Driving the 90 miles or so back to Seattle from Bellingham, just south of the Canadian Border, I usually take the fast Interstate Freeway. But this sunny, languid Sunday called for a more leisurely trip along the Pacific Northwest Coast.
The name Fairhaven conjures up a quiet old seafaring town, and that is just the impression one gets driving the country-like roads that curve unhurriedly through the residential areas of this old quarter of Bellingham before joining the coastal highway known as Chuckanut Drive.
For 21 miles, this two lane road follows the coastline, clinging to the face of the Chuckanut Mountain as it descends steeply into Puget Sound. It winds between huge granite rocks and towering cedars.
The trees frame magnificent views of the blue waters of Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands. One might catch sight of an eagle soaring high above or a cruise ship heading for Alaska. There are numerous places to stop and admire the view and catch glimpses of the railroad track far below. The train ride along that track, from Seattle to Vancouver is itself spectacular.
