2018 Washington State – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Gold Mountain, the Kitsap County, Washington High Point (11-28-18)

Day 6 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State!

I might have known.

Known, what? What’s wrong, SPHP?

Oh, nothing much, Looper. Mountains of gold are notoriously difficult to find. No doubt this is just par for the course.

You can’t find Gold Mountain?

Not exactly, not yet, but I’m certain we can’t be too far from it.

Well, maybe you should quit driving in circles and back and forth, and just follow the treasure map!

That was part of the problem. SPHP had only printed out the portion of the treasure map that actually showed Gold Mountain (1,761 ft.) and a small area close to it. Additional notes on what roads to take to get to the trailhead, and what SPHP could remember about their configuration, weren’t matching up with reality. The topo map was old, as treasure maps are apt to be. Apparently new roads had been built, and new names given to old roads.

Talk about confusing! SPHP drove right past the Gold Creek trailhead thinking it couldn’t be the right place since the roads to it weren’t as shown on the ancient treasure map. Half an hour plus of useless driving around later, Lupe was back. Yeah, this was it!

The Gold Creek trailhead was huge. Two different trails left it, just as Lupe’s friend mountaineer Jobe Wymore had said.

Lupe arrives at the entrance to the **Gold Creek trailhead**. Photo looks ESE.

The **Gold Creek trailhead** was huge, and practically empty. Photo looks SSW.

Only a couple of other vehicles were around when SPHP finally parked the CX3. (12:18 PM, 47°F) The low, gray sky promised a genuine Pacific Northwest experience. Light rain fell as Lupe sniffed about the parking lot while SPHP tried to remember which trail to take. A map posted at the trailhead showed a trail to Green Mountain (1,700 ft.), but none to Gold Mountain. Hmm.

Yesterday evening, Jobe had been very specific about which trail to take. It had all been so clear then, that SPHP hadn’t bothered writing it down. Pure genius! All SPHP could really remember was that the correct route started out going E or NE sort of in the direction of Gold Creek, but soon took a turn to the SE. Actually following the creek was a no-no.

Well, how hard could it be? Lupe only had two options. The Gold Creek trail left the N end of the trailhead heading NE. Hundreds of feet farther S, the Tin Mine trail went E. Both trails immediately disappeared into the forest.

Not at all certain it was the right thing to do, SPHP let Lupe start up the Gold Creek trail.

Loopster at the start of the **Gold Creek trail**. Photo looks NE.

The Gold Creek trail was a wide, well-worn path. It wound through a dense forest. The dreary sky wept a steady rain. Lupe came to many puddles and places where the trail itself was a small stream.

SPHP watched for a turn to the SE, but Lupe didn’t come to one. She had only been on the trail 10 minutes when the roar of Gold Creek could be heard to the N. Peering through the forest, it was soon possible to see Gold Creek down in a big ravine. Gold Creek was much larger than SPHP had imagined.

After 10 minutes on the trail, Gold Creek could be seen in a deep ravine to the N. Photo looks NE with help from the telephoto lens.

SPHP checked the treasure map. The map showed a GPS track up Gold Mountain that never got this close to Gold Creek. The Carolina Dog was going the wrong way. Oh, well! Lupe returned to the trailhead.

Of course, the intention was to check out the Tin Mine trail next. Hah! As soon as Looper reached the trailhead, she noticed what seemed to be a long abandoned road immediately S of the Gold Creek trail. Cursory examination revealed an unmarked trail disappearing into the forest. Could this be the right way?

Upon returning to the trailhead, Lupe stands on what appears to be an abandoned road disappearing into the forest. Photo looks ENE.

Probably not. Jobe hadn’t mentioned any unmarked trails! Still, it seemed worth a brief exploration. SPHP followed Lupe into the forest. Surprisingly, instead of fading away, the unmarked trail became better defined. It headed E or ENE gaining some elevation.

Within 5 minutes, Lupe came to a junction with a somewhat better trail coming in from the SW. Perhaps this was the Tin Mine trail? Maybe Lupe had taken a shortcut to it? There were no signs here, either, but it at least seemed possible. Loop continued ENE on the better trail.

The climb was steepening. The trail began to bend around to the SE. This was all exactly what was supposed to happen. However, there were complications. The forest was full of trails! Lupe kept coming to forks going in all sorts of directions. No signs, no arrows, nothing.

Evidently the trail was braided. SPHP checked the treasure map. After a fairly steep 400 or 500 foot climb, the terrain ought to level out. The goal was to keep going SE around the W end of Gold Mountain. If Lupe could get to the S side of the mountain, she eventually ought to find a road there that would take her E.

The American Dingo kept climbing. She tried to gain elevation rapidly while heading SE or E. It seemed important not to get too far N or S, but the towering forest made it hard to tell if Lupe was going the right way. At the many trail junctions, she sometimes took the L fork, sometimes the R.

Success seemed far from certain.

Lupe went L here, but there wasn’t much method to the madness other than trying to gain elevation while continuing mostly E or SE. Photo looks ESE.

Lo and behold! After a particularly long steep stretch, having gained what seemed to be about the right amount of elevation, the terrain did level out.

*Oh, maybe we’re on the right track! The ground is flattening out!* Photo looks NE.

After a couple more short uphill spurts, the Carolina Dog reached a trail junction where there were several fallen tree trunks. The ground was level again here. One trail headed SE toward an area where the forest didn’t look as dense.

*If you come to these logs, take the trail behind me!* Photo looks SE.

Lupe didn’t have to follow the trail to the SE far at all before the news was good. Real good!

*We’re heading for riches now! Here’s the road! Gold Mountain, here we come!*

Lupe had found a road! This was unexpected boon. The Carolina Dog couldn’t possibly be close to the road shown on the map yet.

In any case, the road Loop had stumbled upon was nice and wide and level. She had reached it at a clearing at its NW end. The road left the far side of the clearing heading SE along the SW flank of Gold Mountain. By all appearances, the American Dingo was precisely where she needed to be. The road was going the right direction.

What could be easier? Lupe and SPHP followed the road.

Finding this road up on the SW end of Gold Mountain where none was shown on the map was an unexpected boon! Photo looks E.

Amid fog and mist, only the nearby forest could be seen. Gold Mountain felt quiet and mysterious.

After 20 minutes, Looper came to a T intersection. Directly ahead, the forest had been clear cut revealing part of Gold Mountain’s S slope. This new road was probably the one shown on the treasure map. In that case, Lupe needed to go L. The road curved uphill that way, a good sign.

Lupe reaches a T intersection. She went L here. Photo looks ESE.

The new road wound along a steep hillside heading E. Loop was gaining elevation again. Less than a 0.5 mile from the T intersection, a sharp curve to the N appeared. Everything was making sense. This road was matching up well with the one shown on the treasure map.

