[a/s] Sequim to Lacey, WA - August 9, 2000

[HHamp5246@xxxxxxx]

Hi Gang,

I had tears in my eyes as I pulled out of Karla's driveway this morning.  It 
was so great being there.  I will miss Karla and her wonderful dogs.  We 
really had a blast.... much of it spent exploring Sequim's "off the beaten 
path" treasures... a little spent howling in the trailer while downing Stoli 
martinis. (Have you seen the kitty litter commercial with the woman dancing 
with her cat?) Karla's poor husband must have thought we were nuts (c: 

One day we drove to the top of one of the mountains..... Blue Mountain.  It 
is in the park, but not a tourist attraction...... the road is steep and 
winds around with hairpin turns with drop offs to space.... The last 12 miles 
are all gravel roads.... Karla is afraid of heights and couldn't look.... all 
of a sudden we burst out of the woods and were in Alpine Meadows... full of 
wild flowers.  The views were phenomenal... One way to snow crested 
glaciers....the other way to the sea.  We put the dogs on leash and walked a 
trail up and around the area.  It took almost an hour in the truck to get 
up...less time coming down. (c:

Another day we went to the other side of Port Angeles and found a river then 
a beach on the Strait of San Juan DeFuca in the Makah Indian Reservation.   
Took three dogs, they had a blast running and smelling all the new smells.  
The beach rocks were all rounded like river rocks.... the small waves would 
push the water up over them, then they would roll when the water receded 
making a really cool noise.  The beach was covered with shells, rocks and 
lots of driftwood.  There was plenty of seaweed and huge scallion looking 
things.... they were about 6 feet long... Karla knew what they were... I 
forget.  A bird was soaring around, not a seagull but what looked like it was 
either an immature eagle or a hawk.  I found out Bald Eagles don't get the 
white heads and tails until they are 5-6 years old... so could have been one. 
I want it to have been (c: 

I used to think I made the world's greatest pancakes... incasenow I'm not so 
quick to brag.  We went to a place for breakfast.... Karla's husband shared 
his pancakes with me... wow.. the buttermilk pancakes were out of this world. 
The place is in Sequim... it's called The Oak "something".  Make a note of it 
in case you ever visit Sequim.

Yesterday Karla, the dogs and I went to the top of some mountain outside of 
Sequim. Very steep, dirt road most of the way.... again views of glaciers and 
the sea... overlooked the city of Sequim ... City?  Town.  The last time 
Karla had been there she saw cougar tracks... gulp... I hate when that 
happens.  I just think Border Collies would be such a tasty meal.  /-:  WE 
stayed for a while, but it was almost creepy there.. it was so remote.  The 
perfect place for a cougar.  It didn't help that Karla told me about some 
lady who was walking her little pooch when a cougar made a snack of 
it...while it was still on the leash!

Then we went to the beach at the John Wayne Marina.  The dogs frolicked near 
the Sequim Bay... Tucker went over and took a drink.... funniest thing I have 
ever seen. The look on his face that is. The salt water was a big surprise. :p

So, sadly I left this morning.  I forget to mention the Elk herd that lives 
in Sequim.  There had been many elk hit on the highway (101) so the town put 
up Elk Crossing signs with lights on the top and the bottom of the signs.  
The leader of the herd wears a transmitter of some sort, when the herd gets 
near the highway the sign lights flash.... how cool is that?

The drive down 101 was exceptional.  Much of it was through the Olympic 
National Forest.  For long stretches the Forest was on the right and the Hood 
Canal was on the left.  The Hood Canal looks like a giant lake.... it was a 
deep blue and the sun was in the perfect spot to make it look like sparkling 
diamonds were floating on the top.

All along there are funky little river houses and RV Parks. There were crews 
working on one stretch of road where there had been a rock slide. So many 
rocks that they are apparently just making one side of the road (the South 
side) a hill. Easier than removing tons and tons of rocks. They are keeping 
the rocks off the North side by holding them back with thick gauge metal 
fencing.... like dog fence.

The 100 plus miles flew by, it was hard to believe I had driven over two 
hours when I pulled into the Airstream park in Lacey. The big Potlatch Rally 
is happening now so the park is about 3/4 full... fortunately plenty of space 
in the "doggie section"   The park is a giant gravel parking lot with hookups 
sticking up through the gravel.  Not a blade of grass anywhere near the 
sites.  There is a grass field near me though so the dogs are happy.

Don, who is staying here too, just came by in his truck, which was blasted 
with hail in Rapid City.  The truck looks like new.  One of those fix a dent 
places had it.... popped out almost 900 dents... I will see about getting 
them to work on mine.... I know I have more dents than Don did. )c:

So.... here for the rest of the week and through the weekend.......

Hunter