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A bit of WASHINGTON and OREGON - September 4 - 11
This is week three of a nine week cross country trip report.
Benefit may be derived from glancing through Chapters 1 and 2 of TRIP WEST prior to reading this chapter.
14000 caracters have been trimmed off Chapter Three to allow posting here. A full fledged version has been posted at members.freewebs under the tripwest website. If you have difficulty in opening it, send me an email. I'll assist.
In Chapter 1, we traveled from mid-Michigan to Cody, WY.
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/travel-tales/23981-trip-west-report-chapter-one-2.html
This report has more than one page as other members have posted and I didn’t post all in the same day.
In Chapter 2 we sped through Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/travel-tales/37346-trip-west-chapter-two-2.html
This week we are doing day tours of Columbia Gorge, Mt Hood, Mt Saint Helen, the rugged coastline of northern Oregon, then Olympic Peninsula.
Two days from now we will have traveled from Spokane to Portland.
Photos of 4 September may be found at
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/SpokaneToWallaWalla
and of 5 September at
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/WallaWallaToPortland
Photos of the Fish Hatchery have been separated out to make the above album somewhat smaller.
Fish are at
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/BonnevilleFishHatchery
There’s much information at the highlighted links within this report. They also contain some pretty good photographs.
SEP 4 Monday
Over lovely rolling hills we go… for at least 150 miles... Following I-90W and US-395S to Pasco, WA.
Port Kelley, Washington, and Spring Gulch Creek are located within the upstream end of the Wallula Gap , just south of the confluence of the Walla Walla River with the Columbia River. Port Kelley is at Columbia River Mile (RM) 312, and Spring Gulch is at RM 311. The Twin Sisters basalt featureis just upstream. McNary Dam and Umatilla, Oregon are approximately 20 miles downstream.
Crossed the Snake River where it dumps into the Columbia. Followed twisty scenic US-12 through Wallula and eastward to Walla Walla. Quite amazing, the vastness... but we were disappointed just a bit. We didn’t get to see the “Waves of Grain” wheat fields. We just had to use the imagination. What was anticipated had been harvested. Gerald had never, but Robert had seen them in mid-October back in 1962. He, Caroll and one-year-old Douglas were traveling highway 2 with orders to Naval Station Rota, Spain. Is the wheat ripening sooner, now? Different methods? … I am left to wondering.
Douglas (now 45) has in-law parents living at Walla Walla. Gerald & I will visit with Joan and Ralph and partake of their hospitality. We looked over their business and cruised a bit around the town and countryside, just soaking it all in. Downtown Walla Walla is lined with shops and unique galleries… Very clean, lovely city with lots of large shade trees.
A tourist web-site message: “Walla Walla Valley is a rainbow of scenic beauty -- golden hillsides melting into broad expanses of crimson fields. Lush evergreens casting shadows over backcountry trails during noonday sun. And the many waters which give the region its name sparkle as they flow to the mighty Snake and Columbia rivers.”
We really made out. We helped Ralph get their stored rig to their back yard. They were to check it out and pack up for a jaunt to Glacier NP. We got to check the jack supports; the water and electric hookups then had it for our overnight convenience. Joan prepared a hearty meal... wouldn’t hear of going out to eat. Ralph gave us much information on Walla Walla and Washington State. Gerald and I shared our Trip West experiences.
After supper, we strolled Walla Walla’s oldest park. The lovely 58-acre Pioneer Park has enormous shade trees, flower gardens, an historic bandstand gazebo, historic cannon, streams and ponds & a fountain … even an aviary (approximately 200 exotic birds including colorful pheasants, ducks, geese and doves from around the world). The best time to view the flowers is when the tulips are in bloom, and from July until first frost. The rose garden located in the southwest corner of the park is gorgeous.
INFORMATION - I’ll share a few findings about this area, should you be interested. Otherwise skip down to OREGON.
The Walla Walla Valley lies on the eastern edge of the Columbia and Snake River basins and is in one of the primary agriculture-producing regions of WA. It is somewhat of an oasis with the rivers flowing through. The region is quite rural in nature. Roads wind with scenic overlooks offering breathtaking views of the valley.
Walla Walla city serves as the marketing, trading and educational hub for over 50,000 people in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Approximately 16 percent of the 587,600 acres of tillable land in the County is irrigated.
The County’s most important commercial crop is wheat. Other crops include asparagus, spinach, potatoes, green peas, alfalfa hay, barley, corn, grapes, string and lima beans, and Walla Walla Sweet Onions. Over the last few years, the total value of fruits in the County has increased due to the expansion of apple orchards and vineyards. Grape vineyards and wineries comprise an important and growing industry in the County. There are 64 wineries and 40 vineyards in the area. The economic impact of the wine industry in the area is estimated at more than $100 million annually.
The primary livestock farming activity in the County is beef cattle production. Tyson Foods Inc, operates a large beef packing plant in Wallula, near Walla Walla. They buy beef throughout the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada for processing at this plant. Simplot Feeders operates large beef cattle feed lots in the County. This custom feed lot handles about 125,000 head a year.
Broetje Orchards is among the larger orchards in the County, with 950 full time and 1,000 seasonally people employed in the growing, packing, and shipping of apples. Cliffstar, which produces fruit juices sold by grocery chains under store labels, entered into a lease of the former Agri-Frozen facility, owned by the Port of Walla Walla (the “Port”), in May 2002.
OREGON
5 SEP - Tuesday
We departed gracious company and wound our way south from Walla Walla. Before reaching the Gorge, we drove through one area where the mountain range was covered by giant wind power generators. An unusual, quite different site.
Columbia Gorge
Crossing into Oregon State, we picked up I-84W at Pendleton and, where we could, along the Historic Columbia River Highway - The King of Roads.
Note: This was a technical and civic achievement of its time, successfully marrying ambitious engineering with sensitive treatment of the surrounding magnificent landscape. The Historic Columbia River Highway has gained national significance because it represents one of the earlier applications of cliff-face road building utilizing modern highway construction technologies. It is also the oldest scenic highway in the United States. The Historic Columbia River Highway's design and execution were the products of two visionaries, Samuel Hill, lawyer, entrepreneur, and good road's promoter; and Samuel C. Lancaster, engineer and landscape architect. In addition, many citizens provided strong leadership and advocacy for construction of what they called "The King of Roads."
I won’t list all we took in, as you can read the link. If you study the link in detail, you’ll want to go here also. Take the time to view photos and read up on this: http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2141/itinerary/53147
From downstream - Wallula Gap to The Dalles, Oregon -- The Columbia River winds its way through the basalts of the Columbia Plateau.
It is amazing to curl and twist the gentle interstate of Oregon's mountainous northern border while looking across the Columbia River. The scenery was impressive as expected. What views!!! Dramatic cliffs and lush greenery of mountain top vineyards in Washington State. We stopped all along the way to look and photograph. The views up and down the river valley were delightful.
GRAPE NOTES: The prime wine growing areas in WA and OR generally run in an arc starting in the Walla Walla area on the east, and extend westerly into the Yakima Valley and through the Columbia Gorge, then dips southerly into the Willamette Valley. The prime area in Oregon is Yamhill County, just south of Portland.
I made a point for fisherman Gerald to see the not-to-be-missed Bonneville Fish Hatchery.
