I struggled about how to write this post! How to share the story without boring and with as few pictures as possible -- so I'm going to break it into sections.
Camping
We left on Wednesday, August 26th, took the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston, and then drove across the Hood Canal Bridge, through Port Gamble, Sequim and Port Angeles -- headed South toward Forks, WA. We camped across the river from La Push in a National Parks campground called Mora. The campsites in Mora are mostly pretty small, but we found one where we could pitch three tents and park two cars, all for the very reasonable fee of $6 per night. For those of you who have a qualifying family member -- a Fedral Access pass is golden!
Kyle is not the best camper.....and might I say that I am about finished with tent camping....I'm at an age where having a self-contained camping vehicle would make me very happy -- no tent zippers to wake them entire camp as I yet again traipse through camp to the bathroom and lose my way because I can't see a blasted thing in the dark -- flashlights are very little help!
Anyway, Kyle brought his i-pod, sang and danced his way through the trip. When it started raining, he would sit for hours in the care, listening to his i-pod and being content -- yet another plug for a tailer --- a place he'd feel more comfortable.
In the above photos: top = our camp. Below right: Scott and Derek in their tent. Below left: Sunny and Scott reading and doing Sudoku.
One of the biggest reasons the boys don't like me to go camping with them is that I insist on taking two camping boxes.....and I always have a pot of water on the campstove -- I like clean dishes and hands -- so sue me!
Above top: Scott, Sunny and Derek -- bottom left: Derek escaping being "it" in Kyle's game of tag -- bottom right: Jon cooking our most amazing foil dinners
Jon, Derek and I went down at night to Rialto beach to find some driftwood for our fire. The two photos on the left are them breaking the wood -- the fuzzy "drops" are NOT rain, or mist -- it was just very humid that night and the camera picked up moisture in the air.
We were going to camp for 4 nights. Wednesday and Thursday were beautiful days! It started raining on Friday, rained all day and all night. Saturday, the rain was not letting up, and I was finished. Several sleeping bags were wet, the "blue sky" was leaking, and I was done. We had driven two cars, so I made the grand announcement: "I am going home! You can stay and come home tomorrow, but I'm not staying. I'm done! Pack up anything you want to send with me!" After some discussion it was decided, that most of the sleeping bags were wet, the tents were beginning leak, they were so water-logged, and that we would all go home.....together. Jon was disappointed because he wanted one more day, but he gallantly gave in and came home. I guess this makes me a "fair weather camper" -- and guess what? I don't care!
We were going to camp for 4 nights. Wednesday and Thursday were beautiful days! It started raining on Friday, rained all day and all night. Saturday, the rain was not letting up, and I was finished. Several sleeping bags were wet, the "blue sky" was leaking, and I was done. We had driven two cars, so I made the grand announcement: "I am going home! You can stay and come home tomorrow, but I'm not staying. I'm done! Pack up anything you want to send with me!" After some discussion it was decided, that most of the sleeping bags were wet, the tents were beginning leak, they were so water-logged, and that we would all go home.....together. Jon was disappointed because he wanted one more day, but he gallantly gave in and came home. I guess this makes me a "fair weather camper" -- and guess what? I don't care!Drying out -- in the backyard -- at home!
Another happy-to-be-leaving-fair-weather-camper. This boy had been carrying around the ferry schedule for an entire day, showing everyone the "boat" and saying, "Go home."
Blue Sky
In Washington there is an insurance company called Pemco. They have the greatest commercials. There's one about the "sandals and socks guy", and one that says, "Northwest Dad, camping in the rain, you bring your own blue sky with you. Here's to you, you're a lot like us. A little different." Well it so happened that we brought our own "blue sky" with us, for which I was grateful......we could sit and be dry. Jon and Derek were ingenious in their design and implementation of our shelter. The brought long driftwood poles back from the beach anchored them with the table and used the one lone tree in our campsight to make our "blue sky" work. Thanks guys -- it was great!
Eating dinner and playing cards.
