It was quite early and dark when we set out this morning. Rain was falling, the air was cold, and the wind was blustery. Passing 18-wheeler logging trucks drenched me as though walking through a car wash...and I had no rain pants on...and no rain-proof shoes.
Ending our first of three walking sessions today, I was soaked thru and thru...cold to shivering, and forgot to take along a 5-hour power drink. Gotta love walking in the middle of the winter through the Olympic Mountains. Have yet to meet another walker - or biker for that matter.
Guess I am the only crazy one...but then, I have always pushed this nearly 80 year old body...and have yet to find limits to keep it from venturing forth again tomorrow.
Concentrated this morning walking the southern shore of Lake Crescent...a lake I have admired some 70 years ago and never get enough of it.
It remained dark most of the day. Around 0900 hours (9:00 am), the wind died down; but the rain continued as a liquid sunshine drizzle...never did warm up today.
More and more beautiful forested mountains.
...with dozens of plunging torrential streams....
...and barren moss covered trees struggling for a toe hold along the rock strewn shore line of Lake Crescent.
At 1200 (12:00 noon), it was nearly dark...rain drizzling from dense cloud cover.
Finally, some wild life ventured out. This doe (female) deer allowed me to approach rather close before my camera flash caused her to walk into the brush.
Bridges on this part of US 101 are of a design 100 + years ago...narrow roadway with NO berm. A sidewalk was included on one side, thank goodness, as there was no way one could walk or even run across the bridge without encountering trucks. Reminds me of the two bridges in Mississippi which I attempted to cross (no sidewalks), and had to climb into the steel girders to avoid being hit by 18-wheelers.
This is the SOL DUCK RIVER...swollen from all the recent rain.
Not certain if these are Llama or not...but they were quite shy and would not approach me.
Arrived at the town of Forks about 1400 hours (2:00 pm) by car. Found a parking place at the local Church Of God church; then walked for 3 hours to complete the third walk of the day. The church invited me to take a shower (I really needed a shower, having not bathed since leaving Bellingham two weeks ago). The hot water was worth everything as I was soaking wet and chilled to the bone. There may have been some mis-understanding about my staying overnight at the church, as no one followed up an earlier invitation to do so.
In any event, I am now at the THRIFTWAY Super Market preparing this blog of the day...and have been invited to sleep in the Mazda MPV overnight in the parking lot.
La Push is an indian village located on the Pacific Ocean. Many years ago during a stay in the beach side cabin at La Push (in 1962), I was invited to join in with the locals in hewing out the wood from one of five Cedar Ocean going Canoes which were being constructed by hand. The locals later hand paddled all five canoes all the way (about 250 miles) to Seattle to participate in the festivities of the World Fair...the same one which dedicated the Space Needle...which, by the way, my Dad had a hand in delivering the large gear which causes the revolving restaurant to rotate...once around each hour.
Walking through Forks 2.5 years ago, these two girls were only hours before killed in a traffic accident. I again stopped at their monument to share a few feelings with / for them.
These familiar trees look much like White Birch. They are in fact, local ALDER trees...one of the finest woods for fire places...and smoking Salmon.
In the morning, will leave SPIA-2 in the Thriftway Parking Lot as I once again walk south on US 101. The next town is something like 100 miles away...will be a lonely, cold, and probably wet journey.
Again, my special thanks to the recent donations of $$. Takes the pressure off from worry about having to temporarily halt our walk.
Good to get your bog
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