26 October: Redwood Forest and Crescent City

After another full day of Redwood National Park, we arrived in Crescent City, California. Here was the beginning of what was to become a major theme of the remainder of our West Coast road trip --lighthouses. We went to the Crescent City Lighthouse in late afternoon to photograph only, thinking we were too late for tours that day. However, upon further investigation in walking up on the porch, we were able to get in on a unique tour by the lighthouse keeper resident Shrine Clown and were told of his circus wedding in addition to the history of the lighthouse. We watched the sun go down from the top of the lens room and then felt it was time for a nice warm drink.

After cruising hwy 1 up and down, we came upon Java Hut where I sipped an almond steamer as we talked over the events of the day, the end of the California Coast, and where to camp for the night. As this was our last night in California, we felt like a good solid seafood dinner was in order so we asked around. The coffee girl recommended a place down the road which we promptly sought out. The homemade clam chowder at "Grotto Seafood" was comforting and we had a good show across the room of a teenager not on speaking terms with her parents.

Finding somewhere to sleep was then to be the closest spot on the map with a tent smybol since it was well after dark now. We spent the night in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods, woke up at the crack of dawn as has become our practice to avoid camping fees by eluding the ranger (I know, support the parks... well we did but our National Parks Pass was stolen!) So it was goodbye California, don't know when we'll see you again, someday soon but until then... it's been fun the last few years...

25 Oct 2007 Northern California Coast & Redwoods

24-27 October
The north coast lived up to all expectations for spectacular scenery. With a stop at the Cowgirl Creamery for some Mt. Tam, Pierce Pt. and the pungent Red Hawk cheeses, we continued up the Shorline Highway 1 on the east side of the Tomales Bay. The winding switchbacking highway was beautiful but slow! We camped at Gualala Point in Sonoma State Beach near the Russian River in a dark wooded campground before continuing in the morning through Sea Ranch, Mendocino, Fort Bragg and the mystical Humboldt Redwoods. Connecting to the 101 Redwood Highway took us through Avenue of the Giants and all the legendary groves of majestic Sequoias. I have an innate attraction toward the redwoods, or maybe learned. I don't know why; perhaps because the huge trees are comforting to a native of the Puget Sound, or maybe because my dad used to sing "This Land is Your Land" from the time I was very small and the line about the Redwood Forest always struck a chord in me. Being among these massive trees that have stood here for centuries gives me a unique peace. I don't want to leave the forest because I feel as though I am losing something as I watch them shrink unnaturally quickly in the rear view mirror.

Although I hoped to camp in the forest, we found a site on the beach that rivaled Pt. Reyes, which was the best so far. It was at Gold Bluffs Beach in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The six mile unpaved, hilly, muddy road to the campground was a true initiation for my Southern California freeway-raised Mini Cooper. She really showed us what she was made of. Massive cliffs at our backs and the ocean stretching out in front of us, we arrived just as the sun began to set. We had enough time to choose a campsite among the sandy and tufts of grass and worry about how exposed we were to the unrelenting wind! The colors of the sky combined with perfect clouds were unparalleled that evening. We stood in awe long after the sun sank below the horizon only to look behind us and be again struck by the beauty of the moonrise. The silhouette of the line of trees crowning the cliff set a screen for the full moon to burst through in all its glory. The bright glow and slight tints of color encircling the moon emphasized the far-off jagged line of the forest high above us. As if that wasn't enough sky magic, we woke up in the morning to see that perfect round moon looming over the ocean about to sink away as the sky turned hazy shades of pink from the sun rising over the cliff at our backs - this visual to the pure rhythm of waves all night, only a few yards away from our tent.

24 Oct 2007 Point Reyes National Seashore

23-24 October
A long and winding road into Marin County took us into late evening and no campsite yet. Several we drove past were closed for the season. Finally we came to an empty parking lot with no gate blocking the entrance! It looked a little sketchy since we were the only car in the entire place, there is probably a roving ranger looking for cars to ticket and campers to cite! A bit worried that we may find a ticket on the windshied in the morning since we failed to check in the the parks office to pay for a campsite, we headed down the beach anyway. Our little Point Reyes National Seashore map showed a trail, but it was not connected to the parking lot or the beach... so after a mile or so down the beach, we decided to turn in and look for that trail. It should have been pitch black but the full moon illuminated the landscape so well that we did not even use our headlamps! The trail wound around a stream and some taller trees and we knew we were coming up on something. Around the bend, we stopped dead in our tracks! Right in front of us stood a stark white elk! A ghost elk staring back at us! So contrasted to the expanse of dark sky above the ocean, it must be the full moon causing an unnatural sheen on the elk,s coat. He continued to watch our every move as we gingerly stepped past to find a campsite. A giant eucalyptys tree perched nicely a ways back from the cliff looked like a prime location to set up the tent, but as we neared the spot... two or three deer stood up defiantly. Then a few more, we stopped and noticed it was the sleeping area for a group of an entire heard of them! Well, that spot was taken! An owl on a branch above us hoo-ed and sent us back to the field where bear boxes and spigots were set up for our kind. The next day at the visitor,s center, the ranger told us that the elk was in fact white as snow - there are several species of exotic elk and deer that were imported here when Point Reyes was a private hunting ground!