SPEED DEMONS OF THE RAIN FOREST

Also called the Mosquito Hawk, or the Lord of June, dragonflies are among the fastest fliers in the insect kingdom. At a zippy 35 miles per hour, they can give a race horse a real run for its money. When we were kids, we called dragonflies "snake doctors".

The Green Darner Dragonfly (Anax junius), commonly found in the Olympic Mountains, can be seen darting about the pond from April to September. Male Darners patrol their territory about eight feet up and 8 feet from the pond's edge. The Green Darner is one of 38 species of dragonflies found in the U.S.

When "dragon flight" came to Huckleberry Hollow, a whole new era of rain forest aviation was born. Suddenly, a weekend trip to the high meadows was within easy reach of the small creatures. Transporting goods several miles distance was now entirely possible. Dragonfly Express offices sprang up in villages throughout the rain forest.

What was to become of the simple life and the old ways of the forest? This concerned Mrs. Trowbridge more than a little. She mentioned it many times in her journal. Yet she also often spoke with fondness of her family's first dragonfly trip to the high meadows.

The rocky outcroppings that you see in Mrs. T's painting are where the rarest wild flowers are found. I have seen the Pipers Bell Flower, and the Flett Violet--both rare Olympic endemics--clinging to life in the crevices of pillow lava outcroppings like these on numerous treks into the high country.

I took these shots in Royal Basin, in the Olympic Mountains. It is so beautiful up here that it is said to be "suitable for royalty"...hence the name. The small creatures loved to visit idyllic locales like this during the warm summer months. You may find rare wild flowers growing among these rocks.

Would you like to see what Huckleberry Hollow really looks like? Would you like to see for yourself the rare wild flowers that grow only here? There really is such a place. I know...I have been there. It's situated on Wild Rose Creek in the Quinault Rain Forest. Would you like to see vistas like what you see in the above photos? You can, and I will guide you to all of these spectacular places. The Olympic Rain Forest is so special and unique--one of the few temperate rain forests on earth--that it is designated a World Heritage Site. That puts it in company with the Serengeti Plain, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Taj Mahal.

If I get enough response, I will put together a tour package lasting about one week. I will guide you to the most spectacular places in the Olympic National Park. The tour will culminate with a night in one of the world's great lodges, Lake Quinault Lodge. Go to www.visitlakequinault.com, look at the pictures, and you're sure to sign on for the trip. (You may recall, Lake Quinault is the lake that Mrs. Trowbridge's family had to cross on their summer journey to the Pacific Ocean.)

The last day, after a wonderful breakfast at Lake Quinault Lodge, we will depart for a day hike deep into the rain forest. Our destination will be the place where the Trowbridge Chronicles were born---Huckleberry Hollow, on Wild Rose Creek. Let me know if you would like more information. I'm planning on going to Huckleberry Hollow this summer anyway...I figured I might as well take you along with me. P.S. Bring your sketchpad!