Sol Duc Falls

Sol Duc Falls

On August 27, 2026

In 2026, Hiking, Olympic National Park, Sol Duc Falls, Wabi-Sabi

On Wednesday, we drove over to the south side of Lake Crescent for a hike to the Sol Duc Falls.

Along our journey, Alfred – our narrator from the GuideAlong app, encouraged us to stop for a short hike through an old growth forest. Trees over 100-200 years old with little human impact. Yes, please! It was quiet, peaceful and so beautiful.

The mossy ground cover so thick and a beautiful shade of green in the morning sun.

We parked by the Sol Duc Springs and Resort. We decided to hike to the falls via the Lovers Lane Trail and then loop back along the Sol Duc Falls Trail to the Loop B Trail. It was advertised as a 6.2 mile hike. But, like always, our watches said it was a little more than that. Clocking us at 6.5 miles. Every step was beautiful. The most congested part was the Sol Duc Trail. A well maintained 0.8 mile trail from the parking lot to the Falls. I’m glad we had the peace and quiet on the other trails!

Besides the beautiful trees, we saw several more banana slugs. And lots of mushrooms!! At one point during the hike, Dave told me we would never finish if I kept stopping for mushroom pictures. I agreed to only stop if it was one we hadn’t seen before!

We made it to Sol Duc Falls and the Falls were lovely. I had fun playing with the exposure of my waterfall photos.

After the falls, the first part of our hike was well marked. The second part was through a couple campgrounds and not clearly marked. Fortunately, the camp host was more than happy to give directions and help us on our way. We had a couple deer sightings as well.

As we approached the resort, there was a hot spring bubbling along the trail. It was warm and had a strong sulfur smell. Just like a hot spring should!

After our hike, we stopped at the restaurant for a bevvie. Then drove back to our cabin. The view driving back was stunning.

And so was the view along the shores of Lake Crescent, from our cabin.

As always, thanks for reading!

PNW Adventure Begins

By wabisabisole

On August 26, 2026

In 2026, Hiking, Olympic National Park, Tree Burl, Wabi-Sabi, Washington State

Dave and I flew to Seattle on Tuesday. We rented a car and drove to Port Angeles. We are spending the next week plus with our friends, Jennifer and Danny, who recently moved out here. To kick off the trip, we walked downtown to grab dinner. My request was a Dungeness crab.

On Wednesday, Dave and I drove up to Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park. Our first stop was at the top of Hurricane Ridge to do a little reconnaissance mission for Thursday. We walked out to sunrise point. Yes, that’s our plan for Thursday morning – chase sunrise.

I really can’t get over how many mountains there are in ONP. There are mountains as far as you can see. The snow caps are Mount Olympus.

Our next stop was a little bit down the mountain. We parked at the Switchback Trailhead. From here, we hiked up to the top of Klahhane Ridge. It was a steep climb for these Florida Sunshiners.

Here’s some fun science information for you. This picture is of a tree with burls. A tree burl is a large round formation on the trunk of the tree it is caused by a disease, insect or injury. The cells of the tree become mutated and grow in a circular pattern creating the tumor looking burl. Woodworkers love them because they can make really cool bowls or furniture with them.

We continued our climb. My legs and lungs were burning! The view just got better and better. This is what I expected when I thought of ONP. Mountains with lots of evergreen trees!

What I wasn’t expecting was how many different mountains would surround us!

The top of Klahhane Ridge didn’t disappoint. Just when we thought we couldn’t see anything more beautiful- we reach the top and see Port Angeles and water!

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, thank you, and you know I love to talk about rocks. This picture shows how the rock layer stratification has been tilted. Rocks lay down flat. When you see the horizontal layers become vertical, some sort of movement has occurred.

We hiked back down the mountain and worked our way to the visitor center.

The four of us reunited, enjoyed dinner and a walk around town.

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for more adventures from ONP.

Hoh Rainforest

By wabisabisole

On August 22, 2026

In 2026, Hiking, Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Wabi-Sabi

We had another early morning start because we wanted to get to Hoh Rainforest before the crowds. It was about an hour drive to the rainforest. We left Forks at 5:30 and were ready for our first hike through the Hall of Mosses by 6:45. The early bird gets into the park without lines!

