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Published: September 28th 2013
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Nicole rounding the corner to baggageNicole arrived in Seattle Saturday September 14 after running a 5K Color Run in Austin that morning. We went straight downtown for a delicious dinner including her and Pat's favorite, oysters. We had a 3 hour drive back to Port Angeles using one of the floating bridges on the way home.
The next day we set out on Hwy 101 to explore Olympic National Park. Our first stop was the Madison Falls entry and stamped our National Park Passport there. After lunch at Granny's cafe, we stopped at Crescent Lake, and on to Forks. We were surprised to find out Forks had the Twilight Festival that weekend. All the festivities were over by Sunday afternoon, but it was fun to see the banners and signs. The shop windows were advertising Twilight Tours. We though we'd check out the places mentioned in the book so we went to La Push and the treaty line with the Quileute tribe, there a sign was posted as you enter no wolves past this line.
Before we left on Sunday Nicole got a feel for RV life, first thing in the morning the flapper on the toilet that covers the tank would not move
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Seattle for dinner when you step on the pedal. Pat looked in manuals and texted his friend who said call a repair person you can't fix this one. We got the name of a mobile repair guy from the office and called him. He pronounced the toilet unfixable and we would need a new one. He would order it first thing Monday morning. Pat was our hero he manually moved the flap with a screw driver every time that was needed. We got a new toilet on Tuesday, just in time before we left for Portland
Port Townsend, a quaint little town on the coast with a great shopping district and more seafood was on our to do list for Monday. From Port Townsend we headed to Bainbridge Island to visit some old friends, Bob and Patrick, we used to travel with over 25 years ago. We had a great time reminiscing and catching up with them and hearing about their family over pizza. We enjoyed their incredible view of Seattle across the Puget Sound.
Tuesday we started early there was so much to see and only one day left. Although the entire Olympic Peninsula is listed in the Most Scenic
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Where in the world is Leisel? Elwha river Olympic National Park Drives in America, Hwy 112 is considered a star route. Our RV park is on 112 and so this time we headed west to see what it was all about. The drive is along the Strait of Juan de Fuca the body of water we crossed to Vancouver Island. We stopped along the way several times to take pictures. We got to Neah Bay the most western point of the mainland United States.
After lunch we took a Short cut to Hwy 101 again, we had been told the Hoh Rainforest was not to be missed and all the reports were true. Before getting back we stopped off at the Sol Duc Hot Springs for a relaxing soak in the 104 degree water.
Wednesday as we left all of us agreed we had not nearly scratched the surface of all the Olympic National Park had to offer and we vowed to be back some day. We went along the Hood Canal and got on Hwy 5 to Portland to spend a couple of nights there before Nicole went home. That night we had dinner with Carissa, the daughter of Charlie and Martha our friends in Tucson.
Thursday
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Elwha River we had a hard time picking what to see in such a short time. With some suggestions from Brian and Mary we had breakfast in an eclectic part of town at "Anna Bananas" and on the way to downtown crossed the St John's Bridge, the oldest bridge in Portland. We shopped around downtown for a bit and then headed to Multnomah Falls a suggestion from Laird. They were beautiful.
We took Nicole to an early flight Friday, we had such a great visit and were so glad to be able to share some of these beautiful places with her. We wish Jason could have joined though.
Hwy 26 to Bend is also listed as one of the Most Scenic drives. Around one turn was majestic Mt. Hood in all its glory.
Most of this week was spent in a hotel relaxing while we waited on the Aqua Hot to be fixed. Final update: The Aqua Hot had been fixed in Anchorage when the mechanic had changed out 2 cracked fittings, but when he tested it it still leaked. The first thing this repair shop did was retest it and no leak! Really? Oh well they did find
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Madison Falls in the Olympic National Park a mouse nest in the generator and cleaned it out and the serpentine belt was worn, so it was good it went in. By the way, the Aqua Hot also runs the furnace, so this was perfect timing since the temperatures dropped into the 30's the last two nights.
Today David and Patsy arrive for a week visit and we will be sightseeing the Cascade Mountains, including Mt. Bachelor and the 3 Sisters.
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Renee
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Pretty pics!
Looks like you guys had a great time! I loved the picture of the road and the path lined with trees, so pretty!