BACK ON THE TRAIL AGAIN

My home for the next two months on the Olympic Peninsula, WA.

Not as nice or private as our property in Michigan, but so much quieter!

We left Michigan late June and headed for Washington. I will be living here while Dick is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. He has 1150 miles to go to reach Canada. I wanted to be out west while he hiked and chose this beautiful area. Plus, Maggie lives only a couple hours away. 

This is BOO's favorite spot as we travel.

Leaving Michigan's lower peninsula across the Mackinaw Bridge.

Stopped for a rest at Seney Wildlife Refuge in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

We enjoyed a short visit with the Emericks when we passed through the Upper Peninsula.

     We made several stops on our three week trip from Michigan to Washington, including Glacier National Park. Dick wanted to hike in the park, not only because it’s his favorite place in North America but to hike some mountain trails to help get ready for his long hike. While at Glacier we visited a friend who is a backcountry ranger at the Many Glacier area. They were turning visitors away at the Many Glacier entrance due to too many people and vehicles and not enough parking. Everyone has put this park on their list of places to see before all the glaciers are gone. So now it is dealing with the masses and growing pains. Fortunately, just saying his name allowed us in. 

Ed Bouffard swearing in new park rangers

There were lots of wildflowers in June and we loved all the Bear grass.

My favorite spot in Glacier NP - overlooking Pray Lake Two Medicine.

The drive to Many Glacier along the Swiftcurrent River.

We also stopped to visit friends in Sandpoint, Idaho for an overnight. We met them in Glacier NP several years ago when we offered to watch their dog so they could go on a long day hike. A great connection and we've stayed in contact through the years.

Dinner at Bottle Bay with Nancy and Dick. 

Nice campground and great hospitality. Thanks 💗

     I am slowly meeting people in my temporary home. My 90 yr old neighbor loves to play Cribbage, and guess what, her name is Evelyn. (For those of you who don’t know, I play Cribbage at home with my 93 yr old friend Evelyn.) Plus, I’ve made other connections in Port Townsend through a friend in Michigan and my sister in California. It's a small world. 

     I almost put a wrench in Dick’s plans. Shopping at Safeway a few days before he left, I slipped on some water and landed hard. Fortunately, I didn’t break anything which could have easily happened. A store worker saw the whole accident and insisted I report it in case I have future problems. So far I just have some aches and bruises that are SLOWLY getting better.

It's a 40 minute ferry ride to visit Maggie.

A visit with Maggie and Tom before hitting the trail.

     We visited Maggie and Tom in Seattle the night before Dick left on his trip, then Tom delivered him to King Station, downtown Seattle, to catch the train south to Dunsmuir, CA where he began his hike.  It was nearly a 15 hour train ride, arriving just past midnight. Then a 2 mile walk (2 miles is nothing, it’s walking in the dark that concerned me) to the town where he got a room for a few hours and a hearty breakfast (enough for two) before heading for the trail (7/18). Dunsmuir is where he left off last summer and he hopes to reach Canada by mid-September. The big concern is fire. So far Dick has made contact through his satellite communicator that he is ok. He sends me a message morning, noon and night through the communicator and it gives me a topo map with coordinates so I can zoom in and see exactly where he is. 

     

     When he gets a connection he will also be sending me updates and photos of his hike. I will keep you posted.......

BOO loves doing puzzles but is not a big help.

BOO helping me write this blog

View of the Kootenai River from bridge in photo below

A stop on the way to Idaho near Troy, Mt

Diablo Lake in the North Cascades NP

Added a few extra photos