This morning I woke up + there was fresh rain on the ground, a cool breeze in the air + low hanging grey clouds. The first weather we’ve had like this in at least a month… All of this sudden, standing there, drinking a hot cup of coffee (also the first time in a month I’ve wanted a HOT drink) I got this overwhelming wave of sadness. Like summer was gonna leave me + there was nothing I could do to hold onto it. It only lasted a moment – kind of like binge watching all 10 seasons of Friends and then *poof* you’re friends are gone + it stings. (To be honest, we’ve rewatched Friends, The Office, Scrubs, Seinfeld, Frasier… over and over and over and we always quit watching somewhere in the last season cause it’s just too sad! …. but I ridiculously digress)
So I felt this + thought, I just wish I were back in the bus. I hadn’t planned on going through these photos for a while – but needed to remember our fun little NON-WORK RELATED trip around the Olympic Peninsula.
So, if for just my own happy recollection…. here are some iPhone + nikon snaps from our trip.
Day #1: Quinalt Beach
Took all the seats out of our “Day Camper” and added a bed – on which the pupper travelled in style. Did you know dogs aren’t allowed on the beaches or trails of the National Parks? We love the Olympic Peninsula but we had the pupper on this trip so avoided staying in the Park for the most part.
If you decide on staying in the Quinalt/Ocean Shores area – try doing it on the weekend. Not because it’s cheaper, or less crowded but because then Galway Irish Pub has live music and that makes the trip worth it. 
Day #2: Lake Quinalt
Man this place was quiet. It was a Saturday, so all National Park options are fully booked – but again, with the dog, we wanted to avoid that anyway… so we found a quiet little spot in an almost empty RV park up the road – coincidentally also the park that hosts the world’s largest Spruce tree… so there’s that.
Also, when camping it’s important to bring a good book and some travel games (I got destroyed at EVERY game we played. He is lucky I am a patient woman [but I’m not. I HATE LOSING.])
Anyhow – we’d totally come back to Lake Quinalt – it’s crazy gorgeous, quiet + Blue Jay Way (cutest little roadside stand in Amanda Park) served up some fresh out of the oven cinnamon rolls for the road!
Day #3: LaPush (Quileute Indian Reservation)
Home of one of the MOST beautiful sunsets. We sat on the beach, read books, swapped stories with our camping neighbors, walked to the neighboring LaPush Beaches (no dogs allowed). We loved our first day so much – we opted to stay a second day…. mistake.
Day #4: LaPush (I think?)
We were COMPLETELY socked in. low hanging fog that even though we were parked maybe 20 feet from the beach, you wouldn’t know it. The coldest I’ve been all summer. We stayed by the campfire all day, made bacon-wrapped everything + wished it were the next day. (This was mostly a bummer because we cut out our stop at Neah Bay to stay in LaPush a second day – but it’s clear we like Neah Bay more + next time, won’t pass it up) We haven’t been back to Neah Bay since the wedding we did up there but it was one of my favorite spots in Washington by far.
The redeeming value of day #4 are the random conversations with big-beard-guy. A man and his ex (now his girlfriend) and their dog who were living/camping out of their station wagon. He was (admittedly) totally baked at 9am – but schooled us on the benefits of feeding your dog top ramen and claimed that his girlfriend is his own personal tele-tubby (you can decide what in the world that means)…. “but the beard is knowledge – trust me on this”… you do you hippie dude.
Day #5: Port Angeles + Fort Townsend State Park
STRAIGHT SLICE PIZZA (owned by an insanely talented extreme sports photographer) – that’s pretty much all you need to know about Port Angeles… We stayed that night at Fort Townsend State Park – the most “camping like camp spot” we had for the whole trip – but only an hour and a half from home we agreed that it was too similar to our own Puget Sound Beaches. So, in that sense – we realize how crazy lucky we are…. some of the most beautiful parts of Washington are a quarter mile out the front door. We did end up camping next to a member of the Wet Westies VW group on Facebook though + we’re excited to join the VW camping community!
Next trip: Northern Cascades. Can’t wait! Crossing our fingers the bus can make that trip too! She didn’t break down on this trip, not even once! haha…