19 September, Saturday

Homemade waffles for breakfast today, then Skyping with Grandpa, L & R.
S heads off to work, K heads out shopping. I do a bit more research on
both our Olympic trip and our Grand Canyon trip. We learn we can
self-register at the trailhead for the Duckabush trail. That will
make life easier. We won’t have to drive to Port Angeles. As far as
Grand Canyon goes, I can now check on-line to see at which
campsites we will be staying. The photos confirm there is a good
place to protect our food – no bear canisters necessary. Next job,
try to find a place to stay for the night before and the night after
our hike in the Olympics.

Done! Found Mt. Walker Inn in Quilcene, about 20 miles north of
where we will start our trip. Also found 101 Brewery at Twana
Roadhouse, a microbrewery in Quilcene. It looks like they have a
grand total of 4 house beers.

We go on a long walk, meet up with S after he has finished tutoring, and
return to the apartment for dinner a la “The New Greenmarket
Cookbook.” We have snap pea and whipped ricotta tartines and
Broccoli with Pistachios, Chiles and Mint, prepared by chefs S &
K. All is delicious. I decide the gigantic pile of tasty broccoli
should be called “The Enchanted Broccoli Blowdown” in honor of
“The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.”

Kitchen clean-up will take awhile, and then we all still have packing to do.
I can’t really pack my pack until tomorrow morning anyway because the
sleeping system goes on the bottom of my pack, and we still need to
use it tonight.

With inn reservations and the permit question resolved, we should have a
fairly relaxed day tomorrow.