Shi Shi Backpacking/Camping Trip - Part 1
I stirred quietly beneath the warm covers, and I could feel the cold morning on my face. When I opened my eyes I realized the light was still pushing through the darkness and sunlight had not yet come. He lay asleep next to me, completely unaware of my movements. A quick glance at the alarm clock by our bed took me by surprise when I noticed it was barely past three. Then I realized I could hear quiet whispering coming from the other room, and slowly everyone else started to awaken from their dreams. I pulled closer to Bobby, sucking in the heat from his body and I nuzzled him as I cuddled him close. I kissed him gently on the cheek and caressed his face. I called his name in an almost silent voice and he began to open his eyes. “Bobby, its three o’ clock… time to get up,” I whispered. His response was a reciprocation of my affection. I wandered out first, just in time to see Brittany, Chris, and Juan stumble sleepily from the back bedroom while everyone else sat up from their beds on the living room floor. There were a few that had managed to stay awake the entire night. Megan, Justine, and Micah wrapped themselves in blankets and watched the meteor shower for the few hours that everyone else slept through. However, I believe I only really slept for about an hour… I laid awake and listened to their quiet chatter as my mind went over thoughts of the coming light. I knew that an exciting adventure lay ahead, its what I had been looking forward to all year. Despite this lack of sleep, I found that I woke with a great deal of energy which on my part was a good thing considering I would be leading seven people for the next six hours.
The anticipation of everyone gave off a glow of excitement, a rare thing to find at such early hours of the day. Somehow we managed to be up and out by three thirty, something we had been worrying about. Timing was everything. The ferry would be leaving at 5:30, which we depended on catching so that by the time we were at the beach it would be low tide. Thankfully we had secured everyone’s packs in the bed of Bobby’s truck before we drove to Arlington and remained for the night. My father was such a huge help in the planning process, he put so much dedication into making sure we’d get there safely and enjoy the four days that we would be staying.
Micah, and Megan climbed into Bobby’s white truck while Brittany, Chris, Juan, and Justine piled into my parent’s burgundy Honda Civic that they so generously let me borrow. For the first year out of six I was the one leading the way instead of my father. I would have a great deal more responsibilities in the care for everyone, but such a thing felt in no way like a burden. Each and every member of the group are responsible in themselves and everyone would be looking out for everyone. My job was to get them there and make sure the tasks that needed to be taken care of were shared. I’ve never considered myself much of a leader, but I was happy to be in a position where I can look out for those I care about.
I love the early mornings… when the mist hangs over the trees and floats along the ground. Fog stretched as far as I could see, but in a way made everything seem brighter. So we drove north on I-5 in the darkness of early morning with a cloudy haze of mystery and curiosity ahead of us. With previous trips, we had always taken the Kingston Ferry from Edmonds, and crossed the Hood Canal Bridge. Due to some construction with the Bridge we had to plan an entirely different route. There had been news broadcasts all over the internet and television about what a pain it would be to get to the peninsula this weekend, but that wasn’t the half of it. Eventually we reached a detour in the freeway right as we were getting close to our exit. It was a short ways off so we didn’t think much of it as we followed another driver off and back onto I-5. Even though we skipped only a few exits, it was enough to completely pass ours… something we didn’t realize till we reached Bellingham. Unfortunately it was unavoidable but no one complained, regardless of having to turn around every now and then the ride was relaxing and quite enjoyable. It wasn’t long till we were back on track, and we got off the Freeway and headed west on highway 20.
The road stretched out before us and we knew we'd be following this path until we reached Keystone. Signs of the ferry to Port Townsend were discouraging as we realized time was drawing near. A foggy mist hung thick all around us and we didn’t even realize we were crossing a bridge till the clanking sound of the car driving onto it echoed beneath us. “We must be at Deception Pass,” a few chimed in together. I concurred with their observation and we looked in awe at the haze that shielded our view. “So, are we hundreds of feet above the ground?” Brittany asked. With the fog engulfing everything around us, it was like driving across a bridge over clouds. In no way could anyone see just how far above the water we were, and soon the chit chat turned into thoughts of coming back there some day. It was smooth sailing as we entered near Whidbey Island.
