I once again have led my long-suffering husband to new treasures along the highways and byways of this great country. I never tell the poor man where we are going, I navigate us to the address, telling him to be on the lookout for anything “unusual.” Mister Rain is not a frequent curser, but his initial reaction when he lays his eyes on the Fine Sight is often an expletive. It is always followed, though, by a laugh.
Port Orchard, Washington:
Fake Barnyard of Gaudy Animals
My crack team of Fine Sight investigators (party of one for Sister Rain) found that Mattress Ranch has about 20 colorfully painted farm animal statues. Sadly, all we found was this one lone cow figure and several paintings on the exterior of the store. Further research revealed the business is permanently closed. If you think you’re disappointed, imagine how my husband felt.
Hobbit Hut (photo above)
The Brothers Greenhouses built a Hobbit Hut on their property. Once inside the small quarters you will find a fireplace as well as a chair, lighting and several windows. Located behind the greenhouse, the setting is more magical then the hut. The immense Pacific Northwest trees are tall protectors of the little structure. There in early October, it was decorated with pumpkins, the fall foliage everywhere you turned was breathtaking. Sitting on a bench next to the enchanting Hobbit Hut, I never wanted to leave.
A gentleman who works at the greenhouse told us that people come there to take pictures before prom or after weddings. I suggested to Mister Rain that we renew our vows to which he responded by going into the hut and locking the door.
Bremerton, Washington:
Ghost Fleet Of Navy Ships
Located at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, this parking lot for inactive, retired mothballed ships is off limits to the public. You can, however, view the ships from the public highway
Renton, Washington:
Erasmus the Rooftop Dragon
The 700-pound dragon sculpture was installed atop a downtown building in 2019 at a cost of $101,000. He is named after the founder of Renton, Erasmus Smithers. His mouth and eyes light up at night and he breathes smoke. Look at his tail in the second photo!
Seeing that rear appendage, I wondered, is there a full dragon up there? Sister Rain, being the full-service provider that we are, wanted to see what the aerial view of Erasmus looks like. Google Earth revealed there is not. Sometimes it is best to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
U-Haul Space Needle
A 40′ scaled down rotating replica of Seattle’s iconic observation tower is located in the parking lot of a U-Haul rental company. By the way, the real Space Needle is 605′ high.
Rest assured, friends, I will continue running down the road trying to loosen our loads.
For other published Roadside Attractions, click below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 5
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