ROAD TRIP!

May 2, 2009 4:47 AM

In preparation for my epic road trip in June... I have THREE separate questions: one related to Twin Peaks, one about music, and the last - banal Seattle parking.

1) What's the current state of the Twin Peaks landmarks around Snoqualmie & North Bend WA? All of the serious on-line guides to seeing the sights from the show were written 10+ years ago, so we're wondering what's no longer there. (This be the primary reason for the trip).

2) Protest songs! (what better road trip music, seriously?). I'm specifically into temporally redundant political themes (eg. Free Nelson Mandela, Into the Gap), though general protest songs are welcome.

3) Does anyone have any suggestions for nice secure parking someplace in a Seattle suburb? We're driving a seriously posh car (belonging to my best friend's lovely and beautiful and generous Mother) and will need to park somewhere outside of crazy Seattle traffic, where it won't be stolen, but transit-accessible so we can get to the Bill Callahan show (squeeeee!) and back to the car after.

(sorry for the extent of the questioning and any possible incoherence... have had some wine)

posted by rhinny to grab bag (10 comments total)

2: wikipedia entry for protest songs. Lots of stuff on there and a great starting point. It's what I used to get going on a recent playlist I made with some friends.
posted by slimepuppy at 4:51 AM on May 2

As for question 1--you've seen this, haven't you? This is a before and after comparison of locations from the series. My friend went to do the Twin Peaks tour last year, and I think he found a forum to the linked site that had actual directions to get where you need to go. I did my pilgrimage, god, ten years ago, and there was a bit more around, but I did not have the internets to guide me... Post pics! I'm thinking about going again...
posted by Admiral Haddock at 5:19 AM on May 2

On the songs: it may be tough to come by, but the album that Steve Van Zandt put together around the Sun City protest song he did has some interesting stuff on it - some jazz, some rap, and the original version of the U2 song Silver And Gold, which think is the superior one (instead of the whole band playing, it's just Bono, Keith Richards on slide guitar, and some guy thumping on a cardboard box). If you can find the whole album that may be kind of a neat addition.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:04 AM on May 2

Just a few tidbits:

1) I believe the Double R Diner (renamed Tweety's years later) burned down in a fire years ago, though I could be wrong.

3) Where is the Bill Callahan show?
posted by zardoz at 6:32 AM on May 2

I was in North Bend six months ago and the restaurant was open. When you enter North Bend there is an annoying traffic circle that could cause a fender bender so be cautious. I recommend getting there in daylight if you can.

About the time we were watching Twin Peaks we were still listening to the Peter Gabriel album with the song "Biko". "You can blow out a candle / But you can't blow out a fire / Once the flames begin to catch / The wind will blow it higher"
posted by cda at 6:33 AM on May 2

Bush It - Send George Bush A Pretzel
posted by nomisxid at 7:34 AM on May 2

As for your third question— that really depends on where the show is, no? Googling around for Bill Callahan show dates, I'd guess you're talking about the show at The Triple Door on 27June? If you're willing to pay for parking, there are plenty of parking garages in that area which I'd feel comfortable parking a posh car in for an evening. (There's been serious gentrification in that neighborhood over the past decade or so, so your car won't be the only nice one in the garage.) Otherwise, hmmm, maybe up on Queen Anne hill would be lower crime risk but frequent buses to downtown.
posted by hattifattener at 12:27 PM on May 2

The incredibly patient lady at the North Bend visitor's center near Twede's gave me a nice little map and marked a bunch of the twin peaks sites on it for me.
posted by andshewas at 7:08 AM on May 3

re 3: we're parking at Seatac, then bussing in, to avoid the traffic and stay secure.

Thanks for all the other suggestions!
posted by rhinny at 5:17 PM on June 1

Another update: since there's no definitive map of filming locations in Washington I figured that I would put something together from all of the written-out directions I could find. This is the result.
posted by rhinny at 3:50 AM on June 20