July, 2021
This day did not go as planned!
But it all worked out in the end and I got where I was going (Bremerton). It was a long day. But this will be a short post because … well, because I did a lot of sitting in the truck waiting for things that never happened, and then I did a lot of driving in the truck, and then sitting again, then more driving. Sigh, ah me, life doesn’t always go as planned, right? Sometimes you just have to go with Plan B (or C or D) and remember that life is good.
So here’s my story of my day.
I boondocked in Darrington for 2-3 days at the beginning of this trip, then I boondocked just north of Lake Goodwin for 4-5 days at my second destination of the trip. Today, after lunch, I hitched up the trailer to the truck, tidied up, double checked everything, thanked my Lake Goodwin hosts (excellent hosts!), and then drove away from Lake Goodwin towards my third destination.
My third destination was a quiet home in a quiet residential area in northern Bremerton. My route was simple (below) … from the RED star, I would drive south on I-5, then head west to Edmonds/Lynnwood, get in the ferry lines and wait for the next ferry, drive onto the ferry and ride over to Kingston, then drive down to my next boondocking spot (the RED square) just north of Bremerton. I figured the entire route would take me about 1.5 hours, maybe 2 hours if I had to wait for a second ferry if there were lots of folks using the ferry.
So I drove south and turned off of I-5 as planned, heading towards Edmonds/Lynnwood and the ferry dock there. I didn’t get very far off the freeway when the entire line of cars simply stopped. Ordinarily, I should have been down in the large parking lot of cars and trucks and such who were waiting for the next ferry, but in fact I was about 1.5-2.0 miles away!
I figured maybe there was an accident ahead and traffic would soon proceed apace. It didn’t. The line didn’t move. After 30 minutes or so, people started getting out of their cars and walking around trying to find out if anyone knew what was happening. Someone heard on the radio/internet that one of the two ferries (that run between Edmonds and Kingston) was out of commission and there was no backup ferry on the way. But there was still one ferry operating on this run … it was a beautiful day … how long could it take after all? Well we sat. And we sat. The line moved a bit. I was encouraged. But we moved maybe only 4 or 5 car lengths, and then we sat. After a while, I began to realize that cars up ahead were pulling out of the line and heading back up to I-5 and THAT was why we were able to pull ahead a bit now and then. So I got on the internet on my phone, searched, and found out that the OTHER ferry on this run had also broken down … no ferries were running and there were thousands of cars and trucks (including a good number of semi trucks) and trailers and motorbikes all waiting, with no estimate about when a ferry might start taking vehicles across the water to Kingston. I can tell you, after one and a half hours of sitting there, inching forward every 20 minutes or so, I was tired of looking at MONA VIE in front of me. As soon as the line again moved a bit in front of me and gave me a little extra room, I pulled out, turned as tightly as I could with the trailer behind me, then backed up once (the fellow behind me waved to let me know he would not pull up until I had gotten clear of the line of cars) and then I put the pedal to the metal and got back up onto the I-5 freeway.
It would take me another two hours to drive south through Seattle, down to Tacoma, then back up to Bremerton (photo below). But at least I would eventually get there! What I didn’t realize was that all four lanes of heavy freeway traffic, just south of downtown Seattle, were at a standstill … a dead stop … because of construction work and because of an accident. So there I was again, sitting, moving a few feet, sitting, etc. But I put some good old tunes on the CD player in my truck to lighten my mood. At least I wasn’t looking at the back end of MONA VIE anymore. 🙂
Eventually, traffic started to move. I got by the construction area and got past the accident and then I really did step on the gas. I’m not sure Towhee the Trailer’s tires ever touched pavement from that point on. Of course I drove safely, but I was on a mission to get to my next boondocking home and get myself out of this truck!
What should have been a two-hour drive, at most, ended up taking more than six hours, all of it sitting in the truck. It was after 6pm by the time I got to Bremerton. But I got there.
It was such a lovely and quiet neighborhood. I checked in with my host and then poured myself a nice glass of wine while I fixed my dinner in my trailer. The photo above is where I boondocked for several days. The homeowner owned the land right up to the edge of the blacktop street, so I was parked on private property. My spot was level and flat, lots of solar power coming in, piece of cake. It was perfect.