We sped along as we watched the sun slowly awake from behind the hills and the mist finally began to lift. Dark hues of blue and black soon transformed into a painted sky of pinks and oranges until the light stretched the sky into a white cloudy blanket above us. After getting turned around a couple more times we stopped in at a gas station and took the opportunity while we were there to get something to drink and pick up a couple more cameras. Bobby put some gas in his truck and we were back on the road until we entered Keystone. The place was bare as we pulled up to the window. So we left our cars there and wandered over to the bathrooms. It couldn’t have been any later then 5:40, and missed it by more than 10-15 minutes. Seeing how the next ferry wasn’t scheduled to leave until 7:30 it was a good opportunity to wander around and relax awhile. We brought out the snacks that we had packed along for the car ride and people split up and took a look around.
Megan and I noticed that a man from Kiro 7 news was interviewing a man about the Hood Canal Bridge being closed, so we stood from a distance and watched with amusement. As they concluded their conversation he turned in our direction and said hello. When we returned the greeting, he started talking with us. We began to babble about our situation and must have caught his interest because he asked to interview us as well. Shocked but excited we accepted his offer, and started to tell the tale of our annual backpacking trip to Shi Shi beach. Brittany found this to be a good opportunity to bring out the video camera that she had borrowed from Chris’s brother Jon, and got the whole thing on tape. Since the camera was already out she thought it to be a good idea to get an update with where we were… so after the friendly chat with Kiro, Megan recorded me in front of a large map showing the route that we had taken as well as where we were headed.
I then wandered off with Bobby to explore the rocky beach until we heard our names being called out by other members of the group. We climbed back up and joined the others by the ferry’s docking bay. They were watching fish jump from the water to catch their breakfast. I let a Micah borrow my keys so that they could listen to the news in hopes that our little interview would be broadcasted. Unfortunately none of what we talked about ended up on the radio. However, as Megan put it, we did receive “honorable mention”. It wasn’t long till the ferry’s arrival so we headed back to the cars.
The ride across the water was different then taking the Kingston Ferry… the boat swayed from side to side. Soon enough most of us were entertained simply by the fact that we couldn’t walk strait. As I wondered off with Bobby I turned to look out and see the view from inside the ferry, and suddenly saw Chris outside zooming by the windows while flapping his arms like a seagull! I stood there awe struck as he disappeared from sight and then began to let go of my uncontrollable laughter. Bobby had only seen the tail end of it, and neither of us had realized he was chasing Megan across the boat as well. We joined the others outside and we all laughed at the amusement of everyone else. Then we noticed three baby seagulls squeaking from their wooden post that just so happened to be only feet away from the side of the boat. One of their parents just sat there beside them, as if trying to ignore the complaints of his/her offspring. Chris ran off to get something to feed them, before the boat began to move, and in minutes came back with a bag of pretzels he bought from a vending machine. After a couple minutes some were getting fairly good at tossing pieces of pretzel directly into the seagulls mouths. We gave them the rest of our crumbs and waved goodbye as we headed across to Port Townsend.
After the ferry ride, Juan switched places with Megan and took over driving Bobby’s truck so he’d have a chance to rest a little. Apparently he was having troubles staying awake and was scaring the crap out of Megan. We were finally on familiar ground, or at least for some of us. Highway 101 stretched out through most our trip and we only stopped once more before we were to reach the Makah Indian Reservation. Port Angeles was the best place to refuel and stretch before continuing our journey, not too mention tradition. Through the long stretch ahead and beautiful views we watched the sun poke through the cloudy morning into a clear hot summer day. Eventually we got off highway 101 and got on the 113 which shortly after turned into the 112 that took us strait to the Nea Bay area. Members of the group dozed off every now and then and surprisingly the winding roads didn’t make anyone sick. At one point I was curling around corners and Justine had fallen asleep in the passenger seat next to me. As the car went around each bend the top part of her body swayed. The fact that her mouth gaped open and gurgling noises escaped her throat brought on the urge to burst out into laughter. As I attempted to hold back from the hilarious expression and drive without crashing, I knew only one of the two was working out. My own snickering woke Justine from her peaceful sleep, but before she opened her eyes she too had noticed the ridiculous position she found herself in. The two of us were laughing so hard we were bursting from the seams. The more she laughed the more I laughed until it was a vicious cycle that had tears rolling down our cheeks.