Following the road to the L higher from the T intersection. Photo looks E.

For the next 0.33 mile, Lupe climbed steadily N, ultimately reaching an extremely foggy pass. The main road curved NE here, while several side roads branched off to the W or N. Strange electronic noises emitted from a dimly perceived hill to the NW. Loop wasn’t far from High Point 1687. The noises must have been coming from equipment up there.

After a climb to the N, Lupe reaches a super foggy pass. From here, she stayed on the main road seen curving to the R (NE). Photo looks N.

Lupe stuck with the main road as she went over the pass.

Beyond the pass, still on the main road. Photo looks NE.

The American Dingo had made it to the N side of Gold Mountain. She was already within 200 vertical feet of the top, but the summit was still more than a mile away. The road now headed E bouncing along the mountain’s upper N slopes. Lupe both gained and lost elevation, but without much net effect.

After a little while, a side road appeared on the R (S). A brief foray along it revealed a metal fence. Signs indicated the presence of antennas and broadcasting facilities. The gate was open. Lupe did not go in. SPHP thought the Carolina Dog might be close to High Point 1737 by now, but was pretty certain Gold Mountain’s summit was still farther E.

*Sorry, Looper! Don’t think this is it.* Photo looks S.

Lupe continued E on the main road. She soon came to a section of the N slope which had been clear cut. Short dirt roads left the main one in all directions. Square concrete pads with metal covers saying “Electrical” in the center were along both sides of the main road. No structures or for sale signs were present, but it appeared as if a subdivision was in the early stages of development.

Despite the absence of trees, there was nothing to see except fog. Lupe continued E. Beyond the clear cut area, the road re-entered the forest. There were still a few concrete pads around, but not nearly as many.

According to the map, the road was going to pass N of the summit taking Lupe clear to the E end of Gold Mountain. It would then curl back around to the S side of the mountain before approaching the summit area from the SE. This added an extra 0.5 mile, but trying to take an off-road shortcut directly to the summit from the N through the thick, wet forest in dense fog seemed like an incredibly bad idea.

So the road went on and on. Drizzle, mist, and fog! Lupe was beginning to tire of the whole Pacific Northwest experience thing, but had no way to dry off. Fortunately, it wasn’t cold out, merely cool. Persevering, Loop started coming to huge puddles swamping the entire road. Some were fed by small streams. Lupe and SPHP splashed right through them.

Huge puddles covered the whole road, often fed by small streams. Photo looks E.

At last the road began to turn S. It seemed like Lupe was losing elevation steadily.

Another dip in the road leading to another big puddle ahead. Photo looks S.

Fortunately that trend didn’t last. After winding SE then S for a bit, the road made a sharp turn to the W. Lupe had made it around the E end of Gold Mountain! She climbed a steep, short section of pavement. The road became gravel again. Before long, Loop went by a couple of side roads. The main road angled NW (R) climbing toward a minor pass.

Loop reaches a minor pass after rounding the E end of Gold Mountain. Taking the road seen on the R ultimately proved to be the way to go. Photo looks WNW.

Lupe went as far as the pass. A side road angled to the L here. Lupe had already passed a dirt road on the R, and a paved road with a gate that went to the L. It didn’t seem like Loop had gone far enough back to the W yet to be close to the summit of Gold Mountain, but Lupe and SPHP weren’t used to traveling through fog and rain like this.

Complicating matters, both Jobe and trip reports on Peakbagger.com had mentioned that the true summit of Gold Mountain (1,761 ft.) is near a couple of sets of towers. The summit was actually a little off the road up on a mossy knoll sort of to the NW between the towers. The treasure map showed only one road leading to a point SE of the summit, and no towers. Maybe Lupe better check out some of these side roads to see if they led to towers or an obvious high point?

The paved road with the gate was only a short way back. Surely it went to something. Lupe would go check that out first.

This paved side road looked like it must lead to something. Photo looks WSW.

The gate was open. Lupe headed down the paved road. After a dip, the road curved to the L (S) and climbed to a forested high point. A huge fenced-in tower rose into the fog. The highest ground in the area was outside the fence. A concrete platform sat among trees a little NE of the tower. This couldn’t possibly be the true summit of Gold Mountain, but Lupe went to it anyway.

The paved road curved S then climbed to a huge tower lost in the fog. Photo looks SE.

At the concrete high point a little NE of the first tower. Photo looks E.

Finding the tower was encouraging! Lupe returned to the minor pass. The side road to the L here might be the way to the mossy knoll!

No such luck. The side road went only 100 feet or so then dead-ended. There was higher ground to the W, but no definite high point or mossy knoll was within sight. The forest looked forbidding. Hmm. Couldn’t rule this out, but it didn’t look all that promising. Maybe it was better to explore other possibilities first?

Near the minor pass another dirt road went E meeting up with the one that had left the R side of the main road a bit earlier on. A short climb led to another fenced-in area. Two smaller towers were within the fence. The gate was closed.

Lupe discovers a 2nd set of towers at another high point a little E of the minor pass. Photo looks E.

Well, that made 2 sets of towers, which was all there were as far as SPHP knew. Maybe Lupe was going to have to charge off into the wet, gloomy forest from the side road near the minor pass after all? The idea wasn’t appealing. The forest looked like a tough slog. With no trail to follow, the fog would make it super easy to become disoriented.

Checking out both sets of towers and the side road at the pass had only taken 20 minutes. Where did the main road go beyond the minor pass? Even though it didn’t appear too promising either, perhaps it was best to check it out before doing anything rash.

Beyond the minor pass, the main road headed W. 5 minutes brought Lupe to a final fork in the road. The most traveled branch was to the R (NE). Lupe went that way. Another short climb led to a 3rd collection of towers and metal buildings at yet another high spot. This one seemed higher than any of the other points Lupe had been to so far. The highest ground was on a small rocky ridge N of the towers.

Lupe discovers a 3rd set of towers after taking a R at the final fork in the main road. Photo looks S.

The shorter of two large towers at the 3rd set. Photo looks S.

On the highest ground N of the 3rd set of towers. Photo looks S.

How many sets of towers were there on Gold Mountain anyway? Lupe was going to find out! After visiting the highest spot on the little ridge, she went back down to the final fork in the road. This time she took the branch to the L as she’d originally approached the intersection.

Lupe at the final fork in the main road. She had already explored the road to the R, which led to the 3rd set of towers. The last road remaining to explore is seen beyond her on the L. Photo looks W.

This last road was more interesting than the other side spurs. It seemed less traveled and went through a more primeval forest. Two minutes brought Lupe to an intriguing small pond on the R (N). A bit farther on, the road curved S. Loop arrived at a 4th set of towers.

*Remember this little pond! It turns out to be important!* Photo looks N.

Lupe arrives at the 4th set of towers. The last road ended here. Photo looks S.

