Videos!

Me and Layers (Melissa Mangrove) sledding down the sand in the Oregon Dunes.  Ahead and around the corner (out of view) is a bystander.  So I had to brake, causing mountains of sand to fly in my open mouth.  And we wiped out.  We could not stand up we were laughing so hard.   That's Missy you can hear laughing as she takes the video

 

 

 

 

Sledding at the Oregon Dunes.   We were in a race.   Note how Jeremiah cheated and made a huge sand cloud to try and blind me and Melissa.

 

 

 

Missy and I found this neat deep spot on the Sol Duc river.   Most of the river is only a few inches deep.   This river is spectacularly clear.  This video is meant to show how clear it is.

More Olympic Peninsula Pictures

Ocean Sunset!   Most of us are not glued to a video game on our phone. 

I love the giant driftwood!

Zoomed out shot.   At high tide, the water comes up to the root ball.

Family picture.  Self timer.  Stupid Cassie won't look at the camera.

Finally found a star fish!   Seriously, I've been looking forever.

Heading down the steep trail to the swimming hole on the Sol Duc river.  

Jeremiah and Missy at Olympic National Park

I had been sooooooooo ridiculously excited to see the salmon jump.   And then we got there and found none were running.

Shoreline shot from our current campground.  This is on the Straight of Juan De Fuca.

Our home at Salt Creek Recreational Area.   I think this is my favorite campground. It has forests with lots of hiking trails, tide pools for endless exploring, and huge ships moving throught the straight.   Today we saw a submarine!

Forest hike

"Hidden" cove.   There turned out to be a steep trail down.  Hope to make it down there while we're still at this campground.

Olympic Peninsula, Washington

Large Sitka Spruce trees in the rain forest.  Lake Quinault area

I just love these trees.   I'll try to limit the number of tree pix in this post

Using Cassie and the surrounding trees as reference points, you can tell just how big this tree is.

Lake Quinault.   Unbenownst to us...the indian tribe that owns the lake just put a ban on all boats.   So no noisy motors!

Disgusting banana slug

This is a more rainforesty shot of the woods

Our campsite on Lake Quinault.  There is exactly 1 lakeside spot in the RV park, and we go it.   The views were gorgeous!

Our oceanfront spot.   First Beach, La Push, Washington

Lots of HUGE driftwood on the beach.

Missy getting ready for a surf session.   She's really taken quite a shine to ocean surfing.

Some of the worst scenery for surfing.  :-)

Me and my pooches

Me and Missy suited up to go play in the waves.   (Not kayak playing, swim playing)

Wheeeeeee!

Guess we're the only ones with the right gear to play in these cold water temps.   Thermal layers in the drysuit kept me plenty toasty.   But my hands got quite cold.

Columbia River Gorge

Photo courtesy of Layers

A rare shot of all 3 of us.   Again, photo credit to layers

White Salmon River.  This looks more jungle-like than it actually is.

Missy looking at a fighter jet in the water.  Just Kidding Dad!

I spent a good 45 minutes mesmerized by the giant salmon trying to jump up these falls

Mt. Adams.  Credit: Layers

Cassie getting a drink from her tiny bowl.  Because where else could she get a drink...

White Salmon.  This river is an unbelievable shade of jewel-blue.   Can you tell from the peaks in this picture?

I told them to fix their hair for a picture. 

Very nice hair!

Put-in for the White Salmon

Melissa meets gravity using the raft rails

Trail to put-in

Oregon Sand Dunes



Getting ready to surf/sled the dunes

"Give me the wax!"

"I'll do it"

Being literally sandblasted.   Very windy day!

The sand looks a little like snow

Heading up the steep sledding hill

Still heading up.  A tough climb for sure, but the sledding is so much fun it's totally worth the effort

Me and Melissa unable to stand up.  We were laughing uncontrollably after a wipeout.   I was spitting out gobs of wet sand.



This was our stunning view from the top of the hill

Melissa showing them how it's done.   She was one of the few people able to actually get down on a sandboard.

The Three Amigas!

Missy: "Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!"

Missy: "Aaaacccckkkkkk!"