If we don't preserve what little old growth forest left in the United States, this is all our grandchildren will be able to see.

Most of the old growth stumps you encounter in the Pacific Northwest, have spring board notches where the loggers build make shift scaffolds so they could saw the huge old growth trees, at a lesser diameter and above the sometimes rock bearing moss of the lower part of the giant trees. This old stump showed no spring board signs but was not as broadly tapered as some stumps.

This photo was taken of my wife at the very start of our Shi Shi beach hike.

Sunday night June 14th, 2009 - my wife and I camped in the back of our pickup truck canopy at the “South Beach” camp on Washington’s Pacific Ocean coast.

Monday, we drove to Neah Bay, where we took an 8 mile round trip hike from the Makah Indian Reservation trailhead, along Shi Shi beach, to the beach immediately south of the Point of the Arches - - and back. After the Shi Shi Beach hike, we drove back north and took the short, but outstanding, one mile round trip hike to the Cape Flattery & Tatoosh Island overlook. There we saw marine birds and were treated to the sight of a gray whale swimming north through the channel between Tatoosh Island and Cape Flattery.

Tuesday, we drove from our “basic” motel room in Neah Bay, back to our home in Eastern Washington, via the Hood Canal route. The back road travel and hiking over the two and half days were really enjoyable. My wife and I both had a great time and especially enjoyed the hikes and the camp at South Beach.

My flickr photo set “Shi Shi Beach - June 2009” has a detailed narrative of the trip and hikes.

Ravens have a curious and amazing relationship between wolves, coyotes, and birds of prey - - all of whom will gladly make a meal of a raven, if given the opportunity. With many places to land, this raven seems to be courting disaster by landing on the same rock as the bald eagle. The relationship is covered well in a book called "Mind of the Raven".

This photo was taken on the highway between Sequim and Neah Bay along the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Sunday night June 14th, 2009 - my wife and I camped in the back of our pickup truck canopy at the “South Beach” camp on Washington’s Pacific Ocean coast.

Monday, we drove to Neah Bay, where we took an 8 mile round trip hike from the Makah Indian Reservation trailhead, along Shi Shi beach, to the beach immediately south of the Point of the Arches - - and back. After the Shi Shi Beach hike, we drove back north and took the short, but outstanding, one mile round trip hike to the Cape Flattery & Tatoosh Island overlook. There we saw marine birds and were treated to the sight of a gray whale swimming north through the channel between Tatoosh Island and Cape Flattery.

Tuesday, we drove from our “basic” motel room in Neah Bay, back to our home in Eastern Washington, via the Hood Canal route. The back road travel and hiking over the two and half days were really enjoyable. My wife and I both had a great time and especially enjoyed the hikes and the camp at South Beach.