At the highest point near the 4th set of towers. Photo looks E.

That was it. No more roads to explore. Lupe had her answer. The E end of Gold Mountain had 4 sets of towers. Now what?

Somewhere there was one true summit. The mossy knoll was supposed to be NW of the end of the road between 2 sets of towers. Did that mean NW of the final fork in the road, which Lupe had just been to twice now? Seemed like it did. Lupe and SPHP went back to it.

The terrain NW of the intersection was densely forested. No telling what was hidden in there. Lupe had seen that the ground N of the little pond was definitely higher, though. Hmm.

For a second time, Loop and SPHP headed back up the R fork of the road leading to the 3rd set of towers. Looking back to the W before reaching the towers, Lupe could see a hillside dimly through the fog. How high it went was difficult to say. The hillside looked steep. The most interesting thing about it, though, was that it wasn’t entirely forested. A narrow clearing ran partway down the E slope. The clearing was light green compared to the forest, as if it was covered with moss!

A steep ravine was between the road and the hillside. Lupe had to go all the way back down to the intersection to avoid it. Now or never! Lupe left the final fork, plunging NW into the dank forest.

Searching for the mossy knoll NW of the last fork in the road. Photo looks NW.

The forest was an absolute jungle compared to what Lupe is used to at home in the Black Hills. Strange plants and ferns, moss hanging thickly from dead tree branches – it was all so exotic! The American Dingo pressed on, climbing a rapidly steepening hillside. Soon she was above the steepest part.

Several feet to the R (N) was the light green mossy slope that had been visible from the road. Upon reaching it, Lupe couldn’t see the road or the 3rd set of towers when she looked off to the E. The fog was too thick.

A little higher! 20 feet, that was all. Presumably this was it – the summit of Gold Mountain (1,761 ft.)!

Wet and tired, at the top of the elusive mossy knoll, dear Lupe stood next to a tree stump looking profoundly disillusioned.

At the summit of **Gold Mountain**. Photo looks NE.

So is this it? The place where the treasure map said to go?

Yes, Looper, this seems to be it.

So there’s no treasure? No gold left on Gold Mountain at all?

Oh, Loop! By the time a mountain gets named Gold Mountain, someone has already made off with all the gold, or at least staked a legal claim to it. The road brought us almost all the way here, you know. We are far from being the first to arrive.

I see.

You, alright Loopster?

I had my hopes up. We were going to be rich! With a pile of gold, we could get a new Rubicon like Jobe and go on all kinds of adventures!

We’ll still go on plenty of adventures. We always do! The G6 may not be a Rubicon, but it gets us to lots of terrific places.

Maybe, but it’s not the same. Even a little bit of gold would have made this a better day. It all would have been worth it then.

Well, sorry to say, there’s no gold here. That’s a fact. At least not laying around. But there is a treasure. And it’s here right now!

A treasure? Where?

You’re my treasure, Lupe. And I’m yours, aren’t I? We’re both rich enough as it is. Hardly anyone is as rich as we are as long as we have each other.

That was all true, and Lupe knew it, but sometimes philosophy just doesn’t cut it by itself no matter how correct it might be. Sometimes it just sounds like cheap platitudes. At the moment, the disappointment was simply too much for the American Dingo. She cheered up, but only a little, when SPHP suggested looking around to see if the “Gold” survey benchmark was somewhere around here.

It turned out there actually was a physical treasure on Gold Mountain. Near a metal rod, a couple of large pieces of bark were propped up against the SW side of the stump at the top of the mossy knoll. They hid a plastic jar containing a registry and a geocache.

Only the registry was of genuine interest. The most recent entries were Michael Quint on 5-26-18, his 6th county high point. Denis Dean on 10-13-18, his 1,072nd county high point! Wendy and Max Schrempp on 11-9-18, a beautiful day. SPHP added Lupe’s name.

The Gold Mountain geocache was hidden behind a couple of large pieces of bark at the base of the stump. Photo looks NE.

Lupe did find the “Gold” survey benchmark about 8 feet N of the stump, but that didn’t lift her spirits. It wasn’t made of real gold, just ordinary base metal.

*Oh, whoopee! Here’s the fake “Fool’s Gold” survey benchmark.* Photo looks S.

The most disappointing benchmark ever! It should have been a glittering, shiny yellow.

The benchmark (in front of Lupe) was about 8 feet N of the stump (R) where the geocache is hidden. Photo looks SE.

Only yesterday at Mount Walker, Lupe and SPHP had learned that Jobe was sort of an expert on mushrooms. One big mushroom grew at the top of Gold Mountain. Maybe Jobe would like to see a picture of it? It later turned out that Jobe was more fascinated by the little mushrooms growing beneath the big one.

Maybe Jobe would be interested in this big mushroom discovered at the top of Gold Mountain?

As it turned out, Jobe was more impressed by the little ones.

Well, there wasn’t much more to see. Even so, despite the fog and mist, Lupe rested for a few minutes on the mossy knoll at the summit of Gold Mountain. SPHP offered her Taste of the Wild, but she wasn’t hungry. She just seemed to be pondering this day, thinking sad thoughts.

Resting on the mossy knoll. Photo looks W.

*If we’d gotten here sooner, we could have had a Rubicon!*

It was getting late. Nearly 3:45 PM on a dark November day with miles to go to get back to the rented Mazda CX3 at the Gold Creek trailhead. Time to buck up and take action! Before leaving the mossy knoll, SPHP returned the geocache to its hiding place. Gold Mountain had at least turned out to be a peakbagging success. The American Dingo posed at the summit to commemorate the occasion.

Puppy, ho! Onward!

Heading back to the road from the mossy knoll, Lupe discovered a faint trail. It brought her down E of the little pond by the road to the 4th set of towers. This was a slightly longer route than her direct ascent NW from the last fork in the road, but probably a better way to go since it wasn’t as steep.

From the pond, a couple of minutes got the Carolina Dog back to the last fork in the main road.

Back at the last fork in the main road. Lupe had made a direct ascent to the mossy knoll in the forest behind her from the point where she’s standing here. Photo looks NW.

A long, damp, foggy march back the way Lupe had come ensued. Quiet forest, splashing through puddles, mist and light rain, fading light, fog and solitude. By the time Lupe got back to the start of the first road, it was a black, black night.

The flashlight came out. Into the forest! Down, down the maze of trails. Some points did seem familiar. The adventure ended when Lupe emerged at the start of the Tin Mine trail. There was the rented CX3, waiting faithfully at the trailhead. (5:25 PM, 53°F)

Lupe and SPHP were supposed to spend the night at Jobe’s place again, but Loop should have been back hours ago. Jobe must be wondering what was going on. All the confusion finding the trailhead had caused such a late start. SPHP tried to call Jobe. No phone service.

