Bob on BAC Seattle to San Francisco 2010

Please visit Seattle to Yachats slideshow

Ann dropped me at OAK. I checked my bag at curbside. It was quick and efficient and my bag was one of the first at baggage claim in Seattle .

Light Rail to the University St Station was easy and cheap ($1.25 senior fare). I walked three blocks to 5th and checked in to the Vintage Park Hotel . My room on the top floor was very nice – nice decor, comfortable queen-size bed, flat-screen TV, free internet, etc.

I had left my bicycle with the valet service when we were driving through Seattle the previous week. I retrieved it and moved it to the secure staging area in the hotel's garage. Other bicycles from our group were already there.

I had a sandwich and cookies at Specialties down the street. Then I walked over to Pikes Place Market and watched the hoards of people shopping, eating and being tourists. It has expanded a lot since I was there last.

Weather was cloudy when I got to Seattle but it cleared in late afternoon.

The hotel had wine tasting at 5:00. I sampled and then went to our group’s first Happy Hour. We chatted, ate, drank and introduced ourselves as we went around the table.

Dinner was in the hotel’s dining room. Tulio has an Italian theme. My food wasn’t worth the price it asked for - lamb with old string beans and a chocolate pudding cake. The toasted macaroon on the pudding cake turned out to be marshmallow.

When I got back to my room, the hotel left presents – a small bag of chips and two small bottles of water.

I got to bed at 10:00.