Olympic Peninsula

Last week Eric and I took a trip up to see his parents in Ocean Shores.  It was the first time I've been there when we weren't rushed and that was so nice.  One of the days we took a trip north. Here is the biggest cedar tree

Pretty beach.  We stopped for lunch and Eric and I took a couple walks.  Almost got trapped by the tide in one direction, saw a big bald eagle in the other

There was a lot of beautiful drift wood

On the way back we took a detour into the Olympic National Park around Lake Quinault.  We stopped the car to check out a waterfall and the car was immediately swarmed with big fuzzy yellow and black stripped flying things.  Then Eric shrieked as one bit and we all panicked as the swarm split and surrounded each of us.  Rin was still in the car with all the windows down and I had visions of him trapped and attacked, but it's a fancy new car so you can open the back from far away.  We took off down the road trying to get away with the extra panic inducer that Nancy might be allergic.  Jim into the woods, Eric contemplating the river, Nancy just moving, Rin running up to me and gifting part of his swarm...  Eventually, the biologist in me kicked in and realized something was up, these were not behaving like normal hornets and they didn't look like yellow jackets.  

In fact, they were horseflies.  

Yes, flies.  

lordy