Near Gorst, SPHP finally got through. Yeah, Jobe had been starting to get a teensy bit concerned. All was well, though. Lupe was late getting back, but another terrific, fun evening was spent enjoying Jobe’s company and hospitality.

Gold Mountain was the last big adventure of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State. The next morning, after thanking Jobe and bidding farewell, she and SPHP drove away from the Olympic Peninsula. Two pleasant days were spent in the CX3 cruising E on I-90 before Lupe was home again. (11-30-18)

I-90 bridge over the Columbia River, Washington 11-29-18

At a rest area near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 11-29-18

Cruising through Montana in the CX3 watching for cows and horses! 11-30-18

Taking a break from the Mazda CX3 near the Bighorns, Wyoming 11-30-18

Gold Creek Trailhead Directions: From Gorst near the end of the Sinclair Inlet SW of Bremerton, take NE Old Belfair Highway (Old Navy Yard Way on the topo map) W 6 miles. Turn R on Bear Creek Dewato Road. Go 3 miles to a R turn onto NE Gold Creek Road. The Gold Creek trailhead will be 3 miles N on the R (E).

On **Gold Mountain**, the Kitsap County, Washington High Point, 11-28-18

Links:

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Mount Walker, Washington with Mountaineer Jobe Wymore (11-27-18)

Day 5 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State!

Rain. It was pouring down when Lupe got up early on the last morning of her stay at the Baymont Inn in Bellingham, WA. The sky was so dark and gloomy and wet that the Carolina Dog only got to go on a very short walk before SPHP insisted upon returning to the Baymont. May as well go back to sleep!

Lupe’s U-Haul adventure, which had brought her to Washington state, was over. Today was supposed to be a big day! The Carolina Dog was now free to do whatever she wanted to. Arrangements had been made to climb Mount Walker (2,804 ft.) this afternoon with her friend mountaineer Jobe Wymore, whom she hadn’t seen since the Crazy Peak, Montana adventure more than a year ago.

The dreary downpour was discouraging. Maybe Mount Walker wasn’t going to happen?

Only a few hours later, though, things were looking up! The sky was brighter, the rain reduced to intermittent drippiness. For the last time, Lupe and SPHP went for a walk in the woods on the Shopping Cart Trail as far as the little creek. Back at the Baymont, Lupe again selected ham and cheese for her free continental breakfast. After checking out, the American Dingo and SPHP headed S out of Bellingham on I-5 in the newly rented Mazda CX3.

At Burlington, SPHP turned W on Highway 20. Mount Walker is on the Olympic Peninsula, and Jobe had suggested taking the Keystone to Port Townsend ferry to avoid a drive clear around Puget Sound through Seattle and Tacoma to get there. Jobe lives on the Olympic Peninsula, and could meet Lupe in Port Townsend after he got off work.

Jobe had another suggestion. Mount Erie (1,273 ft.) is an easy peak just off Highway 20. Maybe Lupe would like to climb Mount Erie on her way to the ferry? That would have been fun! The weather had improved tremendously. It was actually sunny out. Unfortunately, SPHP didn’t have any maps of the area, didn’t see any signs for Mount Erie, and didn’t know where to stop.

Probably best to get to Port Townsend in plenty of time to meet Jobe, anyway. Who knew how long the ferry was going to take? Reservations were recommended, and SPHP hadn’t made any.

S of Coupeville, SPHP started watching for signs on how to get to the ferry. A single R (W) turn was all that was required. Lupe arrived at the Keystone ferry landing before 11:00 AM. Hardly anyone was around. There was going to be a bit of a wait before the next ferry would depart for Port Townsend.

The fare was $11.90 for Lupe, SPHP and the CX3. Not bad at all. SPHP paid it and got the Mazda into the short line awaiting the next ferry. Lupe had plenty of time to get out and take a sniff around.

*Here we are at the Keystone ferry terminal!*

A campground was right next to the ferry terminal. Loop and SPHP walked through it. At the far end, Lupe could see the Olympic Peninsula across the Admiralty Inlet to Puget Sound. Soon Lupe would be sailing for Port Townsend!

The Keystone ferry terminal from the campground. Photo looks NE.

*Oh, look! There’s the Olympic Peninsula! Jobe lives somewhere over there!* Photo looks SW.

Lots of vehicles were waiting for the ferry by the time the next one came along. The Mazda CX3 was buried in among big trucks on the ride over to Port Townsend. Confined to the CX3, Lupe could only see a little sliver of the ocean ahead.

The ferry ride took about half an hour. Lupe arrived in Port Townsend early in the afternoon. Jobe wouldn’t be available for a couple of hours yet, so Loop and SPHP took a walk near the ocean.

Near the Port Townsend ferry landing. Photo looks E.

One of the ferries. Riding the ferry was like being in a big tunnel. The CX3 was buried among big trucks. Lupe didn’t see much on the way over to Port Townsend, since SPHP wasn’t certain if Dingoes were allowed up on deck.

Jobe showed up at the appointed time right on the dot. It was so good to see him again! However, there wasn’t any time to lose. Daylight was burning! Lupe and SPHP followed Jobe in his glorious new Rubicon to the Mount Walker trailhead.

Lupe couldn’t contain herself when she hopped out of the CX3, and saw Jobe standing right there in front of her! She went into a barking frenzy, greeting Jobe for the first time since Crazy Peak. Fortunately, Jobe was not alarmed as Loopster danced around him. The Carolina Dog finally calmed down. Time was a wasting! After this tumultuous greeting, the trek up Mount Walker began without further delay. (3:30 PM)

Loop and Jobe at the Mount Walker trailhead.

Lupe had first met Jobe after scouting out route conditions to Odakota Mountain (7,200 ft.) for him way back in late March, 2016 when he was contemplating a one day lightning trip to the Black Hills. Jobe actually did show up a few days later, and Lupe had gotten to accompany him to Odakota Mountain. She even went on with Jobe for a prickly adventure in the Wildcat Hills of Nebraska.

Now Lupe was in Jobe’s home territory, and he was about to return the favor by guiding Loop up Mount Walker. Jobe had only recently moved to the Olympic Peninsula. For the last year or so, Mount Walker was his training peak. Sometimes he climbs Mount Walker 3 or 4 times a day, with each ascent involving over 2,000 ft. of elevation gain. Today’s stroll up the mountain was going to be his 235th. Yeah, Jobe’s a monster!

The Mount Walker trail was in great shape. It would have been easy to follow even without Jobe’s intricate knowledge of every twist and turn. The trail wound steadily up the mountain from the S. While relatively level sections exist, mostly it was just relentlessly up at a moderate to somewhat steep pace.

