Back to the USA

Tue 18th Oct: After a morning driving around Vancouver, we got another couple of quotes for the van repairs and Doug got his new watch ordered. The smoke was still really bad, and we couldn't work out where to go to escape it - the two areas we were keen on going too, Whistler or North Cascades, were both reporting unhealthy levels of smoke particles. Because we were keen to get some USA cash for South America we decided to head to Olympic National Park, there smoke particle levels were fair. So after losing another 5 eggs and 3 apples at the border, we continued to Bellingham - the smoke was extremely bad here, and both our eyes were getting sore from it. We went to a bank to find the best way to get cash out, and basically the only way is $500 cash withdrawal a time from the atm, so we will have to do a few trips this week. Continually onwards we stopped at Bowman's Bay in Deception Pass State Park, initially with the intention to stay the night, but after doing a walk out to Lighthouse point and catching the sunset we decided it was a bit risky to stay, so carried on - it was now dark and we were struggling to find somewhere suitable to stop until we got to Oak Habour and found Walmart yay. Even better it had a Safeways with a liquor section, so we got a bottle of vodka and Kahlua and had our first proper Black Russisn in nearly 3 months with nachos. Boy am I out of practice.
Wed 19th. Continuing towards Olympic National Park, it is a really pretty drive along the coast line, looking north to the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island, not that we could really see them due to the smoke, but it wasn't as bad as it has been. Had about a 45 minute ferry ride across Puget Sound - where we were on a direct intersection with a container ship until the ferry reduced speed - we could see the captain taking photos of the ship so we presume he wasnt happy with it, We stopped at Port Angeles, the north eastern entrance to the park. After visiting the visitor centre in town we decided to go for a bike ride, firstly out to the Edix Hook, a thin spit out in the Strait of Juan de Fuca that helps forms the habour - biking past a pulp and paper mill on the way, (they look exactly the same here as back home). Then back the other way along the water front trail for about 5 kms, spotting seals and some new birds / ducks as we went. Bike stats: 25.84 km, 1 hr 49. We then headed to the National Park visitor centre, and with maps and more of an idea what to do (although bad weather is meant to be coming on Friday so might change things), headed up the Hurricane Ridge road, stopping at the Heart of the Hills campground for the night. Noticed there was a 4 mile return easy hike in the old growth forest starting near our campsite, so quickly got our running gear on and headed out on a jog. I didn't go quite to the end, Doug did and he ended up doing less distance than me so one of our watches is not measuring correctly, but my stats are: 7.58 km, 54 mins, 196 m elevation. So good to be back in the wilderness. Steps V 12396.Read more