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One of Washington State's Ferry's plowing the Puget
Sound waters nearby Fort Casey. (The Tomaso Collection)
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Ah Shucks, why does all of this modern day
"river Boating" make me think of the legendous' Mark Twain? And what
that Nom de Plume actually stood for...
Ironically, whilst just having lamented
previously here on No Fenders 'bout IndyCar racing on Labour Day weekend always
makes me think of the long, forgotten Molson Indy Vancouver race Up North Eh!
Perhaps Y'all have read that in my typical Nofendersville
Tomasan' lexicon 'O Word Speak; Err prose, I've been Out 'N Aboot' quite a bit
lately, Eh? And although my ramblin' travelogues aren't nearly as intoxicating
as Grizzled Journo' Joe Saward's worldly adventures... Nevertheless, in quiet moments
between hopping various Ferryboats, I've had some time to contemplate Thy, Uhm;
Oh Never Mind!
Having hopped the first of multiple
Warshinton' State Ferry's from Edmonds waterfront the week prior to Labour Day,
as interestingly, think I'll go Thar now. I haven't even looked up who won the
Gold Cup race, or the San Diego H1 Unlimited Season Finale; CRIKEYS!
As according to the myedmondnews.com website,
there's two H1 Unlimited Hydroplane teams based Thar, Edmonds, WA that is. With
the U-11 Reliable
Diamond Tool presents J&D’s, and the U-440 Bucket List
Racing entries...
Meanwhile, now having finish off one longish
CD Audiobook titled Those Angry Days: Roosevelt, Lindbergh and America's
Fight over World War II 1939-41, I began thinking somewheres'
around Disc "Bloody Red 5," as I'll let Y'all figure out that racing
reference...
I lamented how it's one century ago since the
United States formally entered the first Great War, aka World War I. With
President Woodrow Wilson declaring war upon Germany on April 6, 1917.
Thus Karmically, it's funny to Mwah, that on
September 3, 1917,
the AAA Championship was hosting a round at
Pacific Coast Speedway, in Tacoma, WA, won by Earl Cooper, the disputed
three-times AAA Champion: 1913, 1915 and 1917.
As accredited Historians do not recognize the
retroactively awarded AAA champions listed between 1906-1915, and 1917-1920,
for which I'd be curious over what Mother Speedway's Donald Davidson thinks upon
this subject...
Ironically, Messer Cooper, who started seven
Indianapolis 500 races, including winning the 1926 Pole, has a miniscule
connection to the Pacific Northwest, having noted previously his relief driving
for Joe Thomas in my 100th Anniversary lore 'O Mother Speedway.
Yet this is supposedly another la tipicali No
Fenders yarn 'bout travel, let's hit the road, shall we? As Tacoma Bureau Chief
Mary Ellen and her faithful co-pilot Pixie-the-Wonderdog; WUF-WUF! Collected
yours truly at the Edmonds Ferry Dock as noted, which we walked aboard for one
of its daily sailings to Kingston, before motoring north to Fort Flagler in our
trusty "Eh-Team' Campervan.
A few days later we drove to Sequim's
Dungeness State Park for a night's stay, before departing for nearby Hurricane
Ridge.
Then it was off to what the locals call PA',
aka Port Angeles for a few nights stay, where we visited friends, including an
evening's dinner at Ye Baskerville Estates, followed by an impromptu "Jam
Session" led by the "Front-man" of the local band The Lucid
Moments.
As Mr. Rick, the band's
guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist led us all in many a rousing tune acoustically,
having left his characteristic Stack 'O Marshall Amps at home. Having begun
with a solo version of Skynyrds' Sweet Home Alabama followed by Dueling
GeeTars', bongos, tambourine and yours truly playing a wicked mean Gord; Hya!
As some of the songs included The Beatles
While My Guitar Gently Weeps and my request for Day Tripper, along with an abbreviated
rendition of Gordon Lightfoot's The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald; R' Mateys!
From PA', we headed south for a few nights
stay in Port Orchard, before travelin' across the modern day's Tacoma Narrows
bridge en route to one final night's stay over at a secluded South Sound State
Park, which was virtually deserted the day after Labour Day! As we'd decided
that traveling on busses AIN'T NO PickenNick' when the mercury's reportedly gonna
be a very un-Seattle-like 93 degrees-F; SHEISA!
Yet as Mary Ellen
noted, the Skies were literally raining Ash from the myriad 'O Forest Fires
blanketing the Northwest! the Hazed over sky kept the Sun from breaking thru
and the mercury only climbed to 88 degrees instead...
As Wednesday's trip home was a Doozy!
Concluding our Nine Dazes Adventure with a Zany, Madcap multitudes 'O Public
transportation home, including everythingy' minus Aeroplanes! Although we did
hop aboard the Link Light Rail at the nearby SeaTac Airport's station to
Downtown Seattle, along with multiple Metro Transit busses involved in this
half day's travel; Aye Karumba!
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| One of the many Bungalow's available for renting overnight at Fort Flagler State Park. (The Tomaso Collection) |
Then just over a week's time later, we
partook more boat action. This time as Mary Ellen, Pixie & Mwah walked
aboard the Fauntleroy to Vashon Island Ferryboat, and upon departing from the car deck, strutted
at Fast-walk speed to parking lot to fetch our parked vehicle, and raced back
downhill to Drive onto the Southworth Ferry, where the Deck Worker asked, are
you sure you want to go to Southworth? Which we took to nearby Port Orchard.
Then as Y'all know we rendezvoused with thou
Florencians' for two nights El Fantastico stay at Fort Flagler, where the Deer
were Ah-plenty!
As we attempted to go on a day outing Monday
to nearby Fort Casey on Whidbey Island to NO Avail, as the Port Townsend
Ferry's were solidly booked by reservations!
alas, deciding to forgo gambling on the slim
chance of getting on via Standby after a three hours wait. We elected to go
visit nearby Fort Worden instead, and hence, I've now successfully been to all
three of the past triumberant 'O Triangle of Fire forts.
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| No Fenders head scribe Tomaso primping for the cameras at one of Fort Casey's remaining cannons. (The Tomaso Collection) |
As we had a very pleasant, brief day's outing
the following day, upon making our own Ferryboat reservations in order to go
briefly explore Fort Casey's remains...
Bidding our friends a reluctant goodbye, Mary
Ellen solemnly drove us back to Kingston, where yours truly once again caught
the Ferryboat to Edmonds, before climbing in the back
of a Taxi for the ride home.
As what's that 'Ol
Beatles song 'bout; Uhm...
Woke up, fell out of
bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat...
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat...
VIDEO: A Day In the Life - Song
Partial Song lyrics from:
The Beatles
Song: A Day In the Life
Album: Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Year: 1967