This morning, we woke up at about 6:30AM with the intention of packing up and crossing the Hoh River as early as possible. Based on the tide maps on the WTA website, low tides were at 6AM and 6PM, and high tides were at 12AM and 12PM.
By 7AM, we were wading through the mouth of the Hoh River in waist-high water. The river was flowing very strongly and lucky-for-me, Mike came up with an idea to use a stick to help anchor ourselves to the ground of the river with each and every step. Without this stick, there is a high chance that I would have lost my footing while wading across the river.
The trail itself had many similarities to the Lost Coast Trail:
- Very remote and relatively difficult for the public to access
- Alternating beach hiking and overland hiking
- Numerous rivers and waterfalls flowing directly into the ocean
- Backcountry camping (For the most part, camp wherever you want to
The highlights of the hiking trail were:
- Beautiful overland portions (especially the 2nd overland portion with the waterfall/river and the last overland portion with the water flowing into the ocean)
- Many sea stacks and tide pools along the trail
- Ascending and descending steep portions of the trail with stairs and ropes
- Swimming in the numerous semi-circle ocean coves
Spending time with Mike really made me think about my negative, dismissive views of organized religion. My views are that passionate followers of especially illogical religions (such as Mormonism, and Scientology) are stupid, brainwashed and are wasting their lives. Through spending time with Mike, it became crystal clear that religion had a very positive effect on all areas of his life. His religion (and the values that come along with it) can be directly given credit for the following:
- Mike doesn’t drink alcohol, smoke weed, or drink caffeine
- He married at age 22 and as a 31-year-old he has three kids. His wife is OK with him taking days off at a time to go backpacking on his own and even take month-long cross-country road trips on his own
- He has gained immense skills and confidence in dealing with people from his time spent living in Chile and being a missionary
- He has a framework through which he can have an easier time making decisions that are rational and right (at least based on the beliefs he holds)
If the worth of a religion can be judged by the quality and character of its adherents, I think mormonism is not a bad one. So far, the mormons that I’ve met have been living family-oriented lives, refraining from the “porns of life,” and have generally been respectful and kind.
At about 6:30 PM, we arrived at “Scott’s Beach,” an expansive sandy area near a strong-flowing creek. At that point, the choice seemed to be to camp at Scott’s Beach or to hike another couple of hours and camp at Third Beach. We decided to have a relaxing afternoon and camp at “Scott’s Beach.” True to his resourceful nature, Mike used a tarp to create a makeshift sun blocker which served well for the next couple of hours. We spent a a few hours gathering food and building a fire near our tents. Then, Mike used two sticks to create a (highly effective) laundry drying line near the campfire. During our discussions, Mike recommended I read “The Millionaire Next Door” and “Against all Enemies” by Tom Clancy. He also suggested I listen to the album “Millencolin” by the Pennybridge Pioneers.
