This past weekend (week and a half ago now) we ventured out to one of my favorite parts of WA state, a part I really haven’t explored as much as I should have considering my 2+ decades living in the state. Time to remedy that fact: Olympic National Park (ONP) adventure begin!
Friday Matt & I hopped the Bainbridge ferry right after work and enjoyed some great (actually sunshiny!) views of downtown. We ended up at Heart o’ the Hills Campground, right outside of Port Angeles, and just below Hurricane Ridge. This time we actually had a stove that worked and we enjoyed a fire and some s’mores. Bright (foggy) and early Saturday morning we headed into La Push to pick up Chris + Markus. (Markus of our recent Vancouver adventures, Chris who we met in Chile and visited in his home country Germany last fall). They came over on the ferry from Victoria, and Port Angeles, WA was Chris first time to set foot in the United States. What a way to start.
The boys were starving and Markus was eager to show Chris an American diner so we headed to Forks, WA, home of all things Twilight. (It was just on the way to the beach, I promise). I admit to having read the books (though not following the movies) but Forks was even smaller and drearier than I imagined. They did however serve an excellent meat skillet, so after some nourishment we were on our way to Second Beach in La Push, WA. It was a half mile or so hike down to the beach, and worth every step especially on a day as sunny and perfect as we had. We walked a mile or so down the beach, found our own windless cove, built a fire, and generally enjoyed ourselves for the rest of the day.
Road trippin'
breakfast in Forks - Chris's eyes are bigger than his stomach
Welcome to Second Beach
The boys tried to start a fire using the telephoto lens......
Beach bonfire
Handstand contest
Love the ocean
Boys chasing seagulls
Love this one too
Bald eagle up in the tree
Early evening we headed into the Hoh Rainforest for another night of camping. We had the pleasure of introducing Chris and Markus to the venerable American tradition of making s’mores, which they seemed to approve of heartily. Sunday we hiked the Hoh River Trail up to Five Mile Island. It was 10 miles round trip but completely flat so it made for a nice easy stroll through the rainforest and allowed us to enjoy the proliferation of moss, ferns, vines and other greenery. Again, we had perfect weather and enjoyed a picnic along the river at Five Mile Island. After that it was time to head back to Seattle – why does the work week always come so fast?!
Camp
Camp cookin
Markus & Chris trying out s'mores
Rainforest. Green.
Chris & Markus stayed with us the rest of the week, along with Tomas, another friend of Markus’ we had met up in Vancouver. They explored on their own by day and we had a great time taking them around by night. Monday we headed over to L&V’s (who we had been with when we met and spent a few weeks w/ Chris in Chile) to catch up, Tuesday was the Met for HH, a tour of Matt’s building dowtown, and Bauhaus for some coffee, and Wednesday was Karma & Local 360 in Belltown (I looked around for you Ryan, figured there was at least a 50% chance you would be there!).
Chris, Markus, Lance, Matt - Rooftop @ L&V's place
Gazing out the window at Russell
Bauhhaus
Karma
Local 360
Tomas, Val, Chris
Mackenzie, Matt, Val, Chris, Markus & Tomas
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