nervous. Not sure why. Perhaps it is Dick's fear of heights and Shirlene's general fear of riding with the flying seagulls. Putting the trauma of the bridge behind us, we travelled south as far as we could before it became too dark and cold to ride further. We made it to Tillamook, Oregon, famous for its cheese. It's a great start to the final weekend of our vacation!