It’s hard to imagine a better day than today.
We left our campsite at Salt Creek early and traveled along
Highway 101 in a counterclockwise direction.
Rte 101 goes around the perimeter of Olympic National Park, with side
roads leading into the park, but none connecting in the middle. We rode along Crescent Lake---huge lake, with
a windy, narrow road following its shore, and then on to Forks, WA, setting for
the Twilight books.
Then we took the 18-mile long park road into the visitors’
center at Hoh Rain Forest. What a
fabulous place! It is, indeed, a rain
forest, with extremely tall trees, thigh-high ferns, and lots of lush
undergrowth. There were all sorts of epiphytes
(like Spanish moss in Florida) on the trees, adding to the green. The trees were very thick, creating a dark
area underneath, with shafts of sunlight occasionally peeking through. We took two short hikes, totally about two
miles, and then rescued Ranger from the RV. (Dogs are not permitted on hiking
trails in national parks.) We had a nice
lunch in the picnic area and then proceeded on our way.
Hoh Rain Forest definitely makes my “Top Three” for places
we have visited on this trip!
Continuing on Hwy 101, we rode alongside the Pacific Ocean
for about ten miles or so, gray and foggy on this particular day, but still
lots of people (and dogs) walking along
the beach. We went through Aberdeen,
where we picked up US Route 112 for about ten miles, ending up in Montesano,
WA.
We are staying at a small state park, Lake Sylvia. The campground is small and for the most part
full, with lots of families in tents.
There’s lots of activity around us: kayaking, fishing, swimming, and
just playing. It’s a pleasant place to
stay for one night, as we head south toward Oregon.
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