OLYMPIC PENINSULA TO ASHLAND, OREGON OCTOBER 19 -24

         OLYMPIC PENINSULA, WASHINGTON

THAT'S NOT SOMEONE DEMANDING MY WALLET, IT'S THE SHADOW OF DAN ROBERTS FROM NEW LONDON, CT WHO I MET ON THE TRAIL.  HE'S TAKING MY PICTURE......

CAPE FLATERRY

Late in the afternoon we reached the farthest northwest that you can go in the lower forty-eight, Cape Flaterry at the tip of the Olympic Peninsula. The entire area around this beautiful rugged point is Makah Tribal land and the Makah's have recently completed a 1/2 mile trail through a dense forest to get to the viewing platform. A small, well designed museum back in Neah Bay gives a good history of these resourceful people who have sprung back from only several hundred survivors of the pillage and disease inflicted by four centuries of white explorers.

The pounding surf crests huge rocks and thunders into sea caves at Cape Flaretty

The scenic road along the south shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the wide glacial fjord that separates Washington State from Vancouver Island, BC, is lightly travelled and you glimpse sea birds, Bald Eagles, water views and ocean ships along the way.

Early evening fog caps a bluff along the Straits of Juan de Fuca

Smitty's restaurant is a claustrophobic landmark on the road througn Sequim and Port Angeles heading out to Cape Flaterry 2 hours west. They plan to remove the uncounted bucks hanging like stalactites and give the cash to local charities this winter when they close for a well-needed house cleaning.

                               

BUNGEE JUMPING AT IT'S BEST! on the BEACH AT KALALOCH

This is the first time I have visited the Olympic Peninsula without the usual rain and I'm going to take advantage of the bright, cool spell to slow down and enjoy the superb scenery. A leisurely trip up the Hoh River into the rain forest brought back memories of 1962 when we camped on a sand bank here under a crude tarp lean-to, greeted by curious deer in the morning.  Not much has changed except the old dirt road is now smoothly paved.

 

 

THE RAIN FOREST IS A VERY MAGICAL PLACE,  SO LUSH AND PEACEFUL. THE OVERALL SCENE IS ABOUT AS PICTURESQUE AS IT GETS AND THE DETAILS ARE REALLY WONDERFUL.

BRILLIANT GREEN MOSS ON CRYSTAL CLEAR WATER

A TINY WREN CLAIMS HIS TERRITORY

RUBY BEACH IN THE SEA MIST FROM THE SURF

OREGON

AT THE END OF A PERFECT DAY WE CROSSED THE WIDE MOUTH OF THE COLUMBIA RIVER ON THE ROLLER COASTER BRIDGE INTO ASTORIA, OREGON CLOSE TO WHERE LEWIS  and CLARK ENDED THEIR LONG JOURNEY.

THE VICTORY THEATER IN DOWNTOWN ASTORIA HAS BEEN RESTORED TO IT'S ORIGINAL GLORY AND THE MAIN DRAG IS CHOCK FULL OF TOURIST SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS, A POPULAR DAYTRIP FROM PORTLAND.

THE OREGON COAST IS VERY SPECIAL WITH MAXIMUM PUBLIC ACCESS TO THE PACIFIC SHORE AND PLACES LIKE CANNON BEACH ABOVE WHERE THE SEAMOUNTS MAKE PEOPLE APPEAR AS SMALL AS ANTS.

THE SUNSET AT SEASIDE, OR WAS SOFT AND SWEET FOLLOWED BY SOME GREAT HALIBUT AT DOGGER'S RESTAURANT IN TOWN.

ANOTHER SPLENDID DAY AS WE WOUND OUR WAY DOWN THE OREGON COAST STOPPING TO ENJOY THE VIEWS, HIKING THE FORESTS AND EATING OUTRAGEOUS CARMEL PECAN PRALINE ICE CREAM AT THE TILLAMOOK CREAMERY.

BUNGEE CAUTIOUSLY CROSSED THE SWINGING BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER ON A TRAIL TO A SECLUDED BEACH.

HUNDREDS OF SEALIONS CRAM IN FOR THE NIGHT AT A SMALL BEACH NEAR        FLORENCE, OR AND THE CHORUS OF THEIR BARKING RESOUNDS OFF THE CLIFFS. 

  THE ART DECO BRIDGES ALONG THE COASTAL ROUTE IN OREGON ARE AMONG MY
  FAVORITES AND THE HIGH ONE IN NEWPORT IS ONE OF THE BEST.

DRIVING INLAND ALONG THE UMPUQUA RIVER YOU VIEW LARGE HERDS OF ELK  GRAZING  IN THE MEADOWS.

TRACY, ZAN, ME AND BUNGE IN ASHLAND, OR

ARRIVED AT TRACY AND KEVIN'S WONDERFUL HOUSE ISOLATED IN THE WOODS OF MT. ASHLAND JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN. IT'S BEEN RAINING FOR TWO DAYS, BUT GOOD COMPANY, A SNUG PLACE WITH A WARM WOOD STOVE AND VERY RELAXING.

GOOD TO MEET KEVIN AND ZAN, WHO WILL BE ONE NEXT MONTH, AND CATCH UP WITH TRACY WHO I'VE KNOWN SINCE SHE WAS A GRADE SCHOOLER IN MANCHESTER, MA. SHE HAS STAYED A CLOSE FRIEND WITH MY DAUGHTER, ALISON EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE LIVED ON SEPARATE COAST FOR A LONG TIME. TRACY HAS BEEN ON LEAVE WITH ZAN AND GOES BACK TO HER JOB AS A FIREFIGHTER IN OAKLAND, CA NEXT MONTH.  WE HAVE A GOOD MUTUAL FRIEND IN SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE, MARY BRENEMAN. BUNGEE AND ZAN HAVE BECOME BUDDIES AND WE'LL MISS ALL OF THEM WHEN WE HEAD SOUTH INTO CALIFORNIA TOMORROW MORNING.