Day 140 - 20th October, Hoquiam - Raymond - Bruceport State Park, 43.44 miles

Keď prechádzame ranným Aberdeenom, náhle sa pred nami zastavuje premávka a mladý jeleň si pomaličky vykračuje cez cestu. Tu má aspoň istotu že ho nikto nezastrelí. Za Aberdeen sa dostávame do holorubnej (s)púšte, ktorú tu po sebe zanechali lesáci, aj s malým vysvetlením. A my sme hneď pochopili prečo je tu všade toľko tabúľ zlorečiacich NP Olympic. V 2007 totiž prišiel zlý ujo hurikán a pováľal im všetky tie nádherné smrekové monokultúry, ktoré tu s takou vervou všade sadia. Takže sa udialo presne to isté ako pod našimi Tatrami a keďže už teraz nemajú do čoho zatnúť, snažia sa dostať k stromom čo sú v parku. A samozrejme, keďže lesníci nedokážu žiť bez poriadnej dávky demagógie a propagandy tak tu všade trčia tie tabule. Našťastie sme v Hoquiam a Aberdeen videli aj tabule s opačným posolstvom.
Cez dorezané kopce sme sa dostali do mestečka Raymond a vychutnali si pekný večer bicyklujúc popri rieke Willapa. Akurát bol čas odlivu, takže rieka bola len malá stužka v skoro kilometer širokom koryte, obnažené blata boli ideálne pre bahniaky, ustupujúce voda po sebe zanechala fantastické mokrade, navečer z nich trocha stúpala hmla, miestami jediné suché miesto naokolo bola cesta pod nami. Skoro za tmy sme dorazili k Bruceport State Parku, situovanom na malej pieskovej dune/kopci. Bol už  zavretý (už je po sezóne), ale náš nejaká závora neodradila. A neboli sme jediný.

Day of chocolate blizzards from DQ, first in the morning in Aberdeen, even it was quite cold day (but now is cold nearly every day), than second one in Raymond. On our way through Aberdeen the cars in front of us suddenly stopped and a stag slowly walked through the road looking curiously around, a few men were standing around and clutching they teeth, they couldn't shoot it in the city... From Aberdeen to Raymond we biked through another horrible clear-cuts and here we found out why there are everywhere so many "No more Wilderness" or "Stop Wild Olympic" signs (luckily half city in Aberdeen and Hoquiam had signs like "Wild Olympic is our future" or "Save Wilderness"). So, probably, the true reason of this propaganda war is laying between Aberdeen and Raymond, whole that area is one huge clear-cut, nearly all hills around are without forest or with very young trees. It's mainly because hurricane from 2007 which hit this area and toppled down all these weak spruce monocultures planted with the foresters in the past. So, loggers in two years "salvaged" all wood what they could use, which practically mean that they took out everything and planted a new monocultures again. Only problem is, that now they have to wait for next 60 years till they will be able to harvest another trees here. Only good trees left in protected areas where forest was strong and lucky enough to resist that hurricane, which mean that there is a lot of big trees, a lot of money. When I saw all this and realized how ridiculous it is, I had to laugh. Exactly the same things happened also in Slovakia and loggers/foresters did same stuff as here, used same propaganda and also tried harvest last remaining trees from national parks. I don't know how successful were here, in Slovakia, unfortunately, were quite successful...
After we passed through that devastation left after loggers corporations we enjoy nice downhill ride to Raymond and than biked next to Willapa river. Because of a low tide, there were huge wetlands and muddy plains around that river, amazing ecosystem especially for shorebirds. Also in the evening light with a little bit of fog it had a nice, eerie atmosphere. In the evening we reached Bruceport State Park, it was closed but not for us :-) and judging by small dot of light from headlamp we were not only one bikers which ends up here.

Day 139 - 19th October, Griffiths-Priday Ocean State Park -Hoquiam, 25.75 miles

Dnes sme sa veľmi nepretrhli, od oceánu, kde stále bola hmla sme prešli len kúsok do vnútrozemia (kde je stále krásne indiánske leto), pri mestečku Aberdeen sme naďabili na malú rezerváciu pri prístave, zátoka s nádhernými blatami, ideálne pre bahniaky, tie však boli na náš ďalekohľad veľmi prťavé, zato tam však poletovala kaňa (hnedý vták), niečo ako naša sivá, naša prvá americká. Prespali sme v komerčnom kempe (keďže sme na večer skončili v meste), 20$ za noc, ale aspoň sme využili sprchu.

