Well the 1st of June brings me to the 1000 Geocache mark and a proud
lad is I. Of course we do not look at the cost of achieving this mark
but as long as I stay ahead of a particular Hawaii librarian and her
husband I can smile all the way to another cache.
And another blessing as I travel is the wet cold miserable weather
that SW Washington has to offer. Overcast skies, heavy rains and
chilly nights wishes one was still in the South West suffering 100
degree weather, not really, but it would be nice to see just one day
of sun. The 2nd of June finds me camping at Kalaloch National Park.
The campsite sits just above the beach and the view is spectacular
(see FB).
From here we travel NE through Forks, the visitor center has WI-FI
7/24, then take Route 113/112 to Clallam Bay. Free coffee at the
visitor's center as long as you sign the guest book. West it is to the
Hoko-Ozette Road to Ozette National Park.
Last year I was here and it poured buckets, this year the weather has
improved. There are 3 virtual Geocache sites here. A virtual site does
not have a container of sorts as the majority of them do. What is
required is for you to go to the cache site and answer a series of
questions via email to the cache monitor.
Answer them right and your cache is validated, try to BS the monitor
and they will delete your cache claim.
Another learning curve is when you are at a sight for 2 or more days
and no power to plug into your truck camper battery goes dead quickly.
Of course this has no effect on your fine box of red wine. You need
to crank up the truck and let it run for a while charging the battery.
A way around this is if staying in one place for any length of time
would be a solar power panel that will keep the battery up to charge.
From Ozette we travel east to Sequim again staying with friends met
years ago through Fish & Wildlife Service. The gentleman in question
was at the Malheur Wild Life Refuge back in May when I had passed
through. As a retiree from Federal Service he has 40,000 projects
going at once and his latest bit is placing a gas engine on his
bicycle that has promised 2 mpg. Lets look at the numbers, the engine
and components cost $1000.00, time putting this Chinese made Rube
Goldberg thing together has been months in the process and the engine
can not run on fuel with ethanol………………The wife and her dog, a Norway
rat would provide a better companion then this 2 lb ball of fur,
agreed to a quick Mexican divorce if it fails.
We did manage to polish off a great deal of red wine along with
insulting friends and neighbors alike.
From Sequim we cross over to Bainbridge Island and talk story with
another friend from the past before catching the ferry to Seattle. In
Seattle we head north to Kenmore on Route 5 staying with a couple that
have gone native. When Noah passed through Seattle on the ark, he
dropped tons of ballast rocks on certain areas. This couple has
cornered the market on the rocks and every night with robes, scented
candles, and speaking in tongue they bless each rock.
Leaving before the break of dawn I head north to Jim Creek
Recreational Center that is located up near Arlington, WA. I'll be
there over the weekend before catching the ferry to Vancouver Island,
British Columbia for my first leg into Canada.
Catching the ferry out of Artcortes for Vancouver was as usual a fine
bit of confusion but we were aboard. Into Vancouver Island through
customs where I had to declared my rifle. Though all of the paper work
was in order the custom agents had a go in going through both the
truck and camper. With the approval off I was to the south coast of
the island. First night was spent in one of the many Provincial Parks
where the Starbucks van arrived bright and early the next morning
(BS). Geocached down to Port Renfrew then it was a 4-hour wait until
the bridge opened up. That night was spent in an area that had been
logged years ago and the sounds of nature was definitely absent.
Continued up to Campbell River before heading west again, found a spot
by one of the many lakes that a developer would die for. Just
incredibility beautiful with elk's in the distant and eagles flying
overhead. The downside of all of this was the amount of trash that was
about. Picked up a bag full but as in Hawaii as here, it's the local
people that are the blame for this mess. Morning at 0400 hrs called
forth every bloody bird within 10 miles to express his or her call to
worship, this I do not need.
Next stop was Gold River where 3 years ago I had stopped with me BMW
bike on my way north. Same coffee shop and actually had my post card
I sent from Hawaii years ago, it might also be that the proprietor was
a bit on the attractive side.
From there we travel a gravel road north contentious with the logging
trucks that have you uttering "Oh Shit" many a time. Down a gravel
road that leads to nowhere for the night. The only thing that is
recognizable is power lines and a very well fed black bear plus the
No-see biting bugs that seem to fly right through the screens. Not
that I worry about our furry friends but the rifle is out and loaded.
Tomorrow I keep heading north to Port Hardy for a few days of cleaning
thy body as we are into day 6 of no showers but when you travel alone
who cares………….
A brief note on my Geocaches for the island. I probably found 30% of
the caches I looked for either I didn't understand or the cache was so
embedded in the forest that the GPS was bouncing all over the place.
Quite a few were located on logging roads and this compounded the
problems of finding the location ten-fold.
But no worries I still have months to go and the weather is getting
warmer along with the increase in bug activity.
Port Hardy it is but just briefly before heading out to Cape Scott for
a night or two. Of course on the way out we have an over turned
logging truck, its Friday afternoon and the beer is on tap, the driver
probably wishes that he was just a bit slower on the gravel road right
now. With drizzle, over cast skies and no possibility of sun we find
an abandon campsite for the night. Next day out to the parking lot for
the Cape Scott Provincial Park. Two years ago I was here when it was
raining hard enough that pouring water out of a bucket was the norm.
Overcast with rain but the trail out to the beach was gravel and not
the bloody mud track that I encountered 2 yrs prior.
Back to Port Hardy for a shower and washing of clothes. From Port
Hardy its south to Campbell River for the night before pushing south
to catch the ferry to Vancouver, British Columbia. Ferry ride was
uneventful and there was actually sun waiting for me when we landed.
Route 99 north it is through Whistler, the Winter Olympics, and the
Cascades. This time of the year the scenery is just magnificent and
the ride is worth every hairpin turn of the wheel. Squamish, before
Whistler, has one of the nicest Visitor Centers that I've seen. Large,
new, Wi-Fi, café', theatre and a pleasure to stop at. Marble Range
Park it is for the night sitting on the edge of a lake, quite, breezy
(no bugs) and just a restful place.
Two days to Prince George and stock up at Costco. Next Prince Rupert
to catch the ferry for the trip up the inter coastal water way to
Sitka, Alaska. Catching the ferry at 0330 hrs then 3 days before
landing at Sitka for 6 days stay. Prices at Sitka are a bit high, what
is even better is when you see Costco products in the store at triple
the original cost.
Why Sitka, if you read any history of Alaska you will find out that
the Russians were the first to realize the importance of Alaska for
furs, fish and the establishment of their presents in the new world
with Sitka being their capital.
As a side note, the town of Sitka has free Wi-Fi through out thanks to
the cruise ships.
How does rain for the next 10 days for Sitka just make your day!!!?
We leave Sitka on the 0230 hrs ferry to Prince Rupert then slowly back
to Seattle where I am tied in with the loony tune rock worshipers
along with the midnight chants.
Next year I plan on coming back this way and it will be Prince of
Wales Island for the faint of heart.
Stay safe, kick the dog, drink beer and be kind to your
Mother-in law………..
Aloha,
The Greynomad
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