My Journey

[Mekcanix]

I am with ITTOG, I would love to find a way to meet you someday.
And following that thought, Jerry I have never met or talked to you but I want you to know that, through your writings and pictures, you have been slowly changed my out look and have in small ways curbed my cynicism and attitude (read but hole ) My wife knows who you are as I often show her picture and discuss your travels, I have shown my kids your thread and they have on occasion have asked " John, whats the guy with the Dogs up to?
So thank you, and keep on keeping on good Sir you have a amazing talent for finding the positive and I am working on doing that as well

 

[jameswirl]

I would love to meet you personally someday. I love your attitude and gratitude. You always seem to find the positives in life and seem to have a caring heart and great joy in your soul. I think all of us that follow this thread probably see that and it rubs off on us. Then add two great dogs, you are a great family.

I know you will probably deflect this praise because that is who you are. So just understand my appreciation for your influence on me and on everyone else in this thread.

I am with ITTOG, I would love to find a way to meet you someday.
And following that thought, Jerry I have never met or talked to you but I want you to know that, through your writings and pictures, you have been slowly changed my out look and have in small ways curbed my cynicism and attitude (read but hole ) My wife knows who you are as I often show her picture and discuss your travels, I have shown my kids your thread and they have on occasion have asked " John, whats the guy with the Dogs up to?
So thank you, and keep on keeping on good Sir you have a amazing talent for finding the positive and I am working on doing that as well

Same

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

ITTOG & Mekcanix & jameswirl......thanks, the old ego loves to hear that but the truth is that I'm just another dirty, rotten scoundrel. Whatever social skills I once had, they were lost long ago. It's important to remember that I'm the artist that paints the picture.....



We continued north up the highway and we continued to stop frequently.....




.....the views continued to be breathtaking.....it was everything that I had remembered.....and it was even more.....




Maybe it was because of all the stuff that I was dealing with at that time due to the heart issues.....maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was because with age I've learned to inhale a bit deeper and truly appreciate the things that I see.....but I can say for certain that hearing and seeing the crashing waves had a profound effect on me.....



And I was so thankful that I had found myself here.....



A mile offshore I saw the Tillamook Lighthouse.....constructed in 1880. I thought for sure that I saw a freighter initiallly, but as we drove further north it quickly changed into the lighthouse.....



We crossed the Astoria-Megler Bridge and returned to Washington.....from the bridge I could actually see real freighters that were anchored in the Columbia River. Ships & sailboats always have a fairy tale sense about them.....who doesn't occasionally dream about sailing away to a new life ? I certainly do.....a fountain of youth so to speak.....




We passed through so many small ocean villages that lined Highway 101.....sometimes we'd make a stop to stretch our legs and to check this or that out.....the weather.....it continued to cooperate.....the skies were charming.....the temperatures were accommodating.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

In Aberdeen, Washington we made a stop where we walked along a random road.....I saw a sign that pointed us in the direction of the Kurt Cobain Under the Bridge Memorial.....



While I was never a huge fan of the man, I did enjoy some of his music. I never owned a Kurt Cobain teeshirt nor did I ever buy his music nor attend one of his concerts.....yet, here we were.....



We walked quietly by a homeless guy wrapped up in a shabby blanket on the still damp grass.....I noticed drug paraphernalia littered on the ground.....



I tried to keep the dogs close.....afraid that they might step on a used needle. Our visit here was brief.....the reasons obvious.....



I much prefer nature.....a walk in the forest.....



The forest along the ocean is spectacular.....



Not surprising when Mother Nature drenches it with 30 to 40 inches of rain annually.....



We went from the ticks to the mosquitos.....



.....such a small price to pay for such beauty.....

 

[Ace Brown]

I met the “dirty rotten scoundrel” once and he’s not.


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[ITTOG]

I met the “dirty rotten scoundrel” once and he’s not.


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I doubt any of us believed him. We all carry skeletons.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

I doubt any of us believed him. We all carry skeletons.

I can not agree with this enough

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....thanks.....seems like it wasn't all that long ago.....

ITTOG & PNWY.....for sure.....



We took a slight detour off of Highway 101, as that highway went inland, and our goal was to stay as near as possible to the coastline. Our next stop was in Ocean Shores, Washington where we found yet another ocean access point.....



