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| Snow over my boots, time to change my socks |
I decided to burn up a whole bunch of gas and take my high
clearance gas hog up to the Dosewallips.
Taking the gas hog was a good choice as it turns out. I was quite surprised to see snow well before
the start of my hike. I had not brought
gaiters or snowshoes and was unsure of how far I was going to be able to go
when I saw snow at the start!
 |
| Snow from the very start |
I started my hike at the washout at about 10am. At first the snow was about 2-4 inches deep but
then it got better and there were some bare patches on the road as it
climbed up. By the time I got to Constance
Creek the snow was getting deeper. It
was tough going, but I really wanted to make it to old Dosewallips car
campground for lunch, so I plodded on.
Luckily someone had broken the trail all the way to the
waterfall. After the waterfall, all the
human tracks in the snow were gone and I followed a deer track. There were cougar tracks on either side of
the deer track!
Near the campground even
the deer track ended and I had to break the trail. It was very tough going at this point and I
was getting snow over the top of my boots.
I thought of turning back, I was worried about how tired I was going to
be on the hike out.
 |
| Patches post holes |
I reached the Ranger Station at about 1pm and it was the
only place that was sunny. The
campground was in a deep cold shade. I
decided to take my lunch and make my tea on the porch of the little ranger
station rather than sit in the shade by the river.
 |
| a lot of snow for just 1,600 feet |
I finished lunch at about 2:30 and began my hike out. I wanted a longer lunch break but I was
starting to get cold, so I had to go.
The hike out was uneventful. I stopped at Constance Creek and changed my
socks as they were getting damp and I was getting a hot spot on my big
toe. I stopped again and had tea at Elk Horn
campground. That tea was enough to
propel me back to my vehicle. My calves
began to cramp up at the end of this hike, so I know I got a really good work
out.
On the way home I stopped the Triton cove to photograph the
sunset. Shortly after I left Triton cove
I found that my road home was totally closed off. Oh no! Not again. The last time that 101 was closed off on my
drive home from a hike I had to sit for 2.5 hours.
I got out of my car to try to see what was going on. Then a man with the most wonderful velvety
voice came up behind me and asked me if I knew what was happening. Mr. Velvet voice was parked on the road right
behind me. It was love at first
sound!
 |
| Nothing to do but take pictures while parked on 101 |
Yes, he was out of shape and
nearly as old as my father, but oh that voice!
Oh that friendly deep manly voice made of velvet.
Suddenly I flashed back to the last time I got stuck on 101 after a hike
and the man from Nehalem who just happened to have a bed in
his car and had invited me to join him in his car while we waited for the road
to open. Hmmmmm
No, I did not join him, but I admit I was slightly tempted.
I learned that Mr. Velvet Voice lived in Longbeach and he
was on his way home from teaching squids how to reintegrate into civilian life
after their discharge from the Whidbey Island Navel Station. He had also been caught in a traffic jam near
the Hood Canal Bridge so he was running quite late. He was a widower.
I met several people who were in line behind
me and it was kind of interesting to get to know other folks who were on the
road at the same time as me.
After about half an hour the traffic started moving again
and soon I saw that a motor home wreck had been the cause of the delay. A “Swift” semi truck with no C.B. was right in
front of me and was going too slow, he really should have pulled over to let us all
by.
Mr. Velvet Voice was still
behind me in his car and it made me happy to know he was there. But then just before the Skokomish River he
passed me and the truck in front of me at the same time. Mr. Velvet voice was gone and he was a
dangerous driver as well. No matter,
love is blind.
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