Sorry it has taken so long to get this published.  WiFi problems at the last two motels where we stayed prevented me from doing so.  Now I am unable to download all of  my pictures so the ones I intended to publish on the logging exhibition and culture center mentioned below are missing.  Karen, Matt: any suggestions on what I need to do to be able to retrieve the pictures on my disk--the latest taken that are not showing up when I try to download them from the disk to blog.  I know I have a big picture file at this point but I didn't think that would matter.

Anyway, Jack & I left August Camp on Friday (8/10/12) around noon and got as far as Everett, Washington before stopping for the night.  What a novelty--sleeping in a bed (instead of a cot and sleeping bag)!

We headed for Olympic National Park and ended up driving most of the day.  We finally stopped for the night in Forks, WA and went on the next day to Moar where we got a campsite.  After setting up, we visited the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park where we walked the "Mosses Trail".  Interesting place.  Most of the trees were laiden with mosses of one kind or another:  spaghnum, air plants that looked like a beard.  We saw "nursery logs"  (fallen, dead trees that act as 'mothers' or incubators for evergreen seedlings, flowers, ferns and other plants).  

Yesterday we spent about half the day at Mt. St. Helen's National Volcanic Monument where we viewed two films about the 1980 eruption and the subsequent 'renewal' of the devastated land, listened to Park Rangers speak and viewed what's left of Mt. St. Helen and the surrounding landscape.  

Tonight we are in McMinnville, Oregon after viewing the Astoria Column in Astoria, Oregon.  We will go to the Air & Space Museum here in McMinnville tomorrow morning to see, among other things, Howard Hughes' "Blue Spruce".  We will then head for the coast and a few days of camping and sightseeing to relax and take a break from all the driving.

8/8/12

Today is the first encountered where the clouds have not lifted by 11 a.m., so we're taking advantage of the free WiFi offered at the Aboriginal Culture Museum in Whistler to update you on our excursions (except I've been unable to sign on so this may still have to wait the few more days we are here.

Arrived at Callaghan Creek campsite around noon today and got settled in our tent which backs up  to the woods.  As you can see from the picture, the campsite leaves much to be desired.   Even Jack says this is the worst August Camp site he has ever been to--no grass, lots of rocks and roots and uneven 'floors' in the tents themselves.  And we are here for two weeks.  Ugh.  Lucky us!!

August Camp Campsite

Bathrooms!!!!!  Cook Tent and Dining Tent (white roofed)

Hikes commenced on Sunday, an easy one to get us started.  We hiked to a forest of Ancient Cedars--virgin trees, some over a thousand years old.  The 11 people in our group were unable to encircle one of the  huge tree trunks.   

Ancient Cedar

Lay your head on our shoulder to view this one; the cedars are not only large in diameter, they are tall!!

We've seen abundant snow on the mountaintops,  glaciers, rushing rivers (due to snow melt they are full), waterfalls of varying sizes and lots of beautiful wildflowers.   Some of the hikes have been more challenging than described but we've managed to keep up and not slow down the more experienced hikers.

Cheakamus River - one of many rushing rivers

Foxglove - one of many wildflowers in the area

Most of the snow you see is actually glacier; I was told if snow hasn't disappeared by August, it is in fact a glacier.

Fortunately, the town of Whistler and an associated RV Campground, where there are hot showers, is close by so have only had to use the sun shower twice.   It's usually getting cooler by the time we get back from the hikes, so the sun shower is a somewhat chilling experience but certainly better than no shower at all!!   Also, unless there is intense sun, the water doesn't get too hot--one of the joys of this kind of camping.   The portajohns are another experience I don't care to repeat again on a long term basis.

Jack has reconnected with people he hasn't  seen for several years and I have met some very nice people.   The experience, as a whole, has had more positives than negatives.

Last Sunday, we attended a logging exhibition--an event that takes place every year in the town of Squamish (about 15 miles south of our campsite).   There was pole climbing, log rolling, various chopping events.  Both men and women participate in the event.  It was fascinating - like nothing we had ever seen before.

We visited the Aboriginal Culture Center this past Monday and spent a good 3 - 4 hours learning about two of British Columbia's " First Nations" people, the Lilwats and the Sqamish.  They, in turn, are trying to teach us to preserve and protect the environment--a truly monumental task in my opinion.