But the scenery is beautiful, with a light fog just offshore, and we stop to enjoy the view. The rain has stopped and it is cool enough for a jacket. Or according to some, it is warm enough to carry your coat on your arm.
We walk, and we walk. Up, up the hill on Spring Street for a long, long way, then turn to left on a more narrow street. How much farther, Tym? We are starving!
We look ahead to see what appears to be a dead end at a razor wire fence.
???
Tym, says, "Wait, you will see."
There is a gate for auto traffic, but we don't have the code to open it, so we continue on the path now ahead of us, which is now gravel with an ivy covered fence on one side.
Then we tease him about the fence -- is it really an airport or is it a prison. We keep walking.
Just as he promises, there is a cafe here. it is Ernie's Cafe, and we learn it was named for Ernest Kellog Gann, who lived on the island most of his life. He was a famous aviation author, having written "Fate is the Hunter," which is a near-autobiography. Both he and his wife Dodie had an interest in land conservation, and following his death, she willed her 687 acre Red Mill Farm to the San Juan Preservation Trust.
The menu in the cafe offers both American food and Korean. We order our breakfast and find a table with a view of the runway. Several small planes come in to add interest to our venue.
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| Ernie's Cafe |
Our food is served and we are delighted! It is worth the walk and the wait. Most of us have a traditional American breakfast, but Tym can't pass up a noodles dish, which includes poached eggs.
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| More than I can Eat! |
Feeling really wonderful after breakfast, we start on the long walk back down the hill to the marina, when it starts to rain. Fortunately, we are prepared and don't get too wet. Or too cold!
However, back in the boat we turn the heat on and take a nap! We think we have walked off all the calories.
The rain is intermittent and finally stops altogether. Herb and I take Jake for a stroll in late afternoon and pop into the Whale Museum. I meet Lili, who tells me Bill Pike of Tahoma was here earlier to say goodbye to one of the summer students he mentors. We are sorry to miss him.
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| Lili |
At Happy Hour we discuss our plans for leaving tomorrow for Labor Day Weekend in Victoria to visit the Classic Boat Show (just an excuse). We look forward to seeing our friends David and Maureen of Destiny, who planned the trip, Gail and Pat of Last Call, and Marcus and Jorge of Hayden Bay.
What a day!
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| Chopsticks for Tym |
Willie of Willie's Tug,
and of Walldog, Willie and Jake
Thursday, August 29, 2013
My brother-in-law is a retired commercial pilot. When he heard we would be working in Friday Harbor, he said, "That is the home of Ernest Gann!" I sent him a photo of Ernie's Cafe.
ReplyDeleteI know he appreciated the photo. It's so good to learn the history of places we visit.
ReplyDeletews