PNT day 59 – Port Townsend

It should be my last visit to a post office on this trip. Slowly I made my way up the stairs of the historical building in downtown Port Townsend.

Post offices kind of look the same all over the US. I loved being in one! Despite one very bad experience on this trip in Vancouver Washington the US post system is probably much better than what we have in Germany. Making my way towards the counter I look at the free boxes that are provided to pack your stuff. Very convenient. Once at the counter I like to actually wait in line and look at what’s going on in the back. For me it looks like US post offices still operate on the same system as 20 or more years ago. It’s a bit like time travel!

Today I didn’t have to wait in line and I didn’t spend one single Dollar for picking up an envelope they stored for me and forwarding my box to my already booked last accommodation in Seattle. Yes, this trip is slowly coming to an end.

I shouldered my backpack and grabbed the shopping bag with lots of extra food from Liz as well as my maps and made my way towards the Food Coop. Some wooden tables and benches invited to sit down and I did so close to a food stand. A bit further back was a group of homeless people. I bought an overpriced drink from the food stand and borrowed a pen. The next hour I spend going through my maps and marking points of interest. I also marked the schedule for my coastal walk according to the tide chart. I am glad I didn’t buy a map with the tide information at the Ranger Station because it’s already printed on my PNT maps. I have all the informationI need and I already traveled with the tides in New Zealand when I hiked along the famous Abel Tasman Coast Track in 2011. Long time ago, though.

As soon as planning was done I turned towards my favorite town business: food shopping. I entered the Coop as I still needed some lunch for the trail as well as some snacks. A full shopping basket later I had everything I need and I started hiking up the roads towards the house of the trail angels I would stay with tonight.

Lys and Dan Burden hosted PNT hikers as well as cyclist and had offered me their apartment for the night. I didn’t know what to expect. Arriving I was greeted by a barking dog and by Lys very short. Other than that I was left alone in a fully equipped apartment with kitchen, sitting area, sleeping room and bathroom. Wow! Definitely a great place to stay although I was still dreaming of Liz fabulous house at the ocean.

I dropped my pack and as it was still early afternoon started my exploration tour through the streets of Port Townsend. The best shop I was in was by far the book store! One more time I managed to get out without buying a book. It was hard! But there’s really not much time once I am back on trail.

I made the mistake of having a fancy dinner at a waterfront restaurant and left again with a thin wallet and half empty stomach. There was still room for a bag of chips and so I had one back at the trail angels house. I started reading through a book called “America’s bicycle route” and got to know that my hosts are quite famous. Lys and Dan Burden not only attempted to cycle from Alaska to Argentina with the couple who did it first, they also organized the Bikecentanniel – a big bicycle touring event in 1976 and established the Trans American bicycle route from east- to west coast! Not bad! I instant felt sorry for not being able to talk more to them but as I am writing these lines it’s already late and I will leave early tomorrow.

I feel ready to go again. And I am looking forward to be in the Olympics and later on the Wilderness Coast. It’s supposed to be pretty! Hopefully nearly a full week of rest has done wonders to my sore foot and it will hold up another two weeks. I hope the same for my shoes! Let’s go!