It was raining softly and lightly Sunday
morning, but when I checked with the Underground Weather forecast, sunshine was
promised at the end of my drive.
So, I got dressed and headed out …
My plans for the day.
Down 2 pants sizes! Stoked.
Julia Butler hansen Wilflife Refuge - 27 mins from home.
The drive along the river was pleasant and
peaceful. It is a busy roadway with heavy traffic flow, and it can be a
dangerous stretch of highway when hillsides start collapsing and rocks start
falling; but for the most part, it is tranquil and an easy drive. And the
County has done a good job with containing the falling rocks and keeping tabs
on the sliding hillsides.
Plus, there is an alternate route to drive
when those occurrences happen – this stretch of highway, on Ocean Beach Highway,
is not at all like the KM highway which is unpassable when Mother Nature mishaps
happen.
Columbia River. Just past Oak Point.
This crusty old ship was moving along pretty good - who knew it had so much 'get-up-and-go' in it.
Another decrepit ship was anchored off County Line. Both looked like they should be scrapped.
The rain had stopped before I reached
Cathlamet, and the day looked promising. I stopped at Gragg’s, as usual when I
pass this way; and bought 2 vanilla Colas & 2 chicken strips to munch on,
so I wouldn’t be hiking on an empty stomach.
Passing Cathlamet, and coming up on the game
refuge road, my eye always goes to the Osprey nest atop the green steel bridge
spanning the Elochoman River. That nest grows in height every breeding season
since it was built.
And there was activity in it:
An Osprey Nest atop the steel bridge spanning the Elochoman River; practically at the Game Refuge road.
Parent is present. My camera lens was really zoomed out.
This thing is huge – the birds add to it every year, so it’s like a fowl skyscraper. LOL.
I have a gal pal friend who was telling me
about a trail she and her family walk on the refuge, so I thought I’d try it
out – she said it was back further in the field than the one Bob and I walked
that freaked me out because the river had eaten the road away and was
perilously close to the trail edge last time we were there in 2017. I couldn’t
enjoy the walk because of the creeping river water, and I told Bob I never
wanted to go back ….
January 2017. Bob walking the Game Refuge trail at Hornstra’s Beach, which is being eaten away.
The water that close made me nervous, but Bob was with me; his presence comforted me.
A tug boat cruising on the Columbia River.
The River eroded the road and is greedily creeping in.
In 2017, Bob and I could see where a good
portion of the road has been eaten away by the ravaging river. To get to where
the car was parked, we’d have to backtrack and drive down Ocean Beach Highway
another 15 minutes and come in from the Skamokawa side of the refuge:
This section of road is no longer connected.
But I went back Sunday, because Pam’s
description of the trail intrigued me – and I wanted to know where the 10-mile
trail was. I thought I’d stop at the Refuge Office and ask about it; but the
Office was closed. So, I grabbed 2 brochures I hoped would be informative: I
know about the Refuge – I had walked in many, many times since I was 12 years
old; but I don’t recall it being a 10-mile walk …
Everything was closed; so, I walked the back deck, alternaing between looking at the blossoming waterlilies and thumbing through the brochures …
I drove the additional miles into Skamokawa,
and took the Steamboat Slough Road to the Trailhead from that end:
The Trailhead appears to be located where the Keyes house used to be before the government lakeys kicked all the faming families off their land to make the Refuge.
Estimated Trail mileage.
A Moon Pie & a Coke … just like old times ;-)
River gobbled up the roadway ahead …
The Trailhead from the Skamokawa end.
A stand of Cattails – I like cattails.
Intertwined Sweetpeas, Scotch Broom & Purple Clover.
Cute petite wild Sweetpea blossoms.
Little pinkish furry blossoms: these blossoms look like tiny little fluffy bunny tails ;-) Google was not helpful for identification.
Dredging on the Columbia River.
Wild Lupines.
Wild Pearly Everlastings.
Wild Purple Vetch & pink-tinged-White Clover.
Birds darted back and forth across the trail,
as I walked along. Birdsong filled the air; fat, healthy looking bumble bees
and tiny fast-moving butterflies were everywhere at once.
Testle & Duck Potato (aka Broadleaf Arrowhead). The golf-ball-size tubers of the arrowheads are edible when roasted or boiled.
