The power of water

We hear stories about floods and the power that the water has.  I think it is hard to understand that unless you see the devastation that they wreak.  Fortunately I have not been in a position to witness that.  Water and rain have been a constant them for us for the last three days, and I write this, sitting in a little cafe while it is constantly raining outside.

We left Forks (more about Forks later) in the rain.  We spent most of Sunday riding with overcast skies - actually enjoying the conditions and road.  There were no trucks, nice roads and good riding, up and down hill.  Then it started raining and it didn't stop.

Sunday night we could only get accommodation at Kalaloch Campground.  Another National Park (Park this time, not Forest) campground. No facilities, but we managed to get a relatively sheltered site to put up our tent - while it kept raining around us. Kalaloch (pronounced, weirdly Clay-loch) is on the Pacific Coast.  It exists of one campground and one 'lodge'.  No accommodation at the lodge, but we managed to get dry and have a dinner there.  Then back in the rain to the wet tent.  Amazing that either of us actually got any sleep, but we woke up wet - with everything wet.

Camp set up under the trees, everything is pretty soaking wet except the tent at this stage.

We then headed to Lake Quinault - a 55km ride.  Again, the day started off overcast and not raining, and the start of the ride was pleasant.  Then the road surface changed to a surface more like NZ roads - quite rough and difficult to ride on, and a non existent shoulder to ride on.  Bearable if no traffic and no rain.  But this is US 101 - the main route for the logging trucks.  Nothing else to do and see for 55km (and I mean NOTHING except for forests), so we spent all our time hanging on to our bikes to keep them upright - ended up with sore hands, arms backs and necks (instead of sore legs), just making sure that we kept on the road.

Peter counted the logging trucks. 23 empty trucks going in the opposite direction to us - to pick up timber and 17 trucks that went past us.  The road had a 'rumble strip' along the centre line.  Different to the rumble strips in NZ - these were actually ridges, holes cut out of the road.  What it meant though is that we could hear the vehicles coming and tell whether they went over the centre strip to give us room.  Most vehicles did, but there were about 2 logging trucks and 2 - 3 other trucks that were way too close to us.  Reason to strengthen the grip more.

Then it started raining about 1pm yesterday.  And it hasn't stopped since.

Riding in the rain, on a rough surface with no shoulder and logging trucks going flat out past you (they get paid by the load and head down to Aberdeen (40 miles south of here), or Portland or Olympia, so driving slowly isn't on their agenda,) is NOT fun.

Then, I made a mistake.  I knew that a few days ago we booked in at the Lake Quinault something....  So when we saw the sign for the Lake Quinault Resort we excitedly took the exit (get away from the traffic.) 2 miles downhill in heavy rain later, we arrived.. to be told that we were on the wrong side of the lake and we actually wanted the Lake Quinault Lodge - 7 rain drenched miles away. Oh well, more trail mix and we got there.  Managed to do it without any more logging trucks!

I was getting pretty miserable by now, and the weather forecast was for more more more rain, on Tuesday and Wednesday, not stopping till Thursday.  Today is Tuesday, and Peter made the suggestion we book in at the lodge for another night.  Great idea!!!  So, budget blown, we have another night tonight.  Warm and dry and we can get the rest of our 'stuff' dry in the room.  But can't book back in until about 4pm.

One of the 'bombsite' photos of our room.  Heater is along the wall, where the sleeping bags are getting dry.

Tomorrow though, the forecast is more rain and a 75km ride, along 101 with the logging trucks.  So, I used my initiative and found a bus.  It will pick us up here, take us to Aberdeen, there are bike racks for 2 bikes (so hopefully no one else has their bikes on the rack - as if they do we have to take separate buses) and all for $1 each.  Then when we get to Aberdeen, hopefully the weather is a little better and we can look at continuing the ride.

So- the power of water when you are riding on a cycle tour... pretty powerful - demoralising, dangerous, miserable.  Thank goodness we could book into dry accommodation.  We hung everything out in the room with the heater full power last night and most is dry.  Just need to finish it off.  The room looked like a bombsite!

But the real power of water was evidenced by the beach at  Kalaloch.  These logs (that small orange spot is Peter) have been washed up by the seas and the rivers.  The big huge one is possibly a Sitka spruce.  the little nice neat log on the far right hand side of the picture is a log that has come off a log raft.  These are the rafts that they put together up in Canada/Alaska to get the logs out of the forests.  These logs come apart in rough seas and then just float to wherever their destination is.

The whole coast was littered with these huge logs, makes you realise the power of the water.  Here are  some more photos from Kalaloch Pacific Coast beach.  There are 73 miles of national park beaches that are only accessible by boat from the ocean or by foot access.

Photo from the Lodge

This one shows the lovely skies, and yes it is raining while taking the photos.  Thanks to the new Pro HDR app for the lovely colours.

Of course, we should have thought about this a little more.  We are riding in the 'rainforest'.  Last time we are likely to do that.  There are dry months, July, August and September, but this coast gets between 12 and 14 feet of rain each year.  That is just under half an inch for each and every day.  It is certainly confirming its reputation.  There are three factors that cause the rain - the cool ocean currents, prevailing winds from the southwest and the Olympic mountains that provide a rain creation mechanism.  As the air lifts to go over the mountains, they condense and squeeze out the moisture (all over us!)

Lake Quinault Lodge where we are staying was built in 1926 in 53 days.  It is designed by the same designer as the Yellowstone National Park Lodge.  The dining room is named after President Franklin Roosevelt who visited in 1937.  The Olympic National Park - 898,000 acres was surveyed in 1885 and 1890 by the US army.  It was made into a National Monument in 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt and then a National Park  by Franklin Roosevelt in 1938.  The coastal region (Kalaloch's 73 miles) were added in 1953.

Main lodge building. Our rooms last night are on the left of this photo, tonight we will be on the right.

The rain gauge which has been here - on the chimney - since the lodge was built.  It is difficult to see, but someone has spelt the word gauge as guage.  But it shows - with the blue marker, the rain last year at 14 feet.  The record, above this is 15.5 feet.  The marker for this year is still down around 6 feet.

Oh and before I forget, we also saw 4 deer, and 1 deer/bear (it was in the distance and looked like a brown bear, but we are erring on the side of caution and assuming it was a deer.)