We stayed at a couple of National Park lodges and it was a great experience. What made it even better was the fact that we could split the cost of the room three ways since they are certainly not bargain priced.
This is Lake Crescent Lodge where we would have gladly stayed, except that they had no vacancies. It was a simply gorgeous setting on a crystalline lake. At least we got to eat dinner there and enjoy the sunset.
Another booked up Lodge was Sol Duc. It is famous for the hot springs. The sulphur smell was so intense that I was just as glad we decided to forgo taking a dip.
We visited the beaches and admired the mighty pacific ocean. The tides were running three feet high so we did not get to view any tide pools unfortunately. We did see huge pieces of driftwood and even a couple of structures made out of driftwood set up by beachgoers.
On the Indian Reservation at La Push.
This driftwood house was very elaborate and has hosted quite a few parties.
I had heard about banana slugs but never thought I would be lucky enough to see one! We took a hike on a trail called the Hall of Mosses in the Hoh Rainforest.
It was quite beautiful.
It was very mossy.
This stuff is called chicken lichen. I suppose because it kind of looks like chicken skin.
Then climbing up a tree, there it was! I think it was kind of dehydrated, though, because it was not too yellow. Still plenty slimey though!
We also visited a fish hatchery where they were raising hundreds of thousands of coho salmon to be released into the nearby river. After going all the way out to the ocean for a few years, they return right back to the fish hatchery to contribute their eggs etc. And so the cycle goes.
These are some models they had in the interpretive center. The salmon are so colorful!
Later on we actually saw fish jumping up the cascades in the river. On their way to spawning grounds.
I only wish I had been quick enough with my camera to get a picture of an actual fish flying through the air trying to go upstream. It was pretty amazing.
Today we have ventured up the Olympic peninsula into the National Forest. We are staying at this lovely lodge on beautiful Lake Quinault.
Our room is actually down closer to the lake in a newer section. It is a great room with a pretty view and even a little private balcony. I love it.
We hiked one of the rainforest trails today and saw lots of ferns, moss, and giant trees, but no banana slugs unfortunately.
We also spent a little time out on a broad beach we found on the way. Tomorrow we hope to visit another rainforest and some tide pools!
Itty bitty beach birds only a little larger than a hummingbird.
At the end of they day we played a spirited game of ping pong in the game room and worked a jigsaw puzzle while we watched the evening fire being built in the main lodge.
For the last several days we have been in Bigfoot country. I have been expecting to see Sasquatch step out of the misty woods into the road. The closest I have come was a Bigfoot gift shop with a Sasquatch replica outside. Behold.
The real destination was Mount St. Helen's. I think it was my first time to see a volcano and it was cool. They have a nice interpretive center there with interesting movies showing actual footage of the eruption in 1980. The ranger talk was fascinating and I learned a lot of new things.
There was quite a bit of ash blowing around the mountain so it looks kind of hazy. It doesn't look like much in this picture. You had to be there to get the full impact of what a dynamic event it was.
Miles away down the river valley you can clearly see the path of destruction though it happened over thirty years ago.
All in all we had a great time exploring the area. Here is the place we stayed. We got a big room with three queen beds, a recliner and a dining room table for 6. You don't find that too often!
Today we crossed over the Columbia river on an enormous long and high suspension bridge and ate lunch in the little town of Astoria. That is where the movies Goonies and Kindergarten Cop were filmed. It was very picturesque! Tomorrow we will move up into Olympic National Park. That ought to be interesting. I am still on the lookout for Bigfoot. My grandson would be so impressed if I saw him!
At the Paradise Inn Lodge in Mount Rainer National Park there is a lot you don't get with your room. Quite a ways before you arrive up near the top of the volcano you lose any cell phone reception. It goes without saying there is no wifi. Can you even imagine an entire day during which you see absolutely NOT ONE PERSON talking on a cell? No checking email or Facebook for ANYBODY! When you look around, this is all you see and it literally takes your breath away (you don't get much oxygen at this elevation anyway).
The peak of Mount Rainer is over 14,000 feet. It is one of the five tallest peaks in the contiguous US. Yes, it is a volcano and it is not especially dormant. It is simply awe inducing. Magical and mystical and fierce too. The least amount of snow ever recorded in a winter here was 26 feet. I think 96 feet is about average. Hard to imagine. They say this lodge we stayed in is almost completely buried in snow each winter, just the tip of the roof showing. Right now the weather is spectacular. Sunny and cool. I think that might be a Bigfoot sighting down there at the bottom of the photo.
Well, back to what you don't get. Our room is in "the annex" which was built in 1920 or so. The sink in the bathroom is the old school stand alone type with the "cold" spigot on one side and then the " hot" about a foot away on the other. This makes getting pleasingly warm water an impossibility. It goes without saying there is no air conditioning. Instead you get the wonderful wooden windows you raise and hope you don't fall out gaping at the view. Conveniently they have supplied screens you can try to fit in there to hold the window up and keep things from flying in. I am truly loving the rustic nature of it all. It is a great experience. Also there is no elevator and a ton of stairs so pack light peoples!
There are no kids here, except for the random toddler and their intrepid parents. It is pretty much the over 60 set and the young hikers and campers in their 20s. Maybe a few French folks scattered in for good measure. There are no beer parties here since one bud light cost $5. Entertainment is of the make your own type. They do have a guy who plays piano in the main lodge in the evenings. They have board games for check out. We played scrabble up on the mezzanine level of the lodge.
We found that at high altitudes spelling is very challenging and there were no dictionaries so there was a lot of arguing. I still say that as soon as I get cell service I can prove beyond a doubt that "hew" is a word. To make it even more taxing on our oxygen starved brains, Margaret is of the opinion you should keep score with sticks and hash marks. We did some hiking around and were treated to gorgeous wildflowers, gushing waterfalls, and splendid views. These pictures really can't do Mount Rainier justice. It is simply a delightful place.
One of several glaciers on the mountain.
Where the glacier has passed there are streams of milky water containing powdered rock. You can't really see the stream in this photo but it is easy to see where the glacier passed!
A few years back I got the RV bug. Not sure how it happened. I surprised even myself by buying a little trailer which could be pulled by my Suzuki SUV. It is fourteen feet long and weighs just under 2,000 lbs. I named it Cloud Nine. It sits parked behind the fence in my side yard when it is not out roaming around, which is most of the time. Lately I have been getting the itch to take her camping again. So here is a little tour to help me get motivated.
I had the seat cushions redone with denim and red and yellow flower pattern and created throw pillows to match. I also bought a couple of pieces of high density foam to form the center cushion and bolster. When the bolster is laid down it becomes the width of a twin bed. That's where I sleep, usually on a sleeping bag or a bedroll that can be stored underneath during the day. I like my US map attached to the underside of the bunk which is in the folded up position in this picture. The bunk folds down as you can see below.
When the bunk is lowered a person can sleep up there if they aren't scared of falling off!
Here is my kitchen with a two burner propane stove top, a little sink, and a microwave in the upper cabinet. The larger door there is the bathroom with a potty and shower all in one. I mostly use the campground facilities but it sure is nice to have a tiny "loo" at night or when the weather is bad.
My little fridge has a freezer and makes ice.
I set up my table for eating and writing etc.
I like all the storage. There is a small closet for hanging clothes in the lower left corner of the picture above. the other two closets have shelves where I keep dishes, towels, and all kinds of stuff! Four drawers and a vanity mirror seem like luxuries when camping.
Now that you have toured my camper, where do you think I should go in it?
