I didn’t plan the day, it kind of unfolded. I wanted to visit the Lake. So let’s go there. The rest I made up as I went along. I discovered it’s about more than the beautiful scenery. It’s about the stillness, within myself, that lets me face what I fear and move beyond it. It’s powerful.
I went to Lake Crescent to celebrate the arrival of fall. Lake Crescent is part of the Olympic National Park but does not require park entry. It sits on US 101 – the same highway that runs down the Oregon and California coasts. On the peninsula it is aka, the Olympic Highway. I saw the lake a number of years ago when I was riding with my brother and nephew-in-law to Forks for a fishing trip. We stopped briefly and I knew I wanted to get back here. It did not disappoint!
This place is so peaceful. And whether on shore or in the forest, I escape the world and go back in time before radios and cell phones. There are no political arguments here and no traffic jams. While there are people here – visitors to the Marymere Falls trail and the Lake Crescent Lodge, I escape to silent places. My brain adjusts and my soul is peaceful. It’s amazing to be in complete quiet. It’s what people experience at the end of yoga class – Savasana. To commune with nature in silence is rejuvenating. The peacefulness stays with me.
Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. Emerson
I traveled across the peninsula to Callam Bay and drove most of the Straits of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway, a National Geographic listed byway. Go visit a fellow blogger – Story Chasing, who is traveling all the byways in the US that are on that list – whew!
My trip from the Lake to the coast took me through the Olympic National Forest, and then I headed north where the 101 heads south. I stopped at the Hungry Bear Cafe for some food. It’s a folksy place with homemade fries and about as authentic rural Americana as you can get. Nice people and good food. I drove without cell service and turned off the radio. More stillness and very few cars on the road. I got present to the landscape, the road, the sky. Rejuvenating.
Once I got across to the north coast, I drove about 50 miles on the Byway to its terminus outside Port Angeles. If I had gone west from Callum Bay I would have hit the end of the US – at Cape Flattery. Timing did not allow that journey. The Byway is filled with eye-popping scenery. The road is 2-lane and windy through beautiful forests and meadows. There are fleeting views of the Straits which sits between the US and Canada. I also came upon another mountain lake! Hover over pics for captions.
While a drive in the country is pleasant and I enjoyed the view, I really got connected to myself. I travel alone and I get to spend time understanding the stillness within me. I have the luxury of really taking this on and it is very valuable. But it does not require getting into an Airstream and traveling the country alone. It can be done through meditation and yoga, through walking, through just sitting with all the noise on “off.” Everyone can engage in stillness, though in our frenetic existences this may be a difficult task for many of us. Please try it. It is worth the effort. Know yourself. You may be surprised at what you find. I’ll post on what I find on my Transformation page, here on this blog. Check it out!
Thanks for letting me share my life, my adventures, and fun with you.
coast 2 coast and then some 