OLYMPIC N. P., WEEK 10

July 16th - July 18th 2012

Monday (16)
Driving from Kirkland to Olympic Peninsula. Freeway. Tacoma. Bridge and bye, bye densely populated area. Average weather. Driving along Hood Canal (apparently one of the few fjords in US). Pretty. First stop (besides gas station).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hood_Canalhttp://www.explorehoodcanal.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodsport,_Washington

To get some information, we stopped in Hoodsport. Really nice guy in visitor's center, we got useful information (does not happen all the time) and got on the road again. We visited unnamed waterfall.

Breakfast at Tides Restaurant along the way. Pretty good. With our parents, we do have better luck with eating out, but worse luck with traffic (I guess discovering real Seattle traffic).
We as well decided, that we will stay extra night (it was supposed to be one night trip). With some "monkey business", we did arrange accommodation and were set to spend more time here.
Heading to Port Townsend. Really nice views along the way (the road goes up and down).

Port Townsend.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Townsend,_Washington
http://www.cityofpt.us/
Girls: main street and shops.
Boys: wooden boat workshop, marina and coast.
Both pretty (especially with nice weather and sunshine).

Fort Worden. Lighthouse. Some beaches. Buildings.
Really interesting, cooler and pretty.
And ... there was submarine.

And the time was flying ...
We left and were heading towards Port Angeles. Detour to continue along the coast instead of 101 (main road going around the peninsula). Some lavender farms (apparently huge business in the area).

I tried to avoid stopping, but I at some point I had to. We ended up in the park called Dungeness Wildlife Refuge. Partly county park, partly federal land. A lot of picnic places, at the end something called Dungeness spit with lighthouse.

Apparently, it is about 5.5 miles of strip of land in the sea. At the end, there is the lighthouse.
http://www.fws.gov/washingtonmaritime/dungeness/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeness_Spit
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/dungeness-national-wildlife-refuge
You can hike to the lighthouse. It was pretty windy, cold and really interesting.
Just by the coast, there was a house, some signs and couple of viewing platforms.
And some "wildlife".

And ... drive to Port Angeles. Smaller town, port, ferry to Canada. We got our room in the hotel (ok). Then we wonder the town to find place to eat seafood. Without much luck, so we ended up with pizza.

DAY OVER.

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TUESDAY (17)

Slow start in Port Angeles. We had breakfast in the restaurant in the same building as hotel. Pretty good. We got lost a bit (bad navigation). Heading towards Hurricane Ridge of Olympic National Park. Quick stop by visitor's center (some useful information). About 18 miles drive to the visitor's center there. Pretty drive, windy road, nice views and really nice weather (blue sky and sunshine).

A lot of people in there. Big parking lot on the top of the mountain (almost). Really incredible views (the camera just does not capture all the beauty).

Small hike to the Sunrise point (small hill offering 360 degrees view). Couple of deer along the way (not afraid of people at all).

And ... views ...

Still some snow (not really impressive anymore).

Spring pretty much just starting (kind of late).

Lunch - sandwich.

Getting late (1.30 pm).

Driving back. We took gravel road to avoid going through Port Angeles. Just fine.

Lake Crescent (our next destination). Still nice drive. Stopped by Ranger station (big complex containing Lodge, camp and some other stuff). Hike to the Marymere Falls. Nice walk, relatively flat and slower. Our parents "soaking" the scenery (that makes walking pretty slow). Still pretty.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marymere_Falls

And actually Lake Crescent:

Stopped by some tiny store (thirsty) and ice cream.

Park ranger stopped some car (looked like speeding).

Driving to Sol Duc (hot springs and resorts). There were some trails, but they were too long, so we skipped those. We walked the old growth trail. After that just drive back. Second attempt for seafood dinner (on the shore), it did not look too great, so we ended up in the same restaurant in the hotel building for really good fish and chips.

NIGHT IN PORT ANGELES.

Wednesday (18)

Breakfast at the same place. So ... a bit late start. Heading towards Forks (Twilight books and movies).
Relatively long and boring drive. Cloudy and grey. Unfortunately. Stop for gasoline in Forks.
Hoh National Rain Forest.
http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-the-hoh.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoh_Rainforest
http://www.hohrainforest.com/
We visited this place two years ago (fall time). This time, there was more people (nice weather). Walked Hall of Moses trail. I have to say, that last time it was more magical (more rain, less people).

Still, really nice and charming walk thru the forest.

Well, with the late start and a lot of "soaking" we were getting close to the departure time. Drive to the main road 101 and heading toward beaches. The weather got slightly better.

http://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/visiting-kalaloch-and-ruby-beach.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Beach

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/ruby-beach/

Quick stop by Lake Quinault. Seeing the biggest Spruce tree.

Aberdeen. 101 - 12 - 8 - I-5 - I-405. Long drive and bad traffic. 

But ...

there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

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WEEK 9

July 9th - July 15th

This was kind of funny week.
There were some work days for J. A lot of forgotten days, as it just happens.
So, for few days, it was like normal life.