So, what is the Hoh Rainforest besides a nerdy tree loving science teacher’s dream come true? It is a temperate rainforest located in ONP. The rainforest receives over 12 feet of rain a year. The rainforest is full of old growth (over a 1,000 years old) Sitka spruce, western hemlock and maple trees. The trees are draped in moss because of the excessively moist environment. The Hall of Mosses trail is a short loop (.8 mile) through a dense section of moss draped trees and giant ferns. It’s one of the most enchanting places I’ve explored. Visiting during the summer means less rain and dryer conditions. I can only imagine how beautiful and perhaps chilly it would be in a steady drizzle.

I took so many pictures!! Before I show you more trees, how about a few mushrooms. The decomposing vibe in the Hoh is strong thanks to these guys.

We thoroughly enjoyed and savored our walk through the Hall of Mosses. A few more photos because it truly is one of my new favorite places.

Now time for a little more science. Part of what has made this area so interesting and unique are nurse logs. Nurse logs are fallen trees that provide nutrients and a protected area for young spruce and hemlock seedlings to sprout. The competition is still tough and only a few trees will last. Eventually, they form a line of trees along the decaying trunk. The new trees grow long legs as they stretch towards the ground. Science is cool.

A few more before telling you about the rest of the rainforest.

Our second hike of the day was the Spruce Trail. It was a 1.2 mile loop through more rainforest and more cool mossy trees.

Besides the trees & mushrooms, we saw three different banana slugs! Did you know, banana slugs can be a variety of colors? Not just yellow. They can be green, white and even black – aka rotten banana slugs! We also saw a funky caterpillar and a snake!

Our final hike for the day was along the Hoh River trail to Mineral Creek Falls about 6 miles round trip. The Hoh River trail is 17.5 miles total ending in Glacial Meadows. We saw lots of over night hikers heading out to the meadows. We were content with our short hike. That being said, by the end of the day, we hiked over 10 miles in the Hoh Rainforest.

Before I wrap this up, a few more mushrooms… I might have been a little obsessed with these cute “fun-guys”.

I know this was an extra long post. If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Hoh Rainforest is truly a special place. Plan a visit – you won’t be disappointed.

Chasing Sunrise and Hurricane Hill

By wabisabisole

On August 21, 2026

In 2026, Hiking, Olympic National Park, Wabi-Sabi

Thursday morning started with an early 4am reveille to of course – chase sunrise! Again, if you’ve been following the blog, you know chasing sunrise is truly one of my passions. And if you’ve vacationed with us, good chance the Dwyer’s are going to suggest a chase! I brought up the idea of going to Sunrise Point on Hurricane Ridge to Danny and Jenn and to my surprise, they were all in! We were out of the house by 4:30am and drove the 45 minutes up to Hurricane Ridge. Our timing was perfect and we had the ridge mostly to ourselves. We had time to walk around and scope out the best spot. Sunrise didn’t disappoint. And watching the sun light up the mountains (including Mount Olympus) was spectacular.

If you decide to make this chase, I will look forward to seeing your pictures. We ending up not staying in sunrise point because the mountain was blocking the view. We think perhaps other times of the year, as the sun shifts in the morning sky the mountain may not have been in the way.

After watching the sunrise, we decided to take the mile drive out Hurricane Hill Road and hike up Hurricane Hill. It was a delightful morning to take a hike.

We made it to the summit and had another amazing view of the mountains peaks all around.

We worked our way back down the mountain enjoying the view.

Once we were back at the Thompson’s, we rested for a bit and then packed up for our weekend adventure. We drove to Forks, Washington where we will be for the weekend. Giving us plenty of time to explore the west side of the park. Along the way, we made a quick stop at Madison Falls.

Our Airbnb in Forks is lovely and will give us a nice chance to explore the area. Thanks for reading. More adventures to share tomorrow! Thanks for reading.

Hiking Levada – Faial Island

By wabisabisole

On June 18, 2026

In 2026, Azores, Faial, Ferry, Hiking, Hydrangeas, Wabi-Sabi

We had an early start Wednesday morning in order to catch the ferry from São Jorge to Faial island. The three islands, Pico, São Jorge and Faial are known as the “Azores Triangle.” The ferry system makes it very easy to hop from one island to another. We will be staying in the city center of Horta. Horta is known as the “bustling hub” with its large marina and international airport.

Upon arrival in Horta, we met our driver Jeffery. We discussed our hike options because the weather is still very overcast with chances of rain. He suggested we revise our scheduled 15 km (9.3 miles) walk and make it a 9km (5.6 miles). We would still walk around the caldera but reroute down and over instead of walking all the way down to the coast in the clouds with no view. We trusted his local knowledge and off we went! The hike started at the top of the volcano and went around the caldera. The fog and wind were present the entire time! Jeffery told us only 50% of his hikers have a chance to see the bottom of the caldera. We kept our fingers crossed to be part of that 50%!

