Hill above the Swamp

Clear Lake old logging road hike

Decided to revisit an area I have only been to once  before.  Was hoping for edible mushrooms, but no dice.  Still I got a good workout and lots of solitude.

6 miles 200 feet elevation gain

Old Campsite in the Woods

We found an old campsite way back in the woods, perhaps off of the Hamma Hamma road.  We are trying to date this junk.  How old do you think this stuff is?

Quilcene Swamp

Plese check out my 2017 my calendar at the top of this page.  I'm on track to break my second place record for most miles hiked in a year.

Back to my favorite swamp with my daughter, she just has to pop over the Bridge for this hike.  Sage was left at home, poor girl.  When Sage loses 8 pounds I will try her out on a gentle hike but since her condition is degenerative, it would be cruel to take her on tough hikes.

Rain was forecast all week and I was under the weather, but we really needed to get out and get away from it all.  The day before the hike the chance of rain when down to 30% and the only rain on our hike was a drop or two as we got into the car.

We started out on a road but quickly left the road to do some brush crashing and swamp exploring.  We are really hoping to find some black trumpet mushrooms, but no luck.  I've never found them.  My daughter found them once in Bremerton but never again since the spot was logged.

We made it to the campground with huge appetites, but my daughter had failed to pack a lunch, so I shared.  We found a matsutake but it was way too far gone.  It's the only one I've seen this year.

On the way out we took a different route and got passed by several cars, hunters and brush pickers.  I found some nice hedgehogs and yellowfoots in the spot I discovered last year.  Last year that spot produced until February.  We both also found a very small cauliflower each.

7 miles
300 feet elevation gain


Plese help pay for Sages vet bills and buy a copy of my calendar at the top of this page.

2017 Calendar is ready! Special now just $12.24

Special now just $12.24

Sad, sad news about my new dog Sage

Sage's regular vet has been too busy to see her so I forked out $290.00 to take her to a different vet and get her checked out.  Sage has pretty bad hip dysplasia on her left side.  Bad enough that it would be cruel to take her on the kinds of hikes I go on.  I'm so sad for her and for me.  I don't have a hiking buddy now and she's going to have a painful life of in activity.  I don't know if Sage was born this way or it was caused by her being grossly overfed when she was a pup.

If I want a hiking buddy, I'll have to get a different dog.  This is Sage's forever home, so that means I have to get a second dog and I REALLY don't want two dogs.  Two dogs means twice the expense, twice the dirt and destruction, twice the smell, twice the hassle when I want to travel.

I'm looking for a second dog, I need a HEALTHY dog with good hips and I much prefer Springer Spaniels for their love for water and hiking and for their breeding that causes them to stay close to their master.  Also for their cold hardiness and they funny personalities.