Finally we passed through Nea Bay and arrived at the Makah Indian Reservation. After stopping at the local grocery store to buy permits for the cars we drove up to an old native women’s home. She watches cars for hikers, has been doing that for years. With a fee of five dollars a night per car she actually brings in a good amount of money. From there we continued up a short way to the trail head where we unloaded things and got ready for the hike. Juan tagged along as Bobby and I took back the vehicles, and the three of us walked back up to the trail head. At this point it was about 11:30am, and we had been driving for about three/three and a half hours since we got off the ferry. After making sure everything was in order, we asked someone to take our picture and then we began the first part of the trail through the woods.
The date isn't right, it was actually 8/12/05
Starting from the back, left to right ... Brittany,Micah, Justine, Bobby,Tiffany (me!)
From the Front, Left to Right... Chris, Megan, Juan
More to Come...
The anticipation of everyone gave off a glow of excitement, a rare thing to find at such early hours of the day. Somehow we managed to be up and out by three thirty, something we had been worrying about. Timing was everything. The ferry would be leaving at 5:30, which we depended on catching so that by the time we were at the beach it would be low tide. Thankfully we had secured everyone’s packs in the bed of Bobby’s truck before we drove to Arlington and remained for the night. My father was such a huge help in the planning process, he put so much dedication into making sure we’d get there safely and enjoy the four days that we would be staying.
Micah, and Megan climbed into Bobby’s white truck while Brittany, Chris, Juan, and Justine piled into my parent’s burgundy Honda Civic that they so generously let me borrow. For the first year out of six I was the one leading the way instead of my father. I would have a great deal more responsibilities in the care for everyone, but such a thing felt in no way like a burden. Each and every member of the group are responsible in themselves and everyone would be looking out for everyone. My job was to get them there and make sure the tasks that needed to be taken care of were shared. I’ve never considered myself much of a leader, but I was happy to be in a position where I can look out for those I care about.
I love the early mornings… when the mist hangs over the trees and floats along the ground. Fog stretched as far as I could see, but in a way made everything seem brighter. So we drove north on I-5 in the darkness of early morning with a cloudy haze of mystery and curiosity ahead of us. With previous trips, we had always taken the Kingston Ferry from Edmonds, and crossed the Hood Canal Bridge. Due to some construction with the Bridge we had to plan an entirely different route. There had been news broadcasts all over the internet and television about what a pain it would be to get to the peninsula this weekend, but that wasn’t the half of it. Eventually we reached a detour in the freeway right as we were getting close to our exit. It was a short ways off so we didn’t think much of it as we followed another driver off and back onto I-5. Even though we skipped only a few exits, it was enough to completely pass ours… something we didn’t realize till we reached Bellingham. Unfortunately it was unavoidable but no one complained, regardless of having to turn around every now and then the ride was relaxing and quite enjoyable. It wasn’t long till we were back on track, and we got off the Freeway and headed west on highway 20.
The road stretched out before us and we knew we'd be following this path until we reached Keystone. Signs of the ferry to Port Townsend were discouraging as we realized time was drawing near. A foggy mist hung thick all around us and we didn’t even realize we were crossing a bridge till the clanking sound of the car driving onto it echoed beneath us. “We must be at Deception Pass,” a few chimed in together. I concurred with their observation and we looked in awe at the haze that shielded our view. “So, are we hundreds of feet above the ground?” Brittany asked. With the fog engulfing everything around us, it was like driving across a bridge over clouds. In no way could anyone see just how far above the water we were, and soon the chit chat turned into thoughts of coming back there some day. It was smooth sailing as we entered near Whidbey Island.
We sped along as we watched the sun slowly awake from behind the hills and the mist finally began to lift. Dark hues of blue and black soon transformed into a painted sky of pinks and oranges until the light stretched the sky into a white cloudy blanket above us. After getting turned around a couple more times we stopped in at a gas station and took the opportunity while we were there to get something to drink and pick up a couple more cameras. Bobby put some gas in his truck and we were back on the road until we entered Keystone. The place was bare as we pulled up to the window. So we left our cars there and wandered over to the bathrooms. It couldn’t have been any later then 5:40, and missed it by more than 10-15 minutes. Seeing how the next ferry wasn’t scheduled to leave until 7:30 it was a good opportunity to wander around and relax awhile. We brought out the snacks that we had packed along for the car ride and people split up and took a look around.
