olympic national park, washington (again)

The Passport Trio

 Today was a round trip from the Lake Quinault Lodge to Port Angeles and back. It was a whole bunch of driving but I didn’t drive. I took it easy in the back seat while Margaret drove and Gale rode shotgun. They talked the whole time while I quietly looked for bald eagles and saw not one! 

Our Tourist Agenda included the Big Cedar Tree, Pacific Ocean, Hoh River, Hurricane Ridge, Hoh Rainforest, and everything else that was along the way. And it was all pretty spectacular, too.

The Big Cedar Tree is . . . a big cedar tree! It’s big, that much I can say for sure. You could build hundreds of cedar chests and line as many closets or more. I’m not sure if it’s good to burn cedar as firewood but it would be a lifetime supply for a bunch of families in bad winter weather. I’m sure the Big Cedar Tree is a special natural attraction but it seems like every tree out here is big. As we walked the 1.7 mile loop that includes the big cedar, I saw many other trees trying to outdo the Big One.

We stopped along the Hoh River to get some photos and a break from sitting in the vehicles. Kevin, our fisherman of the crew, is always looking for fish. All we have to do is ask and he will tell us what particular fish he would be finding in the water wherever we might be. Places like this make me want to grab a folding chair, pick a spot, listen to the water as it flows downstream, and take a nap . . . without setting an alarm.

The Pacific Ocean is still out there somewhere. We were riding right next to it, at least half of the day, but never really saw it. We could hear it and we could feel the mist from it, and we could see it faintly but I’m still not sure it was there. Hopefully, tomorrow, when we head north again, the Pacific Ocean will become a reality instead of a mystery shrouded in a moist fog. Who knows?

Hurricane Ridge was another one of those real mountain-top experiences. Snow always makes mountains look a bit more majestic and Hurricane Ridge gave us a view of a mountain range covered in a regal robe of white. It was a bit chilly up there as well.

I suppose the only negative part of the day is the mask epidemic. So many things are closed and it seems like government places such as national parks have this paranoia about the virus. (That’s all I’m going to say. One of my goals for the ride is no politics so I’m not going there,)

The highlight of the day was the Passport Trio: Margaret, Gale, and Becky and their National Parks Passport Books! It’s like watching three kids on an Easter egg hunt. At the parks where the gift shops are closed, a national parks worker is usually stationed in front of the closed gift shop to provide stamps for determined collectors such as the Trio. I don’t mind that they collect the stamps  and I’m happy for them, but I’m feeling slighted since I could not get into the gift shop to buy stickers for my shop storage cabinets and the car-top carrier I borrowed from my friend, Billy. I’ll get over it, I guess.

It was a good day. and I’m tired. And being tired always reminds me of a Bible verse where Jesus said, “Come unto me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” I’ll take Jesus up on that promise. I’m going to bed. Good night.

Two days and we ride.

This blog was written yesterday while we were still at the Lake Quinault Lodge in Olympic National Park. But . . . I ran over my allotted thirty minutes of free WIFI and did not have time to publish it. Therefore it is a day late but it's done now, thanks to the real free WIFI at Ship Harbor Inn in Anacortes. (They don't cut the WIFI off at thirty minutes.)