Annual Forks Fly-In

This blue and gold bi-plane made a bunch of fly-bys and was fun to watch.
The Forks Fly-In was last Saturday, the 19th. A bunch of cool planes fly in, and great cars drive in, while we people walk in, to the Forks Airport for some fun.

Vitamin R van - R for Rainier beer. Someone did a great job of painting.

The Forks Lions Club does a salmon bake every year. GOOD fish!

These are some of the cars that were there. Click on the photo for a larger view.

Ford Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe. I know this car because that's the first car I remember my mom driving growing up. That was a mouthful to learn growing up. Mom's was white with red upholstery, and a red stripe along the side. Very cool car. Mom's didn't have a hood scoop though... [grin]

Sol Duc Cascades

This is the upper piece of the Sol Duc Cascades - the salmon have to jump the rocks at the bottom right of the picture to make it to the temporary rest in the pool at the top before continuing on up river to spawn.
Aside from the beautiful scenery, we really enjoy the sound of the rushing river tumbling over the rocks. It is such a calming sensation to close your eyes and just listen.

Sol Duc Cascades

You can't see it here, but the salmon are jumping in the West End. This is the Sol Duc Cascades area, where you can watch the fish jump from only yards away, without getting your feet wet. There is a viewing area just above the rocky area in the middle of the photo, which is only yards from the road. The salmon must jump the Cascades to get to the spawning grounds. The pool in the middle is where they take a breather, wait their turn, or for whatever impetus they need to attempt the rocks. They jump over and over until they make it, never giving up, jumping each level again and again, being thrown back by the force of the water to try yet again, or to rest in the pool and wait until they have the strength to begin once more in their ambition to return home and further their species.

(Bring your cameras, but not your fishing pole - No Fishing Allowed here. Unless, of course, you are a bear or an eagle.)

Even without the drama of watching the salmon jump, the area is overflowing with towering evergreens, changing deciduous trees in blazing colors of Autumn, mossy carpeting that spreads to blanket the trees and rocks, fascinating shapes in the branches and the clouds as Nature bends them to her will, and birds calling from all around, flying from branch to branch, watching over all.

We really love living on the West End of the Olympic Peninsula.