I was able to collect a bit of driftwood here for a future wood project that I had in mind. Soon enough we'd be in the National Park where collecting is, of course, a no no.....



Any body have any idea what we saw here ? It looks like a tiny whale tail to me.....



A most unusual cliff.....the only spot that I saw this.....



Next, I missed the planned turn which would have returned us to Highway 101, so we continued north along the coast. I didn't realize my error until we reached a sign stating that the road ahead was unmaintained (that was in Taholah, Washington.....a small village on the Quinalt Indian Reservation). We backtracked to Moclips, Washington and then took the Moclips Highway east.....



That turned out to be one of those wrong turns that you're grateful that you made.....that drive was sensational.....



The lushness and thickness of that rainforest that lined the highway was utterly fabulous. I couldn't believe the number of times that we stopped. Fortunately there's little to no traffic on that highway.....so our frequent stops were not a concern.....




Eventually we made our way back to Highway 101 and continued driving north.....



And we just continued on with stopping frequently.....to see what we could see.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We'd walk through the forest filled with fairy tale looking trees.....



I have no idea what's up with these trees but they were fairly common along this portion of the coastline forest.....




Once we made it out of the forest (not a long walk), we'd work our way across piles of magnificent driftwood. Honestly, I wanted to steal so bad.....but I didn't.....




Once we got down to the crashing waves, typically we saw no one.....




And overall, there weren't a lot of people visiting.....probably the time of year.....and it seemed as though the people that we did see were satisfied looking from the edge of the forest.....



But with my guys, that ain't happening.....my guys literally drag me down to the water.....eager to walk along the waters' edge.....and wade out into the shallow water.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

The lushness.....the richness of the Pacific Northwest forest was something that I had overlooked in my dreams prior to coming here. For me, the pre-planning of this trip had been all about seeing.....and smelling.....and the experiencing of the crashing waves of the ocean one last time.....



We pulled off to the side of the road as soon as we saw the sign for Beach Access #1. There were four of these numbered access points in Olympic National Park along Highway 101 and eventually we would, of course, stop at all four of them.....




In some ways each of these access points reminded me of strolling through an art gallery where each work of art is similar yet at the same time entirely different.....and each picture that we came across was just as beautiful as the last that we had just seen.....



Several of the trails were constructed near small streams and when there were pools of water large enough for the dogs, they'd wade in.....and wash away the oceans' saltwater residue.....



.....and then, just after, they'd head right back into that salty ocean water.....




I guess it was.....just that inviting for them.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

A bit further north along the highway I saw the sign for the Big Cedar Tree.....we took the right hand turn off the highway and drove a short distance east along a heavily pot holed gravel road to a circular parking area where we began the short walk.....



.....to see the Big Cedar Tree.....



The Big Cedar Tree.....well, it was big.....like really big.....



I took pictures of the dogs in front of that tree.....it reminded me of decades ago when it was my two sons that would do such things.....now it's dogs.....neither very cooperative.....neither very willing.....




Beyond the Big Cedar Tree was a well groomed trail that led us deeper into the forest filled with massive Cedar Trees.....



After the small detour, we returned to the ocean.....




.....to walk along the beaches and to explore the forest where it connected with the beach.....it was every bit as extraordinary as it had been in my dreams.....

 

[Ace Brown]

I drove up into Canada in a February to get a new trailer about 15 years ago. On the way home I drove down the PNW coast. Washington was solid rain but when i hit Oregon the sun came out to stay. It is not supposed to be sunny in winter but it was. Like Jerry i stopped at every beach access i could find. The weather was so nice the locals were complaining about the heat.

I’m reminded about the line in a song:”do you feel small when you stand beside the ocean?” Yes!


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[ITTOG]

I’m reminded about the line in a song:”do you feel small when you stand beside the ocean?” Yes!

No, not at all. All I feel is sandy. I hate sand! Oh, and salty. I might feel small if I could get past the sand. 😁

I do feel small when looking into the night time sky. Unbelievable how vast space is.

 

[AlwaysRoaming]

All of the pics are amazing, but the last pic on post #5770 is unreal. Postcard material. Thanks for sharing Jerry.

 

[chet6.7]

I like the change of smells and sounds when I step out of the forest and on to the beach.