As we walked around the caldera, the winds would blow the fog away for a few seconds and we could catch glimpses of the bottom.

A quick video of the wind, fog and caldera.

The wind was so STRONG!

As we continued around, we could catch glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean in the distance.

A few more pictures from the caldera loop. it was really fun to watch the trail disappear as we hiked.

The second part of the hike was an easy downhill along an access road. The lower section of this road would have consisted of the 6km we didn’t hike. We were glad we chose this route instead!

The third part of the hike was through a well established trail through the forest. We hiked along the manmade canal the entire way. The trail did get a bit muddy at times. Making it all the more fun and adventurous.

Several times we had to cross bridges to continue. The bridges were so well camouflaged!

At one point the trail became very muddy. There was no way around but through!

Several of the trees were very unique!

A few flower pictures to complete the lovely hike.

As we finished, we snapped a finish line selfie and a picture of our muddy boots. Plus, our Mercedes van and Jeffery patiently waiting. This was a very fun hike. We laughed so much about the strong winds and mud. It truly was an adventure!

We cleaned up and made our way out into the town for dinner. We decided on a local bar because rain was imminent. The bars were packed because the Portugal / RD Congo soccer game was on TV. We settled in and ordered yet another cheese plate and wine. So, yummy.

As always, thank you for reading! Cheers!

Lighthouse Hike

By wabisabisole

On June 17, 2026

In 2026, Azores, Ferry, Hiking, Hydrangeas, São Jorge, Wabi-Sabi

Tuesday’s adventure on São Jorge was a 10km hike out to a lighthouse on the eastern end of the island. First, breakfast. We are staying at Casa do Antonio. It is a very lovely bed and breakfast right in the downtown of Velas. Breakfast was simple and included all the important items: coffee, yogurt, and cheese! Four different types of cheese all made here in the island.

The small rectangular piece was my favorite

After breakfast, our driver Antonio, picked us up to take us to the start of the hike. We were supposed to hike an extra long hike from crest to crest and then hike down similar to what we did yesterday. But, the weather didn’t cooperate. It is very foggy this morning at “higher” elevations. Instead, Antonio recommended a hike out to the lighthouse. Sounds good – let’s go!

Instead of using Macs Adventure app to track our hike I used AllTrails. Antonia dropped us off and said to call him once we reached the park. Off we go! A foggy hike awaits.

The first half of the hike to the lighthouse was completely in the fog. Instead of focusing on the non existent view, we turned our attention to the beautiful fauna.

Prior to reaching the lighthouse, we climbed stairs to view an old whale spotting shelter. Whaling was legal for about 100 years before being globally banded in 1986.

We ate lunch by the whale spotting tower and watched as the fog rolled in and out. Trying to burn off…

After our picnic lunch, we made our way to the lighthouse. It was definitely not picturesque lighthouse we were expecting!!

Well. Let’s keep going…. Back up / down the foggy trail we go!

I took a picture of the sign showing this was a protected area. If you look closely, you can see where the lighthouse is located and how much the island continues and juts out in a very narrow ridge with steep cliffs on either side.

Our hike back took us past many pastures with lots of happy cows.

Without fail, we made it to the park. I called Antonio and let him know we made it and ready for a pickup. He gave me a 40 minute standby. Which worked out because the park where we were meeting was unexpected as well. It had little trails throughout with lots of different trees, plants and moss!

Another unexpected find was a beautiful tile mural depicting how laundry was done. This was communal area beside an old church.

While we waited, we also saw a cow parade. We saw this group of cows on our way back from our hike. The farmers were using the bull to impregnate the cows. I’m assuming after his chance in the pen with the cows they take them back to their own farm for the night? Farm life is interesting.

Cow parade

Antonio picked us up and on the way back to our hotel, he arranged for us to have picnic breakfast for the early ferry and for a taxi to pick us up. His hospitality and attention to detail has been spot on! There are only two restaurants downtown Velas. Unfortunately, the one we didn’t try last night is closed on Tuesday. So, we returned to the same one and tried different plates – except the cheesy garlic bread. It was too good to not order again.

Tomorrow we catch an early ferry to the island of Faial. We are hoping for clearer weather because we are scheduled to hike around a volcano caldera. Thanks for reading!

