Road Trip 2012: Thursday 10/4

227 miles: camped at Fort Stevens State Park ten miles west of Astoria, Oregon

Site J-199 at Ft. Stevens State Park, Astoria, Oregon

Forks, Washington to Astoria, Oregon

We got an early start at 7:30.  It is cold.  My thermometer said 35 at the campground, but I noticed frost on the ground outside of town.  I wanted to see two things today at Olympic National Park, the  Hon Rainforest and Ruby Beach.

The Hon Rainforest is 18 miles off Rt. 101, so it is not as popular as some other areas in the park.  In fact, I was perturbed when I got there that the visitor center is only open in weekends during the off season, and the box holding trail maps was empty.  GRRRR.  I found some trail markers and ended up hiking The Hall of Mosses Trail.  The Hon receives over 12 feet of rain each year.  The forest is dominated by western hemlock, Douglas-fir, and Sitka spruce.  Moss is hanging off the branches of  trees as old as 500 years and up to 12 feet in diameter.

Road entering the rainforest.

Note the trees growing out of the fallen, decaying log.

We found a gravel bar on the Hon River that we could drive out on, so we took a break and Zoey got some exercise.

Ruby Beach is next on the day's activities.  I didn't drive this far to not see the Pacific Ocean.  I got lucky and arrived at the beach at low tide, so there was plenty of beach to walk on.  Great news, dogs are allowed on the beach.  We walked to a remote section and I let Zoey off leash.  We spent over an hour strolling and playing.  It was beautiful.

About noon we left the beach and headed south.  The border between Washington and Oregon is the Columbia River.  By now, as it enters the ocean, the river is about three miles wide.

We crossed the bridge to Astoria, Oregon and Ft. Stevens is just 10 miles away.  Fort Stevens State Park is huge and very well maintained.  The sites are large, paved, and have electricity and water.  Its a beautiful park.

I know some of my friends and family worry about my eating habits and cooking skills (well, maybe they don't) so I thought I would add a couple pics of my typical dinner.  I'm doing very well, thank you.  :-))

Salad, grilled pork chop, homemade mashed potatoes.

Friday Zoey and I head for Roseburg, Oregon to finally see Cory.  I can't wait.