Lapped the Olympic Peninsula today with R1S

[Mabba]

Trip to Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver:

We are planning our first trip with an RTT on our R1T and looking for some advice on camping in the Olympic Peninsula and Vancouver. We are traveling up the coast from Sonoma County to explore the amazing sites in the area in a couple of months. Thanks in advance.

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[Dave Cundiff]

@Mabba: Enjoy your trip to Washington's Olympic Peninsula!

Two areas that may seem out of the way, but that I hope you won't miss:

*** MAKAH RESERVATION ***

Neah Bay, Washington is the northwest tip of Washington -- and of the continental United States. The scenery on the Cape Flattery Trail is amazing! I like the Shi Shi Beach Trail even better, when it's open. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/washington/makah-indian-reservation .

The Makah Nation maintains what may be the best Native American museum outside of the Smithsonian. Around 1969, a mudslide unearthed a 500-year-old Makah fishing village; the tribe scrambled all of its young people to work with archeologists to save and display a myriad of artifacts. With this material, they can show young tribal members (and fortunate visitors) how their tribe's ancestors solved all the problems of living in this difficult environment -- long before Columbus. For depth of knowledge and efficiency of time, consider hiring a tribal member to walk with you and narrate your museum visit. The museum staff have a list of tribal members who do this cultural interpretation skillfully. https://makahmuseum.com/ .

Overnight accommodations, both camping and hotels/motels, are available in Neah Bay. Some have chargers. My favorite eating place when I worked there was Linda's Wood Fired Kitchen, on the main drag.

Many people forego the trip, because it's remote from US 101 -- but this is one of my favorite places, and the people have always been SO kind to me!

*** LEWIS AND CLARK / CHINOOK NATION / ILWACO, WASHINGTON ***

When Lewis and Clark reached the Pacific Ocean in fall 1805, it wasn't clear they could survive. Some expedition members were so uncomfortable in our coast's blustery fall/winter rain, they wished they were back in their previous winter quarters in North Dakota. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition .

They survived and returned, with help from the ancestors of the Chinook Indian Nation. Sadly, that help was never properly reciprocated. The Chinook, who refused to leave their ancestors' graves, got caught in partisan U.S. politics and in intertribal politics; the Chinook remain without Federal recognition or support in exchange for the land that was stolen from them. https://chinooknation.org/ .

The settlers' history is told well at various installations of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (https://www.nps.gov/lewi/index.htm). The natives' history deserves its own museum, and doesn't have one, but it is told in one wing of the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco (https://columbiapacificheritagemuseum.org/).

In Ilwaco, we're fond of the Salt Pub and Hotel. The owners of The Ebb Cafe on Lake Street, across from the museum, are also very nice. [Disclosure: We're biased about both these places. We admire the Salt's owners, and The Ebb's owners are excellent tenants.] Camping is available in several places, including Cape Disappointment State Park, which is not disappointing! (https://parks.wa.gov/find-parks/state-parks/cape-disappointment-state-park) .

Sadly, no public chargers in Ilwaco yet. We're working to change that. Lodging with Level 2 chargers is in Seaview and Long Beach, WA at the Shelburne, the Adrift, and elsewhere. The Shelburne and Adrift are good places to eat, as is 42nd Street Cafe in Seaview. Long Beach has a public Level 2 charger at Fourth and Oregon Streets SE.

When open, the Snow Peak Campfield in Long Beach will have Rivian Waypoint chargers.

There are MANY other wonderful places to enjoy around the Olympic Peninsula! Enjoy your visit!