Thursday, we picked up our parents at SeaTac airport.
What a driving nightmare.
But, there was a cell phone waiting lot.
http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.traveltacoma.com/getting-around/sea-tac-international-airport/
  
Friday, in heavy rain, we drove to Seattle.
Walking thru Pike Market. A bit around.
Too many people, otherwise ok.
Late lunch at Spud Kirkland (fish and chips).
Really tasty cherries at Juanita farmers market.
Our small apartment.
After a week of trying, we finally made arrangements to meet a friend from Canada.
Drive to Fremont (around the lake) in really bad traffic.
Meeting her at Gas works park in Fremont.
Driving into Fremont.
Small dinner (and talking and catching up) at Hunger restaurant.
Really great to see her, too short.

Saturday, driving to Fremont, again.
We stopped at University district's farmer's market.
Still having time before chocolate tour, we stopped at Gas works park.
Cloudy, foggy and gray.
Most of the Space Needle hidden in fog.
Still, quite a bit of life on the lake.
Someone sleeping (see picture below).
Few people having fun on Stand Up Paddle boards.
Even dog (see picture below).

Parking in Fremont, watching the canal.
11.00 Theo chocolate factory tour.
http://www.theochocolate.com/
http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/2011/11/theo-chocolate/
Really interesting.

Walk around a bit.
Lunch at barbeque restaurant (apparently run by vegetarian).
Pretty good.

Ballard locks.
The weather got much better.
Cougar mountain (short walk).
Home (well ... apartment).

Sunday, rainy day again.
We drove to Everett Boeing factory for the tour (boys).
Interesting. No photos.
http://www.boeing.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing
Bellevue shopping (girls).
Time off.
Early dinner at Cheesecake factory.
Time off.

WEEK 8

July 2nd - July 8th 2012

Bellow described trip to Mt. Helens and Mt. Rainier.

Friday, the 6th, we went to Bellevue Art Museum (free every first Friday). One floor was closed. It sucked (nothing really to see). Walk to store (pretty warm) and back to car. We as well drove to Mercer Island, followed main road around the island (nothing really to see). Stopped at park beach and enjoy that for a while. And then ... drove back, because there was not much to see or do.

Sunday, the 8th, I drove in the morning to the Tiger mountain to take (exercise) hike to the top (around 3 miles). Already bunch of people. Pretty steep (from 500 to 2500 feet), but otherwise nice and pretty. Less then two hour whole trip (walk).

http://www.bellevuearts.org/

http://www.mercergov.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercer_Island,_Washington
http://www.city-data.com/city/Mercer-Island-Washington.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Mountain
http://evergreenmtb.org/wiki/index.php?title=Trail:Tiger_Mountain
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/tiger-mountain-trail/

MOUNT RAINIER

7-3-2012

We woke up in the strange motel with the sound of rain. It probably could not get any worse. Dark, cloudy and raining pretty hard. Well, we only had hope that it will change with the time.
We drove around fifty minutes from Packwood do Ashford (another small town next to Mt. Rainier National park). It kept raining. Lonely Planet recommended breakfast place in Ashford. We drove thru small town and did not find it,  just to realize, we were supposed to head towards the park, where the restaurant was. Small nice place, heavy rain and few people in there. Below average breakfast - Washington state restaurant food sucks! (And is pretty pricy too.)

The park's gate was less then a minute from a restaurant. Still raining.

We figured that we will visit three main settlements in the park and maybe do few hikes (walks).
Longmire. Still raining. Houses. Bunch of cars. Visitor center (this one helpful). We got some maps and list of places to visit in one day. There was not much to see at Longmire, so we left pretty quickly.

http://www.nps.gov/mora/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Rainier

Christine Falls
Narada Falls
The weather got a bit better. The scenery was really great. By Narada Falls we started seeing some snow and even part of the trail to waterfalls was covered with snow. Relatively cold. We were about two hours from Seattle, most of the country was tortured by heat and we were cold (with some snow around).

 At some point rain became hail. Just for a minute, but still ... it was hail. It was on the way to the Paradise. The biggest and most developed settlement in the park. Getting closer, it started to snow!!!!!! And there was much more snow. Some areas were still completely covered with snow. We parked and went thru the exhibition in visitor's center. Clearly, there was no chance we could do any hiking here.

Driving downhill. Really incredible views (even with the clouds and fog). Some rain, but not so bad.

Next to the Stevens Canyon Entrance, we walked the Grove of the Patriarch Trail. Next to the river, pretty much flat with some old trees. Really nice. Silver Falls. Just off the road (we almost missed it).

Driving to the Sunrise. Last settlement before heading home. 11 mile road ending at Sunrise. More awesome views (and snow) along the way. I did not appreciate steep valleys next to the road.
Sunrise.
Some buildings and huge piles of snow. Not too many cars (pretty much everything around was still covered with snow (except road and parking lot). We looked around in the visitor center and then talked for a while talked with two rangers. She was from Michigan. And again ... not a chance to hike around.

We were done earlier then we thought (no hiking at Sunrise). So we started heading home. Driving thru Enumclaw. It took us around two hours from Sunrise to home (not bad). Relatively nice drive. Strange feeling about the change - snow and cold and then normal weather of home.

I saw a bunny in visitors center. (behind the glass)