Les and I spend most of our time aboard Great Northern napping, reading and writing email, sending texts, fussing with Kai because he needs fussing with otherwise he’s just be in constant nap mode, feeding Clive, … and just lounging about.
Port Ludlow has many miles of trails that meander throughout the community, and since it is just April, and spring is springing… the adage “April showers brings May flowers” is in full force. That just means that the trails are pretty empty most times and it is possible to wander about upon them and not run into others who are sheltering in place and keeping out of the rain showers. When I grew up around these parts we did not have Gore-tex. Now we do so what’s a little shower now and then.
So there’s this little park about 2 miles from the boat…
Its short, the trail is well tended and there are interpretive signs throughout that speak to past history, flora description, and the like.
The entrance, a bit grand for my taste in trails is edged in recently sawn red alter trunks which open up to an interpretive area with local flora samples with their names. Quite nice to know what one is looking at amongst all of the greenery and tree trunks that are part of a typical Northwest Forest.
Just past the interpretive garden the trail becomes more trail-like as it descends into the woods…
Unlike many trails up here, this one is clearly marked and it’s tough to get lost. The first sign even tells you to take a left at the junction. One could go right, but then I guess you’d be going backwards through the trail system. I’m not sure that is allowed.
Left it is… along a path that runs through a grotto of sword and licorice ferns.
The lumberjacks of 150 years ago were aware of the need to maintain healthy forests and did leave many ancient trees untouched to maintain the health of the woods. (I’ll take you through a pictorial review more modern logging operation that does not strive to keep the forest in a natural state in a future blog)
The silhouette of a gnarly ancient maple…
A trio of stumps, the remnants of trees cut over 100 years ago…
So… that’ll about do it for this post… More to come. What else do I have to do? Maybe fill the water tanks…
Northwest Boating Travels With Blair, Les, and Leo 