We pulled into a gravel clearing just outside Forks on Tuesday night, and the sky opened up before we could even level the tires. Since then, the rain has been a constant, heavy drumming on our fiberglass high-top ceiling. In eighty square feet, moisture is the real enemy, sneaking in on wet boots and damp jackets.
Fighting the Constant Dampness
We run our diesel heater for twenty minutes every morning just to dry out the air, even if it is not particularly cold outside. Every wet rain shell gets hung immediately on the cab-divider bar with the passenger seat turned backward to maximize airflow. It is a slow battle, but it keeps the mildew from claiming the corners of our plywood bed platform.
Zero Solar and Conserving Power
Our three hundred watts of solar panels have been completely useless under this thick canopy of hemlocks and grey clouds. To keep the fridge running and our devices charged, we are relying entirely on the alternator charger during our short drives between trailheads. Every watt counts right now, which means the overhead LED lights stay off, and we are reading by headlamp.