After an exceptionally trying week at work, we all needed a weekend break far far away. So Saturday morning we meet up with our friends Matt, Jessica, and Charlie the golden retriever and head out towards the coast for a relaxing camping expedition.

Jessica has lived in this area for too long to NOT see Hurricane Ridge. So that was our first stop! We couldn’t do any hiking because it’s still snowed in up there, but the views from the road were pretty spectacular.

There is even a view of Victoria, Canada!

Matt had fun throwing snowballs at everyone (including those of us with sensitive photographic equipment! THANKS!)  We will have to make another trip out here later in the summer when the snow is all gone and the wildflowers start to bloom.

We stopped briefly at Forks Outfitters for some snacks and coffee.  This is the only place I’ve been able to find my favorite brand of coffee, Lowery’s.  Lowery’s Coffee.  After avoiding most of the lingering Twilight shenanigans, we continued to our campsite at Bogachiel State Park.  Where Jason made dinner and everyone watched.

We had enough time after dinner to drive out to La Push and First Beach to watch the spectacularly cloud-free sunset.

Charlie really wanted to play in the water.

…while Matt really wanted to play on the giant tree that drifted in from the ocean.

It was a great day.  We went back to the campsite and roasted marshmallows.  I managed to get a few photos of the plants at the campground. Trillium, which I had never seen prior to moving to the Northwest.  Flowering clover and then a fern.

After an awesome night’s sleep in the truck, we had a breakfast of bacon and chocolate chip pancakes before heading south to Ruby Beach where Charlie finally got to run around and swim and chase sticks until he collapsed in the sand, utterly exhausted but a very happy puppy!

The weather has finally warmed up out here and it feels like SUMMER!