Matt July 9, Farthest NW Point

Today we drove the jeep to Cape Flattery. IT was another long trip. That ment windy roads and road work. There we went on a hike to the farthest northwest point in all the US not including Alaska and Hawaii. ON the hike we had to to walk on a board walk because of the mud. The trail was filled with lookouts where you could see caves and Islands. On one of the island I saw seven sea lions huddled together.

Next we drove back to the campsite. On our way we stopped to eat lunch. While we were eating a lost dog came over and wated to play fetch. We had to kick the ball becasue it was muddy and slimmy. After that we drove away to the campsite.

We stayed at the camper for a little while and then went to Rialto beach to see the sunset. We got there early so I built a house out of rocks and Leah, Mom, and dad wacthed the waves come in. The sunset was beautiful. After the sunset we drove back to the campground.

Leah July 9, Sunset at the beach

Today was a sightseeing day. We hiked the Cape Flattery trail. Then we went to the beach after dinner to watch the sunset.

The wat to the Cape Flattery trail was long and bumpy. We finally got there agter an hour and thirty minutes of driving. When we got there we had a snack then went on the trail. It was pretty easy on the way own. On the way up it got a little bit harder. There were 3 viewpoints. My favorite one wa the last one. I could see seastars and baby birds in a cave. When we got back to the jeep we drove to a little town and we found a place to have lunch. Agter lunch we drove back to the R.V.

When we finished dinner we drove to the beach to watch the sunset. We sat on a log and watched it. Before it started setting Mom and Matt were doing something else. Dad and I sat on the log the whole time we were there.

When the sun set we drove to the R.V. Then we made up the beds and went to sleep.

Craig July 9, Cape Flattery and Rialto Beach

We had stopped in Kalaloch yesterday and the ranger there was adamant that we get up to the Cape Flattery area and walk the trail. She insisted we would not be disappointed. So with that little shove, we embarked on another long drive. We knew the drive in would take about an hour and a half from the RV park in Forks. But we would not be deterred!

Renee offered to drive. Not know for having the strongest stomach in the family when it comes to twisty roads, she felt this might be a little easier on her. It might be easier on her, but what about me? I am not known for being the best passenger in a car and have a tendency to offer up timely suggestions for how the driver might better handle the situation at hand. I think I did pretty well! Renee might not agree. But hey, she did well and we got there in one piece. We did have to stop once along the way as Leah' stomach was talking to her a little.

After about an hour the road turned west and paralleled the coast. While the temperature was rapidly starting to climb the fog was fighting back. We could look out over the water and see this large bank of dark dense fog hanging over the water. But it hung close to water and you could see the mountains of Canada behind it. Very pretty and interesting to this desert dweller. Probably old hat to the locals.

We made it to the trail head and headed out for the short hike. The trail is only 3/4 of a mile and winds through the thick dark forest. Mud is everywhere, even when it hasn't rained in awhile. The have built boardwalks to ease the erosion from the constant flow of tourists coming through. The kids thought that was pretty neat.

Arriving at he edge brought ooh and aahs from all of us. Seabirds flew all around the cliffs. Their calls suddenly cut off by the concussion of the surf on the rocks, a few hundred feet below. The wind carried the concentrations of salt, mud and mist with each of its lofty gusts. I hope some of these pictures will do it justice, but they just never quite seem too.

I drove back and after spending some time back at the motorhome we decided to hit the beach. Rialto Beach was only a short drive away and on our list of places to go. We headed out with a sunset in mind. The sun is setting around 9:10 pm up here right now. Quite late.

We found the beach loaded with drift logs. Leah and I sat down on a log sticking out over the beach that the largest waves would rush up underneath, splashing us from behind as the water ricocheted off of a smaller log just behind and waited for the sunset. Renee and Matt found their own activities to keep themselves busy.

The sun finally sizzled its way into the ocean as we all looked on, shivering from the wet of the splashing waves. Ending one of the most scenic and picturesque days we have had yet.