July 2018, Washington, Day 3

Mile 2704-Transportation! What a marvel! Today was the day that we became acquainted with our transport for the next two weeks. Now, if some of you remember, we’ve had some not-so-great car rental experiences. Lest we forget the Maxima debacle of ’14. But today, Mr. Bullington rolled up in a Schweet minivan! My kids have major minivan envy already and they were pleased as punch that they didn’t have to pile three deep in the back of a mid-sized sedan. And, it has magical doors! And, one million cup holders! The family Bullington even had ROOM TO SPARE! 

                                                

Your vehicle induced happiness will self-destruct in 3...2...1.....

Anyway, back to transportation. We were headed to Olympic National Park, so we drove our schweet VAN onto a BOAT that ferried us across the Puget Sound! It was almost more transportation than this girl could handle all at one time! It was a brisk (read cold) morning for a ferry ride, so we got some hot chocolate for the kids and landed on Bainbridge Island ready to roll!

Driving a car onto a boat!

Brisk! 

Adieu!

Amateur Selfie Takers 

After a few bristly exchanges in the car, I came to the realization that what this heavenly chariot really needed was one of those limousine style roll-up windows that separates the front from the back. That way, Mr. Bullington and I could’ve enjoyed our book on tape unaware of the Lord of the Flies takedown behind us. The odds would've totally been in our favor! Don’t get me wrong, even when a pre-teen girl has a whole seat to herself and two private armrests, she will still act all scratchy because you are in her air. 

Your insolence cannot be contained beneath your shroud of discontent. 

We knew that today was going to include a lot of time in the car. Mr. Bullington had selected some book about this yahoo who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro without a shirt on, so I spent my time “resting my eyes” and trying to keep up with who touched who first, and who invaded whose space, and who gets to sit in the back next, and who is making that noise again, and who is bringing mommy her straight jacket... 

Mile 2784- After entering Olympic National Park, we set our sites on a couple of hikes and quickly realized that this big ol’ park deserves more than one day. We stopped briefly at a cute lodge on Crescent Lake aptly named Crescent Lake Lodge. 

We made sandwiches. They were ham. We ate them.

Rock Skipping

 

Mile 2802-At one point of van captivity, Mae and Thomas formed a duet singing (robustly) Hot cross buns with Thomas inserting an armpit noise during the rests.

Hot cross buns, (toot)

Hot cross buns, (toot) One a penny, Two a penny hot cross buns (toot-toot)

Then Thomas continued Hot Cross Buns in the style of Ozzy Ozborn. Sanity waning.

Battle Royale for king of the mountain. My money's on Mae!

Sol Duc Falls

Delicately balanced tree o' death, please don't land on my child. 

I don't know this dude, but better picture than I took. Thank you, interweb.

Hall of Mosses

Mile 2942-After a hike to Sol Duc Falls and another through the Hall of Mosses, we arrived at our destination for the night. 

Lake Quinault Lodge is a beautiful little historic lodge and after releasing the hounds…errr Children from the confines of the Toyota Sienna, it became apparent that we were now the loudest family at Lake Quinault Lodge.  Everyone has to be good at something. We are good at disrupting the peace and quiet of others. #lifegoals

Buddies

I had called ahead to make a reservation for the Roosevelt Dining Room. The children were excited about the prospect of a meal that didn’t take place on the roadside or bellied up to a food stand. We learned that FDR had dined at the lodge and then I had to set our sweet waitress straight when she gestured to a portrait of Teddy and called him Franklin. Lord Help.

This is the menu of what they served FDR when he visited Lake Quinault. Nine months later,  he established Olympic National Park and excluded Lake Quinault Lodge from its boundaries. I point the finger at you,  boiled fish with egg sauce.  Or, the blame could rest squarely on the shoulders of the molded vegetable salad (you know that's vegetable jello, right?), and why not just wash it all down with some buttermilk.  Egads!