This is a Chinook and Coho salmon hatchery. A relaxing place to feed large rainbow trout and view adult white sturgeon measuring more than six feet long.
There’s one big white sturgeon here - 500lbs, 70 years old.
The hatchery is located just downsteam of Bonneville Dam at Bonneville, Oregon, and uses the waters of Tanner Creek. Pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/BonnevilleFishHatchery
Diverted to look at several waterfalls. Bridal Veil and Multnomah are striking.
Caroll and I toured some of this area with Douglas a couple of years earlier. I include photos from then and of the WA side also, even if taken earlier.
Passing up other side routes, we continued I-84 to Portland where we once again crossed the Columbia, on I-5. This has been such an enjoyably easy travel day.
Douglas lives in Vancouver, Washington, across from Portland. We have the luxury of holding up there for several days. I’ll get to see the grandchildren and visit them before and after school.
Down the street from Doug’s house, Mt Hood can be seen only 55 miles away. This 11239’ hill sat there glowing in the setting sun, beckoning us to come for a visit. We'll accept, tomorrow.
Chatted the evening away. Deanne got home from work. We viewed Trip West pictures till bedtime.
The sprawling valley vistas and coastal Oregon are all within an easy, and picturesque, drive from Portland. We’ll take day trips from Doug’s house.
6 SEP Wednesday
Watched and chatted with the orderly grandchildren. Deanne often works nights at the hospital, so slept in. Visited with Doug till time to start the day's running.
Gerald had the misfortune of having a filling fall out. Found a dentist to take him this morning. I dropped him and went on to have the van serviced.
Today we’re going to Mt Hood. Mount Hood lies east of Portland, Oregon and can be seen up and down the Columbia River. The peak is 11,239 feet in elevation. Mount Hood is one of the major volcanoes of the Cascade Range and has erupted repeatedly for hundreds of thousands of years.
Doug recommended a visit of Oregon Trail End prior, so we might better grasp an appreciation for the harshness of the territory that settlers found. We were off down I-5 to Oregon City. The presentation was definitely educational. While close, we also took in historic Willamette Falls. Visited the Museum of the Oregon Territory.
http://www.orcity.com/museum/home.html
and http://www.orcity.com/museum/view.html
http://www.orcity.com/museum/instructions.txt
Oregon City is the location of Oregon's first capital at a postal address once known as Oregon City, O.T.
We then backtracked up I-5N a bit, to pickup Hwy 26E over to Hwy 35 and up to our intended destination, Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood. Besides a great up-close look at the south side of the mountain, we had spectacular panoramas southward including the Three Sisters and Mt Jefferson.
Mount Jefferson, at 10,495 feet, is the second tallest peak in Oregon, with Mount Hood being the tallest. Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano which has erupted repeatedly for hundreds of thousands of years, with its last eruptive episode during the last major glaciation which ended 15,000 years ago.
Toured inside the Lodge... you'd think you were in the Swiss Alps! Spectacular structure!
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/MtHoodDayTrip?authkey=qAd0ho0ONBQ
Continued Hwy35 to the I-84 intersection at Hood River. Much to see along the way on hwy 35. Lots of vistas. On the decent toward the Columbia, we even got views of Mt Adams and St Helen (40 to 50 miles away, in Washington).
Mount Adams is one of the major volcanoes of the Cascade Range and is one of the largest, standing at 12,276 feet elevation. The volcanoes last eruption was approximately 1,000 years ago, resulting in four ash falls and possibly small lava flows from two vents on upper flanks.
We seen lots of pear orchards. Drove rather slowly on purpose. Planned it for easing along I-84 back to Portland during Sunset in the Gorge. The views are spectacular.
Notes: 1. If you plan to visit Mt Hood? Do yourself a big favor. Visit Oregon Trail End before going. 2. Visit the Portland area To-Dos before going to the Oregon coast. Otherwise you'll most likely not find time.
7 SEP Thursday
Up at 6 for school. Chatted and ate breakfast with the grandchildren.
Mount St. Helens is a large stratovolcano (elevation 8,364 feet) located in Washington State 50 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon and 34 miles due west of another Washington State volcano Mount Adams. The first documented observation of Mount St. Helens by Europeans was by Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy on May 19, 1792, as he was charting the inlets of Puget Sound at Point Lawton, near present-day Seattle. He named the peak on October 20, 1792 as it came into view as ship passed the mouth of the Columbia River. He named it in honor of a fellow countryman, Alleyne Fitzherbert, who held the title Baron St. Helens and who was at the time the British Ambassador to Spain. Vancouver also named three other volcanoes in the Cascades - Mount Baker and Mount Rainier in Washington State, and Mount Hood in Oregon - for British naval officers Early Indian names for the peak were "Louwala-Clough", or "smoking mountain".
On May 18, 1980 the volcano erupted. The force of the eruption sent ash 12 miles into the air and destroyed 1,300 feet of the summit, leaving behind a one-mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater opening to the north. Massive lahars (mudflows) tore down the rivers radiating from the volcano's flanks, destroying 185 miles of roadways, 27 bridges, and nearly 200 homes. Fifty-seven people lost their lives. Five smaller explosive episodes occurred during the summer and fall of 1980. Each produced eruption columns 8 to 9 miles above sea level and pyroclastic flows down the volcano's north flank. The episodes in June, August, and October also erupted lava in the crater to form a dome. Beginning with the October 1980 eruption (the June and August domes were each destroyed by subsequent eruptions) and ending with an October 1986 eruption, 17 eruptive episodes built a new lava dome in the crater. This dome, officially called the "Lava Dome", reached a height of 876 feet above the crater floor. Today this dome is referred to as the 1980-86 dome or "old dome", to distinguish it from the new dome-building activity which began in 2004.
St Helens: http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/MountSaintHelenTour?authkey=8ZjU_aSekhA
Drove up I-5 to the scenic highway to view what we could and visit the two observation centers. Took in the movie staring the eruption. Observed and photographed the steaming, growing, magma cone inside the caldera. Pulled over even where there were no turnouts, to take pictures of the devastated areas surrounding the mountain. We ran late getting back to Doug’s place. We were treating the family to an appreciation meal at Red Lobster. Everyone was starving.
8 SEP Friday
Breakfast with the grandkids before school. We lazed, visiting with Doug before he was off to college classes.
We did not do Portland coffee shops and clogged streets. We opted for dazzling scenery, Oregon's woods and the rocky north shoreline.
Morning had passed before we zipped off to visit Oregon Coast Aquarium.Down I-5 to Exit 233.
Just below Albany we headed west through Cornwallis. US-20 is a scienic drive through small-farm country and forested mountains. Pit stopped at Blodgett Country Café for lunch around 2pm… a real value place, near Newport. It seemed to be a new establishment.
The under-water tunnel was interesting but it seemed like a lot of water for few fish. There are several sections to the place… more like a zoo. We tried to find interest. We had gotten a late start and still wanted to view the rugged Northern Coastline and see Oregon lighthouses.
Doug had pointed out an easily missed, excellent restaurant on the left just as we climb out of the Yaquina River Valley. We departed the Aquarium, crossed the bridge & headed north. Made a left onto NW Lighthouse drive and an immediate right up the hill to Izzy’s Restaurant... close to the The Yaquina Head Light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Foulweather
There's a big glass window and wrap around porch. The Cape reaches a height of 800 feet and affords a great view of Agate Beach. We took photos looking southward over that umpteen-mile spectacle of Oregon Coast. After a lunch we crept farther on, keeping our camera handy to capture more seascapes.