I looked towards the river and saw from a considerable
distance what I assumed was an eagle perked atop a dead tree – the posture was
right, but the bird was really far away. Bob would have known for sure, but I
am not Bob; I got my old digital camera out and zoomed it to the max before
snapping the picture; hoping that when I downloaded the picture at home, it
would show me a bald-headed eagle: IT DID!
I always get excited when I see eagles.
And I was pleased to know that Bob had taught
me well in how to spot one ;-)
A young Bald-headed Eagle with breeze-ruffled neck feathers.
As I resumed walking, a breeze stirred bush hugging
the graveled trail was wafting the air with a sweet scent. Later on at home, I
tried to find out what it was, but google is worthless at giving out actual
informative information. As soon as The People of Washington State fires inslee,
and things actually officially open up again, I am going to buy a handbook on
wildflowers.
The trail was fun to walk; I’m glad Pam told
me about it. I was glad I went :-D
There was evidence of high tide rolling in and
leaving tell-tale signs; and I was glad the river water was not lapping at the
trail edge as it had been doing in 2017, when Bob & I were here …
These tiny wild white spires smell like honeysuckle.
I have walked all the paved roadway, but this trail runs behind the vanished roadway & it’s a fun walk – I’ll be doing it again ;-)
The video is a little jittery, but I was trying to follow a fast-moving neon yellow butterfly …
Thank God for a low tide today … the river water was far, far away.
I was really enjoying myself. The sunshine felt
good, the air was hot – but not uncomfortably so with the river breeze cooling
it a bit. I was “in my element”; enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zewzkHBCcVM being outdoors in nature,
covering ground and letting my senses be captivated by the synchronized beauty
of Yeshua’s creation.
My heart was cradled in His hands, and my spirit
was soothed.
He is a good husband to me since Bob
graduated to a higher level of living. I am blessed by His saving love, and
greatly favored to be counted among His chosen. It pleases me to see all that
He has created, and I am privileged to be granted another day on Earth to
experience it – what I experience here will not exist there. We are given only
1 chance to live this life here on Earth.
I intend to experience as much as I can ;-)
A wide slough cuts through the landscape on the opposite side of the trail.
St. John’s Wort; a sunny 5-petaled wild medicinal plant.
Daisies always brighten my eyes, and bring a smile to my lips.
As I was walking along, smiling, and listening
to the vibrant song of nature, 2 big birds touched down at the bend of the path
ahead of me. 1 flew off again, but 1 remained.
I could see that it wasn’t a heron – but it
was similar.
I wanted a picture; so, I stayed back and
zoomed in so I didn’t scare it off:
A Gray Egret touched down on the path ahead of me – I zoomed in to the max to capture it.
Tiny powder blue blossomed wild Forget-Me-Not flowers & Duck Potato.
Cows in the pasture across the slough. There were several calves.
Gourd birdhouses.
It was a beautiful blue-sky Sunday~Funday.
Looking at my mileage counter after I left the trail, I noted that I only tallied a little over 2 miles: 3 miles short of the 5 mentioned.
I wanted those extra miles – I like that my
body is firming up. I like that I have dropped 2 jeans sizes since I started walking
again. I like that walking balances me emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
I like that when I am walking, I don’t have
to think about anything in particular. I don’t have to think about the last
months of Bob’s life. I don’t have to think about the mindless fear/hatred and jeering disrespect that has gripped
the world; and our kids. I don’t have to think about how close we are to losing
America to the Anti-Americans that have infiltrated our Nation and poisoned our
Congress. The only thing I have to think about is putting one foot in front of the
other …
I wanted those missing miles.
Walking to Refuge Office to rack up mileage – and try to figure out where that advertised 10 miles would be along the way.
Remembering earlier walks along this roadway – decades ago, but still fresh in my thoughts.
I'll continue to hike no matter what.
The delicate scent of tiny wild roses peeking out from the blackberry brambles made me smile.
The sun-warmed delicate scent of the roses, the
pungent odor of exposed river mud, the smell of hot tar warming in the summer
sunshine; feeling the burn of my strengthening calf muscles … I felt young and
carefree again, as I hoofed my way towards the Refuge Office, watching bright
yellow gold finches darting along the paved road before me; and crows devouring
mud clams along the Elocohman river shoreline where it meets the Columbia River
...
