Good days

 Monday was an odd day weather-wise. It was foggy when we got up, but based on previous days we went off to the beaches after breakfast anyway. Got there, sat in the car watching the rain pour down for a while, and returned to the campground.  After lunch in the Alfa, Craig took a nap and I did some needlepoint. It finally cleared later in the afternoon and we took a short walk, but otherwise we just relaxed for the day. It was very peaceful.

Tuesday morning was clear and sunny again. We took the rather short but beautiful hike up to Merrymere Falls

and the Moments in Time trail.  We parked near the Crescent Lake Lodge. While not as grand as the Ahwanee or the lodges at Grand Canyon and Crater Lake, it is cited in of a book of lodges in the National Parks. Like most of the others it was built in the thirties and has the air of “old time character” we have enjoyed visiting them.

Following our tradition of eating at the Lodge at least once during our visit to a National Park, we had lunch in the dining room overlooking the lake. 

This was our view from our table by the window, but Craig actually took it outside.

How quickly our time here has passed. Tomorrow we will pack up and head out seeking our next adventure. I’ve had time to relax and think about a few things. Time to take a deep breath and re-examine “my plan” and “my view” of the future.

Craig and I have been married for 47 years.  Our best times have been when we were on trips away from the daily stresses of house and job.  I know that full time RVing is not full time vacationing, but I’m looking forward to some fun adventures and some quiet peaceful days.  We have overcome many challenges together over the years. I am confident we will overcome more together in the future. But I also know we have to relax and learn to have more fun.  I believe we will.

[From Craig] Merikay has asked me to write about Wednesday. We got out of Sol Duc reasonably early for us (9:45), and headed south on the 101 loop that encircles the Olympic National Park. We took the Alfa in on the road to the Hoh Rainforest. Those of you who are very experienced in RV driving will have no problem with the road in, but those who don’t care for “interesting driving” may want to leave your rig somewhere outside and take your smaller vehicle in.

Actually the Hoh Rainforest site has nice big parking spaces for RVs. We left ours in one, had lunch on one of their tables, and then went hiking on two fairly short trails.

The Hall of Mosses trail is unique in my experience.  At just about any point on this 0.8-mile trail, you can point your camera in just about any direction and shoot a terrific picture! No photographic skill required! Just look at the following images for proof.

Green!  and more ...

Green!

The Spruce Nature trail is another fine adventure in learning about non-tropical rain forests. At one point I said to Merikay “I wonder what this looked like before they spruced it up?”

Giant "Pick Up Sticks"

Finding your Roots

Getting back to our rig, we re-coupled the Alfa and toad and headed back out to 101. We had no idea where we were going, but Merikay perused our various resources and selected Kalaloch Campground in the coastal part of Olympic National Park.  It has 170 RV sites "on the beach" but no hookups.

When we got there, there was no one at the office but a sign “no spots available” was displayed. I stayed with the Alfa while Merikay walked down the RV sites and couldn’t find any flagged as available. About the time she got back, a ranger arrived and confirmed that he didn’t know of any available spots. But Merikay said that what she saw of the place was very nice, and it’s worth a stop (or a reservation if you have Internet access like we haven’t had for a week) if you get up into western Washington. With 170 sites it can’t be full all the time!

We continued south and ended up finding a spot at the Hoquiam River Rv Park. We found it thru our Rand McNally Navigation unit, and also in our Escapee resource book.  Nice park, good people.  Good internet connection!  LAUNDRY! Which we did need.

Who knows where we will be tomorrow night.  The open road beckons. And this RV park is fully booked so we have no choice but to move along.