Chapter 2 Continued
The tide was out, which enabled us to walk all the way up to several of the stacks. Up close, we found it was best to stay a few feet back, as they were covered with a lot of smelly barnacles. But it was still a neat experience to be able to approach them and walk that close to them. It’s a gorgeous beach and a gorgeous coastline—a perfect spot to wander on a lazy summer day.
I was right about the climb back up the hill—it was no fun whatsoever. But we made it, and eventually made it back to the parking lot where we all made a pit stop at the porta-john. While there, another mom and her son came up the trail and waited to use the facilities. Then her son turned to the side and barfed on the sidewalk.
I feel like I should mention that this doesn’t often happen when people meet us for the first time. Anyway, the mom thought he had gotten dehydrated on the hike, as it was getting warm outside. We gave her a couple of extra water bottles we had on us—one for washing and one for re-hydrating, and wished her well. Every parent has been there.
We drove for another couple of hours to the last stop in the park—the Hoh Rain Forest. Olympic’s ever-changing climate zones include this rain forest on the southwest side of the park—one of the largest temperate rain forests in the U.S. Due to the clouds that form over the Olympic mountain range, it gets over 127 inches of rain a year.
There was nothing but bright sun when we arrived, of course.
This was the hottest part of the afternoon and temperatures had reached the 90’s by this point, so I’m sorry to admit that none of us really felt like hiking through the forest at that point. And at further risk of sounding like uncultured swine, there were no waterfalls or points of interest within easy hiking distance. Just…trees. So we mostly just wandered the visitor center and then left. The rain forest was a bit of a bust for us, but your mileage may vary. I enjoyed the sights of the mountains at Hurricane Ridge, Sol Duc Falls, and Second Beach much more.
We did get Drew to finish up his Junior Ranger work and collect his badge, so that was something.
This was a low-key tough driving day, as we had yet another 2-3 hout drive to our hotel for the evening, near Olympia. I did have one more stop planned before that, though. As most of you know, when I plan our meals, I follow the Oblivious Family Vacation Handbook. We mentioned the part about not eating at familiar places. Article III, paragraph 7(a) states that each dining location should be chosen without regard to price—only the finest, most outstanding delicacies shall be considered. We crave adventurous meals that challenge the palate, creating new combinations and taste sensations that could never be achieved anywhere else, naturally with a perfect wine pairing to match. We certainly would never pass up the chance to find a wine with a delicate nose, and notes of oak, with earthy undertones.
(P.S. Have flavor notes like that ever been helpful? I have no idea what “oak” is supposed to tell me. I do not go around munching on bark or oak leaves. How do you know what oak tastes like? Are you sure it’s not maple? Same with “earthy”—I haven’t chewed on any dirt since an ill-advised headfirst slide into home in Little League, and I can’t say I really wanted to taste that again.)
Anyway, Article III, paragraph 7(b) tells you to then have a good laugh, check out the price for experiences like that, and throw the idea out since your kid is only going to order mac-and-cheese anyway. The rule of thumb is simply to look for the restaurant with the giant pig out front.
Welcome to
Ranch House BBQ!
I can never resist a good BBQ joint, and this out-of-the-way place on state route 8 had high marks on Trip Advisor, so it seemed a natural fit for me. And I love any place that decorates in a classy pig-and-license-plate theme. I keep trying to move our home decorating in that direction but it’s always vetoed by the
Budget Committee. And also the
Interior Decorations Committee.
I’ve found that the more I get into smoking meats at home on my own, the more I want to try other places to see what they’re doing. Of all the attempts at new hobbies over the years, BBQ seems to be the one I’ve enjoyed the most.
Whenever I go to a BBQ joint, I’m looking at the menu for a sampler platter. I’m always hoping I can at least try the pulled pork and beef brisket, which are my favorite bbq items. Ranch House delivered on that front, so I was very happy with my choices. I also got some fries and some beans, because they’re very good for your heart. My family was really happy I had ordered them as well, since we’d all be sleeping in one room together that night.
Everything was good—in an upset, the pork was actually better than their brisket (but to be fair, brisket is much harder to get right). I’d give it a solid B, and would go back again if I happened to be in the area.
Our accommodations for the evening were in a Comfort Inn just south of town on Interstate 5. The hotel was older, but…functional. It wouldn’t be winning any awards anytime soon. But all we need are clean beds and a bathroom, and this was fine on that front. Our favorite touch was the toilet phone, a convenient feature that ensured you’d never miss a minute of any important conversation. Perhaps your companion on the other end of the line can be treated to some delightful background noises as well.
Coming Up Next: Talk about blowing your top.