Today we took break till noon, the ocean coast was still in fog but a few miles from it was nice Indian summer. Biked, thought small hills with heavy traffic in the opposite line (another clam hunters) and narrow road to the town of Aberdeen, we saw there nice bay which was reservation for shorebirds like plovers or sandpipers. Quite nice place. Slept in private RV park for 20$/night. At least we took shover.

Day 138 - 18th October, Quinault - Copalis Crossing - Griffiths-Priday Ocean State Park, 48.32 miles

Skoro z rána sme si pozreli najväčší západný červený céder na svete schovaný kúsok od cesty v prekrásnom pralese. Dosť pripomínal ten céder zo včera, akurát že tento mal dutinu o rozmeroch väčšej garáže, vyzerala ako drevená jaskyňa. Obvod stromu bol 63.5 stopy, priemer 19.5 a výška 174 stôp (vydeľte si to tromi a máte to cca v metroch). Potom sme si pozreli najväčší smrek sitka (Picea sitchensis). Tento približne 1000 rokov starý gigant bol naozaj majestátny. Obvod okolo 58 stôp, priemer 17.68 a výška 191 stôp. Takto asi musia vnímať naše stromy mravce, krásny, zdravý smrek, ale ako keby ho niekto neúmerne zväčšil v porovnaní so svetom okolo, keď si predstavým, že takéto stromy tu rástli všade od Vancouveru po San Francisco, a my sme ich takmer všetky vyrúbali za pár rokov...
Keď sme opustili jazero Quinault a tým aj Olympic dostali sme sa opäť do krutej reality zvanej “Timberland“, nekonečné smrekové plantáže - choré, tesné, dusné, tmavé a obrovské holoruby - toť priemyselná ťažba dreva podľa lesníckeho gusta. Samozrejme všade ostnaté drôty a tabuľky so zákazmi vstupu.
Navečer sme sa dostali do hmly čo znamenalo, že sme pri oceáne. Prespali sme v miestnom State parku, večer sa tu všade tmolili lovci ustríc, asi je na ne práve sezóna.

In the morning we went thought the nice old rainforest to see the biggest Western Red Cedar in the World. Looked quite similar like that previous one but this one had huge hollow which looks like wooden cave on size of living room. Circumference 63.5`, diameter 19.5`and 174`tall. Than we visited place on the opposite site of lake with the biggest Sitka Spruce in the World. That was really something, real giant still in top condition, looked like another Sitka spruce trees but this one was huge, huge. We were absolutely tiny, sitting on its roots. Air around it was full of its sap scent. This was probably my the most favourite tree so far. About 1000 years old and about 58 feet circumference and 191 feet tall. When I imagine that trees like this were growing along whole west coast and we cut them nearly all down in couple of years... Do we really need so much wood?
After we left Olympia National Park our way led thought "Timberland", huge areas dedicated to “industrial way" of wood harvesting, which meant to bike thought forest plantations, dense, dark, stuffy and weak spruce monocultures or another huge clear-cuts.
At the end of day we got back to the ocean and slept in small state park in shelter. Near the ocean was still foggy and pretty wet so it was nice to have a roof above ours heads. The ocean shore was full of people collecting clams. Question, what is clam-gun?

Day 137 - 17th October, Bogachiel State Park - Kalaloch (finally The Pacific Ocean) - Lake Quinault, 63.89 miles