Beverly Beach is popular for a reason! A walkway goes under the highway and emerges to the long expanse of sandy beach extending from Yaquina Head (you can see the lighthouse from here) to the headlands of Otter Rock. Bring your kite.
Awesome views of coast from atop the rocky shoreline at Cape Foulweather. View the churning waves at Devil’s Punch Bowl. During storms, water slams with a thundering roar into a hollow rock formation shaped like a huge punch bowl. The surf churns, foams, and swirls as it mixes a violent brew. The punch bowl was probably created by the collapse of the roof over two sea caves, and then shaped by wave action.http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Tourism/Coast-Walport-Florence/Cape-Perpetua-map.html
We hugged coastal US-101N until Brooten Road, then drove through Pacific City and passed Sand Lake to view the Three Capes. We stopped for views too often. I wanted Gerald to witness the pounding surf at Cape Meares. By the time we got there, rain & winds had gotten BAD. It was also 0-dark-thirty. We put on gear and got out there, but views over the cliffs were impossible. We’d just have to return after our Washington Coastline jaunt. Yes, we’ll be back!!! We have hardly seen the Oregon Coast.
We followed Bayocean Road and Netarts Hwy. Lights of Bay City across Tillamook Bay were barely distinguishable through the darkness. We drove twisty hilly Hwy-6 through the Tillamook State Forest in the rainy darkness (not recommended in such conditions). At US-26, we went eastward to I-405, crossing the Columbia to Vancouver. We ate supper late, at Taste of Asia, and then refueled before returning to Doug’s house.
WASHINGTON
The Pacific Ocean to Puget Sound, Lake Chelan to the Columbia River, explore any of the hundreds of waterways that are home to the most boats per capita in the nation. Washington Welcomes You… a place where the great outdoors is a way of life. With such icons as Mount Rainier, Pike Place Market, the Cascade Mountains, Lewis & Clark trail, plus breweries, wineries, a thriving arts scene, major ski areas, java that jolts you to life, and an agricultural base to satisfy any palate, it's no wonder Washington state draws visitors again and again.
Don’t pass up the Farmers Markets... Visit any one of the state's 75 farmers' markets to sample Dungeness Crabs, Penn Cove Mussels, or the raspberries, apples, sweet cherries, pears, and Walla Walla Sweet Onions, for which the state is justly famous.
9 SEP Saturday
Gerald and I left Vancouver and headed for Olympia. We shot the fascinating state capital building. The farmers market is definitely worth visiting. There’s also a magnificent view of the capital building when looking across the marina from there.
Checked in & set up for camp at Ft Lewis, overlooking American Lake. Had a fabulous view of Mt Rainier. Had excellent wireless service. We ran out Hwy-16, crossed the Tacoma Narrows for a meal at Tide's Tavern on Gig Harbor. http://www.tidestavern.com/
The weather was ideal. What a setting... a table on the deck with an excellent view of Mt Rainier glowing in the evening sun. The view from the Narrows Bridge is a sight to see on its own. Everything excellent this time.
We diverted on our return to camp to drive Tacoma’s residential hills for vistas overlooking the harbor. Then we did a drag of the old taverns (cafe) stripalong Pacific Ave. Picked up Spur I-705 for a drive passed Tacoma Dome and took I-5 back to Ft Lewis. I would like to take fare in one of those "Old Tacoma" cafes overlooking the harbor, but we were already full. Never found the time later either. Wanted to take in the zoo also…There is way too much to take in around here.
10 SEP Sunday
Olympic Peninsula Tour
In the morning we ran US-12 west from Olympia to pick up US-101N at Hoquiam.
Note: US-101 is the parameter road of the Olympic Peninsula.
This was not the first trip for Robert and photos included are from more than just this time. What you will find will depend on the season and weather. Gerald lucked out with no storms, but calm seas do not make for crashing surf, as seen in some of these ocean pictures.
We were impressed going through Hoquiam. Quite a pretty port. Westport Marina is the largest coastal marina in the Pacific Northwest and home to Washington State's largest charter fishing fleet. This full-service Marina offers moorage space for 650 charter, commercial, and sport fishing vessels, plus a wide range of pleasure craft
One of the most popular spots is the Westport fishing boardwalk. Here whole families can toss out a crab pot and fish off the pier - sometimes you catch your limit, sometimes you just enjoy the afternoon. A stroll down the fishing pier, looking at the sailboats and yachts and checking out everyone's catch is always a delight.
Whether you are a shopping for the freshest seafood or you are a sportsman looking to win the derby - Westport has it. Fresh tuna, salmon, prawns and crab are among the items that you can buy right off of the boats. For the sportsman, charter facilities abound.
A bit further, we stopped in Aberdeen. It is located in Grays Harbor County on the southern edge of the Olympic Peninsula at the convergence of the Wishkah and Chehalis Rivers. The history of this area has been driven by the logging and fishing industries, although in the last few years there has been a concerted effort to replace these with an emphasis on tourism and designating Aberdeen as the largest retail center on the Washington Coast.
We stayed on 101 for a whole of 4 miles. After Aberdeen we headed to the coast on 109. The route runs west along Gray’s Harbor to the Ocean City State Park. We passed numerous sloughs and salt marshes. If you are interested in beachcombing, birdwatching, kayaking, or just quiet walks in the pristine forests, this is such a place.
There's a major fault line running north to south about 70 miles off the Pacific coast. Geologists fear that an earthquake along this fault will trigger tsunamis.
There are tsunami-warning signs along the coast. We wondered what good these warnings would do us if we were close enough to be reading the signs. I don't think I would live along there.
Ocean City SP - It seemed strange to drive to roads end and then drive along the oceanfront. Vehicle traffic is allowed seasonally on portions of the beach. Driving is allowed only on the uppermost hard-packed sand, and all the rules of the road apply, as on a public roadway. The speed limit on the beach is 25 mph. All-terrain vehicles are not allowed in the park or on the beach or dune areas. Dog sledding with wheeled sleds is allowed on the beach.
Traffic was extremely light. In no time, we arrived at Pacific Beach, our intended lunch stop. We went into Pacific Beach Resort for their Windjammer lunch (Large BLT with chowder or onion rings). After Pacific Beach we dropped east and southward short distances through Aloha and Carlisle. At Copalis Crossing we turned east a bit to get over to 101 again and continue northward, at Humptulips.
There are incredible ocean views. The coast is loaded with seastacks (large rocks located just off the beach). I’ll let the photos speak their thousand words.
Notes gleaned from others and from my research… Forgive me if I have some of these places are out of order.
Quinault - Drive the Rain Forest Loop. 31 miles up the Quinault River into the Olympic National Park, around Lake Quinault and down the other side. There are many opportunities along the way to stop for viewing waterfalls and wildlife, and taking walks, hikes or photographs. You gain many views of the surrounding mountains, giant trees and the Quinault River. Gorgeous views of the Olympic Mountains. Allow two hours minimum to complete this trip by car.
