On Saturday, I headed out on foot, walking south on the beach towards Arch Cape on a beautiful, sunny morning. The tide was going out as I walked, but wasn't low enough to scramble up the bank and over the headlands at both Humbug Point (Lion Rock / Arcadia Beach) and again at Hug Point. Lucky for me at Hug Point, someone had strapped a rope to a tree and that was useful for the scramble! I was able to get by both those points on the way back north, thank goodness! Hug Falls was an unexpected treat - a coastal waterfall right on the beach. I ended up putting in 11 miles and then found a spot to watch the Husky football game and eat a yummy grilled cheese before another lovely sunset. I started out early Sunday so that I could stop at three historic forts on the way home: Fort Stevens (OR), Fort Columbia (WA), and Fort Canby (Cape Disappointment, WA). Together, they comprised the Triangle of Fire and protected the Puget Sound from the Civil War to WWII. Despite growing up in Washington, I have never been to any of these spots. In addition to the forts, it was incredible to see the miles-long jetties the Army Corps has installed to try to ease the navigation of the mouth the Columbia. Fort Columbia still has a bunch of the barracks and other buildings intact which makes it look quaint - a couple of them are vacation rentals now. I also saw a bunch of elk and some cool lighthouses. What a beautiful day to explore and be out and about!