In Washington there is an insurance company called Pemco. They have the greatest commercials. There's one about the "sandals and socks guy", and one that says, "Northwest Dad, camping in the rain, you bring your own blue sky with you. Here's to you, you're a lot like us. A little different." Well it so happened that we brought our own "blue sky" with us, for which I was grateful......we could sit and be dry. Jon and Derek were ingenious in their design and implementation of our shelter. The brought long driftwood poles back from the beach anchored them with the table and used the one lone tree in our campsight to make our "blue sky" work. Thanks guys -- it was great!Eating dinner and playing cards.James Island
James Island at Rialto Beach in the sunshine! It was gorgeous.
James Island -- one day later -- in the rain! This too was gorgeous, just in a different way....in many ways I loved this better! The swells were bigger and I loved watching the waves break....could've stayed for hours. One night Jon and I came down to the beach, none of the kids wanted to come, "it's raining" -- Jon was playing near the waves, looking for interesting rocks, a big wave broke, he turned to run, slipped in the rocks and face planted, as the wave swirled up around him -- soaked to the waist! Good thing he had on a water proof coat or he'd have been entirely drenched. We had a blanket in the car, so he took off his wet clothes, wrapped up in the blanket (good thing for a deserted parking lot) and I drove back to camp, grabbed his bag and then we went back to the beach parking so he could change in relative privacy.....at least it was dark! It was pretty funny -- and a great adventure.
James Island at Rialto Beach in the sunshine! It was gorgeous.James Island -- one day later -- in the rain! This too was gorgeous, just in a different way....in many ways I loved this better! The swells were bigger and I loved watching the waves break....could've stayed for hours. One night Jon and I came down to the beach, none of the kids wanted to come, "it's raining" -- Jon was playing near the waves, looking for interesting rocks, a big wave broke, he turned to run, slipped in the rocks and face planted, as the wave swirled up around him -- soaked to the waist! Good thing he had on a water proof coat or he'd have been entirely drenched. We had a blanket in the car, so he took off his wet clothes, wrapped up in the blanket (good thing for a deserted parking lot) and I drove back to camp, grabbed his bag and then we went back to the beach parking so he could change in relative privacy.....at least it was dark! It was pretty funny -- and a great adventure.On the opposite side of the river is the town of La Push, and the river runs into the ocean.
Rialto Beach
Standing by the huge driftwood logs at the entrance to Rialto Beach. This is my favorite beach because it's rocky instead of sandy, and the waves are larger and closer, even when the tide is out.
Once he got over the driftwood, Kyle loved throwing rocks and racing waves.
Same beach different day! This is the day that Kyle got caught by a wave -- see video in previous post....
Sunny and Kyle -- Scott -- Waves -- this was Saturday, the cars were packed and ready to go, but we had to have one last trip to the beach.
OOPS! A little out of order -- Kyle throwing rocks
Again -- out of order --- Kyle being "sad" after he got run over by the wave. 
This is not the wave that "caught" Kyle -- but you get the idea.....Klaloch Beach
We drove to Klaloch (clay-lock) Beach -- which is about 35 miles South of where we were camped. This beach also has a campground, but it generally needs to be reserved months in advance, and since we didn't decide to go camping until 3 weeks before we left, we didn't try to find a spot here. But Jon and the boys love this beach too -- and while I'll admit I found it more charming than the last time we were here, it's still not my favorite. This is a sandy beach and it's very fun too. 
We had a picnic when we arrived and before we trekked down to the beach. Also thank goodness for bathrooms at the campground here! And yes, we had peanut butter sandwiches, at a picnic table before the beach. It worked and no one was hungry. Satisfied, maybe not.....but still not hungry and that was sufficient. Kyle, of course, didn't have peanut butter.
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We had a picnic when we arrived and before we trekked down to the beach. Also thank goodness for bathrooms at the campground here! And yes, we had peanut butter sandwiches, at a picnic table before the beach. It worked and no one was hungry. Satisfied, maybe not.....but still not hungry and that was sufficient. Kyle, of course, didn't have peanut butter.A very nice lady snapped this family photo -- and I like it -- it turned quite nice.
Front: Sunny, Scott, Kyle
Back: Ronna (me), Jon, Derek
Derek, Scott and Sunny put on their swimming suits and went for a dip....
