Sand Boarding? Totally Righteous!

First weekend at Eugene we read that sand boarding is very popular along the coast, so we drove to Florence to see for ourselves.  It is based off of snow boarding, but instead of snow, it is sand.  We visited the sand dunes and rented a board and went attempted to perfect our craft for three hours.  It was amazing and we still have sand in our ears and butt dunes.  We don't like snow boarding cause it is very cold, but with sand boarding you can do it in shorts, simply awesome.

 

North Cascades

Between Port Angeles and Eugene we had time to do a quick trip to North Cascades NP.  Our adventures took us to Cascade Pass Trail, 1700' elevation gain 7.4 miles round trip.  To start the trip off right, we saw a cute red weasel.  This is the first time we have ever seen a weasel and Martha tried to woo it into our car, so we could take it home.  No such luck.

We don't understand why calling someone a weasel is an insult, cause if someone called us a weasel it would be a compliment, cause that means we are cute and you want to take us home.

  

The hike was gorgeous and quiet.  We were on a high ridge and we were able to see a brown bear hiking around and feasting on some delicious shrubs, mesmerizing.  Martha tried to woo it, so it would eat me.  No such luck.   

Martha naps a lot, I get bored.

 

Goodbye Port Angeles, Hello Eugene

Another assignment under our belt.  It was unfortunate that our visit here in Port Angeles ended five weeks premature, but things happen for a reason.  If it wasn't for this assignment, we would have never taken the chance to visit the Olympic National Park and North Cascades National Park.  It was a great place to call home for two months.  Both National Parks are the least visited per year due to their location, so with the lack of crowds they were perfect weekend getaways.  Thank you Fitness West and the Port Angeles Tennis Club, you kept us in shape.  We enjoyed the company of coworkers weekly at Bar9.  A great crew to work with at Crestwood Nursing Home.  Sad to leave them behind, happy to move on out from the nursing home. Thank you to our neighbor Paul, who shared stories of his very colorful past.  When Paul was younger he had a pet bear and use to carry 50 gallons drum of gasoline over his shoulders.  The first time he shook my hand he almost broke all my sweet supple falanges. Strong 89 year old man. 

Paul and his cub

Ozette Triangle

On the boardwalk

We decided to tackle the 9.4-mile Ozette Triangle loop trail on the Washington Coastline.  Our location was the furthest Northwest point of the lower 48 states.  We were so close to Canada, that my phone thought we were in Canada and kept reminding me that roaming fees are very expensive, stupid T-mobile.  On each leg of the triangle we walked on different landscapes, a boardwalk through a rainforest, white fine sandy beach, and black rocky coast.  We were mesmerized by a family of seals that sunbathed on the rocks and went swimming in the ocean.  Martha saw a whale propel itself out of the ocean and returned with a bellyflop, I missed it.  This was our last weekend in Port Angeles, and we have successfully visited all hot stops of the Olympic NP.  

Mystical Land

Sleeping Again!

Victoria

Victoria, our Canadian neighbor across the Strait of Juan De Fuca, that's fun to say.  Here in Port Angeles, there are a few Chinese restaurants, but our bodies were craving sum Dim Sum.  Victoria has the oldest Chinatown in all of Canada, so we knew that would be the place for us.  We took an hour and half ferry ride across.  The town was very cute and thirsty with touristy.  The highlights of the trip was Chinese for dinner and Dim Sum at lunch.  The unhighlight of the trip was getting pooped on by a flock of seagulls, not sure if it was the band or birds.  Then I ran, I ran so far away....It was an interesting walk back to the hotel covered in bird poop.  From that incident, I was "poop shocked," whenever I heard birds, I ran under awnings and overhangs.  Someone told me that getting pooped on is a form of good luck, I am still waiting for it.  I guess it was good luck, cause my face feels so exfoliated and moisturized from the bird doo doo.  Overall it was a very good trip and a nice change of pace of our extreme weekends.  

The Empress

Water Taxi

Chinatown

Black Ball Ferry Line

I'm on a Boat!

Camping Bear Grylls Style

August_25_2012

Our first backpacking trip of the year!  Woop Woop!  We left early Saturday morning and our goal was Scotts Bluff only 3.5 miles from the trailhead. My pack weighed in close to 40 lbs and Martha's pack weighed in at 20 lbs.  Since, I am a professional at the art of househusbandtry and all I do is go to the gym, it seemed very fair.  I also carried the food, so that the bears would attack me if they were hungry for Asian food.  The hike reminded us of an Indiana Jones adventure, using ropes to climb up, makeshift bridges and ladders to navigate the high coastal areas.  At Scott's Bluff, we felt sprite and chipper, so we continued on till we could not walk any further.  We ended up on Toleak Point.  Toleak Point was just announced in the recent Backpacker magazine as the Best Beach Campsite, and we would have to agree, even though this was our only beach we have ever camped.  This campsite offered remoteness, solitude, and calmness.  We just sat back and watched the waves all day.  We built camp fires from the dry drift wood along the beach.  The soothing waves helped Martha fall asleep easily, while I felt like I had to pee all night.  The trip was everything you could ask for.  This will probably be our first and last time at Toleak Point.

Miso soup for the soul.  Martha eating the last of our rations.

No food!

Hoh...What did you call me...Rainforest

August_18_2012

Two and a half hours from PA, we left early Saturday to get a campsite at the Olympic NP Hoh Rainforest.  We have learned in our multiple weekend trips, that it is almost impossible to find a campsite on a Friday night, but if you go early on Saturday there are always sites open.  Who would have thought that it was going to be a forest with rain.  It was a very light rain so we still able to get some hiking in. We have learned that here in Washington it gets the same amount of precipitation in our hometown, but rather it is just a constant all the time drizzly, misty rain, more true in the NP.  The Hoh offered great hikes.  We did a portion of the Hoh River Trail, it passes through lush rainforest and dense vegetation.  We did multiple small hike, Hall of Mosses and Spruce Nature Trail.

On Sunday we went a little further south and was able to get out of the rain and enjoy a day on the Washington coast in the town of Kalaloch.  Here we had a lunch picnic and enjoyed walking along the beach (Beach 1, Beach 2, Beach 3, Beach 4).

Ninja

Warrior

 

Forks, WA where they filmed Twilight.  Beware of Vampires!