Ráno sme sa zobudili do pravej jesennej hmly, typická inverzia, keď sme sa dostali trochu do kopcov už svietilo slniečko, ale to sme zase všade okolo seba videli tu spúšť  napáchanú lesákmi, všade naokolo bolo mnoho obrovských holorubov, hádam ešte horších ako u nás na Slovensku. Dole k oceánu, dnes sme po prvý krát dorazili na pobrežie Pacifiku, sme zase zišli do hmly. Oceán bol fantastický. Aj keď počasie nič noc, na impozantnosti mu to neubralo, vlny boli obrovské a hučali ako dunenie hromu, pobrežie bol pieskovcový útes, pláže s čiernym pieskom. Tu na pobreží sme našli aj jeden z najväčších bielych cédrov na svete, okolo 1000 rokov starý, kmeň neuveriteľne pokrútený, hrčovitý, prerastený koreňmi a s mnohými dutinami, vyrastali z neho ďalšie obrovské stromy, boli tu celé poschodia s kríkmi alebo rastlinami čo na ňom rástli, skrátka taký malý les sám pre seba. Obvod mal okolo 20 metrov a priemer okolo 7 m. Obed sme si dali blízko kempu Kalaloch na vrchu útesu nad oceánom v lese s pokrútenými smrekmi s obrovskými hrčami na kmeňoch, následok poškodenia kôry hmyzom a v kombinácií s pieskom z oceánu. Zišli sme aj dole k oceánu aby sme sa ho konečne mohli aj dotknúť. Potom sme opustili pobrežie, 101tka nás viedla spať k Olympicu, opäť pomedzi holoruby ale aj von z inverzie, takže nám opäť svietilo slnko. Prespali sme pri jazere Quinault, akurát dnes sa konečne americký páprdovia dohodli na rozpočte a znovu otvorili národné parky. Takže opäť sme spali medzi gigantickými smrekmi, takmer legálne. Akurát bol aj spln a nádherné hviezde nebo.

Foggy morning, and cold. Passing through another huge clear cuts, whole hills were completely deforested, Bogachiel rainforest looked like a dream, hardly to believed that this devastation was once also so amazing, gigantic stumps are still reminding it.
For couple times we got on the sun but near to the cost we went down under clouds again. Today we finally reached the Pacific Ocean. The beaches were with dark sand and waves were so huge and sounded like thunder. From one giant we moved to the another, near the costs was thousand years old white cedar. Well, that was "the Tree". Barely alive, yet, it was more like small forest itself, from it's trunk grew big trees, there were stories with plants and bushes. Whole that tree looked incredible old, full of hollows and twisted branches, roots. The circumference was about 60 feet. Than, we had a lunch on the ocean shore in spruce forest with many trees with creepy bumps on their trunks (because of some insect and sand from ocean). We went down to the ocean to "touch" it and than we turn ours backs to the ocean and followed 101 back to the Olympic, actually to Quinault lake and the Valley of "Giants", around this lake are some of the biggest trees of its kind on the World. Again we had to pass through another huge clear cuts. What was nice that when we left the ocean shore, very soon was sunny again, clouds and fog was only near the ocean. Google street view car passed us, maybe we will be on the street view :-). To Quinault lake we got late in the evening.  Slept near lake between gigantic Sitka spruce trees with the full moon and zillion stars above.

Day 136 - 16th October, Bogachiel Rain Forest - Bogachiel State Park, 5.84 miles

Na svete sú len tri miesta, kde môžete nájsť dažďové pralesy v miernom pásme, je to v Chile, na Novom Zélande a tu vo Washingtone, takže dnes sme strávili celý deň v jednom z týchto pralesov (ešte navštívime tie ostávajúce dve miesta a máme to z krku). Kupodivu nepršalo, celý deň svietilo a hrialo slniečko. Bogachiel bol jednoducho famózny, vynachváliť sa to dosť nedá, slová nestačia. Bolo to niečo nádherné a dokonalé. Nič podobné sme zatiaľ asi nevideli. Všetko tu bolo neuveriteľne živé, nič nebránilo v prúdení energie, a to aj napriek tomu, že pred mnohými rokmi aj tu zabrúsili belosi so svojimi pílami, takže tisícročné stromy pripomínajú už len gigantické pne, ale tieto lesy sa vedia rýchlo zotaviť a mnoho gigantov tu ešte stále zostalo. Bolo to ako prechádzať sa nádhernou katedrálou, akurát, že lepšie. Všade bolo plno svetla a priestoru, toto nebola žiadna tmavá, dusná monokultúra. Bola to zároveň aj tá najlepšia učebnica ekológie, krásne tu bolo vidno ako les funguje, ako sa obnovuje (kupodivu sám, bez našej pomoci), všetko bolo navzájom prepojené a pracovalo v dokonalej harmónii, neexistovala tu smrť ani skaza, “mŕtve“ drevo poskytovalo priestor a živiny pre nové stromy a tie zase ponúkali priestor pre pre paprade a huby a mach, ktorý z nich miestami visel ako zelené tapisérie. Všade tu tiekla voda, poletovali vtáci alebo sa tmolil nejaký hmyz. Fantastické miesto, len škoda že z týchto nádherných pralesov ostali už len malé ostrovčeky, skoro všetko tu už vyrúbali, no čo, do niečoho si predsa treba utierať zadok a hlavne ako inak by tu stavali tie svoje “nádherné“ všadeprítomné drevotrieskové domčeky čo sa za dvadsať rokov rozpadnú, alebo spadnú, keď čo len trocha zafúka...
Za celý deň sme tu stretli iba troch ľudí, jeden z nich bol onen Krakonoš zo včera. Večer sme sa presunuli do Bogachiel State Parku, kde bol kemp a hlavne sprcha, bolo už načase sa dať trocha doporiadku a vyprať si zopár vecí.