Queets - The Sams River Loop Trail is three miles in length and can be started at the Queets Ranger Station or the trailhead one mile east of the station. The trail passes both the Queets and Sams Rivers as well as through former homestead meadows. Elk are often seen early morning or late evening in the meadows.
- Queets Road hugs the Queets River as it enters a narrow, outstretched finger of the park. The road ends at the Queets Rain Forest, where you can hike to the park's largest Douglas fir... or you can continue on to Lake Quinault.
Kalaloch (Claylock) has the charm of an ocean side fishing village, but all the amenities of a fine resort where you can stop, look and listen to the ocean. The Kalaloch area beaches are easily accessed from the main highway.
Short beach trails lead from U.S. 101 to beach sections. Ruby Beach is the northern most trail with six other trails to the south. Each beach is distinct. Here’s a swell webshots photo. http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1337788718038029766qzTupi?vhost=travel
Kalaloch Beach - A most serene and beautiful place. Expansive driftwood-covered beach that stretches for miles. The long, straight and wide sand beach is among its multiple appeals.http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/36096/rialto_0113.jpg
Kalaloch and South Beaches are great for barefoot strolls through the sand
Ruby Beach is a must see! It has to be the top stop on the Washington Pacific Coast. Marvelous rock structures sculpted by the waves. Hundreds of logs washed ashore and left on the beach. To reach the shore, you have to climb over logjams. There's a couple large sea stacks. Fourth Beach has excellent tide pools on the near-shore rocks.
With the tide out, there was much to see including starfish, tidal pools, and sand bars.
We had no fog on the WA coast (this trip), only clear vistas. Some of the photos are from other visits to WA.
Hoh Rain Forest - part of the ecosystem that stretches along the Pacific Coast from Oregon to Alaska. What defines a rain forest quite simply is rain--lots of it. As Pacific rain clouds rise over the mountains into thinner air, water vapor drops out when the air cools, dumping moisture into the westside rain forests. The mountains to the east also protect the coastal areas from severe weather extremes. Seldom does the temperature drop below freezing in the rain forest and summertime highs rarely exceed 80 F. However… Try to imagine 13 feet of rain--every year.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/olym/edurain.htm
and http://www.forks-web.com/fg/rainforest.htm
Sitka spruce trees proliferate in the rain forests of the Olympic Peninsula.
The road for Hoh Rain Forest is a 19 mile drive... takes you along the Hoh River and eventually back into Olympic National Park. Trails: Big Spruce is 1.25 miles round trip thru some pretty forest with ferns and moss. Hall of Mosses is 0.75 mile round trip. Short uneven grades on both trails. Both begin near the Visitor Center at the end of the Hoh road and are excellent examples of rain forests with dense lush vegetation. Elk and deer are sometimes seen in the area.
There were occasional views of the mountains with massive clearcuts. Seemed to be such massive destruction. The route, headed through stump-covered clear-cut forests and stump-covered pastures to the town of Forks. The terrain becomes increasingly hilly and the countryside increasingly forested as the road winds its way out along the coast.
Forks - We noticed some logging activity in the area.There were massive areas on mountain sides, void of trees. Much erosion. There were signs posted occasionally showing when some areas were planted. Peering through the trees, we could see the old- growth stumps.
We passed up going up to Sekiu and Neah Bay. We figured we’d see plenty of shoreline by the time we ran the coast all the way to Monterey.
We passed Hobuck Beach, a beautiful sandy alcove. We did not go out to Shi Shi Beach as we had seen enough and were looking forward to setting up camp at Lake Crescent before dark to do some relaxing.
Lake Crescent - We wanted to spend some of the day being lazy at camp. Took in what shoreline we dared time for, the rain forests, then continued US 101 northward from the ocean shores of Kalaloch Beach to Fairholm Campground. On the drive over we saw a couple huge ships in the Straights of Juan de Fuca.
What an impressive hillside setting overlooking the west end of clear blue waters. Lake Crescent is quite something, surrounded on all sides by forested mountains. It is so peaceful and I’m glad we took the opportunity to camp here. We agreed there couldn’t be a prettier lake view. That close to the Pacific, it stays light for hours after the sun sets. We spent the evening in our chairs sipping drinks while overlooking the water.
How beautiful our trip has been…we've had perfect weather. Other than considerably less flowing of streams and falls, we picked a great time.
Just before dark, the night sky was sorta like this. (This is not a picture of mine.) http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/13606/dramaticsky.jpg
Such a diverse and stunning land, a rocky coastline, wave-manicured beaches, spectacular mountains, gorgeous lakes, lush meadows, and ancient rainforests. A place of serendipitous discovery. At day's end, we escaped to the comforts of our campground retreat overlooking one of this country's most beautiful lake.
11 SEP Monday
3738 MILES - SPEARFISH, SD to PORT ANGELES, WA SPLIT COST= $778.79
SO FAR, 4912 MILES for $1273.87. THAT'S $60 per day AVERAGE, EACH.
The morning! Seeing Lake Crescent, we were in awe. We could have stayed here for a couple more nights it is that serene. But of course we had yet so much ground to cover.
We drove around beautiful Lake Crescent with reflections of the mountains. IMO, the drive along Lake Crescent is every bit as impressive as the trip up the coast. The road clings to the mountainsides, right at the edge of the water.
But there's one significant difference between this drive, and the coast... Instead of looking at open water, there are mountains on the other side. Simply beautiful! It is good that they have a leisurely 35-mph speed limit.
Hurricane Ridge - Another very impressive stop. Drove up Hurricane Ridge to view much of Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound from up-high. This is one of the state’s scenic highlights. The climb gains 5,300 feet in just 18 miles. The ridge is a designated World Heritage Site where one may sample the alpine aspect of this diverse area.
Once on top the view is wide. We looked out over Sequim, the Dungeness sand spit, the Straits of Juan de Fuca (with ships) and across to Victoria, British Columbia.. We could see Mount Baker beyond the San Juan Islands. "On top of the world" we saw vistas including Mount Olympus. I have to agree with "God has truly blessed us all with incredible works of art."
Port Townsend - This Victorian town is one of the oldest in the state. Here we loaded onto the huge Whidbey Island ferry. On the ride crossed Puget Sound we got great views of the Olympics and Mount Baker.
Whidbey Island - Took lunch at the town of Langley, in view of Mt. Baker and the Cascades, before heading up the length of Whidbey Island. Cruised the Oak Harbor waterfront. Stopped for looks and photos of Deception Pass. GORGEOUS views!
The Deception Pass Bridge carries hwy 20 over, connecting the islands of Whidbey andFidalgo
At Mt. Vernon, went north on I-5 to Bow for check-in at Skagit Resort.
Boy, what an experience we have felt in three weeks time. This road trip has given such freedom, escapism and convenience. It sure is nice to NOT have a rental car to obtain or turn in. This is the way to see our country! Such gorgeous scenery with no flights to catch.
These 7 days has been slower paced, although we still covered nearly 2000 miles with all of our day-trips. Getting to visit loved ones sure helped. We wanted to see as much as we could from Vancouver. I think we did a pretty good job of it.
Chapter Four is in the works, SLOWLY. We’ll be traveling To See & Do places such as Mt Baker, Mt Rainier, Oregon Coastline, Crater Lake, Redwoods NP and California vineyards.
END CHAPTER THREE
This is week three of a nine week cross country trip report.
