Land of Moss
"They don't call it a rainforest for nothing." - Mike Roddy, 2018
Yesterday opened with about twenty miles of short up and downs. That type of riding might be fun on an unloaded bike but momentum carries you all of 10 feet up the next climb when your bike has so much gear. Progress felt slow but we made it through to a southbound turn on the 101 where we started to make faster miles. Not to mention the shoulder was wider and we didn't have to watch out for as many logging trucks.
Feeling upbeat, we made lots of rude jokes as we approached the small town of Beaver. Somewhere in here was an 800 foot climb. I temporarily thought I lost my wallet but found it in a different compartment than the usual. All was well. We took great pleasure in an indoor rest inside the general store (the town's only commerce) and watched the grey skies outside turn from drab to menacing. The rain was here. We rode past the forests and the pines. Next stop: Forks, WA.
As you may or may not know, Forks is the setting for the Twilight series of books and movies. (The one with the moody teenage vampires.) As we rolled through town there were numerous shops selling Twilight merchandise. Even the grocery store was in on it as we purchased dinner, pasta salad, and some potato wedges. Now the rain was properly lashing us. We had about thirteen miles to go for the day. As we neared our campground there was a brief pause in the rainfall but we weren't quite there. We had to settle for putting up the tent in a mild drizzle. The internet had led us astray and the campground did not actually have drinking water. Rach chatted up our campground neighbors and they very generously filled our water bottles. (They had 8 gallons. A little easier in a car.) Camping was free the last two nights at Washington Department of Natural Resources sites. Thank you Washington.
The water really began to crash down but by this point we were safely in the tent and with everything we could possibly imagine needing so we didn't have to go back outside. When we woke up this morning we had a lucky window of clear skies to eat breakfast and pack up. Once it was time to ride, the rain resumed.
The scenery here is sensational. Everything is lush and green and moss hangs off all the limbs of the trees. Ferns shoot from the side of the road and entire forests are damp. In the early stretch of the day the 101 ran along the coast and we enjoyed some phenomenal views of waves crashing on driftwood-strewn beaches. Rain and mist added to the sensation.
We were lucky to get another break in the rain just in time for a lunch time break. Rach and I sat in Adirondack chairs and looked out at the beach from a lodge/store/restaurant right next to the water. A lady who was curious about our trip told us we were "hauling ass."
The rain cleared in the later part of the day and we actually enjoyed some sunshine as we approached a tiny town called Amanda Parks. The developed campgrounds nearby have no showers so we decided we may as well camp for free if we can't bathe. We continued a few miles out of town and beyond. I was praying for a service road to cut through the forest to give us a place to set up the tent. The growth here is thick, dense, and voluminous. You can't just wander off into the trees. Thankfully we found such a road and within a mile a decent place to cook dinner and listen to a nearby river lull us to sleep.
Yesterday opened with about twenty miles of short up and downs. That type of riding might be fun on an unloaded bike but momentum carries you all of 10 feet up the next climb when your bike has so much gear. Progress felt slow but we made it through to a southbound turn on the 101 where we started to make faster miles. Not to mention the shoulder was wider and we didn't have to watch out for as many logging trucks.
Feeling upbeat, we made lots of rude jokes as we approached the small town of Beaver. Somewhere in here was an 800 foot climb. I temporarily thought I lost my wallet but found it in a different compartment than the usual. All was well. We took great pleasure in an indoor rest inside the general store (the town's only commerce) and watched the grey skies outside turn from drab to menacing. The rain was here. We rode past the forests and the pines. Next stop: Forks, WA.
As you may or may not know, Forks is the setting for the Twilight series of books and movies. (The one with the moody teenage vampires.) As we rolled through town there were numerous shops selling Twilight merchandise. Even the grocery store was in on it as we purchased dinner, pasta salad, and some potato wedges. Now the rain was properly lashing us. We had about thirteen miles to go for the day. As we neared our campground there was a brief pause in the rainfall but we weren't quite there. We had to settle for putting up the tent in a mild drizzle. The internet had led us astray and the campground did not actually have drinking water. Rach chatted up our campground neighbors and they very generously filled our water bottles. (They had 8 gallons. A little easier in a car.) Camping was free the last two nights at Washington Department of Natural Resources sites. Thank you Washington.
The water really began to crash down but by this point we were safely in the tent and with everything we could possibly imagine needing so we didn't have to go back outside. When we woke up this morning we had a lucky window of clear skies to eat breakfast and pack up. Once it was time to ride, the rain resumed.
The scenery here is sensational. Everything is lush and green and moss hangs off all the limbs of the trees. Ferns shoot from the side of the road and entire forests are damp. In the early stretch of the day the 101 ran along the coast and we enjoyed some phenomenal views of waves crashing on driftwood-strewn beaches. Rain and mist added to the sensation.
We were lucky to get another break in the rain just in time for a lunch time break. Rach and I sat in Adirondack chairs and looked out at the beach from a lodge/store/restaurant right next to the water. A lady who was curious about our trip told us we were "hauling ass."
The rain cleared in the later part of the day and we actually enjoyed some sunshine as we approached a tiny town called Amanda Parks. The developed campgrounds nearby have no showers so we decided we may as well camp for free if we can't bathe. We continued a few miles out of town and beyond. I was praying for a service road to cut through the forest to give us a place to set up the tent. The growth here is thick, dense, and voluminous. You can't just wander off into the trees. Thankfully we found such a road and within a mile a decent place to cook dinner and listen to a nearby river lull us to sleep.
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| The Lyre River |
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| Grey |
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| Downhill! |
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| Near the Hoh River |
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| Our tent grotto |
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| Slugs getting busy |
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| Happy break time Cheetos |
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| The Pacific |
Your Dad made his connection at Union Station in Los Amgeles (I believe with considerably less drama than this morning) and is currently train bound to meet you in Washington.
ReplyDeleteSandy B. called and I updated him on your adventures. He says he is envious.
As always your stories and pictures are wonderful -- although I worried a bit as I read about all the rain.
Ride safely.
Cheri
8:59 a.m. Klamath Falls, Oregon. Train keeps starting and stopping for other trains to pass and various and sundry other reasons. We are about an hour behind schedule and no, it's not my fault. I keep reminding the conductors that I am not going to Tacoma and need to get the bike and me off in Centralia. They said they are aware and will accommodate. I will still politely pester them because he who trusts that everything will go right is doomed to have things go wrong. Clear skies where I am. Looks nice outside but for some reason the train people are convinced that this is a refrigerator car and that we should all be flash frozen to insure our freshness up delivery to our destinations.
ReplyDeleteSounds and looks amazing even if more sun would be appreciated. Hope the Old Guy has made it to his destination. Dont worry about being a bit cold on the train i am sure you will warm up once you start pedalling. Fun times xx
ReplyDelete