Ocean time and Seattle time

Two ocean hikes in the last two weeks.  I really enjoy the openness of the beach and the cooler weather on the coast.  It was 90 degrees at home but only 70 on the coast.  I have found a nice long car free section of beach.  My lunch spot is in the town of Westport, but I don't like dining alone so I pack my own lunch and eat it at the picnic tables at the museum.

The gray whale that washed up at Twin Harbors was nowhere to be found on my hike.  I suspect it drifted even further South.

Some photos from Seattle and then some beach photos.  I walked 4 miles in Seattle to do what used to be called "Longshot" , now it is called "Chasing the light" and it lasts 48 hours instead of 24.  Grief is sapping my energy, so I almost did not do Longshot this year.  I could hear my late spouse urging to do it anyway, so I did.

Beach Photos:

Leftover ink from my ash infused tattoo.  The rest of my spouse goes
 into the ocean on the Summer solstice.

Mosquito Lakes

The vlog includes aerial footage.

 

Pigeon Lake

 I decided I wanted to go back to the little pond just off the Church Creek trail.    This is partly off trail and partly on trail all of it in the old growth.  I love going off trail in the old growth but also know the risk of injury is higher when scrambling over logs and side hilling on brush slopes.  So I asked Phil to join and he did.

We started at about 10:30, the days are long, so why not sleep in?    The trip was fun and mostly uneventful.

At one point Sage got her leg stuck between a branch and a log that she was climbing over and she yelped in pain.  I went back and helped her.  Sage is not stoic like Patches was.  I think Sage would let me know right away if she got hurt, unlike Patches who never showed any signs of pain.

This hike was just shy of 4 miles but with 2,100 feet total elevation gain and all the brush crashing, I'm feeling it today.  This was also my steepest hike this year.

Phil and I would like to try to find the 1962 airplane crash in the Olypmics.

4 miles 2,100 feet elevation gain

Elbo Creek

Every year I try to make it up north to Mount Walker for the Rhododendron bloom.  Every year I forget to do it.  Well this year I remembered, but I was about a week to early I think.  Maybe I'll go back next week.

Sage was a bit of a pest, wanting to be constantly petted on the bus and my left wrist is really sore, so it hurt to pet her.  Then at lunch time she mugged me for more water.  I was afraid she was going to kick my lunch and coffee over in her desperation for more water.

I packed a lot of water for her and hopefully she got enough.  The Jefferson Transit driver on the way a back was really nice.  Maybe the grumpy guy who hates people has left or has been moved to another run.  We can only hope.

4 miles 1,950 elevation gain

I spend almost as much time on the bus as I spend hiking on this run but it is a nice bus ride and it saves wear and tear on my car.

Ocean and wandering near the Hamma Hamma and the Ape Caves

So is the road really closed?

Ape Caves

Westport