Forks, Rialto Beach, Hoh Rainforest & Cape Disappointment

 Saturday, July 19th



We awoke to a typical Northwest Washington morning, foggy and cool.  From Sekiu we headed to Forks, where it is “Forever Twilight”.  We had a nice country boy type breakfast at “The In Place” in Forks.  Forks is best known as the setting for the “Twilight” series of books and movies.  Team Edward or Team Jacob?  Ask Melba Jean.  She was a fan of the series back in her teens.  It looked very much like a place where vampires and werewolves would live!  Maybe even Sasquatch!

 





We left Forks and drove to Rialto Beach, about 10 miles away, still in the Olympic National Park.  Known for its driftwood beaches and sea stacks, we saw a group of hikers hiking through and even saw some seals playing in the waves.  Beautiful!  I think Vi stashed some driftwood away in her suitcase!

 





The sun shone as we doubled back through Forks into the Hoh Rainforest, a snafu by the Co-Pilot, Vi.  As it was a 2 hour wait to get into the park proper, we decided to enjoy the bits of the rainforest all around us! This rainforest runs along the Hoh River and receives on average 140 inches of rain per year.  It is among the rainiest places in the U.S.  All the moss draped trees were gorgeous green as the sunlight streamed through the forest.  A fun fact: this protected rainforest includes "the one inch of silence" monument.  It is to mark the "quietest place in the United States."  Must be way inside, away from the hordes of tourists!





After the rainforest, we drove through Quinault and past the beautiful Quinault Lodge.  It is a beautiful area, one we'd like to see further, but we got some snacks and drinks and moved on.  It was a 2 hour drive down 101 to Cape Disappointment, and it was already midafternoon.




Incidentally, Cape Disappointment did not disappoint.  It was a beautiful drive and then a good mile long walk to a stunning lighthouse!  Such beauty we have never seen.  Well, not since yesterday!


 

 









We got a geocache just before we left Washington, and headed across the bridge to Astoria, Oregon where we spent the night at Atomic Inn, a funky hotel with décor straight from the 60’s – looked like the set of the Jetsons!  




It had been a long day, so we had a quick dinner at the restaurant next door called "Pig N Pancake", a chain of restaurants not unlike our Waffle House or Shoney's.  We had a plate of their so called “best fish n chips ever” and then called it a night.  







LeRoy and Vi

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