La Push to Forks and the Hoh River Rain Forest

I'm including lots of photos today because the landscape was just so dramatic each place we went (well, not Forks, but you know what I mean...) Our drive out of Port Angeles on Highway 101 consisted of a lot of scenery such as the first photo of Lake Crescent. The highway hugs the outskirts of the Olympic Nat'l Park and the entire western boundary of the lake, so the journey was definitely part of the destination in this case. The weather was sunny and beautiful until we got into La Push and Forks territory, which seemed apt indeed. It made sense for us to head east to La Push before visiting the tiny town of Forks and then heading a bit southwest to Hoh River Rain Forest, so that is exactly what we did. I was impressed with the sense of humor the Quileute Indians have about this whole Twilight phenomenon, as they mark the "treaty line" with a sign declaring "No Vampires Beyond this Point," have named one little shack in "town" (the only one I noticed where visitors were invited) "Jacob's Java," and one resident even has Jacob staring out the window of his home, looking at the visitors to First Beach. That beach is as dramatic as you would imagine.

I've been amazed these past couple of days visiting the places Stephanie Meyer set her Vampire saga without ever having actually, physically gone before the publication of the novels. The power of the Internet is shockingly apparent in the way Meyer was able to get so many details staggeringly right. In fact, spending time in these locations has caused me to realize that the settings of her novels might just be the single best thing about them. The road from Forks to La Push, First Beach, the little town of Port Angeles - all are so vivid and so much a part of those books. It's great to see the fans treat these places, and the people who live here, with the appropriate respect. And it's wonderful to see the business savvy of the residents here, who have opened not one but two Twilight inspired stores, as well as the local restaurants that title dishes after the characters. For places as stark and remote as these are, this whole Twilight mania could have been overwhelming and horribly negative, but they seem to just roll with it.

Luckily, in the Hoh River Rain Forest, there was nary a Twihard to be found. Rather I felt as though I'd entered Maurice Sendak's world, as we were dwarfed by moss covered alders and maples that Fodor's correctly described as looking more like prehistoric animals than trees.
Our trek on the "Hanging Moss Trail" afforded more photo opportunities than I could keep up wtih, though my attempts to "fix" my camera as Dad did in Seattle (by dropping it - with glee - two feet from the floor) failed to work as well this time. Thankfully, the lens cooperated in time for me to take a lone elk shrouded in the forest, though we were soon treated to a whole group of them basking in the sun and drinking from the river, as we headed out of the Olympic National Park for the final time on our way to the coast and Ocean Shores.