Big building.
Seattle is no fun to drive around. I stayed overnight at a Walmart a few miles north of Everett Friday night, took the tour of the Boeing plant the next day, found a fairground where the guy let camp for $5 Saturday night, and got up early to drive around Seattle on Sunday morning. Now I don’t know where everyone was going on Sunday morning – I can’t believe they were all going to Sunday school or out to get an early parking spot at the Seahawks game – but the traffic was so bad I even ran into a traffic jam! I was never so glad to get by a city.
I really enjoyed the tour of the Boeing plant. The building where they build the airplanes is big. Over 100 feet tall almost 100 acres inside. I forget how many football fields he told us you could fit inside the building but it was a lot. Maybe I will look it up before I post this, or you can. I just remember if you want to buy one of the finished 747s, they are about $400,000,000.
After the Boeing tour I just wanted to find a Walmart where I could get a few hours sleep. I tried three stores on my way down Interstate 5, but they all had no overnight parking signs. After I struck out the third time I noticed a fairground and pulled in to ask if they had overnight parking.
He said. “Yes, and for $25 I could have electricity and water.”
I told him I didn’t need all that so he let me dry camp for $5.
Afterwards, I was wishing I had paid for the electricity and given my batteries a good charge. I still haven’t figured out why my alternator won’t charge, but I put a jumper wire from the solenoid in the battery compartment of the coach, and now get a charge.
Today, I stopped at Lewis and Clark National Park at the mouth of the Columbia river. Most of the park was dedicated to the history of the winter they spent at the coast and interactions with the Indians that lived there. A replica of Fort Clatsop is built on the site.
I drove down the coast a ways but there was nothing to see or do. I could have paid $40 to stay at one of the state parks along the ocean, and then walked out to look for shells or whales, but I wasn’t in the mood so I headed inland. I passed over the coastal mountains and stopped at a rest area in the Clatsop State Forest, about 50 miles west of Portland OR. I will stay here tonight and decide if I want to continue down the coast or explore inland.
IRI and will read it to Mom when we visit today.
I guess we shouldn’t complain too much about the ticket prices considering how much the airlines paid for that plane we are traveling on.
Never been there, though my friend Dennis worked there as a technician for many years. I’d like to tour that plant too. Maybe I’ll buy a 747 while I’m there, if they will deliver.
I’m pretty sure they will deliver anywhere in the world for $400 million dollars. I know I would.
I have several friends that worked there. Danny Croy worked there until a few months ago when he retired.