Benefit may be derived from glancing through Chapters 1 and 2 of TRIP WEST prior to reading this chapter.
14000 caracters have been trimmed off Chapter Three to allow posting here. A full fledged version has been posted at members.freewebs under the tripwest website. If you have difficulty in opening it, send me an email. I'll assist.
In Chapter 1, we traveled from mid-Michigan to Cody, WY.
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/travel-tales/23981-trip-west-report-chapter-one-2.html
This report has more than one page as other members have posted and I didn’t post all in the same day.
In Chapter 2 we sped through Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.
http://www.timeshareforums.com/forums/travel-tales/37346-trip-west-chapter-two-2.html
This week we are doing day tours of Columbia Gorge, Mt Hood, Mt Saint Helen, the rugged coastline of northern Oregon, then Olympic Peninsula.
Two days from now we will have traveled from Spokane to Portland.
Photos of 4 September may be found at
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/SpokaneToWallaWalla
and of 5 September at
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/WallaWallaToPortland
Photos of the Fish Hatchery have been separated out to make the above album somewhat smaller.
Fish are at
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/BonnevilleFishHatchery
There’s much information at the highlighted links within this report. They also contain some pretty good photographs.
SEP 4 Monday
Over lovely rolling hills we go… for at least 150 miles... Following I-90W and US-395S to Pasco, WA.
Port Kelley, Washington, and Spring Gulch Creek are located within the upstream end of the Wallula Gap , just south of the confluence of the Walla Walla River with the Columbia River. Port Kelley is at Columbia River Mile (RM) 312, and Spring Gulch is at RM 311. The Twin Sisters basalt featureis just upstream. McNary Dam and Umatilla, Oregon are approximately 20 miles downstream.
Crossed the Snake River where it dumps into the Columbia. Followed twisty scenic US-12 through Wallula and eastward to Walla Walla. Quite amazing, the vastness... but we were disappointed just a bit. We didn’t get to see the “Waves of Grain” wheat fields. We just had to use the imagination. What was anticipated had been harvested. Gerald had never, but Robert had seen them in mid-October back in 1962. He, Caroll and one-year-old Douglas were traveling highway 2 with orders to Naval Station Rota, Spain. Is the wheat ripening sooner, now? Different methods? … I am left to wondering.
Douglas (now 45) has in-law parents living at Walla Walla. Gerald & I will visit with Joan and Ralph and partake of their hospitality. We looked over their business and cruised a bit around the town and countryside, just soaking it all in. Downtown Walla Walla is lined with shops and unique galleries… Very clean, lovely city with lots of large shade trees.
A tourist web-site message: “Walla Walla Valley is a rainbow of scenic beauty -- golden hillsides melting into broad expanses of crimson fields. Lush evergreens casting shadows over backcountry trails during noonday sun. And the many waters which give the region its name sparkle as they flow to the mighty Snake and Columbia rivers.”
We really made out. We helped Ralph get their stored rig to their back yard. They were to check it out and pack up for a jaunt to Glacier NP. We got to check the jack supports; the water and electric hookups then had it for our overnight convenience. Joan prepared a hearty meal... wouldn’t hear of going out to eat. Ralph gave us much information on Walla Walla and Washington State. Gerald and I shared our Trip West experiences.
After supper, we strolled Walla Walla’s oldest park. The lovely 58-acre Pioneer Park has enormous shade trees, flower gardens, an historic bandstand gazebo, historic cannon, streams and ponds & a fountain … even an aviary (approximately 200 exotic birds including colorful pheasants, ducks, geese and doves from around the world). The best time to view the flowers is when the tulips are in bloom, and from July until first frost. The rose garden located in the southwest corner of the park is gorgeous.
INFORMATION - I’ll share a few findings about this area, should you be interested. Otherwise skip down to OREGON.
The Walla Walla Valley lies on the eastern edge of the Columbia and Snake River basins and is in one of the primary agriculture-producing regions of WA. It is somewhat of an oasis with the rivers flowing through. The region is quite rural in nature. Roads wind with scenic overlooks offering breathtaking views of the valley.
Walla Walla city serves as the marketing, trading and educational hub for over 50,000 people in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. Approximately 16 percent of the 587,600 acres of tillable land in the County is irrigated.
The County’s most important commercial crop is wheat. Other crops include asparagus, spinach, potatoes, green peas, alfalfa hay, barley, corn, grapes, string and lima beans, and Walla Walla Sweet Onions. Over the last few years, the total value of fruits in the County has increased due to the expansion of apple orchards and vineyards. Grape vineyards and wineries comprise an important and growing industry in the County. There are 64 wineries and 40 vineyards in the area. The economic impact of the wine industry in the area is estimated at more than $100 million annually.
The primary livestock farming activity in the County is beef cattle production. Tyson Foods Inc, operates a large beef packing plant in Wallula, near Walla Walla. They buy beef throughout the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada for processing at this plant. Simplot Feeders operates large beef cattle feed lots in the County. This custom feed lot handles about 125,000 head a year.
Broetje Orchards is among the larger orchards in the County, with 950 full time and 1,000 seasonally people employed in the growing, packing, and shipping of apples. Cliffstar, which produces fruit juices sold by grocery chains under store labels, entered into a lease of the former Agri-Frozen facility, owned by the Port of Walla Walla (the “Port”), in May 2002.
OREGON
5 SEP - Tuesday
We departed gracious company and wound our way south from Walla Walla. Before reaching the Gorge, we drove through one area where the mountain range was covered by giant wind power generators. An unusual, quite different site.
Columbia Gorge
Crossing into Oregon State, we picked up I-84W at Pendleton and, where we could, along the Historic Columbia River Highway - The King of Roads.
Note: This was a technical and civic achievement of its time, successfully marrying ambitious engineering with sensitive treatment of the surrounding magnificent landscape. The Historic Columbia River Highway has gained national significance because it represents one of the earlier applications of cliff-face road building utilizing modern highway construction technologies. It is also the oldest scenic highway in the United States. The Historic Columbia River Highway's design and execution were the products of two visionaries, Samuel Hill, lawyer, entrepreneur, and good road's promoter; and Samuel C. Lancaster, engineer and landscape architect. In addition, many citizens provided strong leadership and advocacy for construction of what they called "The King of Roads."
I won’t list all we took in, as you can read the link. If you study the link in detail, you’ll want to go here also. Take the time to view photos and read up on this: http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/2141/itinerary/53147
From downstream - Wallula Gap to The Dalles, Oregon -- The Columbia River winds its way through the basalts of the Columbia Plateau.
It is amazing to curl and twist the gentle interstate of Oregon's mountainous northern border while looking across the Columbia River. The scenery was impressive as expected. What views!!! Dramatic cliffs and lush greenery of mountain top vineyards in Washington State. We stopped all along the way to look and photograph. The views up and down the river valley were delightful.
GRAPE NOTES: The prime wine growing areas in WA and OR generally run in an arc starting in the Walla Walla area on the east, and extend westerly into the Yakima Valley and through the Columbia Gorge, then dips southerly into the Willamette Valley. The prime area in Oregon is Yamhill County, just south of Portland.
I made a point for fisherman Gerald to see the not-to-be-missed Bonneville Fish Hatchery.