There are only three places on the Earth with the temperate rainforests, one is here, second in Chile and the last one in New Zealand. This day we spent in this green heaven. Bogachiel Rainforest was so amazing so beautiful, so spectacular, even though a huge part of it was cut down many years ago, gigantic stumps of thousand years old trees are still reminding that time. But still there are beautiful, gigantic trees, moss was covering the soil as a thick carpet and hanging down from branches as green curtains, ferns and mushrooms were growing on the forest floor but also on the trees, there were many streams, springs or wetlands and also Bogachiel river was nearby, everywhere were birds or another animals. The forest was full of light, thus wasn't any dark, super dense monoculture. Probably the best thing was how everything was alive and connected and works for the each other. The new trees were growing from the old fallen "dead" ones, "alive" trees provide space for a moss, ferns, mushrooms etc..., even the dumbest person would probably noticed how perfect is this system, even politics or loggers. This was the ecology textbook in the real life, only sad thing is that only a few islands of the real forests like this remained, who knows for how long, especially with our greed for more wood, more money... We spent whole day here, just looking around and breathing. In the evening we moved to Bogachiel State Park campground, washed some of our clothes and our dirty heads. We met bikers here but didn't speak with them, later we found out, that one of them was John which we will meet in a few next days.

Day 135 - 15th October, Bear Creek - Forks - Bogachiel Rain Forest, 26.38 miles

Dnes sme sa dostali len do malého mestečka Forks, cestou nič extra nebolo, ak teda nerátam ďalšie obrovské holoruby a nenávistné tabule lesákov, vyzývajúce k zrušeniu národného parku, hlavný dôvod čo im na ňom vadí je, že tam nemôžu ťažiť drevo. Vo Forks sme si zaskajpovali s Veterníkom a Vitanou, ktorí sa práve vrátili z prechodu Dukla - Devín. V návštevnom centre vo Forks nám tetuška poradila, aby sme navštívili dažďový prales Bogachiel, ten je v národnom lese a nie v zavretom parku, takže si ho môžeme pozrieť. Táto alternatíva sa nám páčila, bolo to bližšie než vyhlásený Hoh v Olympicu a nemuseli sme riskovať ďalší stret s nejakým rangerom. Po ceste tam sme stretli nejakého miestneho Krkonoša, zdá sa že na západnom pobreží nuda nebude. Do Bogachielu sme dorazili až navečer, stihli sme len malý výletík než sa zotmelo, ale jednoznačne sme sa ocitli na zatiaľ najkrajšiom miestne čo sme dosiaľ videli...

Today we biked from Bear Creek, where we spent night in small campground, to Fork. Nothing very interesting to see here, except huge clear cuts and logging trucks. In front of the visitor centre in Forks we spoke with my brother and his girlfriend through Skype, they just returned from the hiking trip across the whole Slovakia (over 700 km and four weeks). In visitor centre we got a very good tip about alternative to Hoh Rainforest in Olympic (which was still closed and we didn't want to risk another confrontation with rangers, now when our names are in their system...), the lady from the visitor centre told us about Bogachiel Rainforest, which is in the National Forest (still open) and legal to visit. So we went there and we found easily the best place which we visited so far on this trip.