Hiking Pilgram’s Pass

By wabisabisole

On June 16, 2026

In 2026, Azores, Ferry, Hiking, São Jorge, Wabi-Sabi

Monday morning we caught the ferry from Madalena on Pico Island to Velas on São Jorge Island. The process of checking in, checking our luggage, and then boarding the ferry was incredibly smooth and efficient.

Boarding selfie. You might notice a theme in our selfies today… crazy hair!

The ferry took about and 1.5 hours. Although the seas appeared calm, the ferry was a bit rocky!

We arrived in Velas around 11:15. Collected our luggage and meet our taxi driver without issue. We were not supposed to begin our hike until 1:30pm. We asked Antonio, our driver, if we could start as soon as possible. He had another group going as well and arranged with them to go early. He was so kind and accommodating. He dropped us at the hotel and went to get the group while we checked in. Our accommodation is a Bed and Breakfast, Casa de Antonio. Our host, Antonio, had our room ready and helped us check in and then showed us to our room. The hospitality was top notch. Our driver, Antonio, returned and off we went on our 5.6 mile hike!

The Pilgram’s Path hike is known to be one of the most beautiful on the island. It begins at Topo, one of the island’s crests, and descends down to the north coast. It was used by pilgrims to reach the wild north coast which is still very isolated.

“The Walker” statue tributes all who hike trails in the Azores

We had been given many warnings the trail is very steep especially in the beginning. The warnings were validated as we descended! But, first – the view!

If only we were a few weeks later, we would see all the hydrangeas in bloom.

The views were incredible. I’m not sure I’ve seen anything like it before. It was so quiet and peaceful.

As we descended, the trail would change and close in and yet remained very rocky.

About 2/3 of the way down we stopped to enjoy our picnic lunch. Perhaps our peanut butter and crackers and an apple weren’t gourmet… but, the view certainly was!

As we continued down, we caught up with a river and a little waterfall.

Plus, at lower the lower elevation we started to see blooming hydrangeas.

We saw this roof from above and it looked tiny. Obviously, human size once we were next to it. And our first view of the island’s north coastline.

Fajā Santo Cristo is a one of a kind sight. Only accessible by foot (or now also 4 wheelers) it has a beautiful church and lagoon. This was my first time actually walking through a hamlet!

The north coast is protected and now considered a surfer’s paradise. As we climbed back up it was easy to understand why. The wave train had perfectly timed crests.

We continued our “relatively” flat climb for the second half of our hike. The dirt/ rock trail had lots of ups and downs with more amazing views.

One of my favorite pictures of the day. My mom celebrated her 77th birthday today and here she is at trail marker 77!

We made it to the finish line a bit later than we hoped. We truly “savored” the experience. I called Antonio earlier and let him know we were running late. He was so kind and understanding. We also met up with the other hikers he was transferring. They had used the extra time to swim in the lagoon. On our way home, we ran into a cow jam. The farmers walk their cows to the milking building and then walk them back to their farm. Truly happy cows make the best cheese! São Jorge is known for their delicious cheese!

We returned to the hotel, showered, and went out to dinner!

It was an amazing day. The hike was one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done. I would also rate it as a moderate challenge with the amount of descent we did. As always, thanks for reading!

Hiking Church to Church in Pico

By wabisabisole

On June 14, 2026

In 2026, Azores, Hiking, Pico Island, Wabi-Sabi

Our Saturday started early with a 4:15 reveille in order to catch a 7am flight from Porta Delgado to Pico. The flight was quick – about 45 minutes. The plane was cute but not terribly small.

Like most islands you cross the tarmac to board

Our transfer dropped us at our hotel. We were prepared to drop our bags and start hiking while we waited for our room. However, to our delight, the room was ready and we were invited to enjoy breakfast. Yes, please! After breakfast, we headed out for our 7.6 mile coastal hike. The hike started and ended at a church.

The hike took us along the beautiful coastline.

The hike hugged the coast in the beginning and gave us so many beautiful views of huge rocks and Faial Island. We will visit Faial island towards the end of our trip.

We have been hoping to see hydrangeas in bloom. And we did! So many and so many colors.

The other interesting part of the hike was all the grapevines and the creative way they have adapted to grow them. To protect the vines from wind and weather, they use the basalt rock to build half circles around them. This blocks the wind/ weather and also provides the vines with support as they grow.