This is a Chinook and Coho salmon hatchery. A relaxing place to feed large rainbow trout and view adult white sturgeon measuring more than six feet long.
There’s one big white sturgeon here - 500lbs, 70 years old.
The hatchery is located just downsteam of Bonneville Dam at Bonneville, Oregon, and uses the waters of Tanner Creek. Pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/BonnevilleFishHatchery
Diverted to look at several waterfalls. Bridal Veil and Multnomah are striking.
Caroll and I toured some of this area with Douglas a couple of years earlier. I include photos from then and of the WA side also, even if taken earlier.
Passing up other side routes, we continued I-84 to Portland where we once again crossed the Columbia, on I-5. This has been such an enjoyably easy travel day.
Douglas lives in Vancouver, Washington, across from Portland. We have the luxury of holding up there for several days. I’ll get to see the grandchildren and visit them before and after school.
Down the street from Doug’s house, Mt Hood can be seen only 55 miles away. This 11239’ hill sat there glowing in the setting sun, beckoning us to come for a visit. We'll accept, tomorrow.
Chatted the evening away. Deanne got home from work. We viewed Trip West pictures till bedtime.
The sprawling valley vistas and coastal Oregon are all within an easy, and picturesque, drive from Portland. We’ll take day trips from Doug’s house.
6 SEP Wednesday
Watched and chatted with the orderly grandchildren. Deanne often works nights at the hospital, so slept in. Visited with Doug till time to start the day's running.
Gerald had the misfortune of having a filling fall out. Found a dentist to take him this morning. I dropped him and went on to have the van serviced.
Today we’re going to Mt Hood. Mount Hood lies east of Portland, Oregon and can be seen up and down the Columbia River. The peak is 11,239 feet in elevation. Mount Hood is one of the major volcanoes of the Cascade Range and has erupted repeatedly for hundreds of thousands of years.
Doug recommended a visit of Oregon Trail End prior, so we might better grasp an appreciation for the harshness of the territory that settlers found. We were off down I-5 to Oregon City. The presentation was definitely educational. While close, we also took in historic Willamette Falls. Visited the Museum of the Oregon Territory.
http://www.orcity.com/museum/home.html
and http://www.orcity.com/museum/view.html
http://www.orcity.com/museum/instructions.txt
Oregon City is the location of Oregon's first capital at a postal address once known as Oregon City, O.T.
We then backtracked up I-5N a bit, to pickup Hwy 26E over to Hwy 35 and up to our intended destination, Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood. Besides a great up-close look at the south side of the mountain, we had spectacular panoramas southward including the Three Sisters and Mt Jefferson.
Mount Jefferson, at 10,495 feet, is the second tallest peak in Oregon, with Mount Hood being the tallest. Mount Jefferson is a stratovolcano which has erupted repeatedly for hundreds of thousands of years, with its last eruptive episode during the last major glaciation which ended 15,000 years ago.
Toured inside the Lodge... you'd think you were in the Swiss Alps! Spectacular structure!
http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/MtHoodDayTrip?authkey=qAd0ho0ONBQ
Continued Hwy35 to the I-84 intersection at Hood River. Much to see along the way on hwy 35. Lots of vistas. On the decent toward the Columbia, we even got views of Mt Adams and St Helen (40 to 50 miles away, in Washington).
Mount Adams is one of the major volcanoes of the Cascade Range and is one of the largest, standing at 12,276 feet elevation. The volcanoes last eruption was approximately 1,000 years ago, resulting in four ash falls and possibly small lava flows from two vents on upper flanks.
We seen lots of pear orchards. Drove rather slowly on purpose. Planned it for easing along I-84 back to Portland during Sunset in the Gorge. The views are spectacular.
Notes: 1. If you plan to visit Mt Hood? Do yourself a big favor. Visit Oregon Trail End before going. 2. Visit the Portland area To-Dos before going to the Oregon coast. Otherwise you'll most likely not find time.
7 SEP Thursday
Up at 6 for school. Chatted and ate breakfast with the grandchildren.
Mount St. Helens is a large stratovolcano (elevation 8,364 feet) located in Washington State 50 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon and 34 miles due west of another Washington State volcano Mount Adams. The first documented observation of Mount St. Helens by Europeans was by Captain George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy on May 19, 1792, as he was charting the inlets of Puget Sound at Point Lawton, near present-day Seattle. He named the peak on October 20, 1792 as it came into view as ship passed the mouth of the Columbia River. He named it in honor of a fellow countryman, Alleyne Fitzherbert, who held the title Baron St. Helens and who was at the time the British Ambassador to Spain. Vancouver also named three other volcanoes in the Cascades - Mount Baker and Mount Rainier in Washington State, and Mount Hood in Oregon - for British naval officers Early Indian names for the peak were "Louwala-Clough", or "smoking mountain".
On May 18, 1980 the volcano erupted. The force of the eruption sent ash 12 miles into the air and destroyed 1,300 feet of the summit, leaving behind a one-mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater opening to the north. Massive lahars (mudflows) tore down the rivers radiating from the volcano's flanks, destroying 185 miles of roadways, 27 bridges, and nearly 200 homes. Fifty-seven people lost their lives. Five smaller explosive episodes occurred during the summer and fall of 1980. Each produced eruption columns 8 to 9 miles above sea level and pyroclastic flows down the volcano's north flank. The episodes in June, August, and October also erupted lava in the crater to form a dome. Beginning with the October 1980 eruption (the June and August domes were each destroyed by subsequent eruptions) and ending with an October 1986 eruption, 17 eruptive episodes built a new lava dome in the crater. This dome, officially called the "Lava Dome", reached a height of 876 feet above the crater floor. Today this dome is referred to as the 1980-86 dome or "old dome", to distinguish it from the new dome-building activity which began in 2004.
St Helens: http://picasaweb.google.com/RESORT2ME/MountSaintHelenTour?authkey=8ZjU_aSekhA
Drove up I-5 to the scenic highway to view what we could and visit the two observation centers. Took in the movie staring the eruption. Observed and photographed the steaming, growing, magma cone inside the caldera. Pulled over even where there were no turnouts, to take pictures of the devastated areas surrounding the mountain. We ran late getting back to Doug’s place. We were treating the family to an appreciation meal at Red Lobster. Everyone was starving.
8 SEP Friday
Breakfast with the grandkids before school. We lazed, visiting with Doug before he was off to college classes.
We did not do Portland coffee shops and clogged streets. We opted for dazzling scenery, Oregon's woods and the rocky north shoreline.
Morning had passed before we zipped off to visit Oregon Coast Aquarium.Down I-5 to Exit 233.
Just below Albany we headed west through Cornwallis. US-20 is a scienic drive through small-farm country and forested mountains. Pit stopped at Blodgett Country Café for lunch around 2pm… a real value place, near Newport. It seemed to be a new establishment.
The under-water tunnel was interesting but it seemed like a lot of water for few fish. There are several sections to the place… more like a zoo. We tried to find interest. We had gotten a late start and still wanted to view the rugged Northern Coastline and see Oregon lighthouses.
