I’m a city girl, guys. Born and raised in New York. All I know are buildings, streets, and throngs of people. That’s home. It’s the environment I feel most comfy in. But as I age, I yearn to be outdoors more. I have this deep desire for all that nature-y shit: hiking, mountains climbing, camping, you name it. The thing that holds me back is that I’m scared of it. No TE RIES! Don’t laugh at me! I’m scared of the NORMAL things that NORMAL people are afraid of…. scary wildlife and creepy crawlies.
“I’m a city girl and I never really lived in the country, so I’m learning about that.”
-Shirley MacLain
Year 34 of my life was about kicking those fears in the face though, so for our family vacation I planned a more “nature-friendly” trip to the Pacific Northwest, with some cool outdoor pit stops along the way. However, the familia conspired against me and decided on a full 4 days smack dab in the middle of the Olympic National Park. I was out voted! Te digo, I had to put on my big girl panties and face ALL my fears. It’s like they were daring me! I had to shake off my aversions to bears, and deserted forest hikes, and treacherous car rides up thin-ass mountain roads. And can you believe? I DID IT! And it was probably the best trip of my entire life.
We rented a car in Seattle and made the reasonable drive to the Puget Sound, giddy because we were already spotting remnants of snow on the ground. Somos de Florida, so our #1 goal was for the kids to get their first chance to play in the real snow. Timing was still supposed to be good for snowy conditions in the mountains as sometimes you can find wintry weather in late Spring/Summer. We were there in late May and PRAYING.
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”
-John Muir
We had 4 items on our Olympic National Park agenda: Lake Crescent , The Hoh National Rainforest, the beach at Kalaloch Lodge, and most important to me… the Hurrican Ridge summit. There’s so much to see in the area but we wanted to keep our time in the park raw and rugged. We wanted to experience nature in the area as people had for hundreds of years… or at least try. I, for one, wasn’t against concrete paths though, tbh! Ha!
Lake Crescent is massive and just maravilloso! It took almost a whole hour to drive around the entire thing. We stopped several times, at all the best scenic spots and just looked out over the water. What’s other worldly, is how the lake is enclosed by mountains on every damn side. And don’t even get me started on the sunsets peering through the peaks to kiss the water’s surface! AYE! If I had a chance to go back, I’d rent a cabin on the lake and rent kayaks for the day. Maybe even fish a little. That’s the way to do it. I can’t even believe that this city girl just typed that! I’m a changed woman y’all! Haha!
We stayed at a place called Kalaloch Lodge, due to a recommendation from a friend, and it was TOP NOTCH! Located right on the beach, with kick ass views of the Pacific, it was a Pacific Northwestern dream come true. I woke up to the sounds of the ocean clapping up against the shore. We spent the morning along the edge of the waves, looking for the perfect rocks to take home as our “natural souvenirs” and capped off our day with “balancing” lessons on top of the hundreds of pieces of ancient driftwood peppered on the shoreline. It was like something out of Twilight guys, but totally good for the soul.
The Hoh Rainforest is the only rainforest on the continental US and just as lush and green as you’d expect. This was where my fears came out in full affect. Mainly because, forests are great for hiding rodents, and spiders, and, like, friggin mountain lions! Ha, ha! But no, our hike through the moss-covered trees and babbling brooks was serene, if not completely solitary.Thankfully, we didn’t come across single living thing. It was eerie in the best way. Just us and the earth.
Our last stop in our circle around the Olympic National Park was the best one. The whole familia agrees. Hurricane Ridge was BOMB. You have to climb up, up, up on thin, one-lane roads at some points, but damn, once you get to the top you forget the treacherous journey completely. I did, and that’s saying a lot. In fact, I loved what I saw so damn much that I LITERALLY started singing. “The hills are alive…” just sprang from my lips, tears rolling down my eyes, huge smile on my face. Not only were the mountains just as splendid as the Alps, but there was a blanket of fresh snow on the ground! The ninos lost their shit! We did too. It was winter in the summer, with the type of view that stays imprinted in your mind forever. And I was able to live it with my favorite people on the planet.
I’m still a city girl. I will ALWAYS be. But*, I’m a city girl that knows the true value of getting away from it all and diving into Mother Nature. Especially to a place as absolutely striking at The Olympic National Forest. The great outdoors are worth the effort. Even if you have to experience them from a concrete path (wink wink).
Con mucho carino,
Joana
One Comment
Pingback: