At the Del Norte Coast grove, we saw our first coastal redwoods. They are relatives of the giant sequoia which is seen in the Sierra Nevadas, but the redwoods are bigger. They feed off the fog that rolls in nearly daily and can reach 1,500+ years old pretty easily. These giants tend to clump together in groves and through the many interpretive signs we learned that what we have and see today is only about 5% of what used to be here. Logging in the 19th and 20th centuries cut down many of these giants.
In between groves, we were treated to some amazing seashore AND the sun was out this morning! We even detoured up a hill for the Klamath River viewpoint so we could see the river meet the ocean. Also finally saw some surfers as the waves appeared to be bigger.
One of the things I've learned in traveling is to "eat local." We found a little diner nestled right along the scenic highway. It reminded me a lot of Shorty's back home, but we had a wonderfully quirky waitress, dined with loggers and locals, and had some great laughs!
After lunch, we dived back into the forest. One stop was the "Big Tree" which is one of the few named trees. The park service realized that if it named trees, people would want to stop and see the specific ones and thus would get up close and trample around the bases, which would do more harm to the tree than good. Along the byway, there were several trailheads that ventured off into the forest. We took a couple and were reward with amazing sights and sounds. We ended our time at the Redwood park with a hike to the Lady Bird Johnson grove. She was here in 1968 and 1969 and this area was dedicated to her.
Leaving the park we were snapped back into civilization as we arrived in Eureka about 5:00 on Friday evening. Traffic and people were everywhere! However, a bit south of there we jumped onto the Avenue of Giants scenic parkway. This is a state park that isn't quite as polished as the national park, but still amazing. The trees were so thick here that you would drive from a meadow where the sun was shining into the thick of the forest where your bright headlights were needed. One of our favorite stops was a trailhead we took that lead by two creaking trees. At first we thought we'd come upon a bear or other animal sleeping, but alas...just a giant tree swaying and creaking.
Our drive continued south as the sun set and we were able to catch some pink rays above the Eel River bank. We soon arrived in Garberville where we found dinner at an amazing New Orleans bistro with a live band! Garberville is apparently known for being the "marijuana heartland of the U.S." according to the BBC; marijuana cultivation has replaced timber as the economic driver in the area.
It took longer to get to the hotel then planned because the road was VERY curvy. Made it safe and sound, just a little late.
We continue our trek south and will be in Silicon Valley for our next stop.
“One of my most unforgettable memories of the past years is walking through the Redwoods last November – seeing the lovely shafts of light filtering through the trees so far above, feeling the majesty and silence of that forest, and watching a salmon rise in one of those swift streams – all our problems seemed to fall into perspective and I think every one of us walked out more serene and happier.” - Lady Bird Johnson - July 30, 1969
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