Early on, glimpses of the summit were occasionally present, but most of the time about the only thing that could be seen was the lush forest of towering Douglas fir the trail passed through. With daylight fading, Jobe set what was for him a leisurely pace, but about all SPHP could manage. Loopster trotted along just fine, sticking close by right on the trail while listening to the conversation.

With Jobe’s enormous and varied mountaineering experience, conversations with him are always fascinating. While SPHP did a Big Bad Wolf impersonation, huffing and puffing up the trail, Jobe expounded upon a number of subjects. Before long, he pointed out a mushroom.

After Jobe pointed out this mushroom, they became the topic of the day.

Jobe maintained that almost everyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest develops some degree of interest in mushrooms. The cool, moist climate is conducive to the growth of a wide variety. Hunting for mushrooms is a popular PNW pastime. Jobe has a collection of books about them, and is well read on the subject.

As it turns out, keeping a sharp eye out for rare mushrooms is one aspect of climbing the same mountain 235 times that helps keep the experience fresh and full of possibilities. Jobe started talking about Bird’s Nest mushrooms, which are seldom seen. As these mushrooms mature, they resemble bird’s nests complete with eggs. He had recently discovered some on Mount Walker, and promised to show them to Lupe and SPHP.

A bit farther on, Jobe paused and looked carefully at a particular spot on an embankment along the upper side of the trail. There they were! Jobe pointed out several Bird’s Nest mushrooms growing next to each other in a little clump.

No wonder Bird’s Nest mushrooms are seldom seen! They were teeny tiny! True to their name, they did resemble bird’s nests. Itsy bitsy “eggs” were present in a couple of them.

These Bird’s Nest mushrooms which Jobe pointed out were teeny tiny. He knew exactly where they were, however, so he could show them to Lupe & SPHP.

Jobe points to diminutive Bird’s Nest mushrooms. Photo by Jobe Wymore taken on another day.

Close up of Bird’s Nest fungi (*Nidulariaceae*). Photo by Jobe Wymore.

Lupe had already made considerable progress up Mount Walker, when suddenly the sky looked leaden. In the PNW, one has to be prepared for rain. Soon SPHP was putting on the old plastic Cookie Monster outfit (blue rain poncho). Jobe had a waterproof jacket. Only the Carolina Dog was getting wet, but she didn’t seem to mind too much.

In darkness and rain, Loop, Jobe & SPHP continued up the trail. The mushroom dissertation was still in progress when Jobe unexpectedly announced that this was it. The American Dingo had made it to the top of Mount Walker (2,804 ft.)!

By flashlight, it was possible to see that Loop had arrived at a flat open area. A signboard stood along one side. Perhaps it contained a map or information about the view. Of course, nothing beside a black void was observable under current conditions.

Jobe said the true summit of Mount Walker was only 10 feet higher and quite close by. He led Lupe right to it. If Jobe hadn’t been here, Lupe and SPHP never would have found it in the dark.

With Jobe’s help, Lupe claims a successful ascent at the true summit of Mount Walker.

For some reason, the camera’s flash didn’t seem to be working. SPHP seldom takes photos at night. No doubt the apparent malfunction was a simple case of operator error. In the rain, it didn’t seem worth trying to figure out what SPHP was doing wrong. After a few grainy shots by flashlight of the open area where the viewpoint was, Lupe, Jobe & SPHP called it good and started back down.

A nice blurry shot of Lupe’s curly tail and Jobe as a dark presence (L) over by the signboard in the viewpoint area.

Slightly better, or simply awesome if you like fuzzy.

On the way down Mount Walker, Jobe showed Lupe and SPHP several Cat’s Tongue mushrooms. Even in pitch blackness, he knew right where they were. The Cat’s Tongue mushrooms had a ghostly appearance. They were soft and gelatinous to the touch. A real cat’s tongue would have been rougher.

The rain stopped well before Looper made it back to the CX3 (6:15 PM). Although her Mount Walker experience was over, Lupe’s time with Jobe was not. Jobe had cordially invited Lupe and SPHP to stay with him at his condo overnight. A most interesting and comfortable evening was ahead. While Jobe and SPHP chatted over dinner and on into the night, Lupe enjoyed a long snooze on Jobe’s red couch.

Perhaps her Mount Walker adventure wasn’t completely over? Maybe Loop was still out in the rain and darkness heading ever higher up the trail? Even Jobe noticed that as she slept, those Dingo paws were still twitching.

Lupe with Jobe at his condo on the comfy red couch.

Note:

Jobe Wymore later kindly furnished the following mushroom photos. All of these photos, except for the mature Devil’s Tooth (from the web), were taken during other ascents of Mount Walker.

**Cat’s Tongue** – *pseudohydnum gelatinosum*

**Golden Chanterelle** – *cantharellus formosus*

**Elfin Saddle** (gray) – genus *helvella*

**Scaly Vase Chanterelle** – *tubinellus floccosus*

**Devil’s Tooth** (immature) – *hydnellum peckii*

**Lobster Mushroom** – *hypomyces lactifluotum*

Jobe Wymore also furnished the following Mount Walker viewpoint photos from ascents made in the days shortly before or after accompanying Lupe to the summit:

What’s this! A German Dingo? Apparently American Dingoes have competition on Mount Walker! Unidentified person is not Jobe.

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Lupe’s U-Haul Adventure (11-21-18 thru 11-26-18)

Preface & Days 1 thru 4 of Lupe’s 2018 Dingo Vacation to Washington State!

11-21-18 – T’was the night before Thanksgiving when a ride to the U-Haul store with SPHP, Erik & Ana confirmed that something big was in the works. A 15 foot U-Haul truck was rented. Lupe spent the rest of the evening standing on concrete watching while the contents of a storage facility were loaded into the truck. It was nearly the witching hour by the time the truck was parked in the driveway at home, and Loop was curled up in bed pondering what it all signified.

Not until very recently had the Carolina Dog harbored any suspicions. Over the last few days, however, her keen Dingo ears had alerted her to changes in the normally silent underworld. Muffled bumps and thumps, faintly heard orders and threats, unhappy yowls. Lupe didn’t see them, she hardly ever saw them, but the cats who ruled the underworld were in distress. Their empire was in turmoil.

11-22-18 – Thanksgiving Day. But was there turkey? No. Stuffing? No. Mashed potatoes? No. Gravy? No. No pumpkin pie, whipped cream or any of the other traditional Thanksgiving goodies Lupe enjoys either.

What there was was activity and distress. Former cat emperors and princes were overthrown. The underworld was being dismantled! Their empire was in tatters. SPHP helped Erik and Ana move the giant cat tower into the U-Haul truck. SPHP expected to do a lot more, but Erik and Ana insisted they could handle almost everything else.

A two hour mid-afternoon siesta was declared. So much remained to be done, it seemed impossible it could all happen before the day was shot. At sunset, Erik and Ana revived. They left to procure the Thanksgiving feast – returning with hamburgers from Perkins. Not bad, but not quite turkey and all the fixings, either.

