November 5, 2014
California Travels
California travel is not something
either of us had ever even considered. We thought, "Lots of
people, smog, traffic", Who needs it? Jo said yesterday, "If
you had told me I would be living in California for two months, I
would have said you were crazy !" Well here we are, living in
California. And so far, we love it !
We spent the last few days on a
side trip to the California coast, driving from Crescent City to
Eureka to Garberville. Such contrast for one state. Rocky
coastlines, mountains, semi-desert, and redwood forests all
contribute to the contrast.
Our drive to the coast from Redding
took us along Hwy 299 through the coastal range and was about 3 hours
of slow wandering. We weren't prepared to see such a mountain range
before getting to the coast. We saw streams, forests and lots of up
and down roads for about 140 miles. The fall colors are in full
glory and the contrast with the evergreens is beautiful. This is the
first week of November.
More Pacific
Coastline
The drive along the California
Pacific coast is beautiful. The surf averages from 1 foot to 8 feet
with plenty of days where it's higher. We can see why surfers love
it here. Rocks and sea stacks are abundant adding a lot to the
scenery.
Seafood restaurants ranging from
dives to plush eateries dot the coastline. Outside eating is
popular.
The birds also seem to like it when
you dine on an outside deck. I made the mistake of tossing one a
french fry and you would think someone rang the dinner bell. Gulls,
pelicans and bird of all types arrived enmasse. Fortunately since it
was mid afternoon we were the only ones eating outside. I was not
too popular with my wife for a few minutes though.
Walk your dog, fly your kite, surf,
fish, wind surf, it's all there, even in November. There are
dozens of RV Parks near the coast. California travel seems to have
quite a lot to offer.
Eureka is an amazing city on a
harbor with a picturesque marina, docks with fascinating boats,
stacks and stacks of crab traps, and some of the most beautiful
Victorian houses I have ever seen.
Quaint shops and a large variety of
restaurants add to the charm. Be sure to drive through town and just
look at the houses and shops at the very least.
Crabing is king here. Clams are
also big, and there seems to be some kind of fish "running"
all year long.
California Travel
– The Redwood Forests
Drive either north or south of
Eureka and you start to see the Redwood forests. Redwoods National
and State parks are between Crescent City and Eureka. On our first
day we visited the Lady Bird Johnson Grove and several other nice
groves in the same area.
On the second day driving south
from Eureka, we exited from Hwy 101 a short distance south of
Ferndale (more Victorian houses), and drove the Avenue of the Giants
Hwy.
Miles and miles of Coastal Redwoods growing right along the
road await you. As you enter the forests, it's like the sun seems to
go down. In fact it's so dark, signs advise that you drive with your
headlights on for safety. And it's quiet. Eerily so, and sounds do
not echo. Sounds are absorbed by the trees.
We had seen redwoods a few years
ago, stopping only briefly for a short look. This time we took the
time to really get to know the forests. There would be a large grove
followed by a plot of normal size trees, more light again, then back
to another huge grove of redwoods. Needles, moss, ferns, and
occasional fallen giants cover the floor of the forests. Brush and
some undergrowth also are there, but not as much as most forests.
It's just too far away from the light. These trees grow to heights
of 300 feet or more and block most of the sunlight. The Avenue of
the Giants runs for almost 40 miles, parallel to Hwy 101. There are
several access points to and from 101 along the drive.
Photographing these giant trees is
a challenge. You just about have to have something like a car, a
person, or something, to give perspective to illustrate the size of
these giant trees. We did one "drive through tree" to show
the size. And of course , we posed in front of several. Of note,
the Giant Sequoia in Yosemite that you probably saw in older photos,
fell in a storm a couple of decades ago. The only remaining trees
you can drive through are on private property, and of course, there
is a fee to drive through. Our fee was $5.00. We had fun setting up
our shots, so it was more than worth it.
California Travel
– The drive back
On the way back to Redding, we
decided to take Hwy 36 toward Red Bluff. A beautiful scenic drive,
this is one of the steepest highway drives we have ever seen.
Numerous grades of over 10% (one was actually marked 15%) with
extreme switchbacks make driving slow. We used to climb steeper
grades while rock crawling back in the day, but never on a main
highway. Yesterday, while Jo was driving, looking over and seeing a
steep slope starting right at the highway, with cattle all along the
slope. I thought to myself "I wonder if a cow ever absently
grazes up and up, then lifts it's head, looks down and says "Holy
cow ! That's a long way down !" Maybe that's just a human
thing....!
As we made our way down the final
slope towards Red Bluff, the forest began to be replaced with low
growth scrub oak, small pinions, and manzanita.
The road also began to undulate.
Just like a roller coaster the small hills were so close together
they would block the view and you would lose the road completely
until you topped that one, only to find another in front of you. I
think we were airborne a couple of times. And you know that feeling
of your stomach coming up into your throat when you suddenly drop?
Dozens and dozens of times ! If we hadn't been a little concerned
that a big bull elk might be in the valley over the next hill, we
might have really tried it out. It was a fun ending to our
adventure.
Our California travel has started
to change our attitudes about California.
Today we are back at the RV Park
just taking it easy, editing photos, writing, and enjoying a
beautiful mid 70's November day.
Jo made apricot-almond muffins early Thanksgiving morning. While
enjoying them warm from the oven, we decided to break with tradition
and postpone our main Thanksgiving meal until evening, so we could
take a nice leisurely drive along the Hwy 1 Sonoma Coast road.
