The Olympic Peninsula - my new favorite place

Thursday, June 29^th 2017

Next destination - Olympic National Park, where the term “ecosystem diversity” was made for. There is a glacier-capped mountain towering just miles from the ocean, a temperate rain forest only 34 miles away, surrounded on two sides by a beautiful, rugged coastline.  On the east side of the Olympic Peninsula, in the town of  Sequim, they receive an average of only 25.9 inches of rain per year. Yet the valleys on the other side of the mountain have the honor of being the wettest spot in the continental United States; receiving a whopping 135 inches of rain. Mount Olympus, the peninsula’s highest point, is estimated to get 50 feet of snow! Within a few hour’s drive of each other, the weather, forest and plants are so different!



We took secondary roads plus the scenic road along the Hood Canal is not the usual route RV's choose to take.  In fact, there was hardly anyone on the road at all!

The drive from Mount Rainier to Port Angeles was mostly back roads and scenic highways. We chose to take the longer drive along the Hood Canal strictly because of the scenic beauty.  It did not disappoint, however the opportunities to pull the big rig off the road were few and far between.  Normally I can get up and dash to the rest room, but when the road is very twisted, I get thrown around too much to venture from the safety of my seat belt.   

Boy, the sites were close together!  During the 5 days we were here, we had 3 different neighbors.  Some were pretty quiet, and one large group made so much noise they kept us up half the night talking loud and banging around in their rig!

Luckily I had managed to book a site that had a fabulous side yard.  Too bad it was really too cold to use it, but the privacy was cherished.  Others were jealous of our spot.  We were not able to get this site when we return in 3 weeks.

 We arrived at Elwah Dam RV Resort and proceeded to set up in one of the better sites there.  We were but a few feet away from the RV on one side, but the side that we put the table and chairs, was as big as a ball field!  Was this luck, or because I was one of the first to make a reservation last winter?

We found a car wash, went to the Visitor’s Center (do you notice at pattern here?) and checked out the waterfront a little.  Norm went in the ferry terminal to ask where exactly he was to go when we take the rig on the ferry over to Vancouver Island on the 4^th of July. 

Norm then set up the Satellite Dish and after a little news, watched one of the complimentary DVD’s they had up at the office. With temperatures quickly dropping into the low 50’s, we felt it a little too chilly to have a fire in that tremendous fire pit right at our site.

Friday, June 30^th, 2017

Norm biking down the path,

A few weeks ago I had arranged for an adventure company to shuttle us up one of the nearby mountains so we could then bike down a portion of the Discovery Trail. It was described to me as two thirds downhill, and that the remainder is gently rolling.  I was really looking forward to this ride!  Other than Moab, this was the only other place I could find for us to do my favorite “off road” biking. The company picked us up at the end of the trail which was a convenient ½ mile from the campsite and drove us perhaps 20 minutes to drop us off.

When we first began, I headed down the trail thinking Norm was ready to go.  Well, he wasn’t.  He scrambled after me on a particularly precarious loose gravel section (the driver suggested we walk it, but I guess Norm wasn’t listening) and he fell!  Goodness what a wipe-out!  He skinned his knee a tad, but everything else was fine, thankfully.  Falling certainly shakes your confidence, at least it does mine, even if I wasn’t doing the falling!

Alison taking one of the corners. 

The trail was beautiful, if not a little scary. The trail was only a foot wide, and very steep, and within inches of said trail there were steep drop-offs several hundred feet down in places! Holy crap! The switchbacks were so sharp Norm opted for the safer method of walking his bike around the corners; usually having to physically lift the back to swing it around to make the turn. He was definitely out of his comfort zone.

Me, being the gutsy fool, (and more experienced in off-road single track mountain biking) rode the bike around each turn.  I must admit a little birdie in my head kept saying “Don’t be stupid!” “Remember risk vs. reward “ “One little slip and you’re going off the side of this mountain”!  Yikes!  I ignored the smart little bird.

I took a break to take this shot of my bike

We road downhill for several miles, enjoying the incredible weather with the sun dappling through the trees, trying our best not to die.  Or seriously maim ourselves.

We then had to start peddling. Hard. I would like to think I struggled making it up those steep hills ( to us Flatlanders from Florida ) because of the elevation.  But no, that was not the case because we were only several hundred feet above sea level at this point.  I’m just old, and out of shape, and just a little crazy wanting to be out here doing this. 

Oh, no wonder it was a little sore!

We hadn’t taken any good pictures of the trail yet, so I suggested to Norm he get ahead of me on a switchback section and video tape me coming down.  Well, as he did, I fell!  Just out of view of the camera unfortunately, because I would like to have seen it!  I wacked my helmeted head, and I felt my thumb bend backward in an unnatural way.  Ouch! I thought perhaps I sprained it, but kept going ( I had no choice, anyway ) favoring it as I rode.  My shoulder started to hurt as well where I must have smacked it on a rock. 

We had a hard ride with a few minor injuries on the Adventure Route of the Olympic Discovery Trail in Port Angeles, Wa

When we got back I immediately started icing the shoulder and especially the swollen thumb.  I worried for the next couple of days that I may have torn the tendon on it, but being the 4^th of July, I hesitated to go to Urgent Care.  The third day I started getting some movement in it, the swelling was almost gone and I could now hold something in my hand, so my fear of having really hurt it passed.  It’s still sore, and the shoulder bruised, but we bought a thumb splint to protect it next time I want to act like a crazy teenager.

