Elwha Dam RV Park

This has been a slow, relaxing day.  Although we got up at the usual time, we didn’t get moving too quickly, preferring to sip coffee rather than rush out the door.  By midmorning we had summoned the energy to make a trip to Wal-mart.  It was a quick trip and we were back home for lunch.

You know they say about RVing, if you buy something new, then something old has to go.  One of the things we got at Wal-Mart was a new soft-sided cooler.  We have used the one we have so much it is pulling apart at the seams.  It is also one of the smallest we  could find which is sufficient if we are only taking a couple cokes and a sandwich for lunch.  However, if we’re planning to be out all day and want a couple extra cokes in the afternoon, or if I want to take a pasta salad instead of sandwiches for lunch, this little one is just too small.  We got one today that is a little larger, but it wouldn’t fit in the same space in the cabinet allotted to the smaller one.  I spent a couple hours after lunch rearranging all the cabinets in the living area to accommodate that larger cooler.  I got it done and I actually like the new arrangement better than the old.

Gene spent his time this afternoon continuing his washing and waxing of the Everest.  One of his goals this month is to get the entire trailer waxed and the roof cleaned.  He does a little at a time; he’s making progress.

I have made a few photos of Elwha Dam RV Park which I wanted to share.  This is a very nice campground, has a great reputation and good ratings, and is almost full every night.  We have enjoyed being here this week and are looking forward to the rest of our month here.

Hoh Rain Forest

Today was a real treat. We drove the 80 miles or so to the Hoh Rain Forest for a hike.

Olympic National Park is charged with protecting and preserving the diverse ecosystems which exist within its boundaries.  One of these ecosystems is the Hoe Rain Forest.  This temperate rain forest consists primarily of Sitka spruce and Western Hemlock.  Today was dry, the sun even came out for a short period of time, but this area of the park gets an average rainfall of about 150 inches a year.  All that rain and dampness has resulted in everything being covered in moss and/or lichen.  This is truly a remarkable place.

Even the phone booth is covered with moss

For our hike, we sauntered up the Hoh River Trail from the Visitor’s Center to the Mount Tom Creek waterfall.  The trail closely followed the Hoh River upstream so we had some great views of that, as well.

This is the most popular trail for climbers of Mount Olympus.  It is 17 miles just to get to the foot of the glacier, so this is a multi-day trip for those so inclined to climb.  But the trail is relatively flat for the first 10 miles with numerous backcountry campsites along the way.  We spoke with several hikers who had either been or were going just to the glacier and not to the top.

Hoh River

On our way home, we stopped in the small community of Forks.  Yes, that is the one and the same that is the featured setting for the popular Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer.  You will not be surprised to hear that Twilight movie posters, actors’ photos, or just the word “twilight” was on just about every store window as we drove through town.  We even saw the “Twilight Zone”.  Who remembers that?

Mount Tom Falls

We’ll go back to Hoh before we leave here.  It was great.

Port Angeles, Washington

Port Angeles is a small town with only about 20,000 residents, but it is one of the largest of the small towns on the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula.  We went downtown for a quick look around this afternoon.  The main “old town” district consists of about two square blocks along Front and First Streets.  In contrast to Sequim with its more trendy boutiques and coffee houses, Port Angeles features antique and second hand stores.  Our major finds were two very nice bookstores, one selling both new and used books.

One large ship in the Port of Port Angeles

We also found a very nice sports outfitter.  One of the Brown brothers at Brown’s Outfitters checked us out after Gene found some waterproofing solution for our boots.  Four generations of Browns have sold merchandise of one kind or another from this same downtown store for the past 96 years.  Now, there’s some history.

Sculptures around town were donated by local artists

We strolled along the waterfront down by the ferry dock and then over to the Marina.  There was a small “mall” at the ferry landing, however, most spaces were empty.  I guess the shops here fell victim to the economy.

Perhaps the most important thing we learned today was to dress for any type weather.  When we left home we had sunny skies and temps in the low 70s.  Within an hour, a dark cloud had moved across the mountain and the wind sent temperatures plummeting.  Not having brought a rain jacket or umbrella, we waiting under the cover at the bandshell until the rain stopped.

Mural at the marina

From the kind volunteer at the Chamber, we got information on ferry schedules, farmer’s markets, seafood restaurants, and how to find the fish market.  Although I was a little disappointed with what is available downtown, we did learn alot about this small town we will call home for the next few weeks.