Packing, boxing, loading resumed. At 8:30 PM, Ana announced it was over. The truck was loaded! Astonishing, but basically true. Some last minute details would get handled in the morning, but little remained that was going on the truck.

11-23-18 – Up at 2:30 AM! Not much like SPHP, but by now Lupe fully understood what was going on. Why SPHP was getting ready for another Dingo Vacation! An odd time of year for one, to be certain, but that was clearly what was happening. Lupe watched as SPHP prepared a place for her in the U-Haul truck.

As dawn arrived, Erik and Ana emerged from the underworld. This was it – the momentous day! They were leaving the sunny Black Hills of South Dakota for good, and moving to the West Coast. The cat empire was relocating to foggy, drippy Bellingham, Washington.

There were discussions about routes. An early winter storm was supposedly on the way. Reports said chains were already required to get over Snoqualmie Pass, but that was 1,000 miles away. Rather than freak out over hyped predictions, it was decided to stick with I-90, the shortest, most efficient route until conditions warranted a change of plans.

At 8:08 AM, while the rest of the country was snapping up Black Friday Christmas specials, Lupe’s U-Haul adventure began. Her caravan made a quick stop for fuel, then hit I-90 heading W. Lupe and SPHP were in the lead in the U-Haul truck. Erik and Ana followed in their green Mazda 2.

Also in the Mazda 2, each in an individual pet carrier prison, were the denizens of the cat empire – Trevor, from the other side of the world; Ember, the silent one; Baby, champion hunter, killer, fighter and yowler; Pillow, the fluffy designer cat; and Tulera, the evil, black hisser.

Lupe by her next adventure vehicle on Thanksgiving Day.

The Mazda 2 which would take Erik, Ana & the 5 denizens of the cat empire to the West Coast.

The Carolina Dog’s caravan cruised W. The U-Haul truck and Mazda 2 were both doing fine. Bellingham, Washington is a long way from the Black Hills – 1,200+ miles by the shortest route. Occasional stops, less frequent as the day wore on, gave everyone a chance to use the rest room and stretch before the inevitable next spurt.

One of the early stops was at the I-90 rest area near Moorcroft, Wyoming. Erik and Ana had already put up with an awful lot of yowling by then. One of the cats was so desperate, it had managed to claw a hole through a brand new cloth pet carrier and escape under a seat.

Loop enjoys a break from the U-Haul truck at the I-90 rest stop near Moorcroft, Wyoming.

Hiding under a seat? That was just plain crazy! The American Dingo wasn’t about to hide. The U-Haul truck was great! Lupe was riding high with lots of room to move around. Huge windows allowed her to spot cows and horses miles before the U-Haul got anywhere close to them.

The caterwauling going on in the Mazda 2 didn’t have anything on the shrill, excited, near constant din in the U-Haul truck.

*Hiding under a seat! Can you believe that? Cats must be the silliest breed of dog ever!*

*Riding high with huge windows. Oh, yeah! This is the life!*

*Cows port side at 10:00! Ooowwwooooowwww!*

The first sign of bad weather came E of the Bighorns. The day had been mostly sunny, but the Bighorns were shrouded in clouds. Three squalls swept through. The last one looked like the real deal. Traffic slowed to a crawl, snowflakes filled the air, fog reduced visibility. Within 5 minutes, a black Kia sedan was seen wrecked in the median, pieces scattered nearby. A truck that may have collided with the Kia was a bit farther down the road.

Conditions were deteriorating fast! Lupe hadn’t even made 250 miles yet. The storm was concerning, convincing. After 15 or 20 minutes, it all proved to be a false alarm. The last squall ended as suddenly as it hit. Lupe rolled into Montana under crystal blue skies. The long dark ridge of the Bighorns leading to the Pryor Mountains was streaked white with new snow.

Onward, for many a mile!

*U-Hauling is a blast, SPHP! But, um, I did bring a bowl. We ever going to eat? Think you could put something in it for me? Pretty please?*

Hours passed. The sun set. Twilight faded near Livingston. The night was as black as could be. A quick stop for food was made at a Walmart in Bozeman. Another stop was made in Butte, a critical point. 650 miles gone by. Decision time. Find a motel here? In the morning a decision could be made as to whether to continue W on I-90, or swing S on I-15. That would all depend on what happened weather-wise overnight.

The other option was to keep going while the roads were still good. Maybe it would be possible to beat the storm and get over Lookout Pass (4,700 ft.) at the Idaho border? If Cour d’Alene could be reached, except for Snoqualmie, the highest mountain passes along I-90 would be over and done with.

It was already late. Lookout Pass was another 200+ miles. Even if all went well, it would be 2:00 AM by the time a motel could be secured in Cour d’Alene. Was it worth it?

Onward! said Erik and Ana. Seriously? Yup. Alrighty then. As the U-Haul truck hit the I-90 on ramp, tiny raindrops or snowflakes were seen in the headlights. Oh, brother!

The weather held off, though, all the way to Missoula. At a gas station, SPHP pronounced the storm fake news! Ana agreed. A fraud alert on SPHP’s credit card caused a 20+ minute delay while refueling as SPHP tried to explain to Capital One that all these huge gas purchases today were legit. Got it straightened out. A full tank and back on the road again. Still 97 miles to Lookout Pass.

Before long it was raining. This time it didn’t quit. The rain turned to sleet, then snow. A slushy accumulation grew first on the shoulders, then on I-90 itself. 20 miles to Lookout Pass. The U-Haul truck wasn’t having any problems at all, but the Mazda 2 was having a hard time keeping pace. So much for fake news.

Slower and slower. Naturally, the miles long approach to the pass was all uphill. The Mazda 2 disappeared from the rear view mirror. SPHP slowed way down. After a few minutes, the Mazda 2 reappeared again. 14 miles to go. Puppy, ho! At a snail’s pace, though.

A few more miles and the Mazda 2 was again out of sight. SPHP drove very slowly, passing up a couple of spots where it would have been possible to simply stop and wait. Maybe it was best to get to Lookout Pass before stopping? It was snowing hard. The Mazda 2 might not be able to make the pass. Neither would the U-Haul truck if this kept up. Lots of other vehicles were already having trouble.

The U-Haul made it. Lupe and SPHP stopped and waited at the top of Lookout Pass. SPHP tried to call Ana. No phone service. Time passed. A few vehicles, mostly semis, were making it over the pass, but there was a distinct lack of green Mazdas. Now what? Keep waiting? Head for Cour d’Alene? Go back and look for them?

SPHP dithered before driving on into Idaho. After only a few miles, a snowplow appeared. It soon turned off I-90 toward some buildings and vanished. SPHP made the turn, too. No cell service here, either. Sigh! Returning to I-90, SPHP drove further W into Idaho. Meanwhile, the mental debate continued to rage.

