Victoria Canada (07/16)

We arrived at the ferry about 25 minutes before departure.  Once we had our tickets we went to wait for boarding.  I thought boarding would take forever there were so many people, but they move you along pretty quickly.  There is one person checking your passports and another one taking your tickets then you boarded.  My first stop was the coffee shop, I had skipped coffee this morning so we could leave early and was sorely missing it.  I also got Joe some orange juice, as I knew he didn't have any this morning.  Orange juice to him is like coffee to me.  We went out side to watch the ferry take off.  It didn't take long before we headed inside.  It was really cold going across the sound.  Everyone that stayed outside was pretty bundled up.  We found two nice sunny window seats and settled in for the 90 minuter trip to Victoria.  We visited with other passengers.  It was interesting to find out where they were from.

Leaving Port Angeles

It wasn't long and we could see Victoria in the distance but it still took another 40 minutes to dock.  The scenes around the dock area as we were going in were interesting, from the water planes taking off to the boat houses, most two stories high.  They looked like condos.

Once off the boat we had to wait again to show our passports and and declaration cards showing that we weren't bringing anything into Canada.  Once outside we just stopped and looked at all the historical buildings around us.  Then we headed to the Royal BC Museum.  They were have a special exhibit on the Vikings.  It was interesting but we were more interested in the history of BC and Victoria.  So up to the third floor we went.  It was really interesting to fallow the journey this area has taken from trappers to gold rush to present day. By the time we were done it was already 12 pm.  We had to be back to the boat by 2:45 so we didn't have much time left.  We walked to there fisherman's wharf.  We thought we would be able to find lunch there.  But it was so crowded and no restaurants just little stands.  We found a shore walk back to downtown so we didn't have to wind through so many streets.  The street we started on going to the wharf changed names 4 times before we arrived at the wharf.
Still looking for somewhere to eat, we ended up in James Town, this is where all the shops are.  We finally decided on the Bard & Banker Pub.  They really didn't have much of a lunch selection so we decided on hamburgers with bacon and cheese.  They were really delicious, even at $16 each.  Very tasty with grilled onions tomatoes and lettuce. Not sure what type of sauce they used but it was good, or we were just really hungry.  I had a pale ale beer and Joe settled for a glass of water.  By the time we ate we had 20 minutes to get back to the ferry.  I wish we had more time, but at least Joe got a good idea of the area walking all over looking for somewhere to eat.  I would like to come back sometime and stay a couple of days.  We didn't have time to go to Butchart Gardens.  I was lucky enough go to there with my brother's family 31 years ago.

 



These are pictures from that long ago trip.  If you look close you can see Shannon and Kristy on the steps of  the Empress Hotel.  

The picture on the left was taken 31 years the one on the right was taken today.


The pictures below are of Butchart Gardens.

Our Ferry docked in Victoria

 

The boat houses of Victoria

Tomorrow we go to Port Townsend to take the ferry over to Coupeville WA then head to Vancouver Canada.  We will be in Canada from 7/18-7/28.  Not sure what kind of internet of phone connections we will have, so if you don't hear from us for a while we will catch up when we are back in the states.

Sol Duc Falls to Deer Lake (07/15)

Today we are going to Sol Duc Falls.  The drive as usual is very scenic.  I just love seeing all the green and trees.  But I must say I am missing my big Vistas of Arizona.  It is a beautiful day, sunshine and blue skies, still feels a little cool at 10 am.

It is just a short walk to the falls, .8 miles, then another 3.2 miles to Deer lake.  3 of the miles is all up hill, yuk!

The first part of the trail is relatively nice, but then it tuns very rocky.  You can hear the stream rushing down below you.  We do around 1700 ft elevation gain but the up hill is pretty gradual and steep in a couple of places.

 The Superstition Mt's have nothing on being rocky, only here they are in-bedded in the dirt instead on being on top of it.  By the time we hit the Canyon Creek camp site number 2 I was pretty much out of energy.  I had skipped breakfast this morning and am now regretting it. Joe found a butt tree that made us laugh.
 I keep going slowly up hill, took a cliff hot shot to get some energy, it helped.  Joe went on a head to see how much further we had to go.  I knew we were close because we were at tree line.  When he came back for me with the good news only five more minutes and I would be there.  My first site of the lake made the up hill trek worth it.

Joe's butt tree

It took 3 hours to get to the lake. We found a nice shady log to sit on and eat lunch.  The volunteer ranger came and talked to us while we ate.  His an interesting job.  He spends 4 days in the back country and three back home and then goes out again.  They live in big canvas cabin tents.  He does this with his wife.  They don't get paid but have a beautiful place to live 4 days a week.  This time of year they like this middle camp and in August like to go up to the high camp if they are needed.  Joe thought this is something he might enjoy doing at some point.

The way down was much easier and a lot faster.  I was afraid it would be like the down hill at Mt Rainier but it was pretty gradual same as the up hill.  It only took 2 hours to come down.  It was a very beautiful day to be in the mountains.

At Hurricane Ridge I bought a shirt and Joe a hat with this saying, "The Mountains are calling I must go"  John Muir.  This is very true for us in this part of the country where there are more trails than we have time for.  We will diffidently  be back!

Hurricane Ridge (7/13)

Today we are driving up to Hurricane Ridge to do some hiking. The drive up the curvy road is spectacular. Big vistas of the ridge still with quite a bit of snow on it.