Megan and I noticed that a man from Kiro 7 news was interviewing a man about the Hood Canal Bridge being closed, so we stood from a distance and watched with amusement. As they concluded their conversation he turned in our direction and said hello. When we returned the greeting, he started talking with us. We began to babble about our situation and must have caught his interest because he asked to interview us as well. Shocked but excited we accepted his offer, and started to tell the tale of our annual backpacking trip to Shi Shi beach. Brittany found this to be a good opportunity to bring out the video camera that she had borrowed from Chris’s brother Jon, and got the whole thing on tape. Since the camera was already out she thought it to be a good idea to get an update with where we were… so after the friendly chat with Kiro, Megan recorded me in front of a large map showing the route that we had taken as well as where we were headed.
I then wandered off with Bobby to explore the rocky beach until we heard our names being called out by other members of the group. We climbed back up and joined the others by the ferry’s docking bay. They were watching fish jump from the water to catch their breakfast. I let a Micah borrow my keys so that they could listen to the news in hopes that our little interview would be broadcasted. Unfortunately none of what we talked about ended up on the radio. However, as Megan put it, we did receive “honorable mention”. It wasn’t long till the ferry’s arrival so we headed back to the cars.
The ride across the water was different then taking the Kingston Ferry… the boat swayed from side to side. Soon enough most of us were entertained simply by the fact that we couldn’t walk strait. As I wondered off with Bobby I turned to look out and see the view from inside the ferry, and suddenly saw Chris outside zooming by the windows while flapping his arms like a seagull! I stood there awe struck as he disappeared from sight and then began to let go of my uncontrollable laughter. Bobby had only seen the tail end of it, and neither of us had realized he was chasing Megan across the boat as well. We joined the others outside and we all laughed at the amusement of everyone else. Then we noticed three baby seagulls squeaking from their wooden post that just so happened to be only feet away from the side of the boat. One of their parents just sat there beside them, as if trying to ignore the complaints of his/her offspring. Chris ran off to get something to feed them, before the boat began to move, and in minutes came back with a bag of pretzels he bought from a vending machine. After a couple minutes some were getting fairly good at tossing pieces of pretzel directly into the seagulls mouths. We gave them the rest of our crumbs and waved goodbye as we headed across to Port Townsend.
After the ferry ride, Juan switched places with Megan and took over driving Bobby’s truck so he’d have a chance to rest a little. Apparently he was having troubles staying awake and was scaring the crap out of Megan. We were finally on familiar ground, or at least for some of us. Highway 101 stretched out through most our trip and we only stopped once more before we were to reach the Makah Indian Reservation. Port Angeles was the best place to refuel and stretch before continuing our journey, not too mention tradition. Through the long stretch ahead and beautiful views we watched the sun poke through the cloudy morning into a clear hot summer day. Eventually we got off highway 101 and got on the 113 which shortly after turned into the 112 that took us strait to the Nea Bay area. Members of the group dozed off every now and then and surprisingly the winding roads didn’t make anyone sick. At one point I was curling around corners and Justine had fallen asleep in the passenger seat next to me. As the car went around each bend the top part of her body swayed. The fact that her mouth gaped open and gurgling noises escaped her throat brought on the urge to burst out into laughter. As I attempted to hold back from the hilarious expression and drive without crashing, I knew only one of the two was working out. My own snickering woke Justine from her peaceful sleep, but before she opened her eyes she too had noticed the ridiculous position she found herself in. The two of us were laughing so hard we were bursting from the seams. The more she laughed the more I laughed until it was a vicious cycle that had tears rolling down our cheeks.
Finally we passed through Nea Bay and arrived at the Makah Indian Reservation. After stopping at the local grocery store to buy permits for the cars we drove up to an old native women’s home. She watches cars for hikers, has been doing that for years. With a fee of five dollars a night per car she actually brings in a good amount of money. From there we continued up a short way to the trail head where we unloaded things and got ready for the hike. Juan tagged along as Bobby and I took back the vehicles, and the three of us walked back up to the trail head. At this point it was about 11:30am, and we had been driving for about three/three and a half hours since we got off the ferry. After making sure everything was in order, we asked someone to take our picture and then we began the first part of the trail through the woods.
The date isn't right, it was actually 8/12/05
Starting from the back, left to right ... Brittany,Micah, Justine, Bobby,Tiffany (me!)
From the Front, Left to Right... Chris, Megan, Juan
More to Come...