Tomorrow we will probably be back at Olympic National Park.  Where will be decided in the morning.

Olympic National Park

Olympic National Park is comprised of nearly a million acres surrounding the Olympic Mountains.  In addition to this vast wilderness, there is a little over 50 miles of rugged Pacific coastline included in the park.  This is not a drive-thru park; that is, there isn’t a road which cuts through the middle from one side to another.  There are a few roads around the parameter of the park which give the visitor very limited access to the interior.  As a result of this limited access, the largest old-growth forest in the lower 48 and its abundant species of birds and mammals remains virtually undisturbed.  This wilderness of crashing waves to glacier capped mountains has earned this park the distinction of being named both a World Heritage Park and an International Biosphere.

There are hundreds of miles of trail to be hiked here.  On foot is the only way to get into the heart of the park.  Today, we chose to drive the 17 miles up Hurricane Ridge to hike a short distance along the High Ridge Trail.

A rugged mountainscape

We got a relatively early start.  Today, early was good because we were fortunate to have a few views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca before the clouds rolled in.  The trailhead left the parking lot at Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and gained and lost, and gained and lost a couple hundred feet in elevation.  There were a couple of steep spots, but they didn’t last long.  This trail had it all--open meadows, ridge-line exposure, terrific views of the Strait, and a short woods walk.  Then there was the wildlife.  We saw several black tailed deer and a couple families of blue grouse within the first half mile.

Visitor Center

After our walk, we watched another film at the Visitor Center and rummaged around the gift shop for a few minutes.

Strait of Juan de Fuca

Tomorrow, we have a couple chores for the morning hours, then we’re gonna see what we can find in Port Angeles.

Sequim, Washington

For the first time in several months we awoke this morning to the splatter of raindrops on our roof.  A steady rain at times interspersed with light drizzle, there has been wetness coming from the sky all day.  We went about our business, though, getting those things done we needed to do today.

I opted to save the laundry until this afternoon and this morning we went to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center located in Port Angeles.  We saw the film, of course, giving an overview of the park and spoke to a ranger about how best to spend our time here.  We left with a fist full of park maps of trails we are interested in hiking.  Then it was off to Wal-Mart to get our prescriptions refilled.  That didn’t take long, only about 30 minutes.  Remarkable, really, since they had to be transferred from some place in Oregon.  We used our wait time to gather up a few items we had forgotten at the grocery yesterday.

After a quick stop at the bank, our stomachs were announcing lunch time.  We had passed what looked like an old diner yesterday and again today which always had a parking lot full of trucks.  We thought that was a good sign--the locals stopping in for a hot lunch--a meat and three kind of place.  We pulled our trunk in amongst the other trucks and headed inside.  Being lunchtime, the place was full of a bunch of old codgers, all of whom were retired apparently, because they were content to sit and talk long after their meals had been consumed.  Everybody that came in, with the exception of us, they all knew and passed greetings across the room.  Occasionally, they would include Homer, who was eating alone at the booth next to ours, in their conversations.  At one point a new, shiny, red truck pulled up and there were several comments about the amount of chrome attached to that truck.  Aside from the two waitresses, I was the only female in the place.

The dining room was arranged in a horseshoe shape with a curved bar surrounded by barstools covered in gold Naugahyde.  The booths were likewise arranged in a curve along the windows and they too were seats of gold at formica table tops.  The ceiling was black and hung with hundreds of silver and blue Christmas ornaments. It was stunning.  What a day to be without my camera.

We ordered Rueben sandwiches and french fries for me and hash-browns for Gene.  The sandwich was delicious, the fries (about 3 potatoes worth, seemed like) were hot and crispy on the outside and soft inside.  The hash-browns, which covered most of the  plate, were awesome.

With an over stuffed tummy, I waddled up to the laundry and settled in to that chore.  We have spent the rest of the afternoon inside enjoying the sound of the rain as it continues to splatter our roof.

Portion of mural on Washington St.

Tomorrow, we will take a drive down to Sequim.  There is a drugstore there that sells camera accessories.  Gene is looking for a polarizing filter for my camera which got shattered last week.  He was trying to be helpful by getting my pack out of the backseat.  As he jerked the pack off the seat, the camera went flying through the air and landed on the asphalt about 5 feet away.  He is still thanking the good Lord that the only apparent damage was the lens cap and that filter.

