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Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Play Day, Hike Elk trails, visit Forks – July 30
I woke up early and took myself for a little explore around the campground. As I left Taiko in the camper was I blessed to find many birds, a weasel, a rabbit, not to mention more than three varieties of slug. It was lovely, and drippy, and wet. (Did I mention this is a rainforest? LOL.) Definitely time to pull out the raingear – jackets and pants. I did find the river – the Clearwater. There’s a lovely set of shallows right by our campsite. And the riffle in the deeper water that sang us to sleep.
Finally the boys wake up. We get breakfast made, consumed, and cleaned – then into rain gear to go explore the area. There are elk and/or people trails all through the forest here – so we have lots to explore. It wasn’t raining – the showers of the previous day has cleared off. It’s overcast – but not wet. The raingear is needed because even though there’s no rain – the plants are still quite wet.
There’s an ancient Maple tree by us that is just covered in moss. Issac was captivated by it. Look! I can see a Monkey! Look! There’s another. Monkeys? There are no monkeys in the Olympics. No, not real monkeys – they’re in the moss. Nature’s version of Hidden Pictures had us all looking for monkeys.
Issac led the way on our bushwhack. We headed down to the river and played in the water. There’s a strange sort of rock there. It looks like a regular black rock, but when you step on it the rock crumbles into small cubic chunks, then sand. The boys have named it “Puzzle Rock”, but we’d sure like to find out what it is.
After the river we headed inland. The forest floor is covered in Oxalis – it looks like a giant clover, and the ever present ferns of seemingly infinite variety. Mosses drip from the branches of the trees. The black, black soil makes everything seem greener than it really is. Lush. Hold that sh for a while… Lush-sh-sh. Yeahhh. That’s it.
We headed into Forks to find a late lunch, grocery, 1# propane bottles, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
Finally the boys wake up. We get breakfast made, consumed, and cleaned – then into rain gear to go explore the area. There are elk and/or people trails all through the forest here – so we have lots to explore. It wasn’t raining – the showers of the previous day has cleared off. It’s overcast – but not wet. The raingear is needed because even though there’s no rain – the plants are still quite wet.
There’s an ancient Maple tree by us that is just covered in moss. Issac was captivated by it. Look! I can see a Monkey! Look! There’s another. Monkeys? There are no monkeys in the Olympics. No, not real monkeys – they’re in the moss. Nature’s version of Hidden Pictures had us all looking for monkeys.
Issac led the way on our bushwhack. We headed down to the river and played in the water. There’s a strange sort of rock there. It looks like a regular black rock, but when you step on it the rock crumbles into small cubic chunks, then sand. The boys have named it “Puzzle Rock”, but we’d sure like to find out what it is.
After the river we headed inland. The forest floor is covered in Oxalis – it looks like a giant clover, and the ever present ferns of seemingly infinite variety. Mosses drip from the branches of the trees. The black, black soil makes everything seem greener than it really is. Lush. Hold that sh for a while… Lush-sh-sh. Yeahhh. That’s it.
We headed into Forks to find a late lunch, grocery, 1# propane bottles, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
Break Camp and Find Copper Mine Bottom – July 29
We got everything packed up and we’re off for the Olympics. This is the only stop where I don’t know where we are staying. I’d like to try something primitive – back in the middle of nowhere. It’s going to make “sight seeing” a pain – but I think we’re ready for the adventure. Looking at the maps – I think we’ll make our way to Upper Clearwater Campground in state lands to the west of Olympic National Park. I think I’ll stop at the Quinault Ranger Station for some advice.
On our way out I tried to get Wi-Fi at the nearby rest area – but I couldn’t get a signal. So, we continued on. I tried again at a Starbucks – but they wanted $8 for a day pass. Ug. I’m not interested in that. So, onward we went. (I did eventually find access in Forks – but you already know that.) We missed the Quinault Ranger Station by about 25 minutes. They closed at 4:30. So, we pressed on – it was getting late, and it was raining on and off – so there wasn’t time to dawdle. I decided to head for the Upper Clearwater campground. So, we drove, and drove, and I started to get really concerned that the turning for the campground wasn’t marked off the road. We finally found one little sign (Campground 1.3 miles) – it wasn’t Upper Clearwater, but it was something. So we took it. What we found was Coppermine Bottom Campground – no electric, no water, pit toilets, no people, perfect
You know you’re in the rainforest when the signs start growing plants….
I was delighted to find only two other sites occupied. Not many were large enough to accommodate even a pop-up, but we found a very nice one under a grove of old growth trees. Backing in was impossible due to the way the drive angled off the road. So, I went in the wrong way, and backed in quite easily. It was cold, dripping, and getting dark. So, we got everything up in a hurry, and settled on soup for dinner. We could hear a river nearby, but otherwise all was silence.
On our way out I tried to get Wi-Fi at the nearby rest area – but I couldn’t get a signal. So, we continued on. I tried again at a Starbucks – but they wanted $8 for a day pass. Ug. I’m not interested in that. So, onward we went. (I did eventually find access in Forks – but you already know that.) We missed the Quinault Ranger Station by about 25 minutes. They closed at 4:30. So, we pressed on – it was getting late, and it was raining on and off – so there wasn’t time to dawdle. I decided to head for the Upper Clearwater campground. So, we drove, and drove, and I started to get really concerned that the turning for the campground wasn’t marked off the road. We finally found one little sign (Campground 1.3 miles) – it wasn’t Upper Clearwater, but it was something. So we took it. What we found was Coppermine Bottom Campground – no electric, no water, pit toilets, no people, perfect
You know you’re in the rainforest when the signs start growing plants….
I was delighted to find only two other sites occupied. Not many were large enough to accommodate even a pop-up, but we found a very nice one under a grove of old growth trees. Backing in was impossible due to the way the drive angled off the road. So, I went in the wrong way, and backed in quite easily. It was cold, dripping, and getting dark. So, we got everything up in a hurry, and settled on soup for dinner. We could hear a river nearby, but otherwise all was silence.
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