I am particularly fond of this definition of a fangirl. I think no. 2 (no. 2 under the first definition that is) is what I apply to my own level of fangirldom.
When I was in Seattle I knew there would be no way I would fly across the country and not drive to Forks. I had to do it. My plan was to drive up on Monday, my last full day in Seattle. I assumed it would be relatively quiet there seeing as how it was a Monday in December, I was counting on the fact that most schools were still in finals mode.
When I was in Seattle I knew there would be no way I would fly across the country and not drive to Forks. I had to do it. My plan was to drive up on Monday, my last full day in Seattle. I assumed it would be relatively quiet there seeing as how it was a Monday in December, I was counting on the fact that most schools were still in finals mode.
After leaving Seattle I had to take a ferry from Edmonds to Kingston before I could get on the road headed to Port Angeles and Forks. The drive to up was very scenic, the Olympic National Forest surrounds the area and it really is beautiful to look at. It was misty and foggy and almost eerie in some places. There were just trees everywhere and you could see parts of mountains too. The road was very narrow and curvy in some spots and I saw several deer (which isn't too surprising to me, I see them at home a lot too). What did surprise me were the gigantic ferns and the tiny waterfalls I saw in places on the side of the road.
Port Angeles was not quiet as quaint as I'd pictured it but it had a great book store - Port News & Books, where I found some fly fishing books for Doug and a few Christmas gifts for my niece. They were lots of Twilight posters and books in the front windows of shops. They have embraced the crazy.
After I left Port Angeles I was on the road to Forks. The road really narrowed then, although it was mostly me on the road, save for the few log trucks. But I still had ride the brake almost the entire way.Once I got to the 'welcome to Forks' sign I had to pull over and take the customary picture in front of it. There was a little plank you could walk up to be right in front of the sign but I skipped that and stayed closer to the ground. 
If Port Angeles has embraced the crazy Forks married the crazy and had its babies. There was a store on the main street called...
If Port Angeles has embraced the crazy Forks married the crazy and had its babies. There was a store on the main street called...wait for it...
Dazzled by Twilight. Really.
I didn't visit the store but best I could tell it sold all things Twilight and I mean all things. There were signs and posters everywhere publicizing Twilight swag or Twilight themed food or whatever. I went to the Forks Chamber of Commerce to snag Forks t-shirt, a map of Twilight locations and a picture in front of 'Bella's truck' the Chamber purchased. The guy at the Chamber was super nice and gave me the entire spiel with the map and all but I wanted to stop him halfway through and just say "dude, it's okay I just want a t shirt and a picture." But I didn't, I let him give me the speech. I felt bad for him though, I wonder how many times he's given the speech in the last few months. As I was leaving a gaggle of tweens and their mom came in.
Honestly, I had almost no time to wander around because it took me so long to drive there and back and the airport shuttle was coming to pick me up at 3:55 the next morning. La Push and the beaches was the thing I really wanted to see so I left Forks after snapping a few more pictures and drove towards La Push, which is about 40 minutes from Forks.First Beach was beautiful, everything was misty and slightly foggy and there was driftwood everywhere. I even caught a rainbow on film.
I left First Beach and drove back towards Second and Third Beach. I missed the turn for Second Beach (way to pay attention) and instead of turning around I just turned off at Third Beach. This is where me being an idiot comes into focus. It's a Monday in December, rainy and cold and out here I have no cellphone reception. Besides my rental car there's one other vehicle parked in front of the trail. I'm wearing jeans, a long sleeved cotton t-shirt, sneakers and I have my camera and my non-working cell phone in hand. I briefly glance at the sign telling me the trail is 1.3 miles. I think I can totally walk 2.6 miles, no problem. So I start out walking, the trail starts out even and starts getting steeper and more narrow. Two guys pass me, they are hardcore hikers with huge backpacks and they are dressed for being in rain. I am sure as they pass me they think WTH does that girl think she's doing? Halfway down the trail I start freaking out a little. I am totally alone and I could get eaten by a cougar or there could be a serial killer hiding under a fallen log waiting to chop me up into tiny pieces. And then I thought about how ridiculous it would be to be know as the moron girl who drove to a place where a fiction book was set only to be killed in some terrible and/or most likely stupid way. I trudged on and started to hear the waves crashing on the beach and then the trail got incredibly steep and I had to almost crawl down a few places. At the end of the trail I came to a place where I could not go any further in the clothes/shoes I was wearing. There was a little rushing stream with logs across it I would have to cross in order to get to the actual beach. I tried one log and it started slipping and I realized there was no way I should even attempt this alone with no cell reception. I was still able to get some nice pictures though and as I tried not to dwell too long on how stupid it was of me to traipse all the way down this dark and winding trail alone.
The walk back up was much worse than the way down. I realized exactly how out of shape I am as a wheezed and coughed my way back to my car. Can you hear me wheezing through your screen? Cause I am. I was wearing my Koigu cowl too and I got so hot I had to take it off.
So I came home with a story and pictures. It was fun and I know it makes me even more of a dorky fangirl but I don't care. The trip was worth it just for the scenery, it really is "so green."
I left First Beach and drove back towards Second and Third Beach. I missed the turn for Second Beach (way to pay attention) and instead of turning around I just turned off at Third Beach. This is where me being an idiot comes into focus. It's a Monday in December, rainy and cold and out here I have no cellphone reception. Besides my rental car there's one other vehicle parked in front of the trail. I'm wearing jeans, a long sleeved cotton t-shirt, sneakers and I have my camera and my non-working cell phone in hand. I briefly glance at the sign telling me the trail is 1.3 miles. I think I can totally walk 2.6 miles, no problem. So I start out walking, the trail starts out even and starts getting steeper and more narrow. Two guys pass me, they are hardcore hikers with huge backpacks and they are dressed for being in rain. I am sure as they pass me they think WTH does that girl think she's doing? Halfway down the trail I start freaking out a little. I am totally alone and I could get eaten by a cougar or there could be a serial killer hiding under a fallen log waiting to chop me up into tiny pieces. And then I thought about how ridiculous it would be to be know as the moron girl who drove to a place where a fiction book was set only to be killed in some terrible and/or most likely stupid way. I trudged on and started to hear the waves crashing on the beach and then the trail got incredibly steep and I had to almost crawl down a few places. At the end of the trail I came to a place where I could not go any further in the clothes/shoes I was wearing. There was a little rushing stream with logs across it I would have to cross in order to get to the actual beach. I tried one log and it started slipping and I realized there was no way I should even attempt this alone with no cell reception. I was still able to get some nice pictures though and as I tried not to dwell too long on how stupid it was of me to traipse all the way down this dark and winding trail alone.
The walk back up was much worse than the way down. I realized exactly how out of shape I am as a wheezed and coughed my way back to my car. Can you hear me wheezing through your screen? Cause I am. I was wearing my Koigu cowl too and I got so hot I had to take it off.
So I came home with a story and pictures. It was fun and I know it makes me even more of a dorky fangirl but I don't care. The trip was worth it just for the scenery, it really is "so green."
2 comments:
we want to retire to the oregon coast (same look as the washington one). you can come stay with me and knit. i'll be about 45 when ted is old enough to retire.....lol
Hah! You know I want to get the heck out of here too. Doug thinks he'll quit working around age 60 and then I'll keep working for 12 more years. I guess he'll wear overalls, grow his beard out and shuffle around the house for 12 years.
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