We followed the trail provided by Macs Adventure and it was also well marked with horizontal red and yellow lines. There would be a yellow and red X if you went the wrong way and a red turn if you needed to turn.

One of my favorite parts of the hike took us between the grapevine and down a rocky corridor. So unique.

Along the route there were several natural swimming holes. We were tempted to jump in for a swim… but, the morning was still cool and we kept on stepping. Plus, the waves were pretty intense.

The trail took us inland a couple times and the temperature would warm and the breeze would stop. Also, we had quite a few up and downs. Eventually, we had one final uphill push to our finish line church.

We had a taxi pick us up and returned us to the hotel. Our hike was 7.67 miles and took us about 4 hours. It was a good hike to work off the jet lag and help us get acclimated. We picked a Tapas & wine bar for dinner. We ordered tuna tataki, shrimp bao bun and tempura veggies. Plus wine. And dessert. Crème brûlée and cheesecake. Absolutely, delicious.

It was a very delightful day and I was definitely ready to sleep by the end. As always, thank you for reading.

Florida to Ponta Delgado

By wabisabisole

On June 13, 2026

In 2026, Azores, Hiking, Wabi-Sabi

Summer vacation! My mom and I left Florida Thursday morning. Our destination- Ponta Delgado in the Azores. We had a slightly long layer over in Boston before catching our red eye flight to the big island of São Miguel.

The Azores are a collection of nine islands off the coast of Portugal. We are using the same company, Macs Adventure, as we used when we went to Greece a couple years ago. They arrange all of our transfers, accommodations and hikes. We will spend the week hopping around four of the nine islands.

Our arrival was too early to check into our hotel. So, we dropped our bags and grabbed breakfast. A delicious bowl of yogurt and fresh fruit and scrambled eggs plus an assortment of Azores bread.

A few shots of the gates to the city and the reflection pond.

After refueling, we set out for an hike to the botanical garden of José do Canto. He lived during the 19th century and was an avid arborist. He planted a unique assortment of trees around his mansion and property. We enjoyed a nice stroll admiring his eclectic green thumb.

We wondered back to city center. The streets of Ponta Delgado are made of black Basalt and White Limestone. They are lovely. Different streets have different designs.

By this point, we were running out of steam. Jet lag is real! We decided to have lunch and a beer. Priming ourselves for a nap. Pizza and beer!

Our timing was perfect. Right as we ordered, I received a call from our hotel informing us our room was ready! Yay! Nap time!

We woke up somewhat refreshed and wondered out to get provisions for our hike in the morning and a small snack. Dinner consisted of a cheese board, olives, and local wine from the island of Pico.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel because in the morning we have a 7am flight to Pico followed by a 7 mile hike. Adventure awaits! As always, thanks for reading.

Cannon Beach to Lincoln City

By wabisabisole

On September 27, 2025

In 2025, Hiking, Oregon, Plank, Road trip, The Beach, Travel

Before leaving the northern part of the coast, we went to Ecola State Park for a lovely morning hike. Ecola SP has been the filming location for several movies. The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Point Break and Twilight. The rocky coast line and dramatic cliff make it perfect for the big screen. Our hike was a 3.5 loop with 1000ft of elevation.

After our hike and check out, we started our drive down the coast. Our final destination was Lincoln City.

We are using the GuideAlong app again. Alfred our narrator, is like having an old friend in the car. Plus, he has so many stories and knows where all the fun places to stop are located. Like Pronto Pups! We wouldn’t have stopped for a Pronto Pup if Alfred hadn’t told us it was the original Pronto Pup location!

Our next stop was at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. We completed the self guided tour, sampled cheese and decided to enjoy some ice cream!

Alfred gave us two options for the drive. We could hug the coast or go more inland on the 101. We decided to take the scenic coastal drive. We had so many fun places to stop. The first was Cape Meares to see the light house and Octopus Tree! The Octopus Tree is a 300 year old Sitka Pine and there is still debate as to how the Octopus Tree formed. Naturally or was it created by humans. We may never know…

Our drive continued along the coast with a stop for some salt and salted caramels at Jacobsen Salt Company. (Another suggestion by Alfred) They harvest the salt from the Pacific Ocean and ship to chefs all around the world. The caramels made a lovely addition to our car snacks.

The last stop along this part of the coast was Pacific City. We hopped out to see the beach and were amazed at the giant sand dune.

We made it to Lincoln City in time for check in. The inn is right on the ocean. It’s so lovely. We slept with the sliding door open listening to the waves all night. Nature’s natural sound machine.