We’re off and running again. This time to Ocean Shores WA. The hugely popular resort town on a low lying sandy spit, that separates the Pacific ocean from Grays Harbor. Fortunately as the summer winds down the crowds diminish a bit, making a weekend visit tolerable. For this trip Susan and I were riding the FJR down and linking up with Leane and Richie and their 3 dudes for a long weekend.
All aboard
For the first night Susan picked a hotel from the internet that had 3 bedroom, a kitchen, and a pool. The Ocean Shores Inn & Suites. When we rolled into town and pulled up to the place it looked kind of familiar, but who knows. I’d only been to Ocean Shores about twice in the last forty (plus) years, and there had been a considerable bit of new building and development in that time.
The old Gitche Gumee Motel
As the nice old lady at the desk was checking us in I glanced over and saw the old motel sign… “The Gitche Gumee” hanging in the lobby. I instantly remembered why it was familiar. About forty-two years ago my brother and I had pretty much laid siege to this place along with a bunch of our drunken buddies… It was amazing that it was still standing. When I asked the clerk about the name change she smiled and said the hotel had changed owners and names several times over the years. Without giving up too much information I suggested that the change of ownership was probably the only reason that I was not being escorted off the premises on the spot!
Still standing after all these years
We got all moved in and then headed off for a walk around town and down to the beach. The wind was blowing 15 knots from the northwest but the sun was out and the kites were dancing in the sky.
Kites
Man there is just nothing better than watching the dudes romping across the sand… until they face-plant in the surf.
Dudes on the beach
We carried 3 soaked, sandy little boys back to the hotel and headed to the slightly heated pool.
Duke flying
About 1 minute ahead of true hypothermia we scampered for the showers and brought everybody’s core temperatures back up to normal. Following a nice “home-cooked” dinner Suzie took over Dude watch and Richie, Leane and I all went back to the beach for sunset photos.
Richie & Leane
One of many sunset images
Look at that little bundle of joy in my arms
Richie took this photo of me and Leane… What, no wait a minute! That’s a photo from 32 years ago on this same beach. I’m not sure about the dork in the yellow hat but the little bundle of joy in his arms is my beautiful daughter.
Below is the real photo that Richie took.
My bundle of joy – All growed up!
Playground Fun
The next morning we lounged around a bit before moving down the beach to a condo that Richie and Leane had lined up. We went out to lunch and filled our day with playground adventures. Eventually the new abode was ready for occupation and we moved in. Now let me tell you about “living large”… unobstructed views of the water, king sized bed in the top floor bedroom, enclosed patio with a view, (real) Wi-Fi, washer, dryer, fireplace, two beach cruiser bicycles… and, wait for it, a freaking garage to park my motorbike in… shut the front door!
A garage !
Beach cruisers
Tour de Ocean Shores
The podium finishers
Bye- bye Dudes
Latert hat night Leane and her dudes left for home. You know, school, work, all that jazz.
Susan and I had the condo to ourselves and spent a very quiet relaxing night watching the fog roll in and listening to the echo of the foghorns. Morning dawned clear and still. I had been watching hundreds of brown pelicans the day before, splashing into the water for fish. In the morning the pelicans were back at it so I hiked out for some photos. Here is a little video:
Pelicans in the Grays Harbor sunrise
Our home for the night
Suzie and I grabbed a little breakfast and then it was moto time. We were headed up the remote western coastline of the Olympic Peninsula. The air was cool at times but the fog stayed away. Here are a few hazards we found along the way…
Columbia Blacktail deer
Mr. Happy has a close encounter
Mr. Happy, “we gotta get a faster bike”.
Kalaoch beach
The wild Pacific Ocean
Lake Crescent
Roosevelt Elk
Duke – he would stay there all day
Well that’s about it for this trip. We logged around 450 miles around the Olympic Peninsula, and had nice weather every day. Thanks for following along. Kat
Adventures on the West Coast Trail
Nice job, as usual! I love Ocean Shores and have been there many (MANY) times.
Thanks Julie, glad you liked it.
I love how you have old pictures to compare. Ahhhhhhhh, the circle of life ^-^ This looks like my kinda trip – if only we could get the [door on the wrong side] van across the ocean for a fiver……
PS: the pic of your daughter and her husband on the beach is super cool [not saying the others aren’t, just saying that pic in particular makes me wanna get those marshmallows out again and have a good ole fire on the beach with *dudes* wrapped in blankets and your friend playing the guitar…..
Thanks Mrs. B for the lovely comments. I am truly blessed with a wonderful family.
Great pics! I wonder if you rmember that we, our family spent our 1st Thanksgiving at Ocean Shore and a point of interest was that we actually met the Bonzer family there at wherever motel we were staying. That would have been November 1967- so there are coincidences after all, right?? Love you all, Mom
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 01:42:05 +0000 To: njniemiec@msn.com
Well I guess I didn’t remember that. How interesting!