Maybe it was best go back and try to find the Mazda 2? Stick together! At least everyone would know what was going on and what the plan was, whatever it might turn out to be.

Of course, finding Erik and Ana might or might not be possible. The Mazda 2 was probably stuck somewhere along the highway, but what if Erik had simply realized he wasn’t going to get over Lookout Pass? He might have found a way to turn around. Erik and Ana might already be on the way back to Missoula to spend the night. No sense in doing that in the U-Haul when Lupe had already made it over Lookout Pass! It would be an enormous waste of time and fuel.

Before getting very far, SPHP decided to turn around at the next exit. Better go back and at least make sure Erik and Ana weren’t doomed to spend a frigid night stuck in the snow. Most unexpectedly, before an exit appeared, something else did. What? Impossible! Unbelievable! The Mazda 2 was dead ahead! Erik, Ana, and the 5 cats hadn’t gotten stuck at all. Somehow they’d made it over Lookout Pass! Lupe and SPHP passed them. Had it made now! 40 miles to Cour d’Alene. Downhill all the way.

Uh, no. Downhill for a while, but then it seemed like it was uphill again. Hard to tell with all the snow in the headlights, but the rear view mirror showed the Mazda 2 was having trouble again. No losing them this time! Slowly, ever so slowly, on and on. This next hill seemed endless.

11-24-18, 12:01 AM – No mere hill. Lupe was heading for Fourth of July Pass (3,173 ft.). Not as high as Lookout Pass, but more snow had fallen by now. Even semi-trucks weren’t making it. Hardly anyone was. Yet the U-Haul was invincible! Not so the Mazda 2. The road kept getting steeper. The Mazda 2 ground to a halt 0.25 mile from a curve that looked like the end.

SPHP stopped and waited. The Mazda 2 was in sight, but didn’t seem to be moving at all. Heh. SPHP got out. Lupe had to stay in the U-Haul in case semis came by. Some had chains and were still getting through. For the next 2 hours Lupe sat waiting in the truck. SPHP pushed the Mazda. It was just enough to permit little spurts of progress. Other cars needed pushes, too. A young sheriff stopped by with the news that a plow was coming. Pure fiction. Fake news! He also said it was 2 more miles to the top of the pass.

That was fake news, too. The very next curve really was the top. A semi-truck traffic jam finally cleared. Erik and Ana made it to the top of Fourth of July Pass. Finally! Another 18 miles, but no more passes on the way to Cour d’Alene.

No room at the inn in Cour d’Alene. Especially not for anyone with 5 cats and a Dingo. Two pets maximum, not that they had any such rooms available. Hardly worth it now, anyway. At 5:30 AM, everyone parked at a rest area only a couple of miles W of Cour d’Alene. Although being out in the snow for hours up at Fourth of July Pass had been exhilarating, it was 27 hours since Lupe and SPHP had gotten up. The last 21 hours spent on the road. Weary? Yeah. SPHP was able to sleep sitting up.

Not for long. It was cold. At 7:30 AM, Erik was knocking on the window of the U-Haul. Ready to go? Of course, why not? At least the vehicles would warm up.

Although still rather dark beneath an overcast sky, the morning started out fine. Two hours of sleep had helped a lot. Near Spokane there was sunshine. SW of Spokane, I-90 looked wet. New snow was in the fields and forests. Patches of fog reduced visibility, sometimes for miles.

On a random check of the rear view mirror, suddenly the Mazda 2 was missing. Where had it disappeared to now? SPHP slowed down. Traffic roared by, but Erik and Ana did not appear.

Ana called. A guy in a pickup truck had been in the process of passing them. Erik had seen that the pickup was having hydroplaning and swerving issues, and had slowed down to let the truck get by faster. Good thing, too. For no sooner had the pickup gotten beyond them when the driver completely lost control. The truck shot across the road right in front of them in a near miss, flipped heading into the ditch, and hit a rock wall.

Erik and Ana had stopped to call 911 and see if the man was alright. He was injured, but conscious. Others who had seen the whole thing had stopped, too. Erik, Ana, and the cats would be along soon. SPHP told Ana to meet up at a rest area just W of Sprague. The rest area proved to be a beautiful spot. Lupe was thrilled with this opportunity to get out of the U-Haul.

Lupe enjoyed being out of the U-Haul truck for a while at this rest area just W of Sprague, Washington.

Lupe had plenty of time to enjoy the outdoors at the rest area. More than expected. Erik and Ana were not along soon. What was going on? Ana called again. They had missed the turn for the Sprague rest area, and were now at a gas station at Exit 231. Fine. That’s where Lupe and SPHP caught up to them.

It wasn’t much farther to Ritzville where a decision had to be made. Continue W on I-90 and face Snoqualmie Pass, or go S on Highway 395 heading for the Columbia River Gorge? If any doubt remained after last night’s tribulations at Lookout and Fourth of July passes, the unnerving near miss with the hydroplaning pickup truck had settled the issue. The Columbia River Gorge was hundreds of miles farther, but at least the roads would be good.

So Lupe’s long U-Haul adventure was extended. Highway 395 took her to Pasco where SPHP made a wrong turn. Erik, Ana, and 5 cats were led on a goofy, meandering tour of the town while SPHP searched for the bridge over the Columbia River. Turned out there were two of them. S of the river, Lupe reached I-82 which brought her to a 2nd Columbia River crossing at Umatilla. From Umatilla, it was W on Highway 730 to I-84.

Cruising W on I-84, the Columbia River gorge was beautiful! Lupe had been here once before on the way home from her 2012 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast. No stopping at Multnomah Falls this time around, though. Everyone was weary. Any sight-seeing had to be done from the U-Haul truck. Bellingham or bust!

At Portland, it was I-205 going N back over the Columbia River for the 3rd and final time. Soon after, Lupe was on I-5. Late in the afternoon, Erik and Ana bought SPHP dinner at a Panda Garden near Woodland. By the time Lupe was approaching Longview it was getting dark. A heavily overcast sky helped extinguish a feeble twilight.

The rest was a blur. Thousands of red tail lights. Stop and go traffic on I-5 between Olympia and Tacoma. Seattle looking awesome all lit up in the inky blackness. The traffic thinned. Bellingham at last! 1,550 miles over and done with in 38 hours. 44 hours gone by on 2 hours of sleep.

Erik and Ana put Lupe and SPHP up at the Baymont Inn before continuing on to see their rental home for the first time. The American Dingo insisted upon a walk before turning in. 20 minutes down a dark side street, no more. Loop was satisfied. Back to the Baymont!. Lights out.

11-25-18, 8:45 AM – Oh, the Baymont Inn was luxury itself! A Carolina Dog could get used to this sort of thing. Suddenly, Lupe was living the dream!

