We started the day with a walk over to Kalaloch Lodge for a hearty breakfast of vegan pancakes with a side of hash browns. Even though one of my two pancakes seemed a bit undercooked, it was definitely the breakfast we needed to get through our third day in a row of riding. Yesterday was supposed to be a rest day but I was glad we kept moving since the 30 miles to Lake Quinault were mostly uphill.
We set out a little later than usual after packing up our (now) dry camping gear; I could now rest assured that my tent wasn’t going to grow mold. It was sunny and hot which is weather that we haven’t yet encountered on this trip. I welcomed the sun as opposed to the rain of the previous days but I think Lauren preferred the opposite.
The route from Kalaloch to Lake Quinault was desolate. Outside of the Kalaloch area, we came across a Trading Post (I’d call it a gas station, but that’s not what the sign said) as we crossed over onto the Quinault Reservation, but aside from that, there were not any services for miles. The road was hot and exposed to the sun for most of the 30 miles which made me grateful that we filled up our water bottles before we left.
About four miles from the lake, we came across a sign that said “Bicyclers Haven.” We decided to stop and met the old couple that ran it. They said that they open up their yard to bike travelers for free camping, water, and snacks every season and they seemed to love having the company. They were friendly and pleasant and I wish I’d known about the Haven before, as it may have been a nice place to stay. We’ll put it on the list for next time.
We arrived at the beautiful Lake Quinault Lodge around 2:30pm. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so we ate some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the yard of the lodge and took in the view while we waited. The lodge, which was built in 1926, is as much a sight to see as the natural beauty around it. I suggest it to anyone traveling around the peninsula.
We checked in, and after a quick (but cold) swim in the lake, we had our first showers in days which was glorious. We decided that in order to take in all the lake has to offer, we would book a sunset boat tour. The tour was fun and interesting. Captain Carl, who is 70 years old and has worked at the lodge for 32 years, talked about the history of the lake, pointed out some really pretty lakeside homes, and showed us some beautiful landscape. My only issue with the tour was when he had a senior moment, seemed to forget that he was driving a boat full of people and almost crashed — but a potential shipwreck is a good catalyst for an adventure, right?
Today’s Mileage = 34.5
Total Mileage = 245.01
