Mushroom Hunt

 

This video will not be fully rendered into HDR until about 3pm on 10/19/2023

Hike and bike for mushrooms

 

The wildlife gates are shut even though the sign says they do not shut until November, there must be some confusion.  With the gates shut I figured I might have a shot at getting some mushrooms at some old favorite spots on the Skokomish.  Not too many people would walk as far as you have to walk when the gates are shut I figured.

I rode my bike to the trail entrance and looked for mushrooms as I rode.  I was sad to discover that my longtime spot has been selectively logged and no longer produces mushrooms.  Looks like the logging was done a couple of years ago.

It’s been hard year for me that way.  I’ve lost a lot of spots to logging this year and about to lose a bunch my best spots that are close to home.  I’m rendering a video about some of those spots right now and I hope to have the video up tonight.

Glorious fall colors are out, the maples are lovely.  I really enjoyed seeing the fall colors on a sunny day.  I did not get many mushrooms but I had a good time and I only saw on other person.  One person too many, but what can I do?  Solitude on the trails has become impossible in the last 5 years.  So many people are moving to this state.

Bella was fine running behind my bike. I never had Sage run behind my bike I could just tell she was not up for that, she was big and had a bad hip. 

I thought about Patches a lot on this bike ride.  She and I took this route a lot.  Maybe I will start doing this route again with Bella, I never ran into anyone on the route I used to take with Patches. 

I think I’m still tired from Wagon Wheel Lake, so my old body can still make it to the lake but recovery takes a bit longer these days.

Wagon Wheel Lake

 

It's been a few years since I have done a really hard hike in the Olympics and I did not think I was in good enough shape to make it to the lake.  I figured I would go about 2/3 of the way up and turn around.   But I actually made it all the way to the lake.  Now two days later I am still tired and sore.

The 24 road is in terrible condition.  I don't think they maintain that road at all in the winter now.  I don't go to Staircase in the summer because of the crowds and I don't go in the winter because of the state of the road. I still need a car that is good on dirt roads. 

Next week I hope to make it beyond the lake to see the fall colors on the slopes of Copper Mountain.

Bella got bloat last week and was unable to hike so it was a perfect chance to go hiking in the National Park where dogs are not allowed.

At first my progress was very slow.  According to my map I had only gained 300 feet when I felt like I had gained closer to 1,000 feet.  I felt discouraged.  But I figured out that my map was set to metric and I really had climbed about 1,000 feet.  Before I knew it I was near the top and next I reached the level spot that indicates the lake is near. 

I was very happy when I realized that I was going to make it after all.  I had set a mandatory lunch time of 2pm, that would give me enough time for an hour lunch break and to hike back out before dark.  I made it to the lake at 1:45. 

There were other people on the trail, it seems there are no longer any actual trails I can go on and have all to myself.   I talked to the first person, she was a German woman who was in a hurry to get up to the Lake and back to Olympia so she could pick up her kid after school.

I hid from the second group.  Two men who I could hear coming well ahead of time.  I did not want to have any interactions with them that could mess up my head space.  Men are sometimes patronizing towards a woman hiking alone. I did not feel like being asked if I was packing, or being told information about the trail that I probably already know.  I was really glad I did not talk to them, I'm going to start hiding from people more often.  

Cold walk to look for my sunglasses