Day 134 - 14th October, Sol Duc Falls - Bear Creek, 37.73 miles

Väčšinu dňa sme strávili v údolí Sol Duc. Ráno sme sa vybrali pozrieť si jeden z najkrajších vodopádov Olympiku. Po ceste nás minulo rangerské auto a hore na parkovisku nad už čakala rangerka. Že vraj, či vieme, že park je zavretý. Povedali sme jej, že vieme, ale nesúhlasíme s tým. Tiež nám povedala, že im sa to takisto nepáči, ale čo sa dá robiť, že? Politikov treba poslúchať, nech sú ich rozhodnutia akokoľvek absurdné, no, američania sú dobré výchovaní... Našťastie, keďže sme len hlúpi zahraniční turisti a nie hrdí vlastníci národného parku, dostali sme len ústne napomenutie a museli sme ísť dole, teda museli... pani rangerka pri tom na nás mrkla okom a povedala, že nikto nebude kontrolovať kedy park opustíme. Takže sme si spravili ešte malý výlet k nádhernému vodopádu, cez lesy nad ktorými by zaplesalo od radosti srdce každého ekológa. Potom sme sa ešte prešli po krátkom chodníku vedúcim pomedzi gigantické duglasky a smreky (cca 6-7 ľudí by malo problém ich oblapiť). Opäť sme si dali obed na ceste (kde svietilo a hrialo slnko, v tieni bola riadna kosa), videli vydry v potoku, skoro zrazili čriedu jeleňov (americký “elk“, to čo tu volajú “deer“ je skôr ako nás srnec), vychutnávali si ticho a pohodu. Po tom čo sme opustili park nás “realita“ udrela priamo do tváre, holoruby gigantických rozmerov, čele kopce okolo parku sú vyrúbané, prakticky bez jediného stromu, a kde nejaké lesy sú tak to len otrasné monokultúry. Do toho sa tu pomerne často dajú nájsť plagáty ako “dosť divočiny, nechceme divoký Olympic, oberá nás o prácu, práca v lese = fungujúca rodina“. Hneď sme sa cítili ako doma. Oni tie zelené mozgy niekde asi sériovo vyrábajú, podľa toho čo sme videli sa zdá, že lesníci  (aj keď tu sú to skôr len drevorubači) všade používajú rovnaké metódy aj rovnakú propagandu.

In the morning we went to the Sol Duc Waterfalls, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the park (based by advertisement) and we were caught by ranger, but she was nice, also disagreed with this situation, so she gave us only verbal warning. Luckily we are not period owners of national parks here in USA, otherwise we got fine. The waterfall was really amazing and quite unusual (was split to three and falling into deep crack in the rock).

Day 133 - 13th October, Elwha Dam - Lake Crescent - Sol Duc Hot Springs, 40.42 miles

Vyrážame ešte pred úsvitom, ráno je mrazivé, vidíme ranný Olympic pokrytý snehom, dole v údoliach sa stále ešte prevaľuje hmla. Dobré ráno na premýšľanie o zmysle života. Raňajkujeme/obedujeme až pri jazere Crescent, opravujem ďalší Baškin defekt. Jazero je nádherné, obrovské a hlavne je to pravé ľadovcové jazero, žiadna priehrada. Za jazerom sa dostávame ku vstupu do údolia rieky Sol Duc, zároveň aj do národného parku. Park je samozrejme zavretý, pretože páni politici sa nevedia dohodnúť na rozpočte. Ale nás nejaká závora ani debilní politici neodradili od toho pozrieť si aspoň kúsok z Olympicu, skrátka sme závoru obišli a mali celý park pre seba. Nakoniec to bolo hádam lepšie ako keby bol otvorený, žiadne smrduté autá, ticho, nikde nikoho, celá cesta iba pre nás... Lesy začínali byť divokejšie a zachovalejšie, ako sme sa blížili ku Sol Duc Hot Springs. Kúpanie sa v teplých prameňoch sa však nekonalo, všetko bolo zavreté v zavretom hoteli, kapitalizmus musí byť, nič zadarmo! Aspoň, že hviezde nebo alebo húkanie sov bolo zadarmo...

