I booked a small cabin on the Huckleberry Lodge property in Forks, WA, for our second night in the Park. This place exceeded all our expectations. We were greeted by the famous Mick Dodge of Nat-Geo fame who encouraged us to use the hot tub and light the prepared camp fire.
Studying the book and places to eat!
Kitty, the owner, generously prepared salmon for us. She said someone gave it to her yesterday and she decided to share it with her guests. We met a mom and daughter from Phoenix, a single guy from San Deigo, and two young college students from Minnesota. The morning around the campfire was a highlight of the trip for me and that's what I love about Airbnb - the opportunity to meet and visit with people in a home-like setting.
The goat became a pet after Kitti and her family fell in love with him.
Karen enjoyed visiting with Mick Dodge about yoga, walking barefoot, and loving the earth
Later we found this T-Shirt and poster at a coffee shop near the entrance to the Hoh Rain Forest entrance.
I did not know how famous this dude is until John told me when I got back home. John loves to watch Nat-Geo and said "Mick is my hero."
We loved this hike through the rain forest. I think it's where we met a man named Loren who had his camera set up on a tripod. He told us he'd been watching an elk through the trees and when he got ready to shoot the pictures several teenagers walked by, talking and laughing, and the elk ran away. Loren hopes his photography provides a second career for him. He's a police officer in New York City and plans to retire in five months. He comes to Washington State every year on the anniversary of 9/11. Most of his fellow first responders have since passed away from cancer, probably as a result of the clean-up and rescue. So far, he said he's lucky, but spots could show up on his lungs any time.
We saw several nurse logs and other seemingly dead trees where new growth sprouted up. The trees are enormous and plentiful in the rain forest. The orange lichens showed a glorious spot of color!
I called this three-leaf clover, but it's really Oregon Oxalis, a gorgeous green color.
Maple trees in a special section of the Rain Forest, some just barely starting to turn color.
Not to be outdone by Mick Dodge, Karen hiked the last half-mile or so barefoot!
No comments:
Post a Comment