 Once we got parked and I went to put my hiking shoes on, I was a little bewildered.  I couldn't find them, I apparently forgot them.  All I had was my Birkenstocks.  Joe offered to drive all the way back and get them, but that is an hour drive one way.  We went into the visitor center and store, I was in hopes they might have something but of course they didn't, not even socks.
I just decided I would try to hike in the Birkenstocks.  Knowing I probably wouldn't be able to do the hike we had planned, we went to plan B.  They had a nice loop hike around the meadow area with great view of the park.  I did really good with the birkenstocks, I didn't even get rocks in them like I usually do.  Once we got to the top of the hill and the trail either goes back down to the meadow or over to Mt Angeles. I went back to the meadow and Joe continued on the trail to the bottom of Mt Angeles.

We did the red trail on the map to the right. Joe continued on the high ridge trail, shown in green.

If you look closely at the picture below you can see Joe going across the trail, he is right in front of the lone tree sticking up in front of the trail

I

All in all it was a very nice day.  We headed back home!!!  After dinner we went for a drive down hwy 112 to see the Strait of Juan De Fuca.  What a lovely drive.

These pictures are where Lake Elwha flows into the Strait of Juan De Fuca.

                                               Strait of Juan De Fuca

Monday, my back was hurting so I stayed home while Joe went and hiked Whiskey Bend to Dodger Point Bridge, he will be adding this to his trip log soon.
I went to the chiropractor this afternoon so hopefully I will be hiking tomorrow.

Ports Townsend (7/12)

My sister in law, Linda,and Nephew, Chris with girlfriend, Kim, joined us for the weekend.  They are staying Sequim, about 37 miles away.  We drove there Saturday morning to pick them up and go explore Port Townsend.  Joe and I will be taking the ferry from there over to Coupeville WA on the 18th then driving up the 5 to Canada.  Joe wanted to see where the ferry was so we wouldn't have any problems towing the fifth wheel there.

After checking out the ferry we went to the local farmers market.  Very nice little market with great food.  We shared two wood-fired pizzas. Joe also bought some kind of taco that came with meat and a spicy cabbage slaw and homemade corn tortillas.  They were very good.

 I discovered they had big chocolate chip walnut cookies and had to have one.

Once we all were full we headed over to Ft Worden and the beach.  Once parked we saw they had a light house.  Joe and I really like to go tour light houses so we headed over to it.  While we were watching a little video on light houses, I looked up and who did I see, Patty Carpenter.  What a surprise, I don't know who was more shocked me or her.

What fun to run into someone from home.  I wished I had some time to visit but it was our time to take the tour so we had to say good by.







Views of the lighthouse.

Then a walk on the beach






It was nice to spend a little more time with family.  I know it will be a while before we see them again!!!!

Rialto Beach (7/10)

I was pretty tired this morning so Joe went hiking at Bogachiel close to Forks WA.  When he gets back we will go to Rialto Beach by La Push WA.  I managed to get the house cleaned and aired out.  With all the rain the past month the trailer started to smell a little musty.  Now it smells like it should.  Everything is finally dried out.  I hope we don't have more rain soon.

Joe got back about 1 pm and we went into Forks for lunch then on to Rialto Beach.  At first sight this is a beautiful beach.  Then you have to walk on it.  It is worn down rock to tiny gravel and very hard to walk in and it constantly fills your shoes.

We walked up the beach for quite a ways to whole in the rock.  It is so strange to be at the ocean and see the forest, thick forest, right next to it.  It is also pretty cold here, with a good breeze blowing in off the big waves rolling in.




We stopped at the rock formations just before hole in the rock and looked through the tide pools.  We were only able to find anemones.  

I was really getting tired from struggling through the rock/sand and thought I would just wait here for Joe.  He went on his own, but it didn't take long for me to join him.  By the time I got over there he was already through the hole in the rock and very surprised when he looked up and saw me.  I am happy I can still surprise him!  The other side of the whole in the rock is another world filled with all kinds of tidal pools and rock formed by the waves.  We discovered several star fish an a big anemone eating a crab.  Plus many other small creatures such as little, little, crabs and snails.

This is rock waves

The walk back to the truck was a little easier, the tide was out and gravel felt a little firmer and didn't fill my shoes as much.  I had a bad backache by the time we were done, but any discomfort was with this amazing place.

We arrived home about 6:30-7:00 and were happy, relaxed and tired.  Another good day!

Friday morning we were up and getting ready to head to Port Angeles.  The park we were in was having some sewer problems so we had to wait to drain our tanks.  Finally we were on our way at 11.  It is only 67 miles to Port Angeles along a winding narrow two lane road still called the 101.  We drove by a breathtaking lake called Lake Crescent.  I was beginning to think it would go on for ever when we finally got pasted it.  This is a huge lake.  Elwha Dam RV Park was not much further.  There used to be a big dam here but they were ordered to remove it because it was destroying the salmon industry in the area because the salmon couldn't swim up stream. The dam was built in 1910 and was ready for use in 1913. As years passed sentiment changed towards Dams in Nation Parks. In 1992 Congress passed the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Act.  In 2011 they started dismantling the dam.  By 2014 it is pretty much just a memory.   This is what it looks like today, again a wild river that flows into the Strait of Juan De Fuca.