After saying goodbye to friends in Seattle we decided to brave the interior and head into the mountains. We knew that the wildfires were running rampant but it was quite shocking to see the effect they had on all of the areas. Apparently, the smoke that was affecting the Rainier area was coming all the way from British Columbia. We later found out that the BC smoke was making it all the way to Newfoundland.
We decided to visit the Sunrise Visitor Center as it was the most easily accessible from the Seattle area and we weren't disappointed. The visitor center road took us up the side of a mountain to a vista that looks upon Mount Rainier itself. We drove through meadows of wildflowers and through many tight curves as we made our way to the top. This area had a historic hotel, lovely old visitor's center, and many hikes which provided majestic views of this incredible mountain. Although the smoke was thick and we were not able to have a clear view, the majesty showed through the haze. With the air quality being as poor as it was, we chose a short hike that took us through the fields of wildflowers and also gave us lovely vistas of the mountain. Dylan worked hard on her junior ranger workbook while we hiked and explored the visitors center. She also participated in a water color workshop with a ranger and created a beautiful rainbow print. Our time on this mountain provided many thought patterns for me. I marveled at the strength of those people who have taken the time an energy to summit its peak. I also looked at the habitat that this area provided and became sad at the state of the wildfires in the area. I also felt very, very small as I realized that this mountain was formed through volcanic activity and realized that if she decided to become active again, her destruction would be so great that I would be just a speck along its path.
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After spending so much time in the rural areas along the west coast, it was a bit of a shock to come into a city - but Seattle really was a cool city in which to spend the day. We tried to take the ferry out of Port Townsend to go up to Whidbey Island but they were sold out for the day, so we decided to head directly to Seattle instead. We ended up taking the ferry into the city out of Bainbridge Island. It was a cool perspective coming into a city from the water and it kind of blew my mind how much they utilize the Sound as a taxi to get people around the area. Both Will and I kind of fell in love with this area and we really enjoyed the city of Seattle. Of course we went to Pikes Market and we saw them slinging fish, we hugged the huge pig, we checked out the gum wall, and we ate a lovely seafood dinner at a restaurant with a view of the harbor. That night we caught up with some old friends who live just outside of the city and Dylan relished in having some kids to play with for the night. They were kind enough to offer us a bed, laundry, showers and a lovely evening together.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO WILL! What better way to celebrate your birthday than on the adventure of a lifetime...and even better then that, spending it on the Puget Sound in search of Orca and other marine wildlife. We took a 5 hour charter out of Port Angeles, Washington and were incredibly fortunate to find 2 male members from the J pod of the resident Orca pod. It took us about 2 hours to motor out to where the Orcas were located and we were able to stay with them for about 20 minutes. It was a beautiful experience, especially since this pod is down to only 75 members and they are struggling to thrive. On our way back to port we came across about 5 humpback whales, two of which were quite close to us. It was a beautiful experience which we will keep with us for a very long time.
From rain forests to waterfalls, from mountains to ocean, the Olympic National Park has so much to offer. Having explored it for 3 days, we would have gladly stayed longer. We saw millipedes, more banana slugs, rabbits, and a dead whale that washed up on the beach The smell on said beach was not the most agreeable but the colors on the rotting carcass were surprisingly beautiful.
One thing we were told to check out was the Kaloloch Cave Tree. Down near the campground, a trail leads to the beach where the bank have washed away yet this evergreen (possibly western hemlock) tree remains alive and vibrant. This harsh condition has now created a cave below the root ball of this tree. The ranger of the area asked us not to climb on, hang from, or build fires underneath the root ball. We were saddened, but not shocked, that she had to say this. We knew that one of the most important things for us to do in southern Washington was to visit Cape Disappointment. The fog horn off the coast was necessary as we hiked to two different and distinct lighthouses. The bar where the Columbia River meets the ocean is known as the "Graveyard of the Pacific" because of its treacherous waterway. Many ships have sunk here. The Coast Guard keeps constant watch and practices many difficult maneuvers in the area.
Cape Disappointment also has Waikiki Beach. This small area had more driftwood than I have seen in all my life. Many shelters and works of art have been built on the beach and we decided to add our own sculpture to the mix. After about 15 minutes, our water horse came to life. Standing on the most westerly point of the contiguous US the beauty is astounding. To reach this spot you must cross into the Makah Tribal nation - a small reservation that diminished in size by 90% during the 1980's. We were able to spend the night at a coastal campground after taking the mile hike down to the actual point. It was a gorgeous hike through a lush forest which was built up with adorable wooden walk ways. The next morning we woke to rain, our first rain of our 5.5 weeks on the road so we decided to go out for breakfast in town (as tomorrow was Will's birthday). We found a restaurant right on the water, with a seat overlooking the harbor and were given a gorgeous show by 3 juevinial bald eagles.
We are so grateful to have friends along our route and our visit with Tina and Kevin Hunter (and their daughter and pup) was incredibly refreshing. Not only did we have a lovely visit, but they opened their home to us to have showers, wash our bedding, wash our clothes, do a deep wash on our our kitchen supplies AND gave us a huge queen size bed to stretch out in for the night. It was lovely to catch up with them and join them at the farmers market in the morning before continuing our trek back to coastal Oregon.
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April 2019
AuthorCarolyn and Will Bollwerk share their adventures with their 5 year-old daughter, Dylan. |