roadtrip | summer 2011 | mon aug 8 | long drive to disappointment

We woke up rested from a night of sleep at the coast, deep in the slumber of pounding waves. Now for some of the hard work of the trip. There were a few days where we needed to put some miles on the odometer, to speed past sections of the state that have been given up to logging and industrial development so that they hold no interest for the casual traveler.

We pointed ourselves south on 101, down, down to the very most southwestern tip of the state. It was a long drive, filled with tree-lined highways. The towns–Quinault, Hoquiam, Aberdeen, Randall–are almost all old logging and mill towns, now in the throes of recession, job loss and cheap imports.

The one bright spot was a little town on the way, South Bend, still thriving with a seafood industry digging clams, oysters and shrimp from the amazingly rich tidal flats and harbors of the coast. We didn't get out to the true coast, to some of the more scenic destinations near Grayland or Pacific Beach. We'll have to get out there again someday.

Tidal flats along the coat.

Our destination was at the mouth of the Columbia River. We drove through little inlets and islands in the wetlands, over long dikes and bridges. Our campsite was at Cape Disappointment State Park, which we hoped would be better than its name.

It turned out to be an enormous complex with more than 190 campsites. Again, our reservation luck held, and our site was amazing, a soft, sandy spot protected by a thin stand of conifers just on the edge of the ocean. We quickly made our way to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center before it closed. We looked at the exhibits and learned more about the two adventurers who ended their 4,000 mile journey right at that spot. Their story has always fascinated me, with its grand vision and scope. They endured hunger and extreme cold and inhospitable deserts. It's a story of survival and a quest for knowledge all wrapped up into one, and it was inspiring to stand and see what they might have seen.

At a quick stop for ice and firewood, we bought Matty a new hat–a camouflage sun hat for his Jr. Ranger pins. He had earned one at the Olympics, and was on his way to a second one for Lewis and Clark. He was so proud of his pins, and took the challenges–and the accompanying oaths–to heart. It's a really great program sponsored by the National Park system, and one that he can continue to do for many years to come.

Matty with his Jr. Ranger hat.

Back at our campsite, we grabbed a few things and headed down to the beach. This area is famous for kite flying, so we took out the dragon kite and let it soar high above the bluffs. We let out nearly all the string on the reel, and watched it go higher and higher in the mild, steady wind. Flocks of birds went by our spot, pelicans, gulls, geese, cormorants. Thick vees and trailing y's traveled north and south along the coast and into the mouth of the river. As we flew the kite, Adrian built a driftwood igloo the perfect size for a 5-year-old boy.

That night, after building a fire, we had a grown-up appetizer of barbequed oysters we'd bought from a stand in South Bend. They were plump, juicy and full of sweet brine.

A simple dinner and dessert brought us to our spots around the campfire, sighing contentedly and reading story books before bed. Matty couldn't wait to get his Jr. Ranger badge in the morning, and I couldn't wait to fall asleep on the soft sand, listening to the endless lullaby of the ocean waves.


read about Tues, Aug 9th>