A pile of cracked mud clams, left behind by litterbug birds. LOL
On my way back to the trailhead, my right
calf seized and started to buckle with a knotted muscle. It really hurt.
So, I sent an SOS Heavenward – asking Yeshua to grant me ease to make it back
to the Horizon … and hobbled over to one of the two concrete barriers sitting in
a pullout alongside the road, berating myself for doing 2 lengthy hikes with heavier
weighted shoes in a 3 day span (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020/07/and-day-came-to-bloom.html).
Too much, too fast.
I know better.
The lengthy hikes can’t be back-to-back just yet.
I massaged the knot, and worked through a few
sitting calf stretching exercises while sharing the space with a little damselfly (similar to dragonflies).
We were both feeling good in the warm sunshine, and giving our challenged muscles
a short break between movement ;-)
Damselfly
I was also thankful I’d bought the massaging
gel insoles for my new shoes, and the wicking hiking socks. My pampered feet
were the day’s saving grace ;-)
Walking to the Office and backtracking the
trail to my car was still shy the 10-mile tally, but it was close.
I believe the deer and the elk are gone now –
they were moved off the refuge years ago. A looooong time ago, when I was a
young girl, there used to be red foxes – we could see them from the school bus
windows as it drove by their large den: they were pretty, and fun to watch. The
farmers who lived on the land then – before it was stolen and turned into a
wildlife sanctuary, eventually exterminated them; that was a sad day. The
refuge is basically just a bird sanctuary now: and that’s okay – bird watching
is fine, but the brochures should be updated with accurate information.
When I reached the car, I turned the air
conditioner on to cool down after the 3-hour hike – and I called Pam to wish
her a happy birthday; it was too early to call her home when I left my house in
the morning.
Then I drove to the Duck Inn for Supper.
I’d only been back to the Duck Inn once since
the last time Bob & I had been there with our grandson around this time of
year in 2018: Bob had a hamburger, I had a BLT, and Azariah had a toasted
cheese sandwich. I was there for the first time since then, with Cheryl and Pam
in the Spring of 2019.
Yesterday I went back; solo lobo.
When I was leaving the trailhead, I was
thinking a BLT sure would taste good, but when I was sitting on the Duck Inn’s
back deck and looking over the menu, the Captain’s Plate with a side of Clam
Chowder won the order. It had been a while since I’d had a Captain’s Plate, or
Clam Chowder, and my taste buds were salivating for both ;-)
I planned to eat here before I set out in the morning - it's another trigger I need to hurdle. It was strange being there alone, but I managed without tears.
You get your money’s worth here! I ate half, and brought half home to eat later on ... it was worth every expensive dollar.
While I was munching and trying to shut my ears to the drunks next table over, I happened to look up and saw this weird looking tree top.
Boxing up the remaining Supper plate, I
headed home; sore-legged and sun-warmed, satisfied with good eats … and settled
in for taking the long way home to enjoy the country backroads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3gGn6t8Bog.
Beaver Creek Road from Julia Butler Hansen Wildlife Refuge - 17 mins
Ship seen from Oak Point.
Germany Creek Road from Beaver Creek Road. 18 mins.
Eufaula Heights Road from crossover
Germany Creek Road (not shown, but the road connects Germany Creek Rd to Eufaula Heights Rd which junctions Coal Creek Road) - to Coal Creek Road - to
Heron Pointe. 24 MINS
It was a 5-hour daytrip from start to finish
(includes Supper & backroads home); but I really enjoyed myself.
And I did not have to use my inhaler at all :-D
Maybe in a few months I can park at the
Office parking lot and extend the hike to include all of the Risk Road loop (directly
across from the Wildlife Refuge) that will tie into Brooks Slough Road that
junctions with Steamboat Slough Road that leads to the Center Road Trail
trailhead of the refuge that will drop back onto the main refuge road leading
back to the office. I used to walk this all the time. If I pace myself, I
should be able to do it again. It will be an all-day-hike, and it will definitely
be more than a 10-mile trek.
The Julia Butler Hansen Game Refuge
area PLUS the Risk Road Loop.
This Sunday~Funday will definitely be a
repeat :-D
**SUNDAY~FUNDAY POSTS (2020) –
#9 – https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2020_04_27_archive.html (plus 1st thru 8th
SUNDAY~FUNDAY links)**
