UPDATED: February 12, 2021
This is the 2nd of a series of posts dealing with my 2018
trip to Olympia, Seattle, and vicinity. I’ve made minor corrections to these
reports (typos, bits I don’t feel like making public). Also, I’ve added
additional thoughts with the hindsight of two years later or to add further
clarification. These are indicated by
“NOW”.
Only got about three hours sleep. Partly new
environment/not used to others being in room while I sleep, but new cell is
power guzzlers and no outlet by my bed so was preoccupied with making sure it
lasted today. So I'm typing this mostly to kill time as phone charges.
Dog owned by one of the hostel workers wandered around a
bit, mostly wanting to be let outside to be with its human dad. Didn't want to
socialize with me much but did come over once for a quick lick and let me pet
it for a second. Bathroom floor map, probably to keep people from slipping as
they exit the shower, has beer caps attached all over.
Phone won't be charged before I want to leave but if it
does shut down I can use my camera as a timepiece.
[NOW: The above was written in the morning. The rest was
written in the evening.]
I left ToadLily House at around sunrise and did a short
walk along downtown Port Angeles; someone was already at Port Book and News,
likely related to a broken window. At Gateway Transit Center I took a 30
Commuter bus (Clallam Transit) to Sequim ("e" is silent); en route I
passed Fred's Guns, which still had up its banner "We sell AR15s because
we're not Dick's" (Dick's Sporting Goods stopping selling ARs after the
Florida shootings); I'm anti-ARs myself but have to admit that's a good pun. I
had breakfast at McDonald's.
[NOW: That McDonald’s has since changed its interior
layout. Fred's Guns is in Carlsborg, though with a Sequim address.]
I walked to Sequim Public Restrooms; loud classic music
there as usual, likely to discourage loitering. At Sequim Transit Center I took
an 8 bus (Jefferson Transit; got daypass) to the Four Corners transit exchange
just south of Port Townsend. There a woman with a disability asked me if we
have cops and illegal activities in Canada; I said we're very comparable to the
US that way in the broad sense. She said that someone told her we didn't so it
must have changed. I didn't have the heart to tell her that someone must have
pranked her. I took a 1 bus (Jefferson Transit) to Triton Cover, Brinnon; along
the way I saw a Burger Shack whose front looked like the nose of an airplane. I
got some nice shots of the water at the cove.
I took an 8 bus (Mason Transit) to Shelton. Along the way a
couple outside a car and not at a stop waved at her. She was going too fast to
stop so she radioed in. At a later stop they caught up to us. It turns out the
woman wanted to get on and her boyfriend(?) started cussing at the driver. The
woman threatened to report the driver but then was quiet the rest of the trip.
In Shelton, thankfully avoiding an hours long layover like my visit years ago
resulting from a schedule, I was able to get on a 6 bus (Mason Transit) in
short order; I considered going to a nearby Bank of America (Scotiabank is
affiliated with them) but decided not to chance it.
I took this bus to Olympia, grabbed some money at Bank of
America, and dropped off my stuff at Ground Inn (a hostel); the woman didn't
want the money at that point; I wrote down the entry code. I walked to a nearby
McDonald's. It took a while to prepare so I packed most of the food and walked
to a nearby bus stop. I got on a 66 bus (all buses rest of the day Intercity Transit).
This is the route to Lacey that passes a cemetery near Phoenix Rd, optimistically
enough.
[NOW: Ground Inn has closed. This particular McDonald’s is on Plum Rd. There are
two others in Olympia]
I got off in Lacey, where I visited Olympic Cards &
Comics. I wanted to visit Boomerang because it's closing (music, movies) but
it's not open Mondays; slim chance I'll get there tomorrow. I took the next bus
that came along, 68, a slightly indirect route back to Olympia, specifically
Olympia Transit Center. There I really had to go but the men's washroom was
locked and the ladies was unlocked. When it looked like another impatient guy was
about to use it I decided to go for it, since I was in severe distress and the
bathrooms are basically the unisex type. I wouldn't normally do it but it was
that or mess myself. As I exited a woman declared how she hates going to the
bathroom after a f--king man; well, it was upset her or upset pretty much
everyone else.
[NOW: I wasn’t able to make it to Boomerang before they
closed down.]
I took a 48 bus to Capital (sic) Mall. I missed a shortcut
I wanted but still made it to my next destinations, Barnes & Noble and Half
Price Books Outlet (got a DVD at the latter). I nearly made it back to the mall
using the shortcut, but saw a 47 bus about the turn the corner so I took it to
Heritage Fountain, which has jets shooting up. I cooled off there and then
walked to Danger Room Comics, Browsers' Bookstore, Rainy Day Records (I bought some movies),
Orca Books (took pics of the perennially sleeping cat), Star Wars Mural, Left
Bank Books.
[NOW: Orca Books has moved.]
Returning to Olympia Transit Center, I took the 94 bus to
Yelm, fighting the urge to nod off; Yelm is okay, but don't need to revisit. At
A Novel Bookstore, I bought some Blu-rays. The guy said my credit card declined
so I paid cash. That woke me up a bit, but that's not the first time that's
happened so I made myself reserve judgement until the next place. I wandered
along and then took a 94 bus back to the hostel.
I paid cash as per their preference. I wanted to have
dinner at Jack in the Box near the McDonald's I ate at earlier, but it was
being renovated so I returned to the earlier McDonald's; my credit card worked.
I walked back to the fountain; I didn't go in though one woman went in in her underwear;
not really my type. Was careful not to take too many photos; even without her
the kids there make it a place I don't want to take too many photos of and give
people the wrong idea.
I walked along Capitol Lake and took a winding path to the
make area of the Washington State Capitol; I sat briefly at Tivoli Fountain. I
was pretty beat so even though it was not yet 7, I just wandered a little
bit more including the Olympia
Timberwood Library before returning to the hostel around 7.
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