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Friday, June 8, 2018

Washington State’s GDP

Aloha Everyone,

Forest products is the third largest GDP in Washington’s manufacturing sector. It is a renewable and sustainable industry with over 200 plus years of history that continues to create and provide jobs. The state’s slogan, “The Evergreen State” is truly fitting.


Beautiful rainy day drive. Unfortunately rain along the coast means snow in the mountains. J.J. and I had to abort our plan to spend the weekend in Rainier National Park.


Raymond, located in Pacific County, was our lunch stop. A small town at the junction of US Highway 101 & 105 with less than 3,000 residents, have traditionally relied on logging, fishing and tourism.  

Raymond’s economy is growing since November 2012. This is credited to passing of the initiative 502 which legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

Sheila!s Kountry Kitchen looks like a rural Mom & Pop eatery. The place was packed with regular patrons. I trust that clam chowder soup we enjoyed along with fried mushrooms and pancakes were the reason for its popularity.




We are staying in an RV park located in the vicinity of Ocean Shores. Listening to the sound of steady rainfall, J.J. and I hope and pray that a couple from the Netherlands we shared travel stories last night will have a safe drive to Rainier. On their limited US holiday in a rental RV, they confided in us, “...rain, freeze or snow, we must go to all destinations we have reservations or they keep our money. This is our trip of a lifetime!”




Aloha -- Cathi