Sleeping Beasts, Supernatural Links and The Birthplace Of A Musical Movement

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Having headed inland from the coast to visit Portland, it would be remiss of me to not use the opportunity further. This being said, it also allowed me to further quench my fixation for the great power that lays beneath our feet.

Crossing the river that separates Oregon from Washington State, it was the first time I've truly spent a length of time on the Interstate. The major road system that links the entire country is a mammoth feat of engineering and dedication to the ease of transportation in the US and makes getting from A to B as accessible as possible to all. What it does mean is that you tend to bypass all the really beautiful sights as you hurtle down a 3 lane highway.

By being in Washington it meant a few things... Firstly, the speed limit went back up to a point that I was more used to... But also that the skies had opened up and didn't look like giving any respite in the near future. This must be why they call it "Wet Washington".

Not too far north of the border, I once again deviate inland and strike out to what is quite possible the site of the most famous volcanic eruption of the modern world. Mt St Helens, after an enormous eruption about 3500 years ago and then again with slightly smaller eruptions in the 1400's and 1700's, has always been mildly active in the recent past, often venting gases in short bursts. That of course changed in 1980, when in March, scientists started to notice a large bulge forming on the north face of the mountain. The pressure built over the next 2 months with numerous small earthquakes recorded until police and emergency services evacuated the area. Then at 8.32am on May 18th (2 days after I was born) an major earthquake caused what would change the landscape in the area forever more.

With a sudden burst from the top of the mountain, sending ash and rock miles into the air, the eruption was enough to cause the entire north face where the bulge had been brewing to slip, and in doing so caused the lateral eruption that so devastated the area. The pyroclastic cloud that resulted pushed out mercilessly, flattening ancient trees and destroying everything in it's path. This was unfortunately just the beginning... the side of the mountain that slipped caused massive flash flooding, taking out bridges, houses and everything else in 3 different river valleys as well as taking the lives of nearly 100 people, most of which were never found. The ash cloud stretched at first north west before being blown back to the north east and caused water shortages as far away as 400 miles. It was such a powerful explosion that people in neighbouring states to the east were said to have heard and felt the blast.

Now days, the roads have been rebuilt, as have the bridges, and the area has returned to life with dense forests once again lining the path to the volcano. It was recorded that within 7 days wildlife had returned to the area, whether from surviving by burrowing into the earth of moving in from neighbouring areas like the elk did. This rehabilitation is amazing but there are still stark reminders of the event if one looks close enough. Between the trees lies the jagged stumps of lost comrades, often larger than a small car, where they were blown down like match sticks. The rivers have changed course since that day due to the amount of rock and silt washed down, as well as creating new lakes in the area, and although the day was cloudy and I struggled to see the mountain itself, the experience has left me humble and further enforces the knowledge that we are just a speck on this mighty planet.

Back out to the coast and heading north once more, I am forever astounded at how when you think you've seen the best coast you can, you turn a corner and be left speechless once again. This is what the Washington coast does to you. Passing through Native American reservations, national parks and national forests, you happen across secluded beach accesses... and if you're lucky enough like me to catch it at sunset... you tend to spend a bit longer and savour the moment.

One of the biggest things I've noticed about Washington is its primary industry. The national parks and forests are beautiful with the afternoon light creating beams between the trees. Outside of these areas though there are large expanses devoted to forestry, often leaving great scarred land dotted with stumps. Now before all you capitalists jump up and down, I understand the need for the industry... it's just is a shock to the system when you go from one extreme to the other in the space of metres.

Olympic National Park was always on the cards for me to visit.... not because of sparkly vampires or big dogs... but because the scenery is purely stunning. Another of those areas that with better time management, better weather/seasons and being more prepared, I'd love to spend a few nights in the wilderness experiencing all it has to offer. But with light fading, I resolved to the fact that I'd actually have to stay in Forks for the night. Surrounded by reminders of the Twilight franchise with tours, landmarks and even meals named after the characters, I had a chuckle to myself at the fact that not a single scene from the movies was actually filmed in the town.

I've mentioned before that GPS's are a wonderful thing... allowing solo travel without the burden of trying to read a map as well as drive as well as many other uses... but this time it let me down.

With a destination of Seattle plugged in I was off again, reaching past Lake Pleasant and doing the north west American version of island hopping. It wasn't until I was heading to a wharf that I realised at the GPS had been meaning for me to take a ferry over to the other side of Puget Sound to where Seattle was. Having to deviate all the way back down to Olympia added another 3 hours onto my journey... but what's a few hours when you're on holiday anyway.

Although I'm not usually a fan of spending time in cities, I was looking forward to Seattle as quite a few people had told me it was an amazing place. There is also plenty to do here that is both normal to cities everywhere as well as a few things that are distinctly unique. The waterfront is a bustling cacophony of restaurants and bars as well as the Seattle version of the London Eye, and with a short walk you can spend hours getting lost in Pike Place Markets. With a mixture of crafts, breweries, clothing and apparel, jams, wines, as well as the fresh fruit, vegetable and seafood sections, it stretches only about 500m in length but is on 4 levels as the ground slopes down to the waterfront. I could've spent an entire day just at the fishmongers, checking out all the different seafood while being surrounded by the calls of the workers as they toss whole fish back and forth behind the counter.

In the Downtown and Belltown areas the city shows it's musical history. Anyone alive recognises the name Nirvana and most realise that these 3 teenagers as well as a few other bands such as Pearl Jam and Mudhoney created one of the largest musical movements since the Beatles. That's right people.... Seattle is where Grunge was born!! There are a number of famous sites around the districts including where Kurt Cobain and his 2 mates played their first gig, where people had stayed, record studios for debut grunge albums, as well as the theatre where Pearl Jam's Evenflow video was filmed live. The city today still has a deep connection with music and live gigs can be watched at a number of places any night of the week.

The Seattle Centre is probably the most recognisable landmark of the city as it contains the Seattle Space Needle as well as the museum to music, the museum of science, the Memorial Stadium, theatres, and the International Fountain. The Space Needle is the usual tower, alike to many other cities, and provides spectacular views of the skyscrapers as well as the suburbs that make up Seattle and out across Puget Sound. It stands as a permanent reminder of the World Fair that was held in the city in the 60's and was named after the topic of the fair... space. Now if it would just stop raining (as well as the weather on my phone giving descriptions I've never seen before like "rain mixed with snow"), I may have been able to see more.

Maybe tomorrow and the fact that I'm leaving "Wet Washington" will change the circumstances.... although I doubt it as I head further north into Canada.

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Comments

[gav]

got me thinking
Alright you may have convinced me to go back to the US...

[RTW adventures]

If you think that's good.... Wait til you go to Canada!!!