Meditative, morning, nice views on Olympic covered with snow, fresh clear air, fog on the bottom of valleys, good time for thinking, it's good to start early in the morning. Breakfast/lunch by lake Crescent and repairing Baška's flat tire. Lake Crescent was amazing, real glacial lake, not damn man made dam (what were most of the "lakes" what we saw). Tall above was King Storm Mountain. After the lake was entrance to the Olympic National Park, closed of course b/c of that stupid government shutdown. But nobody was guarding the entrance and b/c we didn't agree that a few ordinary people have right to "close" mountains, just to get better bargain, we passed that closed gate (wasn't Slovakproof closed) and have whole Sol Duc Valley for ourself. We had lunch in the middle of road, biked next to each other. Well, maybe that closure wasn't so bad idea at all. How often you can be in empty National Park, no noisy, smelly cars, RVs, trailers, no noisy smelly people... Just nature around us. And what a nature, as we went higher and closer to Sol Duc Hot Springs the trees were bigger and bigger. Everything was in all possible shades of green, covered by moss, ferns, which grew on the ground and also on the trees, it was something like to be in heaven, probably better :-) Sol Duc Hot Springs was disappointment, no accessible hot springs, everything was in hotel which was closed, not b/c of government but b/c of season. Well, why should be something for free if you can pay for it? At least the stars were for fee and also the owl's concert in the night.

Day 132 - 12th October, Sequim - Port Angeles - Elwha Dam RV Park, 24.63 miles

Doobeda lialo, tak spíme (sme schovaný pod prístreškom), opekáme bedle, čítame Harryho Pottera :-). Po obede je zrazu krásne, prechádzame do Port Angeles, po výbornej cykloceste (ale s priveľa strmými kopčekmi). Dostávame sa už k niečomu čo vyzerá ako naozajstné more. V Port Angeles navštevujeme opäť DQ.večer je parádny výklad na Olympic.

Raining till noon, we are hide in shelter, eating, frying mushrooms, reading. About noon, clouds vanished and rest of day was nice and sunny, but cold. We biked on the Olympic Discovery Trail, good, paved but very hilly (Pennsylvania style). Another visit of DQ in Port Angeles, that's nearly a real sea here... Camped close to Port Angeles at Elwha Dam.

Day 131 - 11th October, Kitsap Memorial State Park - Sequim, 44.32 miles, total 4006 miles

Dnes sme zo slnka toho veľa nevideli. Navyše počasie bolo také, že do kopca sme sa potili a z kopca mrzli. A dnes sme mali pred sebou veľa kopcov. Od Kitsap Memorial State Park sme prešli cez kopce po rušnej 104 (ale mala dobrú krajnicu). Výhľady na východnú stanu Olympicu boli dosť žalostné, všade obrovské holoruby. Na 101tke sme stretli dve cyklistky, tiež na nejakom dlhšom výlete, išli však v druhom smere. V indiánskej dedinke menom Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe sme sa napojili na parádnu cyklocestu, zaviedla nás do Sequim Bay State Park, kde sme uvideli prvé gigantické douglasky, Baška našla gigantické šampiňóny. Pri pohľade na tachometer zisťujem, že už sme dokopy prešli 4000 míľ. Oslavujeme to v mestečku Sequim v DQ s tekvicovou zmrzlinou (už ide Halloween). Spali sme kúsok za mestečkom Sequim pri rieke so starým železničným mostom (Railroad bridge Park).

Cloudy and cold day. Biked from Kitsap on Hwy 3, than passed Hood Canal Floating Bridge on Hwy104. Nasty road, heavy traffic (but good wide shoulder), a lot of hills, a lot of clear cuts everywhere. East side of Olympic looks really bad. Passed through hills we switch for Hwy 101, our final Hwy for couple of next weeks. Met two girls, they were also on the bike trip, in the opposite direction. Probably came from Alaska because they were only in shirts and tshirts, and it was really cold. In Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe we found nice bike trail to Port Angeles. The best part of it was through Sequim Bay State Park with huge and very huge trees (and many mushrooms). Got to Sequim in the evening, good time for celebration we passed 4000 miles mark. And they have a Dairy Queen here with amazing pumpkin blizzard :-) For the dinner was mushroom soup.