Can you say green? Forest Green. Yellow Green. Emerald Green. Jade Green. Pine Green. Olive Green. Even chartreuse. Every shade of green you can think of - and then some. I'm talking about what you see in the Ho Rain Forest of Olympic NP. Mosses, and ferns, and vines, and bushes, and grasses, and trees, and herbs, and even dead logs. All are a wild carousel of green, green, green! It is amazing the profligate and proliferous growths of plant life I can see in this temperate rain forest. I am amazed. I have been here once before, but still... I am awestruck.

To start the day. I was awakened by my Mulkiteo (where I've stayed the last couple of days visiting old friends) host Janis, "Chris? Are you awake? You'd better come down and see the news!" She opens the door. "I'm serious. I think you'll want to come down." And then I find out what has happened. And I am horrified. At first it is too incredible to be believed, but then I see the shot of the second plane plowing into the 2nd tower, and then the shots of them crumbling... Still, it is incomprehensible.

So, as I was planning on heading out this way today (to the Ho Rain Forest), I decided I best get all packed up and on my way. I tried getting trough to my family, in Northern Virginia, but I, like I'm sure millions, was initially unable to do so, and understandably so. Anyway, I got packed up, got and gave Janis a great big hug, and headed out. On her recommendation, I took the 405 (the Seattle 405 sillies) to skirt around the confusion that was already building in downtown Seattle, hoping that I would be able to "escape" town without incident or undue delay.

Well, the only slowdown was due to construction and I was making great time. Until I tuned to 530 AM per the instructions on the flashing road conditions sign. "Expect significant delays on I-5 near Fort Lewis and blah-blah Hospital. Traffic is stopped in both directions." Dang! Fortunately I hear this and get off just in time because just past the exit I can see the traffic coming to a stop. While gassing up I open the trusty laptop and see if I can plot an alternate route. It looks like I can take the 512 east to the 161 south, then cut back over on the 507 to I-5, where I can catch Rt. 12 to get me back on track for the Ho Rain Forest. Because I cannot abide stop and go traffic (and this was sounding like more stop than go) I decided to take the new routing. ("State Police are checking all trucks for bombs. They're not pulling them over. They're checking right on the freeway!", and "Some of the soldiers reporting for duty are just leaving their vehicles and walking in.")

Well to be honest, I don't know if I saved any time, but I sure had a lot less stress and the drive was actually pretty nice. It took me through rolling countryside and I actually got some pretty good views of Mt. Rainier from a much closer perspective, with the sun - in a cloud-free sky - shining down brightly upon the massive glaciers and snow fields girding the summit and flanks of the regional symbol of pride. Pretty cool actually.

I made it soon enough onto Rt. 12 where I topped off the tank before driving on to the Ho. (Don't laugh!) After about 30 miles of 2 lane road it turns into a freeway of sorts all the way into Aberdeen, which looks to be a port and lumber/mill town. Here is where I see the first American flag being flown at half-staff. In Aberdeen I pick up the 101 north which takes me through a bunch of managed forest (Can you say clearcut?)  before hitting the coast for a pretty, yet foggy 15 mile run. Turning eastward again to follow the Ho River upstream I am now in protected areas and the trees crowding both side of the roadway start to assume prodigious proportions.

At last! The turnoff for the Ho Rain Forest. I make a right and for the next 18 miles am treated to views of a slate-blue stream (the Ho), coursing contrary to my progress, tall trees arching over the road to form an archway, and quaint little homesteads sitting amidst a splendor of mountain backdrops and lush meadows, bordered by abundant growths of huge trees. This is indeed a scenic drive - as it is so marked on the map. I pass without having to flash my Golden Eagle pass at the entrance station as it is unoccupied and after another 6 miles arrive at the Ho Rain Forest Visitor Center. And look! There's a campground right here. Score!

Since it's almost 5 pm now I head for the Visitor Center to get whatever brochures/info I can get hold of for tomorrow. I then proceed to the campground to pick a spot for the night. I find a pretty nice one, totally surrounded by trees and other vegetation, close by the restroom, yet not jammed up against any of the other campers. Since there is still some daylight, and the colors of the sun are ideal for photography, I head back to the Visitor Center to see if I can get some more photos.

And this is where the panoply of greens sears into my brain. I end up taking the "Hall of Mosses" trail and as I said before, I am awestruck. I first cross a little foot bridge where a small group of ducks are rooting around in the shallow waters for tasty morsels of the bright green "stuff" growing in the water. (I don't know what it is!) I then follow the trail as it climbs uphill a short distance and take the loop to the left (3/4 mile total). And then I just walk, and stare, and take pictures (some with flash, some without), and gape, and take some more pictures, and stare and gape some more. Absolutely tremendous scenery. If you get a chance you must stop by to see for yourself.

Now back at the campsite and writing this all down, it's just about dark and time for dinner. Tomorrow I'll head back into the forest - perhaps hike the Ho River Trail for a bit - and look forward to another bounty of beautiful sights (and sounds and smells). I will of course make an attempt at recording this great, lush beauty on film.

Good night!