Tahoe to Seattle

Space Needle Seattle

By the end of the week I was skiing well and started to look forward to getting to whistler in B.C where I could do more. I booked a seat on Greyhound to Seattle which was a 24 hour journey but it was getting towards the end of the season, no point in hanging around, anywhere I missed on route, would still be there on the return trip. Rodney had ordered a tent, mattress and stove from the internet which had arrived, he decided he would also take the bus to Seattle and started talking about maybe going to Whistler and having some lessons. I bussed into Truckee with plenty of time to explore before the Greyhound arrived, Rodney turned up later with the bike loaded up, to see if he could get on (he hadn’t booked a seat) he got on. This was my third trip on greyhound and I was thinking what a good cheap way to get around, until I got on here, I’d gotten on at the start of the journey up until now and sat up front but this was almost full, the only seat available to me, was at the back, next to the restroom for your convenience. Luckily it was only a 3 hour trip before changing at Sacramento, I had my neck warmer on which I had over my face all the way and was still retching. Every time I got a Greyhound after that, I made sure I was on the front seat, or as close to the front as possible. In Sacramento Rodney had to pack his bike up in a box and buy a ticket, I made straight for the line-up for the next bus, so I could get the front seat which I did. Rodney ended up on another bus but both were heading for Portland Oregon where we would change again for Seattle. It was about one-o-clock in the morning, we were approaching the border of California and Oregon, on a mountain road, I was in the front seat, our driver was a very small Mexican lady, there was a blizzard outside, making visibility difficult, the sign flashing on the side of the road, said you must put your chains on here. I looked outside, looked at the driver and thought, she’s not gonna be able to do that on her own. I sighed a breath of relief, when from the back of the bus a big butch guy in shorts cried out, can I help you put those chains on…PHEW!.. Rodney ended up on the same bus as me for the final stretch into Seattle; I had booked in at the Hi Seattle in Chinatown, he was in the Green Turtle in the city, the last time I saw him he was putting his bike back together in the bus station, I assume he did his trip down the Oregon coast and went back to Ireland, he could also be in  Hawaii buying a sailing boat he had his eyes on via the internet, one of these day’s we may cross paths again, Good luck Rodney..Or was it Patrick?

I immediately warmed to Seattle; I was in Chinatown just outside the city but close enough to walk in, when I wanted to. A walk along 1^st Avenue into the city takes you passed little blues bars and cafes and on to Pike Street markets where the atmosphere is electric, along the cobble stones, passed the original Starbucks, where out front there is a variety of buskers, my favourite being the barber quartet, four black fella’s with no music other than the lead guy clapping a beat and the rest just beautiful harmony’s. When you’ve had enough entertainment, a walk back along the waterfront which makes me think of Sydney Harbour with no buildings along its foreshores and the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House replaced by snow capped mountains in the distance. I like it here but those mountains in the distance is where I want to be right now.

I am….THE LONESOME TRAVELLER….travelling east….BE HAPPY!