Doug had pointed out an easily missed, excellent restaurant on the left just as we climb out of the Yaquina River Valley. We departed the Aquarium, crossed the bridge & headed north. Made a left onto NW Lighthouse drive and an immediate right up the hill to Izzy’s Restaurant... close to the The Yaquina Head Light. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Foulweather
There's a big glass window and wrap around porch. The Cape reaches a height of 800 feet and affords a great view of Agate Beach. We took photos looking southward over that umpteen-mile spectacle of Oregon Coast. After a lunch we crept farther on, keeping our camera handy to capture more seascapes.
Beverly Beach is popular for a reason! A walkway goes under the highway and emerges to the long expanse of sandy beach extending from Yaquina Head (you can see the lighthouse from here) to the headlands of Otter Rock. Bring your kite.
Awesome views of coast from atop the rocky shoreline at Cape Foulweather. View the churning waves at Devil’s Punch Bowl. During storms, water slams with a thundering roar into a hollow rock formation shaped like a huge punch bowl. The surf churns, foams, and swirls as it mixes a violent brew. The punch bowl was probably created by the collapse of the roof over two sea caves, and then shaped by wave action.http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Tourism/Coast-Walport-Florence/Cape-Perpetua-map.html
We hugged coastal US-101N until Brooten Road, then drove through Pacific City and passed Sand Lake to view the Three Capes. We stopped for views too often. I wanted Gerald to witness the pounding surf at Cape Meares. By the time we got there, rain & winds had gotten BAD. It was also 0-dark-thirty. We put on gear and got out there, but views over the cliffs were impossible. We’d just have to return after our Washington Coastline jaunt. Yes, we’ll be back!!! We have hardly seen the Oregon Coast.
We followed Bayocean Road and Netarts Hwy. Lights of Bay City across Tillamook Bay were barely distinguishable through the darkness. We drove twisty hilly Hwy-6 through the Tillamook State Forest in the rainy darkness (not recommended in such conditions). At US-26, we went eastward to I-405, crossing the Columbia to Vancouver. We ate supper late, at Taste of Asia, and then refueled before returning to Doug’s house.
WASHINGTON
The Pacific Ocean to Puget Sound, Lake Chelan to the Columbia River, explore any of the hundreds of waterways that are home to the most boats per capita in the nation. Washington Welcomes You… a place where the great outdoors is a way of life. With such icons as Mount Rainier, Pike Place Market, the Cascade Mountains, Lewis & Clark trail, plus breweries, wineries, a thriving arts scene, major ski areas, java that jolts you to life, and an agricultural base to satisfy any palate, it's no wonder Washington state draws visitors again and again.
Don’t pass up the Farmers Markets... Visit any one of the state's 75 farmers' markets to sample Dungeness Crabs, Penn Cove Mussels, or the raspberries, apples, sweet cherries, pears, and Walla Walla Sweet Onions, for which the state is justly famous.
9 SEP Saturday
Gerald and I left Vancouver and headed for Olympia. We shot the fascinating state capital building. The farmers market is definitely worth visiting. There’s also a magnificent view of the capital building when looking across the marina from there.
Checked in & set up for camp at Ft Lewis, overlooking American Lake. Had a fabulous view of Mt Rainier. Had excellent wireless service. We ran out Hwy-16, crossed the Tacoma Narrows for a meal at Tide's Tavern on Gig Harbor. http://www.tidestavern.com/
The weather was ideal. What a setting... a table on the deck with an excellent view of Mt Rainier glowing in the evening sun. The view from the Narrows Bridge is a sight to see on its own. Everything excellent this time.
We diverted on our return to camp to drive Tacoma’s residential hills for vistas overlooking the harbor. Then we did a drag of the old taverns (cafe) stripalong Pacific Ave. Picked up Spur I-705 for a drive passed Tacoma Dome and took I-5 back to Ft Lewis. I would like to take fare in one of those "Old Tacoma" cafes overlooking the harbor, but we were already full. Never found the time later either. Wanted to take in the zoo also…There is way too much to take in around here.
10 SEP Sunday
Olympic Peninsula Tour
In the morning we ran US-12 west from Olympia to pick up US-101N at Hoquiam.
Note: US-101 is the parameter road of the Olympic Peninsula.
This was not the first trip for Robert and photos included are from more than just this time. What you will find will depend on the season and weather. Gerald lucked out with no storms, but calm seas do not make for crashing surf, as seen in some of these ocean pictures.
We were impressed going through Hoquiam. Quite a pretty port. Westport Marina is the largest coastal marina in the Pacific Northwest and home to Washington State's largest charter fishing fleet. This full-service Marina offers moorage space for 650 charter, commercial, and sport fishing vessels, plus a wide range of pleasure craft
One of the most popular spots is the Westport fishing boardwalk. Here whole families can toss out a crab pot and fish off the pier - sometimes you catch your limit, sometimes you just enjoy the afternoon. A stroll down the fishing pier, looking at the sailboats and yachts and checking out everyone's catch is always a delight.
Whether you are a shopping for the freshest seafood or you are a sportsman looking to win the derby - Westport has it. Fresh tuna, salmon, prawns and crab are among the items that you can buy right off of the boats. For the sportsman, charter facilities abound.
A bit further, we stopped in Aberdeen. It is located in Grays Harbor County on the southern edge of the Olympic Peninsula at the convergence of the Wishkah and Chehalis Rivers. The history of this area has been driven by the logging and fishing industries, although in the last few years there has been a concerted effort to replace these with an emphasis on tourism and designating Aberdeen as the largest retail center on the Washington Coast.
We stayed on 101 for a whole of 4 miles. After Aberdeen we headed to the coast on 109. The route runs west along Gray’s Harbor to the Ocean City State Park. We passed numerous sloughs and salt marshes. If you are interested in beachcombing, birdwatching, kayaking, or just quiet walks in the pristine forests, this is such a place.
There's a major fault line running north to south about 70 miles off the Pacific coast. Geologists fear that an earthquake along this fault will trigger tsunamis.
There are tsunami-warning signs along the coast. We wondered what good these warnings would do us if we were close enough to be reading the signs. I don't think I would live along there.
Ocean City SP - It seemed strange to drive to roads end and then drive along the oceanfront. Vehicle traffic is allowed seasonally on portions of the beach. Driving is allowed only on the uppermost hard-packed sand, and all the rules of the road apply, as on a public roadway. The speed limit on the beach is 25 mph. All-terrain vehicles are not allowed in the park or on the beach or dune areas. Dog sledding with wheeled sleds is allowed on the beach.
Traffic was extremely light. In no time, we arrived at Pacific Beach, our intended lunch stop. We went into Pacific Beach Resort for their Windjammer lunch (Large BLT with chowder or onion rings). After Pacific Beach we dropped east and southward short distances through Aloha and Carlisle. At Copalis Crossing we turned east a bit to get over to 101 again and continue northward, at Humptulips.
There are incredible ocean views. The coast is loaded with seastacks (large rocks located just off the beach). I’ll let the photos speak their thousand words.
Notes gleaned from others and from my research… Forgive me if I have some of these places are out of order.
Quinault - Drive the Rain Forest Loop. 31 miles up the Quinault River into the Olympic National Park, around Lake Quinault and down the other side. There are many opportunities along the way to stop for viewing waterfalls and wildlife, and taking walks, hikes or photographs. You gain many views of the surrounding mountains, giant trees and the Quinault River. Gorgeous views of the Olympic Mountains. Allow two hours minimum to complete this trip by car.
