April 6,7,8 Spring Break

I like to fly.  Flying is good.  I wish I had wings and could transport myself to see each and everyone of my kids and their families, whenever I liked.  But alas, for fair or for foul, I am but human and without wings and must purchase passage as time and cash flow allows and occassionally I must play the part of prodigal child and return to my birthplace. 

I started my Spring Break 2012 a teeny-tiny bit early by taking the plane to Sacramento and visiting with my parents.  It was a working visit, with housecleaning, cooking and laundry to do between visits with relatives and taking Dad's new best friend, Titus, (a german shepard) for a daily run.  My dad takes Titus twice a day for a 2-4 mile run--Dad on a bicycle--which keeps them both in pretty great shape.  I only did the am run with them; I was too tuckered by evening to run again!  Early bedtimes did, however, allow me the pleasure of reading two books while I was there!  Dad has his hands pretty full with my mom and so when I visit I try to help tidy things up a bit and make life a bit simplier for my dad for a time.

My sweetie missed me when I was gone, so he took some time off from work and the day after I got home we ran away from phones and e-mails to Kalaloch and had us some beach time!



This is the view south towards the mouth of the river.  Welcome to our happy place!--(Well at least it is my happy place and my sweetie is happy when I am happy...right?.)



We were able to nab a spot on the cliffside loop.  We had lots of warm sunshine and yummy food to eat, with a warm, dry bed to sleep in.  It was clamming weekend so the campground was full by nightfall.



I married well.  Love this man.



The sun was setting and it was magic hour, so I tried a little landscape photography with my little point and shoot.  That is Kalaloch lodge up on the hill.  We once took the kids and stayed in one of the cabins on a wild January weekend.  The tide was way out that night and everyone was out on the beach under a full moon.  It was kind of cool and scary with the waves crashing, but you couldn't see them!  On this trip we were tucked well into bed in the back of the Previa by nightfall!



There seemed to be an amazing amount of hugh driftwood trees on the beach.  Must have been some wicked storms this winter.



Wind swept evergreen on the bluff above the trail.



Sun setting on a beautiful day; lots of sunshine and relative warmth.



Next day, we hiked north and checked out the tide pools.  Notice the logs up on top of the rocks.  What force the winter waves must have.



View down the beach, back towards the campground.



Small waterfall tucked in the bend just before the head.



This spot, north of Kalaloch has great tidepools.  You have to hike about half a mile on the beach to get to them.  The tide was on the way in, so we got there a little on the late side.



But still beautiful.  Maybe it is the force of the waves that relaxes me or perhaps just the constant white noise of the waves breaking.  I don't know, maybe it is just sunshine and salt air---all I know is that you can't bottle it.



Another sunset shot.  Next morning we had to check out and return home--back to reality.  On the way out we decided to stop and see Ruby Beach--just up the road.  In all of our years going out to this part of the Washington coast, we had never stopped here before.  What a treat!



View from the trail down the cliff.



View through the trees, just before you step out onto the beach.



Yes we got to climb over these logs at the mouth of the creek.



The creek was pretty swollen, you can see it just off to the right.  There was not a way to cross without getting wet on this day so we stayed south of the creek.



Tim pointing out Destruction Island.



Nice view of Destruction Island--lots of ships used to crash out on the rocks.



Great tide pools here too!  Next time I will be better prepared to wade through the water!





Talk about rugged ...  the beach is nice too...



Just lots of that rugged NW beauty.





What shall we name this?



Sea stars everywhere.



At one point, the creek water collected and created a reflecting pool before it emptied into the sea.



The reflecting pool is to our back with the ocean at our face.  Wrong time of year to find glass floats, we probably would need to be further north anyway.

The drive home is a long one, so we had to get a start.  Deep sigh....



Time to return to reality.  We will go back to Ruby again someday. 

Maybe in the next life, I will get to live on a beach and not have to drive so long to get there. Once again--wings would be handy!
 
~video wouldn't load this time so you will have to use your imaginations!

XO