Bigfoot & Big Footie

... and not insubstantial trees

I have some time to kill this morning whilst I am waiting for the Euros final to kick-off, so I go exploring again. First stop the Bigfoot gift shop.

This turns out to be an absolutely fascinating place - or at least has a very interesting proprietor. I get chatting to him and it turns out he is something of a celebrity in Sasquatch circles. I ask him outright if he has ever seen one and am rewarded with not only his description of his own meeting (and brief conversation - it turns out that Sasquatch can speak a number of tribal dialects), but also on the history of interaction with various tribes and an explanation for why they are so secretive. Now I want to believe, so may be suffering from confirmation bias, but I am more convinced from 20 minutes chatting to Tom than anything else I have seen or heard. I may have to look him up online. It was more compelling in that he seemed completely disinterested in selling me anything and just offered me free coffee.

I leave the shop feeling that the morning has already been well spent

Onwards to the bar where I am expecting to watch the football, and it turns out it doesn’t open for another 4 hours. That is clearly not going to work. The TV in my room doesn’t seem to function but after yesterday, I can’t be bothered with another round of aggressive indifference from the receptionist, so end up streaming on my phone. Probably not a bad thing not to have seen that on a big screen!

On the plus side, not watching in a bar means that I have had nothing to drink so can now venture out for some more sightseeing. First stop John’s Beachcombing Museum. This is exactly what it sounds like. John has spent 48 years picking up detritus from local beaches and gathered all together for anyone to enjoy ( for a mere 5 bucks). It’s an odd collection of stuff that has drifted locally, Japanese artefacts (some from the tsunami), whale bones, container spills etc. But so much of it!

I have to say, that there is what I consider to be an unnecessary creepiness (this is the collective noun which I think is appropriate) of dolls heads.

Next out to the coast at Rialto Beach. Now I was expecting this to be picturesque, but I wasn’t prepared for the stunning volume of huge washed up tree trunks littering the beach. That was quite a sight! I’m not sure whether they have fallen into the sea from local forest, washed down the coast or travelled from farther afield, the Washington coast be a tsunami and all (oh dear, better avoid going dark tourist again!) but I have never seen anything quite like this.

On the way back to the car, I stop to help a couple who have gotten their car stuck in deep gravel. With the help of a few others we finally manage to dislodge them and briefly celebrate a fine team effort. I head back to Forks feeling virtuous and deserving of my veggie burrito and perhaps a swift bourbon.

Tomorrow begins the long trek back towards Portland - initially along the coast before heading east again…