A Rainy Day

For the first time in several months we awoke this morning to the splatter of raindrops on our roof.  A steady rain at times interspersed with light drizzle, there has been wetness coming from the sky all day.  We went about our business, though, getting those things done we needed to do today.

I opted to save the laundry until this afternoon and this morning we went to the Olympic National Park Visitor Center located in Port Angeles.  We saw the film, of course, giving an overview of the park and spoke to a ranger about how best to spend our time here.  We left with a fist full of park maps of trails we are interested in hiking.  Then it was off to Wal-Mart to get our prescriptions refilled.  That didn’t take long, only about 30 minutes.  Remarkable, really, since they had to be transferred from some place in Oregon.  We used our wait time to gather up a few items we had forgotten at the grocery yesterday.

After a quick stop at the bank, our stomachs were announcing lunch time.  We had passed what looked like an old diner yesterday and again today which always had a parking lot full of trucks.  We thought that was a good sign--the locals stopping in for a hot lunch--a meat and three kind of place.  We pulled our trunk in amongst the other trucks and headed inside.  Being lunchtime, the place was full of a bunch of old codgers, all of whom were retired apparently, because they were content to sit and talk long after their meals had been consumed.  Everybody that came in, with the exception of us, they all knew and passed greetings across the room.  Occasionally, they would include Homer, who was eating alone at the booth next to ours, in their conversations.  At one point a new, shiny, red truck pulled up and there were several comments about the amount of chrome attached to that truck.  Aside from the two waitresses, I was the only female in the place.

The dining room was arranged in a horseshoe shape with a curved bar surrounded by barstools covered in gold Naugahyde.  The booths were likewise arranged in a curve along the windows and they too were seats of gold at formica table tops.  The ceiling was black and hung with hundreds of silver and blue Christmas ornaments. It was stunning.  What a day to be without my camera.

We ordered Rueben sandwiches and french fries for me and hash-browns for Gene.  The sandwich was delicious, the fries (about 3 potatoes worth, seemed like) were hot and crispy on the outside and soft inside.  The hash-browns, which covered most of the  plate, were awesome.

With an over stuffed tummy, I waddled up to the laundry and settled in to that chore.  We have spent the rest of the afternoon inside enjoying the sound of the rain as it continues to splatter our roof.

Tomorrow, we will take a drive down to Sequim.  There is a drugstore there that sells camera accessories.  Gene is looking for a polarizing filter for my camera which got shattered last week.  He was trying to be helpful by getting my pack out of the backseat.  As he jerked the pack off the seat, the camera went flying through the air and landed on the asphalt about 5 feet away.  He is still thanking the good Lord that the only apparent damage was the lens cap and that filter.

Our Home for a Month

We got an early start this morning and were pulling out of our campground a few minutes before 8 AM.  We had an uneventful drive, which is always a welcome experience.  It was overcast for the entire trip and we ran in and out of a few sprinkles.

We arrived at our new home for the next month--Elwha Dam RV Park, shortly after noon.  It has very high ratings and from what little we have seen so far, it is going to be a great place to spend the next four weeks.  It is located about 5 miles west of downtown Port Angeles on scenic byway 112.  The RV park is bordered on one side by Olympic National Park.  Now, how convenient is that?

We are planning to use this location for our base camp to explore Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Victoria, British Columbia, and San Juan Islands, for a start.  About the middle of the month, friends will be here to share in some of our adventures, then the last week we are here, my parents will be coming for a visit.  We are looking forward to a very busy month.

While at Rainier, I didn’t do a regular grocery shopping run, just stopped in to pick up milk, bread, or some essential for dinner.  I tried to make what we had last instead of paying the very high prices at a small grocery.  That was the first thing we did today after we got here and got set up.  Another thing that I saved while at Rainier was the laundry.  I might as well have done it, however, because it is the same price here as it was at our last campground--$2 per load.

We are very excited to have WiFi at this campground and it works great.  Gene and I each have computers and sharing the air card is not something we like to do.

We did not have TV of any sort at our last campground and we survived the 2 weeks by staying in touch with what was happening in the world via the internet.  We were really looking forward to having TV here, but, to our dismay, it is only Canadian stations.  No Matt and Ann in the morning and no Brian in the evening.  Oh well, at least we have TV and it’s broadcast in English.  Have I mentioned that our DVD player doesn’t work.  We discovered that last week when we thought we’d just watch a movie.  Our warranty list is getting longer and longer.    

Tomorrow, we’ll get ourselves oriented and make a plan for our time here.