Sunday, June 17, 2007

Why stay home, if you don't have to.

This how we feel. When there is chance to pack the RV and get away from all the everyday hustle and bustle we do just that.
This past Friday evening, we rode the ferry from Keystone to Port Townsend, then drove about an hour to one of our favorite campgrounds.

Dungeness Forks campground has a sign at the beginning of the road which leads down to the campground, which says, No trailers or RVs. Our RV is very small so we can negotiate the very steep road down to the campground, and I do mean very steep, as I swear if you were not buckled in, you would slide off your seat onto the floor.

Usually there are not many campers in this particular campground, so we were surprised to see folks in our favorite site, Oh well. We pulled into this spot which was OK for the first night and waited to see if they would move out next morning, which they did.

Some very sour, make your mouth pucker, wild berries.

While we waited for the campers to vacate our favorite spot, we decided to take a walk and just before the bridge, outside the camping ground, there is a small area, right beside the river, you can pull into and stay overnight for free. We have always wanted to stay here, but we always found other people beat us to it. This time, the vehicle which was there the night before, had pulled out, so we lost no time in driving our RV the short distance and setting up camp.
If you click on the picture you can just make out our RV hidden in the trees.

Looking back at our campsite from the narrow trail we decided to explore.

I sure do enjoy walking trails in the wooded areas, especially when they run beside a beautiful river such as this one.

These two huge trees have fallen across the river, and if you had the courage, which I do not, you could walk across them to the other side. The river is extremely cold and swift, with huge rocks. So if you happened to lose your footing, and fell in, you would surely not survive.

It must be the gardener and artist in me, which makes me stop to admire the beauty and form of wild flowers, moss on trees or the way tree roots grow on the banks beside the trail.

I do not paint any more, but I do enjoy taking photographs of interesting tree roots like these. I suppose I could paint pictures from my photos, but there are so many other things to do.

We were careful to step over this little guy who was busy eating his meal in the middle of the trail. There were also various colored slugs leaving their silvery tracks across the trail.

How beautiful, and LOUD is this river. We had to stand close to be able to hear each other over the roar of the water rushing downwards over the rocks towards the coast.

Duck!! I had to yell at MrC to watch his head. Sometimes we were so busy looking around we had stop and remind ourselves that one false step and we could tumble many feet down the bank to that cold river below.

One of the many little wild roses.

A tiny, delicate white flower.

This delicate fern, or some kind of lichen covering a fallen tree trunk. Again, the artist in me admires the form of such a dainty plant.

Back from our hike, and getting a nice pile of glowing embers started in the campfire, to cook our dinner over.

Fairly early this morning we left Dungeness Forks for home, and decided to stop here at 7 Cedars Casino for breakfast. Unfortunately, they did not open until 10am and we would have had to hang around for another hour. That did not appeal, so we hit the road looking for another place for a hearty filling breakfast.
MrC had, in the past, flown into the tiny Jefferson County International Airport, a one-strip airfield four miles south of Port Townsend, off state Route 19. Its Spruce Goose Cafe is renowned for great food and a front-row view of small plane comings and goings.It wasn't far out of our way so that is where we ate before catching the ferry back to the Island.

It was a nice restful weekend away from home, just what we both needed.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! What great pictures. I can see I'm going to have to visit that park.

Oh! Those look like salmonberries--usually they don't have much flavor, but sometimes they can cause your mouth to pucker.

Anonymous said...

You have a fab life Keewee

Helen

mistaya's M.O.M. said...

What a fun time you two had. Your story and photos make me feel like we were all there too. Did you roast a marshmelow for me..I can't seem to find it anywhere!!!!