The Great Road Trip

Mountains, beaches, rain forests. Otherworldly, with huge, mossy cedar, pine and hemlock trees, forest floor of ferns and moss. Hiked to Sol Duc Falls, canoe-ed on Lake Crescent, and biked on the Spruce RR rail-to-trail 20 miles through thick rain forest, passing Devil’s Bowl and through 2 tunnels. Stellar jay, ducks, mule deer, and a gray jay that landed for a rest on Tom’s head! Leaving Lake Crescent and driving through Forks, WA for a grocery run, we spent the morning on Rialto Beach, hiking through sand and stones to the Hole In The Wall (literally). Pelicans in the water and old, bleached logs along the beach. Took an awesome, eerie hike later, through the Hall of Mosses and Spruce River Trail in the Hoh Rain Forest. Staying at Kalaloch Cabin, we have a full view of the Pacific Ocean and an amazing sunset. Sigh. Life is good. Kinehura. I love this place.

Butchart Gardens! One of my faves. Got there at 9am to avoid the noisy masses. Picnic lunch at Thetsis Lake Regional Park returning to Victoria. Lots of bathers and paddle boarders. Spent a relaxing, rainy day walking around, enjoying the waterfront and neighborhoods. Found the Alice Munro bookstore - great shop! A very bike friendly city with terraces for most of the apartments. We could live here! Took the return ferry July 4th to Olympic National Park. A whale and dolphins, and then grouse, mink? And more mule deer. Another cloudy day, with the Olympic Mountains playing peekabo. Wet and verdant. And snow!

June 28 - Bid farewell to the stunning Grand Tetons for a scenic drive through Butte MT and Idaho to Missoula, MT. Funky Panang restaurant in the college town (and laundry, thankfully).   June 29 - Crossed the Continental divide in The Rockies en route to Seattle. Enjoyed our anniversary day taking the ferry to Bainbridge Island and cycling 7 (hilly!) miles to the Bloedel Reserve, a peaceful garden estate of wildflower meadows and NW forest. Huge, old, mossy trees, familiar shade plants, and 2+ mile walk along natural paths.  June 30 - Bellingham! Visited Pat and Barb, had a great breakfast and learned all things Bellingham, including meeting the cats and walking along the harbor. Hello, Mt Baker! Can you say (2nd) best hot chocolate ever? July 1, Canada Day. And here we are, 2 early ferries later, through Kingston and Port Angeles, ArriveCan, passport and COVID vax cards in hand, celebrating Canada Day in Victoria. Nice to rest up at Abigail’s B&B, in town but off the bea...

Stunning bike ride to the nature preserve. LEED platinum visitor center. 3-mile hike along the rushing creek to Phelps Lake. Great trail, great views, noisy humans. Oh well. Moran Ranch on return. 

A great scenic bike ride along the Teton Mtns and Antelope Flats. Fern - 33 mi, Tom - 47 (at this elevation!). Saw more elk herd and pronghorn deer (look like antelope, related to giraffe, weirdly enough). Started at 6750’ elevation, down to 640’, with Tom topping out at 7000’. Guess last month’s century ride came in handy! Left Signal Mountain, on Jackson Lake, for Dornan’s  Spur Ranch, on the Snake River. Civilization - a deli! And grapes! Watching the float trips go by. Fantastically clear night sky, filled with stars, constellations and the Milky Way. Perfect.

Took a float trip down the Snake River (great suggestion, Barbara!). Knowledgeable guide, 2 relaxing hours on the river. Saw only Eagle and hawk, common mergansers and a sandhill crane (and the musky smell of a moose, surprisingly fragrant and floral), and the mountains. Lots of familiar movies filmed here. Saw a flock of white pelicans flying V formation across the lake (too fast for a photo, sorry). Herds of elk and bison in the pastures. Aspen trees and blue spruce. A fox crossing the beach. Eating a bbq jackfruit sandwich on the back deck, and local blackberry pie the next evening. Good days. And just a routine sunset of the Tetons from the cabin porch. I know Paula’s reading the posts, and her comments help us feel connected. Anyone else out there?

Okay, from the car and just up the hill, but still. A youngster, ignoring a frightened deer. Leaving the Colter Bay compound. Whenever there’s a crowd or a car stopped on the road, it’s gotta be something good. Spectacular day in Grand Teton. Took a scenic drive, mostly along the Snake River, hiked up to Taggart Lake (whew! And with elevation over 6900!). Stopped at Moose Junction for info. More exploring. And license plates from across the country. Plus, know your bears! We saw bison, gophers, chipmunks, bald eagle, white pelicans and more mule deer. A short rain storm, just when we arrived at our cabin at Jackson Lake.