That afternoon we took a drive to Sequim’s Costco for supplies and went out to dinner at Dockside Grill where I got so snockered on a martini Norm had to drive  home.

Saturday, July 1st 2017

We decided to check out the most northwestern point of the lower 48 states in the US at Cape Flattery, Washington

It was recommended to us that we take the drive to Neah Bay and Cape Flattery where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean.  Having the distinction of being the most northwestern point of the lower 48 states, and what had the promise of an interesting, scenic drive we decided to take the day and go.

We took the inland route as advised so we would drive by the beautiful, glacially-carved sapphire Lake Crescent.  The water here is devoid of nitrogen, limiting the ability to grow phytoplankton (like algae) which makes it able to be crystal clear. We had hoped to kayak here so we could marvel at this phenomenon, but the water was quite choppy, so it would not be fun fighting the wind, nor could we see into the water. Timing is everything.

All the points of interest in the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula are owned by the Makah Tribe.  After purchasing the $10 car pass needed to park or walk on any of their tribal land, we found the trail head for the path that would take us out to Cape Flattery.  I must say, the Tribe was making a lot of money that day, because not only was the lot completely full, but also the road leading to it.   

It took a lot of patience to jockey for a spot in order to take this beautiful picture at the end of the short ( by local standards ) hike to Cape Flattery, Washington. 

This popular hike was “improved” with boardwalks and slabs of large trees serving as stepping stones, and many wooden steps that allowed the masses access to the point.  I think there were almost as many dogs as people making the walk very difficult, if not dangerous, as their leashes wrapped around your legs while large dogs nearly pushed you off the various bridges.

People of all ages and physical condition made this 3 mile round trip trek down to the point. Some of these people are an inspiration as they made their way with such determination despite some very serious physical problems. 

Norm and I are not typically a fan of boardwalks, but this one, although a bit slippery in spots, was appreciated.

The next stop was Cape Alava and Shi-Shi Beach .  There we also found all parking lots filled, and to tell you the truth Norm and I aren’t much beach-goers.  We grew up in New England, so to look at a coastal beach was not worth the trouble or the extra fees to park. 

We then headed back, stopping back at the visitor’s center and Inn at Crescent Lake. It was beautiful there in the late afternoon, with lots of people in kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. We walked around for a little bit, but Norm was itching to get back and ignored my hints about staying for a drink on the porch and soaking up the atmosphere. (Probably because of the throngs of people.  Men, I have learned, don’t tend to enjoy the sport of “people watching” like woman do).

It was a long day, with a lot of driving.  If we knew what we now know, we would have probably gone and done something else with our day. But for those of you who have not seen a coast, or a huge and beautiful sandy beach – definitely go.

Sunday, July 2^nd 2017

Norm and I next wanted to take the very scenic18 mile drive UP the mountain and hike the ridge trail.  We knew it would be very busy so we left about 8am to beat the crowds.

Today's goal:  Hike to the arrow!  Yikes, that looks like this won't be easy!

The hike up Hurricane Ridge trail was probably the most beautiful we have ever hiked.  Every step was awesome!

I just couldn't get enough of this view.  I wanted to stay all day!

At this point, I actually broke out in song....."The hills are alive...with the Sound of Music....La la la la......"

Well, we quickly learned we were not quite early enough for our liking.  Many people were already coming down as we were just arriving having watched the sun rise and the marmots start their day.

This hike was probably the most beautiful we have ever seen!  Brilliantly blue sky, meadow flowers, snow-capped mountains, jagged cliffs and the adorable Olympic Marmots ( which are only found here ) running around made for an incredible experience.  The steep, long hike made it a lot of work and its accompanying heavy breathing, but worth every step!

We spent over an hour taking pictures up at the top, basking in the morning sun and as we descended the real crowds had arrived.  We didn’t have the complete solitude we desired, but it was good enough.  Hey, “you snooze, you loose” they say!

Sorry, but I just want a photo that shows good form.  This was pretty good!

When we reached the Visitor’s Center it was a mob scene.  At this point we usually buy our memento of a National Park for our Christmas tree, but Norm had forgotten his wallet ( we only entered the park due to a kind ranger at the gate ) so we listened to a fascinating talk about the different types of pollination.

The ranger gave a fascinating lecture about the different types of pollination.

I was dying for an ice cream but the crowds wouldn’t have allowed us near the stand, plus the fact we had no money at all made it a moot point.  Didn’t really need the calories, anyway.

Driving the scenic road down the long, steep mountain about 2PM, the line waiting to enter the park was a couple of miles long!  Knowing there was absolutely no parking up at the top these people were all going to have to turn around and leave.

I guess we were plenty early enough.  We have found in the past that when you want to visit a popular ( therefore beautiful ) spot in a National Park, you must GET THERE EARLY!!  It’s just that as we age, it gets tougher and tougher for us to jump up and get out there. Lingering over a cup of coffee in the morning is almost as enjoyable as that glass of wine as the day winds down….

Monday, July 3^rd 2017

Today was a lazy day, filled basically with some cleaning and getting reorganized before going through customs, and heading onto Vancouver Island.

Norm, probably needing a little “me time” himself, headed out to the nearby Visitor’s Center for another ornament memento.  They didn’t have a good selection so Norm (feeling guilty about forgetting his wallet yesterday) drove all the way ( 18 miles each way ) up to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor’s Center to get one that would remind us of that spectacular hike.  Meanwhile I enjoyed my own “me time” puttering around the “house”.