Scott and Jon -- both smiling at the same time -- BELIEVE IN MIRACLES! THEY HAPPEN! Derek, Scott and Jon had fun skipping rocks in a small pond that emptied into the ocean....it's completely surrounded by driftwood and very cool. You can see, that this was discovered before they went swimming -- sorry about the topsy-turvy picture order.
Jon took a picture of all of us in front of the mouth of a "cave" -- or so it seems from the beach. It looks like a small opening in a tangle of tree branches -- but walk five feet down the little trail and it opens up into a most beautiful grove of trees!
WHY? Just not sure why she wrote the message moments before he was gonna dunk her in the water!
Kyle would not swim -- he wouldn't even take off his shoes and socks. He has very definite ideas about acceptable behavior and taking your shoes and socks off at the beach does not fall into any category of acceptability. Throwing rocks.....that's fine, but keep the shoes on!
Jon got in the water for a bit -- before the kids put their suits on -- he's firmly in the "shoes off" category and I'm more with Kyle -- shoes on for safety and comfort. Kyle was so proud of himself in (above) he climbed onto his driftwood perch all by himself. And climbing is not necessarily one of his favorite pasttimes either.
Twilight
Yes dear reader, we were in "Twilight" country. Alas, the only moments we could spare were stopping at the corner turn-off to the campground where this sign was displayed -- you can see that Scott is over-joyed to be in this photo. The other side of the sign reads, "No Vampires Allowed -- Treaty Line" I did snap the "Dazzled by Twilight" which is a souvenir shop in Forks. Sunny, Scott and I did walk through the store (Scott under protest -- all the other men refused, flat out to be caught with us). It is amazing the amount of merchandise around the book. We didn't do the "Twilight" tour through Forks, nor did we drive the 5 miles from camp to see La Push. I suppose the case could be made that we aren't true "Twilight" fans -- I loved the books.....but the tourist scene -- not my cup-of-tea.
Klaloch Beach -- where driftwood goes to die.....
Twilight
Yes dear reader, we were in "Twilight" country. Alas, the only moments we could spare were stopping at the corner turn-off to the campground where this sign was displayed -- you can see that Scott is over-joyed to be in this photo. The other side of the sign reads, "No Vampires Allowed -- Treaty Line" I did snap the "Dazzled by Twilight" which is a souvenir shop in Forks. Sunny, Scott and I did walk through the store (Scott under protest -- all the other men refused, flat out to be caught with us). It is amazing the amount of merchandise around the book. We didn't do the "Twilight" tour through Forks, nor did we drive the 5 miles from camp to see La Push. I suppose the case could be made that we aren't true "Twilight" fans -- I loved the books.....but the tourist scene -- not my cup-of-tea.
Driftwood
Klaloch Beach -- where driftwood goes to die.....
I loved all the driftwood. Some of the logs are enormous and it constantly amazed me that there could be so much driftwood of such size, all up and down the coast. I loved it.....I loved taking pictures of the shapes and sizes.
This is the pond where the boys were skipping rocks -- Klaloch Beach
Above: Rialto Beach
This is the pond where the boys were skipping rocks -- Klaloch Beach
Above: Rialto BeachDriving in the car...
Trees and other interesting things.....
I loved the beauty of the trees -- the different shapes, sizes, colors and textures.....I know, I get a bit carried away....but beauty surrounds us and I don't stop to appreciate it enough.
This tree is a tree in the campground at Mora -- I thought it was so cool, looking up from the base of the tree.
This fence caught my eye....Derek grumbled when I stopped to take a picture -- but that did not deter me.
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This is an interesting monument in downtown Forks.
Trees and other interesting things.....I loved the beauty of the trees -- the different shapes, sizes, colors and textures.....I know, I get a bit carried away....but beauty surrounds us and I don't stop to appreciate it enough.This tree is a tree in the campground at Mora -- I thought it was so cool, looking up from the base of the tree.
This fence caught my eye....Derek grumbled when I stopped to take a picture -- but that did not deter me..JPG)
This is an interesting monument in downtown Forks.We had a great time camping together. Everyone got along, the food was good and the time away was well spent and well deserved! It pains me to think and wonder how many more family vacation trips we will share, as in the coming years the boys grow and change and determine the direction their lives will take. I'm forever grateful for this trip together.
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