Tango and I are holed up for 7 days at the beach! After wandering here and there, spending only a night or two in one place, we discovered that Kalaloch Campground in Olympic National Park, which is situated on a low bluff and overlooking the ocean. The campground does not start reservations until closer to Memorial Day. That means the entire campground is first come-first serve until then. Rule #4 for on the road adventuring is, “when you see something sweet, grab the opportunity.  Many of the sites overlook the ocean, others are in the forest. I managed to find one big enough for the camper that is just across from the direct ocean view sites. Because the RV is elevated, I still have great ocean views from my windows. The fire pit is behind the RV and away from the ocean breezes, a great retreat in the evening after exposure all day. I am in the long loop at the top of the photo below, D38. 

I was traveling through SE Alaska last year in May, driving on and off the ferry. I find myself comparing then and now. I enjoyed the cat-like mobility that I had last year. I was driving the tiny Honda Civic and tent camping, perfect for island hopping via the ferry. This year, I am enjoying having my tiny house on wheels and all the amenities. It is slow-go compared to last year, but that is the mode I wanted this time. 

Some of the things I like most about the RV this year include having the choice to be outside or inside. When the weather turns cold or misty, I have a comfy retreat inside where I can read, paint, or cook. Last year, if I was away from warm cafes or libraries, which was most of the time, I was in the elements all day and night.  In the worst weather, I sat in the car reading or listening to audio books. The other premier feature of the RV is having a comfy place to wash my hair. Did I mention that last year I washed my hair using creek water on several occasions when I could not find a shower? I scooped it up in my collapsible bucket, heated the water on my one-burner stove, soaped up my hair, and did my best to rinse. Now I can wash it in the sink. I am not taking showers right now in the RV because I am not plugged into a water source as I travel. A shower would quickly drain my water tank and fill the gray water tank with the waste. Later in the summer when I am a camp host I will have full utilities again. For now, it is sponge baths and washing my hair in the sink, an upgrade from last summer, as I mentioned.

I had seriously considered traveling with just the van this summer. That is a step up from tent camping in terms of comfy sleeping, but it still leaves me in the elements more than I want this time. Van camping is great for shorter trips, but I am on the road now until October. I love having my house with me. It is the best of all possible worlds. Maybe I will feel differently next year, but after such a spartan trip last year, I am enjoying the full range of comforts.

Back to the beach. From the steps to the low tide line it is about 50 yards, so it is wide with plenty of space for exploring. The beach extends for miles in each direction so Tango and I are doing our long distance walking right here. He loves running and walking on the cooler sand near the water and I am finding that sand walking works different muscles. It also takes considerably more energy, so I am pooped when we finally return. I could do this every day, and I am planning to circle back around here in June instead of heading inland to do my long distance walking. I may not be able to get a reservation at Kalaloch, where I am now, but there is a non-reservation, rustic campground down the road. Rustic means no potable water spigots or bathrooms, which do not matter to me. This campground has water and a dump station so I can get what I need here.

I love this area! Another very cool thing is the nearby Kalaloch Lodge, also part of the National Park. You can drive there on 101 or simply walk about ½ mile down the beach. Yesterday I left Tango in the RV and walked down the beach to have a late breakfast at the lodge restaurant. I had the best table, right next to the window and overlooking the beach. It was a great splurge, pricey but worth every penny.

Neighbors have come and gone all week. They are mostly older at this time of you. Only one has been unfriendly. He is van-camping across the street in a site that directly faces the ocean. He has a nice cozy place set up with an umbrella chair, near the fire pit, where he sits when he is not out walking the beach. The guy is about my age but when Tango and I walk by his body language is like a neon sign screaming, “Don’t stop, don’t talk to me, keep moving.” One time he was sitting in the van and when he saw us walking by, he pulled the van door shut! I don’t know what is going on with him but he seems so grumpy and negative. Okay, no problem. I can respect people’s space. Besides, there is no better place to work through whatever is bothering him. On the other extreme, in the site to the other side of me, I found a younger guy who was tent camping. He wanted to talk often and I frequently saw him looking my direction and smiling. If I had opened up more he would probably invite me over to his campfire and talked all evening. However, I am somewhere in between him and the grumpy guy. I am friendly but I want lots of space and freedom.

Besides walking, I am painting. In fact, yesterday, I painted on and off all day. I am learning how to do abstract works and am exploring two totally different subjects. I am making the most progress with abstract flowers in vivid colors. I also have the urge to paint cliff dwellings in southwest colors. This is, no doubt, leftover from my recent time in NM and long-ago time in AZ. Every day I learn a bit more, now using some books I bought before I left. I don’t have much Internet service so I cannot watch U-tube videos at the moment.

Besides painting, I am also writing quite a bit. I have wanted to do something book-length about my travels but was lacking a context. It is not enough to have stories to tell; a book needs something to link it all together. Travel as a metaphor for self-discovery is about the most overdone theme in writing. I know this because I read that kind of stuff all the time, and I have a wishlist on Amazon filled with hundreds of additional titles that I may or may not read in my lifetime. I did not want to do more of the same. I wanted a more unique and specific angle to the journey. Something fresh! I gave up last summer trying to force-fit a framework, but here at the beach as I brainstormed again (and opened up my creative forces through painting), a structure came to me. So, we will see how it goes!

I don’t have much Internet here but I have gladly traded that for daily beach walks and falling asleep to the sound of waves!