We have finally arrived in Washington, which means the honeymoon is nearly over. I can’t believe how fast the time has passed. Nearly two weeks ago, I was standing under an arbor adorned with sunflowers, saying my vows, & since then, I have flown across the country & traveled up the coast from San Diego all the way to Washington, exploring new places & going on new adventures every day.
Today started with a hike at Mount St. Helens. The reddish brown landscape was dotted with a few trees, but still seemed rather barren for Southern Washington. Mount St. Helens towered high above us at an impressive 8,366 feet, about 1,300 feet shorter than it was before the 1980s eruption (USGS). Like Mount Hood, Mount St. Helens is a stratovolcano, & it was dormant since the 1850s until May 1980, when an earthquake triggered the largest landslide ever recorded & a volcanic blast that took the lives of 57 people (EarthSky). Seeing the collapsed face of the volcano was both mind-blowing & haunting knowing the history of the event.
The hike was uneventful. It led us along the landscape around Mount St. Helens all the way to Spirit Lake, so we got a few good views along the way, but nothing as spectacular as climbing the volcano would have been. My favorite view was actually not of Mount St. Helens, but of the many red & yellow flowers that grew alongside the trail next to Spirit Lake. With colorful flowers in the foreground, a blue mountain range in the background, & a still, serene lake in the middle, I thought it was the best view of the day.
After hiking, we ate a quick lunch at the truck & then started our long drive to Port Angeles. Mount St. Helens is near the bottom of Washington, & Port Angeles is at the top, so we had a lot of ground to cover. We listened to music & chatted to pass the time, every so often gazing out the window in wonder at the beautiful views. The West Coast really is everything I ever wanted it to be. The mountain-dominated views are stunning, the air is clean, & the water is somehow bluer than it is in Maryland. It is truly spectacular.
We stopped by our Airbnb first to drop off our belongings. The private suite was in a wooden home designed to look like a log cabin. The outdoorsy yet cozy ambience made us feel right at home.
We showered quickly & then headed to Dupuis’ Restaurant, the oldest restaurant in the area. It has been in operation for 101 years, & we sat at a booth that has been there since the beginning. The food can be best described as Washington’s version of southern comfort. We ordered large, Dungeness crab cakes that were so soft & buttery, I didn’t even mind that they weren’t the Maryland version. They were served with a fruit compote that paired beautifully & was delicious all on its own – I saved it to smear on my soft, honey-buttered roll. For dinner, Joseph ordered fish & chips that was fried to perfection, & a small bowl of chicken noodle soup with soft, homemade noodles. I ordered sauteéd prawns that were served in herbed butter with a warm rice pilaf & a side salad. The meal was satisfying & hearty, the perfect end to a long day.
After dinner, we drove into Port Angeles, a town situated beside the water at the very top of Washington. From the pier, we could see the lights across the water from Canada’s coast. I had never been so far North in the United States before, & seeing another country so close was for some reason a very exciting experience.
Many of the shops were already closed, so we just walked around in the chilly night air to take in the sights. The water was calm & the sound of the waves lapping at the land were soothing.
We didn’t stay long because we had made very early plans for the following morning. To make the most of the final day of our honeymoon, we had decided to wake up at 3am to hike Mount Storm King in Olympic National Park before heading to Seattle for the day. The hike was going to be challenging with a daunting end. After two miles headed straight up (at an 18% grade!), the end of the hike promised beautiful views, as long as you were willing to take a risk. Beyond the end of the maintained trail, fellow hikers had set up ropes to aid you in climbing up to the top of the mountain peak.
To be honest, I am terrified. I do not like heights. I hiked Angel’s Landing in Zion two years ago, & it took a lot of convincing to get me to the top. When I finally did muster the courage to attempt the narrow climb, my sweaty hands clinging as hard as I could to the chain provided, I made it to the top literally on my hands & knees, trembling & unwilling to even crawl to the edge. But I made it, & at Joseph’s excited insistence, I agreed to attempt to climb Mount Storm King.
It will be, after all, the final day of our honeymoon, after a two-week adventure, & we would like to end it with a moment & a view we will always remember. I just really hope this adventure doesn’t have any unexpected challenges because the ramifications could mean an end to our explorations.