Washington Babymoon Part One

Our trip to Washington was great! Parts were well planned, and parts were left up to us to be spontaneous, so it seems we were able to get in everything we really wanted to do!

Grace: "I hope you don't mind me navigating like this."

Tim: "Oh, it's okay. I wasn't even listening."

The drive up was a little long, and we went through 4 snow storms, at least 6 rainstorms, and several sunny spots in between. The changes in the weather really mixed things up. We enjoyed the scenery. We went through Nevada-like wilderness (we weren't in Nevada very long, of course), picturesque green hills and mountains of California, and some boring parts of Oregon before driving through a mountain pass just before Portland. The pass felt like Colorado at first, but on the way down, the trees were different. I woke Tim up to look at the extremely tall trees pressed right up against the highway. Oregon isn't famous for its tall trees, but I'm not sure I remember ever seeing trees quite so tall. The mountains up there were different too, with ghosts of clouds and fog just hanging out a little too low on the hills. (I'm describing all this because it was impossible for me to get pictures. Tim was sleeping, I was driving, and the road was too fast and winding to park. There were countless turn-off areas, but only on the other side of the road. I figured we would take the same route back, but as I learned when I was younger, there never is such a thing as 'on the way back')

"But I have to pump your gas for you. It's the law." ~station attendant in Oregon

Visiting the Olympic peninsula really should be more of a camping trip. We enjoyed driving through Aberdeen, a cute little port town with small, old houses, and ancient sea-worthy vessels in its river. Then we went up to lake Quinalt to stay the night. It was dark when we got there. I didn't realize our suite came with a jacuzzi bath, and while I was in it, Tim found the button and turned it on low. We were both really tired from the long day and late night, so we found the pathetic, fart-like bubbles hilarious. In the morning, we woke up to a huge, fog-covered lake and the sounds of rain forest birds. We wanted to get on the road, but the office didn't open yet, so we went on a small path to the world's largest spruce tree.

101 (the highway around the peninsula) took us further from the rainforest and closer to the ocean. "Tim! according to the map, we should be right along the Pacific right now! Stop at the first sign you see!" I suggested. It was cold and cloudy, but the small beach campground was full (it was Memorial Day weekend) Most of the people there were camping and fishing. I hoped our Kansas tags would explain our excitement as we ran around on the pebble-covered beach, poking washed-up sea weed with sticks, and taking driftwood. Tim wanted to burn it later; he hopes that the salt on the wood will make a pretty fire.

Then the highway curved back toward the Olympic National park, and we paid to get into the Hoh rain forest. This was the part of the trip I was most excited for. In fifth grade, we learned about the different ecosystems of the world, particularly those in the United States. We watched a video about the temperate rain forests of the northwest, and about the large banana slugs in them. Ever since then, I had wanted to go. "I can't believe you guys hadn't been yet!" Tim said. I told him that by the time I was in fifth grade, we had already been to Washington, and didn't see much of a reason to go back. We didn't see any giant orange slugs, but we did some fun pictures, which I'll upload later!

"I'll Nav your gate!" ~Tim, after I suggested that he take over driving while I navigate

Next we were back on the road and headed toward Forks for lunch. Tim insisted we take pictures by the Welcome to Forks sign. I felt embarrassed to do so, but I knew that several young girls had their picture taken by this very sign each day, and no one would think anything of it. We went into their visitors center, between to a run-down History of Logging museum, and an old statue dedicated to the loggers that founded the place. The visitors center had all but forgotten logging. When we walked in, we were surrounded by cardboard cut-outs of actors, and Twilight t-shirts. There were two old women running the place. They talked about past look-alike contests, and their hopes that when the actors were done with the series, they would come visit Forks (having never set foot there in their lives). It was pretty pathetic, so Tim and I decided to get something to eat as soon as possible. We sidestepped a pack of teenage girls getting their pictures taken next to a truck parked outside (one similar to the one in the movies) and left to find a restaurant.

We stopped at a crowded pizza restaurant and hoped to just blend in. I thought we were doing pretty well till one table got up, and the old man seated there greeted every other family by name on his way out. I guess in such a small town, visitors will have to stand out. Tim said they had to have been used to people passing through before all this Twilight stuff happened. It after all, is the only town with restaurants and stores between Grays Harbor and Port Angeles (That's a 3 hour drive). As we waited for our food, I tried to guess what the town was like. It seemed to be about the size of Halstead. The citizens were used to lots of visitors, but they took it in stride. Every restaurant carried a "Twilight Menu" available on request with expensive food and Twilight-themed foods.

" Porta-bella-mushroom pasta, Bellaburger...

**All entres come with Edbread and Swan Salad" ~Twilight menu

We also went to one more beach, La Push. Compared to the other beach we stopped at, this one was more famous and actually had sand, so it was crowded for the weekend. I wanted to see some tide pools, but I had no idea when or were to look. It was interesting to be on another indian reservation. It was small, so the houses were all very close together. There were certain smells the same as the Mission, with added scent from the ocean, and their small fishing harbor.