Olympic Peninsula Jul 1-5

Spent a few days on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, west and across Puget Sound from Seattle. Home to the Olympic mountains (Mt. Olympus 8,000ft high point) and the Hoh rain forest, it might as well be one big national park. These mountains are different than the Cascades, not volcanic, but part of the oceanic crust forced upward over millions of years, then carved by glaciers from the ice ages. The mountains trap the moisture to the west, producing the wettest area in the US and one of its only rain forests. However, where we stayed, at the northern edge, rainfall was only 15-20 inches/year.



We stayed in a little town called Sequim (pronounced Skwim), small coastal town frequented by John Wayne. He built a marina, left it to the town; we had a wonderful fresh seafood meal there one evening. Below a view across the water at the marina.



On the western side of the peninsula lies the Hoh rain forest, 140-165 inches of rain/year; has some interesting vegetation and animals not found elsewhere. Also huge spruce, hemlock and other trees, some as high as 300 feet. Oh, a ton of moss everywhere; notice the moss covered phone booth below (photo op).

Me, in front of a biggie.

Took a ride to historic Port Townsend, northeastern edge of the peninsula, pretty town, economy nicely balanced by industry (wood/paper), tourism and retirement influx. Only get 20" rain a year and very temperate; nice mix of restaurants, galleries and shops. I can see the attraction. Below a picture of one of the shop windows; think we're on the west coast?

Sequim, where we stayed, has the Dungeness River running through it. A now closed railroad was recently transformed into a walking/cycling bridge/walkway by the local audobon society, producing a woodland canopy overlooking the rushing river. Below Marlene doing her thing.

Sequim is the lavender capital of North America; they even have a festival for it. Below a picture of one of the lavender fields.

Took a run up Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, beautiful vistas on the way up, pretty foggy, nice shot of a black tailed deer below, saw many of them right next to the road.