On the Road

Friday morning dawned clear, and a glance out our bedroom window revealed a bright blue sky and a mighty white peak.

No cloud marred the view.  I took photos before breakfast and several times before we packed the car,  just to compare our view with the postcards in the gift shop.  We watched as about 30 hikers lined up with impressive gear, ready to scale the heights.  

As we left we decided to drive by Reflection Lake to see if we could duplicate that postcard. Alas, the lake was buried in snow, but the mountain was just as lovely.

We drove out of the park, glancing back from time to time to glimpse the peak over the farm fields until we turned our sights northwest to the Olympic Peninsula. We followed Rt 101 which winds around the coastline.  It was a beautiful drive. We stopped from time to time, and picnicked along the way.

We glimpsed the huge series of snowy peaks, not as high as Rainier but more massive and compact.  The signs pointed us to Port Angeles, which is a port for several cruise lines. We saw the large ships at berth in the port, but our goal was the Olympic National Park.  

We wound past Crescent Lake on our way to the Sol Duk Hot Springs Lodge.  As we turned down the road and followed the Sol Duk River, the trees soared on either side. It felt like we were driving through a city block lined with tree skyscrapers.  

The lodge was relaxed and welcoming. We checked into our little cabin, and went for an informal dinner.

Then we pulled on our swimming suits and went for a relaxing soak.  An hour in the medium pool and we were ready for a good night's sleep. The beds were wonderful.