Queets - The Sams River Loop Trail is three miles in length and can be started at the Queets Ranger Station or the trailhead one mile east of the station. The trail passes both the Queets and Sams Rivers as well as through former homestead meadows. Elk are often seen early morning or late evening in the meadows.
- Queets Road hugs the Queets River as it enters a narrow, outstretched finger of the park. The road ends at the Queets Rain Forest, where you can hike to the park's largest Douglas fir... or you can continue on to Lake Quinault.
Kalaloch (Claylock) has the charm of an ocean side fishing village, but all the amenities of a fine resort where you can stop, look and listen to the ocean. The Kalaloch area beaches are easily accessed from the main highway.
Short beach trails lead from U.S. 101 to beach sections. Ruby Beach is the northern most trail with six other trails to the south. Each beach is distinct. Here’s a swell webshots photo. http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1337788718038029766qzTupi?vhost=travel
Kalaloch Beach - A most serene and beautiful place. Expansive driftwood-covered beach that stretches for miles. The long, straight and wide sand beach is among its multiple appeals.http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/36096/rialto_0113.jpg
Kalaloch and South Beaches are great for barefoot strolls through the sand
Ruby Beach is a must see! It has to be the top stop on the Washington Pacific Coast. Marvelous rock structures sculpted by the waves. Hundreds of logs washed ashore and left on the beach. To reach the shore, you have to climb over logjams. There's a couple large sea stacks. Fourth Beach has excellent tide pools on the near-shore rocks.
With the tide out, there was much to see including starfish, tidal pools, and sand bars.
We had no fog on the WA coast (this trip), only clear vistas. Some of the photos are from other visits to WA.
Hoh Rain Forest - part of the ecosystem that stretches along the Pacific Coast from Oregon to Alaska. What defines a rain forest quite simply is rain--lots of it. As Pacific rain clouds rise over the mountains into thinner air, water vapor drops out when the air cools, dumping moisture into the westside rain forests. The mountains to the east also protect the coastal areas from severe weather extremes. Seldom does the temperature drop below freezing in the rain forest and summertime highs rarely exceed 80 F. However… Try to imagine 13 feet of rain--every year.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/olym/edurain.htm
and http://www.forks-web.com/fg/rainforest.htm
Sitka spruce trees proliferate in the rain forests of the Olympic Peninsula.
The road for Hoh Rain Forest is a 19 mile drive... takes you along the Hoh River and eventually back into Olympic National Park. Trails: Big Spruce is 1.25 miles round trip thru some pretty forest with ferns and moss. Hall of Mosses is 0.75 mile round trip. Short uneven grades on both trails. Both begin near the Visitor Center at the end of the Hoh road and are excellent examples of rain forests with dense lush vegetation. Elk and deer are sometimes seen in the area.
There were occasional views of the mountains with massive clearcuts. Seemed to be such massive destruction. The route, headed through stump-covered clear-cut forests and stump-covered pastures to the town of Forks. The terrain becomes increasingly hilly and the countryside increasingly forested as the road winds its way out along the coast.
Forks - We noticed some logging activity in the area.There were massive areas on mountain sides, void of trees. Much erosion. There were signs posted occasionally showing when some areas were planted. Peering through the trees, we could see the old- growth stumps.
We passed up going up to Sekiu and Neah Bay. We figured we’d see plenty of shoreline by the time we ran the coast all the way to Monterey.
We passed Hobuck Beach, a beautiful sandy alcove. We did not go out to Shi Shi Beach as we had seen enough and were looking forward to setting up camp at Lake Crescent before dark to do some relaxing.
Lake Crescent - We wanted to spend some of the day being lazy at camp. Took in what shoreline we dared time for, the rain forests, then continued US 101 northward from the ocean shores of Kalaloch Beach to Fairholm Campground. On the drive over we saw a couple huge ships in the Straights of Juan de Fuca.
What an impressive hillside setting overlooking the west end of clear blue waters. Lake Crescent is quite something, surrounded on all sides by forested mountains. It is so peaceful and I’m glad we took the opportunity to camp here. We agreed there couldn’t be a prettier lake view. That close to the Pacific, it stays light for hours after the sun sets. We spent the evening in our chairs sipping drinks while overlooking the water.
How beautiful our trip has been…we've had perfect weather. Other than considerably less flowing of streams and falls, we picked a great time.
Just before dark, the night sky was sorta like this. (This is not a picture of mine.) http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/13606/dramaticsky.jpg
Such a diverse and stunning land, a rocky coastline, wave-manicured beaches, spectacular mountains, gorgeous lakes, lush meadows, and ancient rainforests. A place of serendipitous discovery. At day's end, we escaped to the comforts of our campground retreat overlooking one of this country's most beautiful lake.
11 SEP Monday
3738 MILES - SPEARFISH, SD to PORT ANGELES, WA SPLIT COST= $778.79
SO FAR, 4912 MILES for $1273.87. THAT'S $60 per day AVERAGE, EACH.
The morning! Seeing Lake Crescent, we were in awe. We could have stayed here for a couple more nights it is that serene. But of course we had yet so much ground to cover.
We drove around beautiful Lake Crescent with reflections of the mountains. IMO, the drive along Lake Crescent is every bit as impressive as the trip up the coast. The road clings to the mountainsides, right at the edge of the water.
But there's one significant difference between this drive, and the coast... Instead of looking at open water, there are mountains on the other side. Simply beautiful! It is good that they have a leisurely 35-mph speed limit.
Hurricane Ridge - Another very impressive stop. Drove up Hurricane Ridge to view much of Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound from up-high. This is one of the state’s scenic highlights. The climb gains 5,300 feet in just 18 miles. The ridge is a designated World Heritage Site where one may sample the alpine aspect of this diverse area.
Once on top the view is wide. We looked out over Sequim, the Dungeness sand spit, the Straits of Juan de Fuca (with ships) and across to Victoria, British Columbia.. We could see Mount Baker beyond the San Juan Islands. "On top of the world" we saw vistas including Mount Olympus. I have to agree with "God has truly blessed us all with incredible works of art."
Port Townsend - This Victorian town is one of the oldest in the state. Here we loaded onto the huge Whidbey Island ferry. On the ride crossed Puget Sound we got great views of the Olympics and Mount Baker.
Whidbey Island - Took lunch at the town of Langley, in view of Mt. Baker and the Cascades, before heading up the length of Whidbey Island. Cruised the Oak Harbor waterfront. Stopped for looks and photos of Deception Pass. GORGEOUS views!
The Deception Pass Bridge carries hwy 20 over, connecting the islands of Whidbey andFidalgo
At Mt. Vernon, went north on I-5 to Bow for check-in at Skagit Resort.
Boy, what an experience we have felt in three weeks time. This road trip has given such freedom, escapism and convenience. It sure is nice to NOT have a rental car to obtain or turn in. This is the way to see our country! Such gorgeous scenery with no flights to catch.
These 7 days has been slower paced, although we still covered nearly 2000 miles with all of our day-trips. Getting to visit loved ones sure helped. We wanted to see as much as we could from Vancouver. I think we did a pretty good job of it.
Chapter Four is in the works, SLOWLY. We’ll be traveling To See & Do places such as Mt Baker, Mt Rainier, Oregon Coastline, Crater Lake, Redwoods NP and California vineyards.
END CHAPTER THREE
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