So, maybe life isn’t always what you wanted. It isn’t always what you planned for. But it works out. I wondered if maybe had I NOT headed off of I-5 towards the Edmonds/Lynnwood ferry, but had I kept on driving directly south that maybe I would have been in the middle of that accident just south of Seattle. Who knows? Yes, I got to Bremerton a few hours later than expected … and my own personal rear end was pretty sore from sitting in that truck … but I was ok, and so was the big white truck and my little white travel trailer. Life is good!!
We loved this! We’re sorry for the “stuff” that happened to you today. But also we sometimes get so tired of other camping blogs never telling about weird or troubling things that happen. It happens! Stuff happens! Thanks Ann. Glad you got to Bremerton safe and sound. 🙂
Thanks Marge. I wonder about the “perfect world” that some other RV-ing bloggers post too. Not all of them for sure, but so many do. The two of you know … you’ve been RV-ing for years so I bet you have stories to tell too. Here’s to a happy ending at every day for all of us.
Glad you finally made it. But that’s a lot of driving under some stress. Are you using Harvest Host to boondock?
So far I’m using “Boondockers Welcome”, although I very recently signed up for “Harvest Host”. Some Boondockers Welcome places allow camping for up to 5 nights for free (sometimes owners ask for money for electricity), whereas Harvest Host usually is only one night and they expect you to buy something at the business where you’re staying. Both organizations are super! Just depends on how fast you’re traveling across country I guess. At least, that’s what I’m reading about them. I’ve barely just begun with BW and have 100% happy experience so far. Haven’t done anything with HH yet.
Better you than me; my rear end hurts just thinking about that experience.
Ha! My rear end still hurts just thinking about that day. 🙂
Way to go Ann!!! Attitude changes everything!
Doesn’t it??!! Attitude is so important. Take a deep breath, look at the sky, look at your shoes, whatever it takes to find a moment of peace. Thanks Mel.
Gosh the Edmonds to Kingston ferry is one of the busiest runs in Puget Sound, how could they not have ANY ferry on that run? Doesn’t the WSDOT always have at least one ferry ready to jump into action? Or couldn’t they pull a ferry off of another run where there were two ferries, so each route had at least one ferry on it? Bet they got a lot of angry emails that day. Glad you got to Bremerton safe and sound.
Right on, Rob. I thought the same things as you did. There are a number of ferry runs up and down Puget Sound with two ferries on them … why wouldn’t the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) pull one of those other ferries off one of those other runs and put that ferry on the Edmonds/Kingston run? It had been many HOURS without any ferry on the Edmonds/Kingstons run, more than enough time to get one of the other ferries here to help out. I thought about sending an email but figured possibly thousands of other people were already communitcating with WSDOT, so I just drove to Bremerton. I bet the State ferry system got an earful, and they deserved it.
Love your maps. Sorry it was such a long day but it was kind of fun to read about it. 🙂
Thanks Cindy. I like maps. I’m glad you enjoyed reading. I sure enjoy writing. 🙂 In the end, my day was just fine.
I’m still thinking about what type of RV I want to buy and am leaning towards a trailer so I have a vehicle to go exploring in. Nice to know that sometimes things don’t go well but that they do work out! Slow and easy seems a good motto. Oh, and yes put some good tunes on. 🙂
The tunes made all the difference on this day. 🙂 Hope you find exactly what you want the very first time you buy, Emily, although I think many of us switched rigs after a year or two after learning first hand. I found a relatively inexpensive, but clean, used trailer, knowing I might sell it and buy something else. That worked for me. It’ll be fun to learn what your path is.
The current ferry situation is why I stay on this side of the Cascades. It was bad 10 years ago and has just gotten worse. Too bad. I have the same negative feelings about I-5.
If you head up towards Mont Cristo start out from Granite Falls. I think there are a couple of campgrounds at that end..Stay away on weekends, it has gotten crazy, I was lucky to go exploring 40 years ago and was able to drive right up to the ghost town.
They have closed the last couple? of miles and you have to walk/ ride a bike.
Have fun!
I have friends who will not drive on I-5 with their trailer unless it’s the only way to get somewhere. I’m beginning to agree with them, although, so far, I just plan on lots of extra time and then if I don’t use that extra time then I’m pleasantly surprised, sort of.
I rarely go camping on weekends anywhere in Washington State, it’s just too busy, sure agree with you!
I’ll take a look at Monte Cristo trail for sure, thank you! Sounds like fun.