Lupe loved the Baymont Inn in Bellingham. Carolina Dogs are supremely adaptable when it comes to luxury!

Naturally, the first order of the day was another walk. As soon as SPHP was partially revived, it was an elevator ride down to the lobby to see what the Baymont looked like in daylight, then out the door to explore that side street again.

*The Baymont is lovely! Carolina Dogs look mighty snazzy, too, in this fine lobby, don’t you agree, SPHP? Maybe we should stay another night?*

By the Baymont’s grand entrance on what is presumably a typical Bellingham morning.

*Let’s go explore the woods now that it’s light out!* Lupe along the side street across E Kellogg Road from the Baymont Inn.

At the end of the side street was a forest. A trail led into the woods.

Lupe had barely started on the trail when she came to something she never sees back home in the Black Hills. The forest was full of shopping carts! The only explanation that came to mind was that the shopping carts were brought here and abandoned by homeless people.

As soon as Lupe entered the woods, she came to 11 abandoned shopping carts.

More shopping carts were scattered farther along the trail. Often only one or two here or there, but Lupe came to another big group of them, too. Shopping carts weren’t the only thing out here, either. The forest harbored lots of trash. When SPHP started seeing tents, the wisdom of going much further came into question.

Loop on the Shopping Cart Trail. A lone shopping cart is ahead on the R.

Lupe was having a good time in the woods, even if SPHP was becoming increasingly wary. She made it as far as a little stream. Voices were coming from somewhere ahead. This was it. As strangers in a strange land, it was time to return to the Baymont.

Most of the forest was beautiful. Lupe was having a good time.

At the little creek, as far as Lupe made it before SPHP was ready to turn around.

Noon was checkout time at the Baymont. Erik and Ana showed up a bit before then. With plans uncertain, Lupe and SPHP checked out. Erik and Ana then treated SPHP to lunch at the nearby Birch Door Cafe. Lupe had to wait in the U-Haul truck.

When lunch was over, it was time to get to work unloading the U-Haul. Lupe and SPHP followed Erik and Ana to their new rental home. The home was located in the Lummi Nation W of Bellingham. SPHP was glad to see that there was plenty of parking. Multiple U-Haul trucks could easily have parked here!

The U-Haul and Mazda 2 at Erik & Ana’s new rental home in the Lummi Nation W of Bellingham, WA.

5 cats were already in possession of a small part of their new empire. At present they were still prisoners, confined to a bedroom to keep them out of the way, and prevent them from escaping during the unloading process. Lupe wasn’t going to be allowed into the house at all. She was stuck in the fenced back yard so she wouldn’t get in the way, either. Looper wasn’t entirely satisfied with this arrangement, but at least she could watch what was happening through sliding glass doors.

Actually, Erik and Ana had gotten a fabulous rental deal. The back yard was amazing! A big deck where Lupe stood peering through the glass doors overlooked a roomy, gently sloping yard with a lovely green lawn.

That was all nice enough, but wasn’t the amazing part. The amazing part was that the home was right on the ocean! Only a few feet beyond the back fence was a 20 foot cliff. Lummi Bay of the Pacific Ocean was right at the base of the cliff. The N end of Lummi Island was in sight across the bay. The open ocean was visible to the NW. Totally awesome!

Loop up on the deck near the sliding glass doors where she would spend the afternoon peering into the house watching the U-Haul truck unloading proceedings.

The roomy back yard had a nice green lawn that sloped gently toward the back fence.

The covered deck was handy, since the sky was so drippy. Lupe had a comfortable spot where she could relax and stay dry.

Erik & Ana had gotten a fabulous rental deal! The home was right on the Pacific Ocean! Here’s Lupe in the back yard next to Lummi Bay. The N end of Lummi Island is on the L. Photo looks W from the deck.

Lupe by Lummi Bay. A 20 foot cliff is only a few feet beyond her.

Unloading doesn’t take nearly as long as loading does. Lupe was only confined to the back yard for a few hours. By late afternoon, the U-Haul was empty except for a huge display case. The case was in two parts, a lower cabinet and an upper section with glass doors and shelves. Both pieces were big and heavy. To get them into the home they would have to be lugged clear around to the backyard. They could then be taken up the stairs onto the deck and in through the sliding glass doors.

It seemed like a gigantic task. The house was already quite full. Where the display case might even fit in was hard to imagine. Everyone was still exhausted from the long drive, especially Erik who wasn’t feeling entirely well. Since the U-Haul truck didn’t have to be returned yet, it was decided to forget about the display case for now. It could be dealt with tomorrow.

Erik joined Lupe on the deck to relax and admire the ocean view from his new home.

By the back fence with the marvelous view of Lummi Bay.

Dinner time! Erik and Ana drove into town to procure a meal. Lupe and SPHP stayed together on the deck watching the ocean. Lupe was excited to learn that a huge tree in the back yard was a squirrel tree! She boldly announced news of her arrival to the whole neighborhood. SPHP just watched the waves roll in as a light rain fell.

After dinner, it was back to the Baymont Inn again! A turn of events the Carolina Dog heartily approved of. Erik and Ana were footing the bill for one more night of luxury. Before turning in, Loopster insisted upon returning to the woods beyond the side street for a night prowl.

11-26-18 – Naturally, the morning began with yet another trip to the woods. For a second time, Lupe went all the way to the little creek. Then it was back to the Baymont to enjoy a free continental breakfast. Loop chose ham and cheese. The rest of the morning was whiled away relaxing in the room. Erik and Ana showed up shortly before noon. Lupe and SPHP checked out again.

The glass display case was still a problem. Erik and Ana had decided it wasn’t worth trying to carry it all the way around to the backyard and up a staircase to get it into the house. What to do? It had to be unloaded so the U-Haul truck could be returned. SPHP suggested taking it to a consignment store. When that didn’t work out, Erik and Ana donated it to Habitat for Humanity.

Lupe’s U-Haul adventure officially ended late in the afternoon. The truck she’d ridden in for 1,600 miles was turned back in to the U-Haul store in Bellingham. Of course, this meant Lupe and SPHP needed a new set of wheels. Loop hitched a ride in the Mazda 2 to the airport where SPHP rented a Mazda CX3.

After a quick dinner at a fast food restaurant, Erik and Ana said thank you and goodbye to Lupe and SPHP. The night was already night pitch black. Where to? The Baymont Inn seemed like the logical choice, and had the enthusiastic vote of a certain American Dingo.

So the evening ended with another dark stroll through the woods at the end of the side street near the Baymont Inn. This time Lupe startled someone in the forest, someone who was extremely polite and greatly relieved that SPHP was around to keep such a ferocious predator at bay.

Erik & Lupe by Lummi Bay, Haxton Way, Bellingham, Washington 11-25-18

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