What does one do after waking up in the land of Twin Peaks? Why, go have breakfast at the Double R, that’s what. So we checked out and drove to Twede’s Cafe on North Bend Way and Taylor Avenue.
Twede’s still retains old Twin Peaks memorabilia. While you wait for breakfast, you can check out the back wall with its framed pictures and magazine clippings from the show.
The diner also sells Twin Peaks coffee mugs, t-shirts and maps. Course not so Twin Peaks-y were the stuffed tweetie birds and neon guitars in the front part of the diner, making it look somewhat like a 50s diners. Diversification, I suppose.
It was good to see we were not the only Peak freaks making the pilgrimage to the diner. I mean, the show is 19 years old. While waiting for our food, four tourists just about bought out the whole place of souvenirs.
We ordered your typical diner breakfast: strawberry waffles for me, french toast for Sean. Of course we made sure to save room for the infamous slice of cherry pie, which actually pretty good. Heated with ice cream.
Outside the Double R is “the” traffic light from the show. But damn, if we knew exactly which light it is; as an intersection has 4 lights!
Our first pitstop was the old Snoqualmie winery up in the woods, where the video of Laura and Donna was shot. It’s now a look out point and probably a make out point too, having been levelled and landscaped since the show was shot. It looks entirely different from the show, save for the view of the mountains.
You can not drive around North Bend without going past the gazebo, located smack dab in the middle of town. The huge log under the gazebo was used in the opening title sequence of the show.
Next to that is the old railroad yard is the murder scene where agent Cooper and sheriff Truman found the half heart locket and note. The boxcars of trains were in various states of being rusted over.
Even though the trains looked dilapidated and completely ramshackled (one looking like it was riddled with bullets), there was a beauty to them. Two sides to the railroad yard: one which you can get close or even climb the trains (sneakily, of course) and the more worse for wear were fenced off.
We went back to the Salish Lodge to see the breathtaking Snoqualmie Falls at the observation deck.
After that, Sean and I used a picture we took of the Twin Peaks outdoor mural at Twede’s to find the exact stretch of road of where the Welcome to Twin Peaks sign, in the opening credits was shot. Because we’re square like that.
On the way out of town to go to Seattle, we located the Mt Si Hotel, the skeevy and sketchy motel that Leland Palmer did the despicable in. You think the exterior of the motel was intimidating with its residents, that’s nothing to the downright creepy looking room #6. It could rival the motels on Hasting Street in Vancouver. However, the owner’s daughter saw us on the grounds and was nice enough to let us check out the room.
What kind of Twin Peaks fan would be so hardcore as to want to book a night at the Mt Si? The owner even told us that no one is really interested in staying as a guest there.
We trespassed once again. This time at the Twin Peaks high school, which is the Mount Si high school. A high school looks like a high school anywhere.
The last stop on our Twin Peaks adventure was Fall City. We checked out the Roadhouse where Jacques Renault bartended and where Julee Cruise performed. (her singing the Twin Peaks theme song)
Although a couple things have changed since the show, most locations remained the same. The spirit of Twin Peaks is still alive and kicking in Snoqualmie/North Bend.
Definitely worth the visit to this sleepy town if you’re a fan. Course, living here would be a different matter entirely.
Speaking of fans, I wonder if in 20 years from now, there will still be tourists visiting the other hot new pilgrimage since last year? You know, the twi-hards descending onto Forks, Washington. That will be the testament to the staying power of a movie/show.
On to part III of our adventure… the Depeche Mode concert in Seattle.
View more photos of our getaway on my Flickr album here and here.
2 Comments
that hotel room really did seem like a crime had happened there… great trip.
i don’t think they can pay me to stay in that room. the heebie jeebies wouldn’t leave me for weeks afterwards.