To Olympia and beyond

Seattle is bookended by two mountain ranges – the Cascade and Olympic mountains. The Olympic Peninsula which marks the northwest region of the continental United States represents the collision of two continental plates. These mountains, although situated over 100 miles away from Seattle are clearly visible from many locations and make for ideal weekend getaways, particularly during spring and summer months.

For this weekend since the weather forecast predicted two brilliantly clear and warm days, we planned a trip to the Olympic Peninsula. We made bookings at the Lake Quinault Lodge, located on the Washington Coastal corridor, US route 101. We left Saturday morning and took interstate highway 90 East which leads eastwards all the way to Boston, if you choose to stay on it. We then picked up interstate 5 South, another large artery which goes southwards all the way to sunny Southern California, to San Diego. The road to Quinault passed through Tacoma, a big city, mainly centered around the port of Tacoma. Next notable town was the military base of Fort Lewis.

The weather was indeed gorgeous, blue skies generously laced with basketfuls of whipped cream style white clouds. We reached the capital of Washington state, Olympia a little after noon. Olympia seemed to be a typical university town, at least the area where we wandered though. The impressive campus of the state legislature beckoned us. We entered the state capitol building just as a group of school kids were coming out, impeccably dressed in formal clothes. They all wore important looking name tags. I peered closer to one of them and noticed “Senator” on it, another said “Lobbyist”. It then struck me that they were here in the numerous YMCA buses that were parked outside, to have a session of “mock government”. What an exciting way to teach about the legislative system, bringing the students to the state capital, Olympia, to simulate a real-life session.

The Olympic Mountains are at the heart of peninsula and home to some of the most majestic mountains. They are home to a large variety of plants and trees, notable among the evergreens – the gigantic and long-lived Western Hemlock, Douglar Firs, Red Cedars and Sitka Spruce trees. The Olympic National Forest area preserves these natural treasures. We reached Lake Quinault at 4 p.m. and had our first breathtaking view of this fresh-water lake tucked into the mountains. The water was as cold as expected and we walked towards a hiking trail just outside the Quinault Lodge property. We chose to take the Quinault Loop trail, a 1.6 miles path into the greenery that took us to Cascade Falls. We saw interesting flora, most commonly a blanket of clovers, large trees that had fallen down and were now home to fungi-species like mushrooms, and ferns. Fauna included butterflies, slugs and other creepy-crawlies. The sound of the falls could be heard long before we could see the Cascade Falls. Gurgling brooks dotted our path as we enjoyed the natural beauty in the perfect sunshine.

Pleasantly energized by the trek, we headed to our rooms. The kids changed into swimsuits and made full use of the heated pool. Aparna learnt to “cannonball” (i.e. jump with knees folded) into the deep end of the pool. Our room actually was a “pool-view” room, which meant that through one window we could see the enclosure which housed the pool.

The room, as the lodge, was built with wood, had a radiator heater and ceiling fans. The bathroom was newly remodeled, but the washbasin was inside the room, not inside the bathroom. No TV, no modern gadgets and charging station, except for a single-cup coffee maker. Through the other window, we had a spectacular view of the lake. The lodge was built in 1925 and with the enthusiasm of a couple of visionaries, completed construction in ten weeks at a cost of $90,000. With the visit of President Roosevelt in 1937, the lodge itself became famous, and a significant part of the Olympic National Park in 1938.