DAY 9 - LAKE CRESCENT

At 4:30 am, left the feathers...made up a pan of oatmeal/raisins/brown sugar and hot tea. Then hit the road from the WAL MART Parking Lot in Port Angeles. Walked for one hour in darkness but with good street lights, to the West side of town and return to SPIA.



Then drove out about 5 miles to "The Junction", where SPIA was again parked. Walked BACK to Port Angeles. Walking back to SPIA, Curt stopped offering me a ride in his spanking new Toyota SUV. He drove past SPIA and on another 8 miles to mile marker 235. Thanked Curt, and walked back to SPIA.



Made lunch...Chicken and Pasta Soup and yummy bread from Bow.



Then drove SPIA to Lake Stevens and parked. Walked back to mile marker 235 and returned to SPIA at mile marker 238. Drove another mile and behold...there is Lake Crescent.



MOUNTAIN BROOK FALLING INTO LAKE CRESCENT, WASHINGTON

WINTER IS WET, MUGGY, AND COZY WITH A WARM FIRE

MOSS COVERED TREES ON LAKE CRESCENT: Curt clarified for me the question of Moss and Trees. Moss is on the NORTH side of trees. So, to find your way in the wilderness, use the Moss covered Trees as a compass.

ROAD TO LAKE CRESCENT LODGE...CLOSED FOR THE WINTER...BUT THE ROAD IS BREATHTAKING

ELWA RIVER VALLEY WITH SNOW COVERED FOOTHILLS BEHIND...Many years ago, My Dad and I hunted Elk along this river...no luck

ELWA RIVER...NOTE CREAMY WHITEWATER...SIGN OF RECENT GLACIER MELT

THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN AREA IS VERY WET...WOOD ROTS QUICKLY IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF...SHINGLES AND SHAKES SHOULD LAST 30 YEARS...OUT HERE - UNTREATED - MAYBE 10 YEARS.

SOME OF THE FIRST OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS...THE TOPOGRAPHY HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST TWO DAYS...LOTS OF STEEP HILLS TO CLIMB AND DESCEND...MY FEET ARE QUITE SORE FROM THE SIDE-HILL EFFECT...MUST BE EXTRA CAREFUL TO AVOID INJURY.

FERNS ARE A COMMON SIGHT IN THE RAIN FORESTS OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAINS. IN A WEEK OR SO, THESE FERNS WILL REACH 6 FEET HIGH AND MORE.

SNOW IS STILL ON THE GROUND ALONG US 101. IT IS QUITE COLD AT NIGHT...MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERDRESS FOR DAY-TIME WALKING...COME BACK SOAKED THRU AND THRU FROM PERSPIRATION...RAIN IS NOT A CONCERN

LAKE CRESCENT IS A BEAUTIFUL DEEP BLUE COLOR. IN SUMMER IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO SPEND A WEEK OR SO...IN WINTER, NOT SO WELCOMING...WIND WAS BLOWING STINK AND IT WAS COLD.

A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE ...NEED ONE SAY MORE...LAKE CRESCENT, WASHINGTON

WANT TO KNOW WHAT "WISPY" IS...TAKE A LOOK...THOSE ARE "WISPY" CLOUDS

SPIA RESTING ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE CRESCENT...State o Washington cautions bicyclists to be extra cautious because this stretch of US 101 has NO berms. Therefore, I drove SPIA the entire length of Lake Crescent to check out the berm. Parked at the West End where we will spend the night - and walked back 6 miles and return to SPIA...no place for any vehicles to stop for me to catch a ride.

Upon return to SPIA, walked another 1.5 hours West on US 101...all up-hill...and return to SPIA.

PROGRESS REPORT: Walked a total of 28 miles today...not counting Curt's ride of 12 miles

SEE MY IMPACT: Credit 28 miles @ $0.02 per mile = $0.56 for the day


Tomorrow we will continue on US 101, hopefully reaching FORKS, WASHINGTON...

May take a room in Forks to get a shower, etc.