by Liz

Day’s mileage : 67

Running total : 328

It was another beautiful, sunny day today. Instead of riding 68 miles to Lake Quinault along the 101, which would have taken us out to the west coast at Ruby Beach, we decided to go up in the mountains and down the other side, a similar distance. It was an excellent route, forested, with spectacular views of the snow-covered Olympic range and virtually no traffic. 

At one point we stopped and realised how silent it was. All we could hear was an insect buzzing and a low, resonant hooop-hooop sound, maybe a nearby bullfrog, or a distant elk (just guessing though, we had no idea). Exotic bird calls echoed around us so at times it sounded like we were in a jungle. We saw several golden eagles. 

We were treated to our first elk sighting of the trip, a top highlight of the day. We didn’t see them among the trees at first, and our riding by disturbed them. We stopped and about ten of them trotted timidly out of the forest and across the road and disappeared again. Did I have my phone at the ready to capture the moment? Sadly not. Next time. 

It was a long day’s ride but we made it to our cabin on Lake Quinault shortly after 5. Last night in Forks we were guests of the Quileute nation and tonight we’re guests of the Quinault nation, in the Olympic National Park. We’ve never been in a hot tub before and this was one to crown all hot tubs, with a lake view under the pure blue evening sky. It’s quite remote here and Philip bought us dinner at the local general store – possibly not gourmet but we’re so hungry it may well taste like the best thing we’ve ever eaten.

Additional notes

Forks to Quinault, Clallam and Jefferson counties, WA.

Left at 9am. Arrived at 5.25pm.

Weather: Sunny and cool. Later hot.

Landscape: Forested roads. Rivers. The snowy peaks of the Olympic range framed in the V of the forest on either side of the road. Areas of deforestation that look like a war zone. Pockets of very cold air even though it was hot. Native American territory. Rainforest.

Towns: Forks. Clearwater. Hurst River. Quinault.

Trails: The mountain road was like a trail, it was so quiet.

State roads: 41 miles on the 101. We altered our route to do the other 26 miles on mountain roads.

Breakfast: Porridge with mango and banana.

Lunch spot: Beside the road on moss in a patch of shade.

Dinner, made by Philip: Microwave Chinese food.

Wildlife: Bird calls that sounded like monkey screeches. Frogs croaking in streams and a low sonorous call, later identified as the sooty grouse. A herd of elk. Two golden eagles.

Plants: Spruce so tall and majestic they must have been ancient. The rainforest here has an average of 30 feet of rain each year. Pink wildflowers. Shrubs with elegant, frothy cream flowers.

Things we saw: Mobile homes and weatherboarded houses with azaleas and acers in the gardens. A river pale blue as the sky with a mountain beyond. The light on the moss in the trees. A dead snake on the road. A huge state prison on the mountain road. Signs that read ‘Loose gravel’ or ‘Rough road’ which in fact meant there was no road surface at all.

People we spoke to or saw: We didn’t speak to a soul.

Incidents: None.

Shopping: Quinault general store (took Philip 20 minutes – a record!).

Accommodation: An old house that was floated across the lake from the other side in the 1960s, with a hot tub and a view of the lake and mountain from the bench at the bottom of the garden.

Today’s sound: The silence along the quiet mountain road with just an insect buzzing.

Today’s smell: The hot tub chlorine.

Special moments: Exchanging waves with a lady on her porch in Forks. The snowy mountains. Sitting on the softest moss cushions to eat lunch. Cathy sent us a picture of a painting she did of us riding our bikes in a forest, which made us smile. Our first hot tub experience, with a view of the mountains.

Positive experience from my journal: Taking the mountain road instead of the coast road, having no problems and some elk.

Appreciation from my journal: Doing a great job of covering a long distance with plenty of battery left.

Messages from Juliet and my mother.

Mementos: None, they didn’t give Philip a receipt at the store.