July 14, 2013: Olympic Peninsula

Said goodbye to our nice campsite on the river and loaded up on fresh water and emptied our other tanks in case we have no utilities for the next couple of days because there aren't many developed areas within Olympic National Park.

We first drove west to the small oceanside town of Ocean Shores where we followed a sign to beach access and found we could drive right on the beach.  Nearby, a vendor was providing horseback rides along the beach and had it been less windy and cool, I would have liked to have joined them.

We stopped at a small museum with lots of shells and marine creature skeletons, but it was quite a hodgepodge.  They had huge sign outside that said free, but as soon as we entered, there was a hard sell for a $5 per person donation.  I have no problem giving donations and I have no problem paying admission fees, but Jack and I both hate the false advertising of free, compounded with a used car salesman's hard sell line. They got no money from us.

We stopped at a bird refuge where snowy owls nest in winter - would love to see that!

We continued north to the next small town of Ocean City where we again drove on the beach, parked with our windows facing the ocean and had lunch and a nap to the sound of roaring surf. 

It is chilly (only 60 degrees), windy and there is a light fog bank all along the shoreline. 

We drove further north through a few more really tiny ocean towns before heading inland on route 101 to go around the Indian Reservation that has no thru roads.

 We made a 40 mile detour into the heart of the Park to walk a short trail into a small section of rain forest with monstrous trees, moss and ferns. It is hard to imagine this being a rainforest on such a beautiful sunny day.

 We stopped at the very first National Park campground sign we saw, and we scored a great spot overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  We walked down the small embankment and over monstrous logs jumbled one atop the other mashed against the cliffs all along the high tide line.  The beach had little sand, mostly smooth, rounded rocks and driftwood. 

We retreated into the warmth of the RV for a nice Italian dinner and an evening of competitive rummy.  No electricity, water or dump, so we set the propane furnace on low to keep us comfortable overnight.